Living Blues #275 November/December 2021

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Toronzo Cannon

Full Circle

By William Wirtz

After 20 years of grinding, South Side bluesman Toronzo Cannon has honed his stage act and is now one of the top proponents of modern Chicago blues.

Alex Dixon

We’ve Just Scratched the Surface

By Justin O’Brien

Alex Dixon was raised by his grandparents—his grandfather just happened to be the legendary Willie Dixon. The young Dixon started on piano but eventually shifted to the bass. Taught by the best, Alex is not only an outstanding bass player but also a songwriter and blues businessman.

Shirley King

Making Daddy Proud

By Bill Kopp

Going into music when your father is the legendary B.B. King takes a lot of courage and character, and Shirley King has both. Six years after the blues legend’s death, Shirley King is striking her own path in the blues.

Let It Roll

Jimi Hendrix – Track Records, London, December 13 and 21, 1966

By Jas Obrecht

Jimi Hendrix may be rock’s greatest guitarist but he identified most closely with the blues. And while his straight blues recordings are few, those that exist are breathtaking. His two dates in 1966 at London’s Track Records capture Hendrix’s blues at their finest.

Record Reviews

• New Releases: Zac Harmon, Cedric Burnside, and Valerie June
• Reissues: Ray Charles, Joseph Spence, and Gatemouth Moore

Books

Editorial

Blues News

Breaking Out:
Vince Johnson and the Plantation Allstars

Lost Blues Files:
The Mysterious World of Cleo Page

Obits

Radio Charts

Cover photo by Mark Sheldon
Toronzo Cannon performing at the Hey Nonny Winter Blues Summit in Arlington Heights, Illinois, February 1, 2020.