Terry Evans Has A 'Fire In The Feeling'!

I first met Terry Evans during the late seventies at my studio in Hollywood. I was doing a session at Hollywood Central Recorders when I received a phone call from an engineer friend who was working a date at Hollywood Sound Studios just up the street. My friend was having trouble making an edit and asked if I would help. I told him to come over with the tape and I would see what I could do.

When he arrived, he was in tow with two black gentlemen; Bobby King and Terry Evans. They were working on an album for Warner Brothers at the time.

I loved to edit tape, especially two inch tape.

While I was making the edit, I had the opportunity to hear the song. Terry had most of the lead with Bobby singing harmony. I heard it then and I still hear it now. Terry sings with a heart as large as life itself. He sings from compassion, from tough lessons learned in life and a gentleness, so rarely found in today's world.

This is a man who has been making music for over 40 years. It's what he does and....what he does best.

'Fire In The Feeling' is a combination of all Terry has felt and learned during his life. A rousing yet sensitive effort that deserves hearing and feeling.

I had the opportunity to coerce Terry into coming by my home for a cup of tea. When I had him comfortable, I turned on the machines and we talked a bit and played a few of his favorite cuts from his new CD and some of the previous ones. Nothing is written as you can probably tell. The music speaks for itself.

Listen to....Mr. Terry Evans!

Jackson 5 Songwriter Willie Hutch Passes On!

Motown singer-songwriter Willie Hutch, who helped compose several Jackson 5 songs, died on Monday in Dallas of undisclosed causes at the age of 59.

His association with the label began in 1970 when he was asked to complete "I'll Be There" for the family quintet.

The song became a hit and was followed by the other collaborations, "Got To Be There" and "Never Can Say Goodbye".

Hutch went on to work with other Motown artists, including Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Miracles.

Branching into soundtracks, he wrote the music for the 'Blaxploitation' movies The Mack and Foxy Brown.

He also enjoyed solo success in the 1970s with such albums as Fully Exposed and Concert in Blues.

Born Willie McKinley Hutchinson in Los Angeles in 1946, Hutch was raised in Dallas and began singing as a teenager as a member of an outfit called the Ambassadors.

He released his first solo single," Love Has Put Me Down", in 1964, which led to collaborations with '60s soul band the 5th Dimension.

Good Morning Blues!.....Tribute To A Record Man....Jerry Wexler!

I had never heard of Jerry Wexler when I first listened to one of his productions. I didn't know what went into the making of a phonograph record. At the time, all I did was enjoy what I heard.

There are records today that I can play and receive the same enjoyment that I did when I was young. I can close my eyes and literally go back in time. Back to an America that was just coming back to life after a terrible war.

Although America looked and felt as though she were basking in the shade; relaxing in the afterglow....parts of the USA were pulsating. New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Cleveland and New Orleans were full of spirits just begging to be released.

People such as Jerry Wexler, allowed these souls to be free. Gave them credibility and put their money and their companies behind them. As Vice-President of Atlantic Records, Jerry would have the power to break an artist overnight. He made a hell of a lot of hits because he believed in the artist and the song.

Yes....I loved that yellow and black lable with the big A.... spinning round and round.

Thank you Jerry, for being a friend to a kid during the early days of his career. You have brought more joy to this man than you will ever know. Not just because you're a great music man.... but because you're a Mensch.

God Bless you and your wonderful family.

John Rhys/BluePower.com

Click here to enjoy........The Music Of Jerry Wexler!

Good Morning Blues....A Musical Tribute To The Artists Of New Orleans!

Hurricane Katrina has washed away more than just property from the streets of New Orleans. The hurricane virtually 'wiped out' an entire culture the city could ill-afford to lose.

From this culture came the people perfoming today; mostly Black folks. Because they were poor and lived paycheck to paycheck, they could not afford to run for safety.

The statement, "They should have left when they were ordered to evacuate.", is possibly one of the most callous remarks I have had the misfortune hear. It only served to ratify what I believed all along....that there are people who live in this country that just don't know the torments of poverty; they close their eyes to it's existence and pretend it's not there.

This show is dedicated to the great performers of New Orleans and it's parishes. These people and their music have brought endless amounts of joy to myself and millions of others. Not to mention, handsome profits to their record companies. Most of these artists are still poor if they're still alive.

Thanks for tuning in to BluePower.com. Please help the victims of Katrina in any way you can. Even if it's just a short prayer.

Thank you....John Rhys

Listen to....A Musical Tribute To The Artists Of New Orleans!

Good Morning Blues Podcast (Part Two)!

OK!....So I didn't know that I had to put up another post for you'all to know there was a Part Two. I don't mind though. It's all for fun anyway.

The Program for Part Two:

1)...."Hand Clappin"
Red Prysock/Mercury
2)...."How Much Do You Want"
Walter Trout/Ruf
3)...."Marie's Mood"
Walter Trout/Ruf
4)...."Ain't That Love"
Ray Charles/Atlantic
5)...."Lonely Avenue"
Ray Charles/Atlantic
6)...."How I Wish Someone Would Care"
Irma Thomas/Imperial
7)...."I Need Your Love So Bad"
Irma Thomas/Imperial
8)...."Rockin Pneumononia And The Boogie Woogie Flu"
Huey "Piano" Smith/Ace
9)...."Hand Clappin'"
Red Prysock/Mercury

Please drop us a line if you enjoyed the show to....blupwr@sbcglobal.net. Also....let us know if there is anything particular you might like to hear. I'll do my best to get it up for you within the next few days.

Thanks for listening.....John Rhys

Listen to Part Two....Good Morning Blues!