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The Vinyl File: Phil Alvin - Un “Sung Stories”

Posted by Lance Davis - July 8, 2013 - Big Joe Turner, Bing Crosby, Blasters, Cab Calloway, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Otis Blackwell, Peetie Wheatstraw, Phil Alvin, Sun Ra, Vinyl File

In August 1986, Phil Alvin released his debut solo album in the wake of The Blasters‘ unfortunate dissolution. They had one of the great first runs in American music history (roughly 1980-85), but with brother Dave jumping ship for X in March, not to mention pianist Gene Taylor quitting after a famously terrible gig […]

The Bo Diddley Legacy - Part 1 of 2

Posted by Lance Davis - June 7, 2008 - Bo Diddley, Cab Calloway, Chess Records, Jelly Roll Morton, John Lee Hooker, Kool Moe Dee, Louis Jordan, Muddy Waters, Robert Palmer (writer), Sam Cooke, Soul Stirrers

“My music has a little bit of a spiritual taste, but it’s also primitive. I play the guitar as if I was playing drums.” -Bo Diddley A musician doesn’t beat a drum, he plays a drum. He coaxes multiple rhythms from that drum, in an effort to tell his story and to support others contributing […]