“Shadows at the Backdoor” (09/13/03) — Image by kenne
Blues Legend, Jimmy “T99” Nelson is shadowed by James “Blues Hound” Nagel and Smokin’ Joe Montes
off-stage at the back entrance of the old Washington Street Rhythm Room.
Jimmy “T99” Nelson (10/01/01) — Image by kenne
Pete Mayes, Grady Gaines, Calvin Owens and Joe ‘Guitar’ Hughes at Billy Blues, June, 2000 — Image by kenne
For years, Sunday morning has been about the Blues, listening to Mr. & Mrs. V on KPFT, Houston. Thanks to Internet streaming, the Sunday morning tradition continues.
While listening to this morning, I was going through some of my digital image files when I ran across these old black & white images I had scanned in 2010, which led me to start flipping through one of the best references on Houston blues, “Down in Houston – Bayou City Blues by Roger Wood. Of the four blues musicians in these images, Grady Gaines is the only one still with us. However, thanks to technology and radio personalities like Mr. & Mrs. V in Houston and Marty Kool (KXCI) in Tucson, their music is still with us — some of the best blues anywhere! Take the time to enjoy and share so this great music genre will always be alive and in the hearts of music lovers everywhere.
— kenne
Jonn Richardson, Diunna Greenleaf and Bob Corritore — Image by kenne
We have thought more about Houston lately and our many “blues” friends. Since moving to Tucson from The Woodlands, we have stayed in touch via the Internet, social media and other electronic media. Friday, we learned via Facebook that our good friend, Mary Harris (aka, Ken & Mary of Ken & Mary’s Blues Project) was in the hospital after having a lung collapse — gotta be hard on breathing! The news is good, she is resting and getting better all the time.
Each time we go to Houston visiting family, we tried to include friends, which is not always easy. So, Ken & Mary are a “must see,” because we love them and they are soooo connected to all our blues friends in the Houston area, therefore we try to schedule trips around Ken & Mary’s house concerts. (Sometimes we can only schedule lunch.) We could go on and on with superlatives, but we will let past and future posting on the blues and Ken & Mary do the talking.
When time allows, we stream KPFT on Sunday morning, listening to Mr. & Mrs. V, who we are pleased to say have been a part of our circle of friends for almost as long as we have known Ken & Mary — our circle has grown to include blues in Tucson and Phoenix, with the likes of Marty Kool , KXCI, and all the great blues Bob Corritore brings into Arizona at his “Rhythm Room” in Phoenix.
This morning, we were streaming KPFT, knowing the the V’s would mention Mary’s hospitalization. We stepped away from the computer for a moment, when returning we heard Diunna Greenleaf singing one of our favorite Diunna songs, “Growing Up and Growing Old.” Given Mary’s situation, having heard Diunna sing it on several occasions, plus having the CD, I kept saying to myself, “myself, I thing I videoed her singing this song when she and Jonn were here at Plaza Palomino’s Rhythm & Roots Concert Series, Tucson, Arizona, and the Bisbee Blues Festival. Hoping that I had not lost the clips from their time here in September 2012, my Sunday became an “age like fine wine” project, in more ways than one.
Here’s the video, dedicated to Mary — hope we continue to hear great news on your recovery, Mary!
kenne & joy
Ken Harris — Image by kenne
ANOTHER BLUES PROJECT NIGHT
— kenne
Ken Harris has posted —
Fall Fest 2013 is fast approaching. We are looking forward to seeing you here on Oct 26, 2013.
This year for the first time we will have three acts. Henry Old School Jones will open for Guthrie Kennard and Julie Bonk.
After Guthrie, Marina Rocks will play. In 1993 for my birthday I wanted some live blues music here at our house
The Blues Broad Kathleen aka The Blues Broad (she had a blues program on KPFT) sent me to Big Roger Collins.
He played here and the Blues Project was born and we have been presenting live music here ever since.
20 years later we are doing a special night for my 70th birthday.
As usual we will BBQ some meats and will have ice tea ,water and coffee.
Bring a side dish you like to show off to share, a lawn chair, your cooler with your favorite beverage and $10 (donation 100% for the music ).
We plan on serving food around 6:30 Henry Jones with his old school blues will play after we eat.
We received rave reviews the last time he was here so we are bringing him back .
The feature act will be Guthrie Kennard with his raspy voice Americana, bluesy, roots music.
Accompanying Guthrie will be Julie Bonk on key board . We caught Guthrie’s show at the Dosie Doe Music cafe
and were so impressed that we asked him to play here at the project . We first heard Julie at Camp Stupid at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2012 .
She was playing keyboards in a song circle, Stephanie was singing with her, Marina was also there and they were wowing everyone.
To close the night out Marina will do an intimate set and jam. She opened here last year and was an instant hit with everyone rocking the house.
Musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments to jam afterwards.
Yesterday was 420 Day and with a posting on the Houston Blues Society’s Facebook page by Guy Schwartz (The New Jack Hippies), it brought back memories of Houston’s Rhythm Room.
Tommie Lee Bradley, Guy Schwartz & The New Jack Hippies at The Rhythm Room,– Image by kenne March 8, 2003
The Rhythm Room
There was a place
Somewhere near downtown
Always rock’n
Embracing the sound
Echoing in time
Without an hour clock.
Down in old H-town.
More than a room,
The grandest of joints
Rhythm was its fame
So no need to point
For people all knew
Blues was its claim
Down in old H-town.
The Room now gone
Replaced by many
So to the sound
Losing out to money
Rhythm in the blues
Forever to be found
Down in old H-town.
kenne
(First Posted Jun 13, 2010)
The following images were taken March 2003 at one of KPFT‘s Joe’s Roadhouse live shows from the Rhythm Room; followed by the Guy Schwartz and The New Jack Hippies video, “Roll My Own.”
kenne
Joe Montes Introducing Guy Schwartz and The New Jack Hippies
Guy Schwartz and The New Jack Hippies
Tommy Lee Bradley & Guy Schwartz
Guy Schwartz & The New Jack Hippies
Gloria (Soul Queen of Texas) Edwards & Guy Schwartz
Gloria (Queen of Soul) Edwards & Guy Schwartz
Trudy Lynn & The New Jack Hippies
Trudy Lynn & Guy Schwartz
Joe Montes of “Smokin’ Joe’s Roadhouse” and Mean Gene Kelton at Houston’s Rhythm Room, 2003 — Image by kenne
Throughout a good part of the last decade, the Saturday KPFT programing included Smokin’ Joe’s Roadhouse, which appropriately Joe would take on the road to the Rhythm Room, later Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar, once a month. In June 2003 Mean Gene Kelton was live from the Rhythm Room on Joe’s show. Sadly, Smokin’ Joe’s Roadhouse, the Rhythm Room and Mean Gene Kelton are no longer with us.
Today the Rhythm Room has been replaced by condos, Smokin’ Joe’s Roadhouse replaced by the program, “Deadbeat” and Gene, well you can’t replace Mean Gene Kelton. However, he will always be in the hearts of the “Die Hards.”
Today while looking for some of my Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club, I ran across some of my 2003 Rhythm Room photos, each causing a trip back in time. I thought about writing a new poem, then recalled my 2005 “Stardust Memories” poem, which I share again.
Stardust Memories
The past,
is not for replay,
only for the stardust of yesterdays
Yesterdays,
in a time and place,
gently massaging forgotten dreams
Dreams,
giving clues to
our stardust memories
Memories,
fading for now,
only reborn to our imagination
Imagination,
directing the soul to
reconstruct old moments
Moments,
experiencing rapture
in the joy of our love
Love,
is the stardust of yesterday,
the music of the years to come
May these words and images gently sprinkle down on our collective stardust memories.
kenne
Corner Pub In Conroe, TX — Image by kenne
(First Posted, January 2009)
Anyone that is a Blues lover in Houston, Texas knows about KPFT’s “Blues On The Move” Sunday morning show, hosted by “The Love Doctor,” Mr. V (James Vaughn) and his lovely wife, Mrs. “V” (Jo). wherever live Blues is happening in Houston, it’s not uncommon to see the “V’s” in the house, and Saturday night at the Corner Pub in Conroe was no exception. This time the “V’s” were there to see Mean Gene Kelton and the Diehards, along with many of the original “Friends of The Blues — Montgomery County.” (FOBulous!)
As usual, I was taking some photos and when Mr. V went on stage, I pulled out my little video camera. (I’m still working on the best way to upload my HD video to YouTube, so I’m still not pleased with the quality.) This was a reunion, of sorts, from last year Mr. V’ 69th birthday and in Memphis.
The song Mr. V does is Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday’s Just As Bad) by legendary and great, T. Bone Walker.
kenne
P.S. We miss you Gene!
Buddy Brewer, Nancy McAfee, Joni Kelton & Mr. “V” (James Vaughn) at KPFT — Image by kenne
Mr. and Mrs. “V” dedicated most of their Sunday morning “Blues On The Move” program to the late Mean Gene Kelton. Many people, the real “Die Hards,” shared their stories and their thoughts of Houston’s Blues/Rock/Americana singer-songwriter, Mean Gene Kelton. I have additional photos and video I will be sharing in the next week.
kenne
I learned about this video from my KPFT friend, Larry-Jerry on Facebook — Thanks for the “spare change!”
kenne
Collage from last year’s KPFT Ladies Day
. . .photos really help!
We were not able to attend this year’s party, so we really appreciate Jo sending this photo link. We were at Camp CALM (Conroe Association of Live Music). As soon as I can get to the photos and video clips, I will post the event on this blog site.
kenne
Anyone that is a Blues lover in Houston, Texas knows about KPFT’s “Blues On The Move” Sunday morning show, hosted by “The Love Doctor,” Mr. V (James Vaughn) and his lovely wife, Mrs. “V” (Jo). Wherever live Blues is happening in Houston, it’s not uncommon to see the “V’s” in the house, and Saturday night at the Corner Pub in Conroe was no exception. This time the “V’s” were there to see Mean Gene Kelton and the Diehards, along with many of the original “Friends of The Blues — Montgomery County.” (FOBulous!)
As usual, I was taking some photos, and when Mr. V went on stage, I pulled out my little video camera. (I’m still working on the best way to upload my HD video to YouTube, so I’m still not pleased with the quality.) This was a reunion of sorts from last year Mr. V’ 69th birthday and in Memphis.
The song Mr. V does is Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday’s Just As Bad) by legendary and great, T. Bone Walker.
kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 