Somewhere Down The Line - Albert Washington

Singer and songwriter Albert Washington spent most of his career singing in the blues clubs around Cincinnati, Ohio and his home in Long Island, N.Y. Washington, who is blind, released two recordings for Iris Records in the 1990s, Step It Up and Go in 1993 and A Brighter Day in 1994.
One of four children of Jerry and Helen Washington, Albert's love of blues and gospel made itself known at a very early age. Washington remembers wanting to play his uncle's guitar at age five. At seven, he made his own guitar out of a gasoline can using rubber bands as strings. After losing his father at age nine, Washington got a job washing dishes after school to help his mother with the bills. After moving to Newport, Kentucky with his family while in his teens, Washington was encouraged by his mother to continue his gospel singing, but not his blues singing. At 16, he joined the Gospelaires, then recording for Don Robey's Duke and Peacock labels out of Houston. A few years later, he formed his own gospel group, the Washington Singers. In his late teens, Washington would sneak into blues clubs in nearby Cincinnati every chance he had, and there he was first exposed to the music of artists like Sam Cooke, Big Maybelle, Charles Brown, and Amos Milburn.
Washington cited B.B. King as most influential on his style of singing and guitar playing, which was heavily sprinkled with his gospel singing roots. Shortly after his mother died, he began singing blues as often as he could at the Vet's Inn in Cincinnati, where he worked with a house band for 16 years. In 1962, he recorded his first single for the Finch label in Cincinnati, and it was later released on the Bluestown label. His 1964 singles for the VLM label, including a song he wrote called "Haven't Got a Friend,'' got him noticed in England, and this in turn led to a deal with Fraternity Records in 1966. Lonnie Mack joined Washington on several singles for Fraternity recorded in 1969. In 1970, he recorded two singles for the Jewel label before finally recording his first LP for the Detroit-based Eastbound Records in 1972.
Because of complications from diabetes, Washington lost his sight, and his career fell into a trough from the mid-'70s to the early '90s.
But despite the crippling effects of diabetes and the tragedies that befell him over the course of his life, Washington remained an upbeat, positive figure.
A Brighter Day
In January, 1993, Long Island-based Iris Records released his first recording in two decades, Step It Up and Go. He began touring regionally again, and frequented clubs in Long Island. His 1994 follow-up album, A Brighter Day, was named one of the top three blues recordings of 1994 by France's Academie Du Jazz. Washington continued to perform in blues clubs around Long Island prior to dying of complications from diabetes on October 23, 1998.
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Goin' Back To Wichita - Isaac Scott Band

Born June 11, 1945, in Vancouver, Wash., Mr. Scott was raised in Portland. He taught himself piano and guitar, first playing with gospel groups. He once did a West Coast tour with the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi.

In 1974, he turned his attention to the blues, igniting the Seattle scene along First Avenue.

"I was managing (Seattle blues man) Tom McFarland at the time," Hamilton recalls. "Tom was playing the Boulder Cafe, and (harmonica player) Don McNeff brought him through the door. When he got up behind Tom and the Korean go-go girls and started chopping these psychedelic guitar licks, it was like putting 100-watt bulbs in all the sockets."

Like Albert Collins, an early influence, Mr. Scott plucked his electric guitar with his thumb instead of a pick, which, along with his love of Jimi Hendrix, gave him a distinctive sound. Mr. Scott also was known for his stamina, often playing sets that went on for two or three hours.

In 1987, Mr. Scott was diagnosed with diabetes, which led to the amputation of his foot and leg. He continued to perform in a wheelchair.
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House of the Rising Sun - Sam Marshall Trio

The Sam Marshall Trio is a progressive blues and boogaloo band. Their sound started in the roots of the blues and has grown to included elements of jazz, funk, and hip-hop. The trio creates a groovy backdrop that blends perfectly with Sam’s weathered voice and finger style/slide guitar playing. The members of SMT are also in the group EnRoot and are equally adapt at laying down some classic boogaloo grooves.
Biography
The Sam Marshall Trio is a progressive blues and boogaloo band. Their sound started in the roots of the blues and has grown to included elements of jazz, funk, and hip-hop. The trio creates a groovy backdrop that blends perfectly with Sam’s weathered voice and finger style/slide guitar playing. The members of SMT are also in the group EnRoot and are equally adapt at laying down some classic boogaloo grooves.Write on our Facebook Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! -  Here

I´d Rather Be Blind - Curtis Salgado

Curtis Salgado (born February 4, 1954, Everett, Washington) is a Portland, Oregon based blues, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter. He plays harmonica and fronts his own band as lead vocalist.
Salgado was the inspiration behind John Belushi's creation of the Blues Brothers characters in the late 1970s. They met and became friends while Belushi was in Eugene, Oregon filming the movie Animal House. The Blues Brother's debut album Briefcase Full of Blues is dedicated to Salgado and Cab Calloway's character in The Blues Brothers film is named after Curtis. For six years he performed with Robert Cray's band, and sang lead on Cray's debut album. Later in 1995 he spent a short stint as the lead vocalist with the latin rock band, Santana.

Salgado was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2005 and underwent a successful liver transplant in 2006. He continues to record and perform his music. On June 13, 2006 a benefit concert was held in his honor in Portland to raise funds for his medical treatment. Among those who performed were Little Charlie and the Nightcats, the alternative rock band Everclear, Taj Mahal, The Robert Cray Band, and Steve Miller. Also in attendance was the widow of John Belushi who spoke of Salgado's part in the development of The Blues Brothers. On April 29, 2007 another benefit was held in Curtis' honor, bringing Steve Miller and Little Charlie and the boys back, and adding Jimmie Vaughan, and harp players Charlie Musselwhite and Kim Wilson.

Salgado has been nominated for four of the Blues Foundation's 2009 National Blues Awards, including Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year and Soul Blues Album of the year for his album, Clean Getaway. In 2010 Salgado finally won the Blues Foundations Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year award.
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Albert Washington

Singer and songwriter Albert Washington spent most of his career singing in the blues clubs around Cincinnati, Ohio and his home in Long Island, N.Y. Washington, who is blind, released two recordings for Iris Records in the 1990s, Step It Up and Go in 1993 and A Brighter Day in 1994.



Washington cited B.B. King as most influential on his style of singing and guitar playing, which was heavily sprinkled with his gospel singing roots. Shortly after his mother died, he began singing blues as often as he could at the Vet's Inn in Cincinnati, where he worked with a house band for 16 years. In 1962, he recorded his first single for the Finch label in Cincinnati, and it was later released on the Bluestown label. His 1964 singles for the VLM label, including a song he wrote called "Haven't Got a Friend,'' got him noticed in England, and this in turn led to a deal with Fraternity Records in 1966. Lonnie Mack joined Washington on several singles for Fraternity recorded in 1969. In 1970, he recorded two singles for the Jewel label before finally recording his first LP for the Detroit-based Eastbound Records in 1972.



Because of complications from diabetes, Washington lost his sight, and his career fell into a trough from the mid-'70s to the early '90s.



But despite the crippling effects of diabetes and the tragedies that befell him over the course of his life, Washington remained an upbeat, positive figure.



In January, 1993, Long Island-based Iris Records released his first recording in two decades, Step It Up and Go. He began touring regionally again, and frequented clubs in Long Island. His 1994 follow-up album, A Brighter Day, was named one of the top three blues recordings of 1994 by France's Academie Du Jazz. Washington continued to perform in blues clubs around Long Island prior to dying of complications from diabetes on October 23, 1998.