Bluescentric Announces Launch Of New Product Lines Featuring Stax and Otis Redding

BLUESCENTRIC.COM ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW PRODUCT LINES

FOLLOWING OTIS REDDING ESTATE AND STAX RECORDS AGREEMENTS

New Additions Join Iconic Artists Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley And Others

Columbia, MO --- Bluescentric.com, the shop for Blues, Soul and Rock ‘n Roll, has announced new product lines following a recent agreement with the estate of Otis Redding, alongside deals with Stax, Concord, and Delmark Records.  These indelible, iconic brands join Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, Johnny Winter and others as part of the Bluescentric family.  The expanded retail website now carries over 500 unique, officially licensed music and band t-shirts, apparel, gifts and accessories for musicians, music lovers and vinyl enthusiasts.  Since 2009, every item the company has delivered to the consumer has emanated out of the corporate headquarters in Missouri.

Bluescentric.com carries sizes small through 5XL in a variety of colors and vintage styles, big & tall, all weather, women’s and children’s options.  New arrivals include music-themed merch and gifts like vinyl record coasters, socks, neck ties, guitar spatulas, vinyl record totes, guitar pick punches, unique hats and more.  New product is continually being added for Christmas.  Every sale from officially licensed merch is paid directly to the artist estates.

CEO Magazine’s 2016 cover story on Bluescentric describes a music-filled company that “schedules business meetings at a local BBQ restaurant rather than a boardroom... going to festivals is part of market research, and considers a turntable and guitar picks as important as pen and paper.”  Chief Executive Officer Matt Marshall offers, “The company budget includes an expense account for vinyl records.  We’ve been excited to work with culture-changing artist estates and labels that represent hundreds of gold records, dozens of #1 hits, and some of the best music ever recorded.  The company’s mission statement is and always has been to connect music fans with authentic, quality merch in the digital age that actually benefits the estates in a meaningful way.”  

To keep the impact on the stage not the landfill, 100% of shipping packaging is recyclable. All orders are packed and signed off on by human hands, while customer service is second to none, available by phone and email.  Visit Bluescentric.com to discover the full line of merchandise which includes Otis Redding, Stax Records, Volt Records, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, Bo Diddley, SHAFT, Johnny Winter, Delmark Records, Junior Wells, and more here: www.bluescentric.com

Mr Highway Man - Willie Johnson with Howlin' Wolf

Willie Johnson (March 4, 1923 – February 26, 1995) was an American electric blues guitarist. He is best known as the principal guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band from 1948 to 1953. His raucous, distorted guitar playing features on Howlin' Wolf's Memphis recordings of 1951–3, including the hit song "How Many More Years" (recorded May 1951). His early use of distortion marks him out as one of the pioneers of the electric guitar. Robert Palmer has also cited him as the originator of the power chord, in reference to his guitar playing on "How Many More Years". His guitar work is considered a distant ancestor of heavy metal music. Willie Lee Johnson was born in Senatobia, Mississippi. As the guitarist in the first band led by Howlin' Wolf, Johnson appeared on most of Wolf's recordings between 1951 and 1953, providing the slightly jazzy yet raucous guitar sound that was the signature of all of Wolf's Memphis recordings. Johnson also performed and recorded with other blues artists in the Memphis area, including pianist Willie Love, Willie Nix, Junior Parker, Roscoe Gordon, Bobby "Blue" Bland and others. When Wolf moved to Chicago in around 1953, he could not convince Johnson to join him. Johnson stayed on in Memphis for several years, playing on a number of sessions for Sun Records, including a 1955 collaboration with vocalist Sammy Lewis, "I Feel So Worried", released under the name Sammy Lewis with Willie Johnson. By the time Johnson relocated to Chicago, Wolf had already hired guitarist Hubert Sumlin as a permanent replacement. James Cotton later recalled that Wolf replaced Johnson because of his heavy drinking. Johnson occasionally performed and recorded with Howlin' Wolf after settling in Chicago, and also played briefly in the band of Muddy Waters, as well as a number of other local Chicago blues musicians, including J. T. Brown, in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He made his living mainly outside of music for the rest of his life, only occasionally sitting in with the bands of his old friends around Chicago. His final recordings were made for Earwig Music in Chicago in the early 1990s. Willie Johnson died in Chicago on February 26, 1995

 If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, -  ”LIKE” ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’
m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorite band!

Smokestack Lightning - Don't Laugh At Me - Howlin Wolf with Clifton James

One of the best blues lineups you'd likely dream of. Howlin Wolf : Vocal Guitar Sunnyland Slim: Piano Hubert Sumlin: Guitar Willie Dixon: Bass Clifton James: Drums One of a half-dozen essential drummers from the Chicago scene, Clifton James was closely associated with the mighty guitar slinger Bo Diddley for 16 years. This places James front and center at the creation of one of the most important beats in rock music, known as the "Bo Diddley beat" -- as if there was anything else it could be called. Actually, there might just be some other things that this beat might be called, as it is traceable back to ceremonial drummers of the African nation of Burundi, as well as forward into the avant-garde rock of Captain Beefheart, who often credited this beat as being the source of most of his songs. Although in the latter case, at least one of his Magic Band drummers, Jimmy Carl Black, has indicated that the exact instructions were to "play the Bo Diddley beat backwards." James worked off and on with Diddley, who also adopted the African traditions of praising himself through song, from 1954 through 1970, and is also heard on straight-ahead Chicago blues recordings by artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, and Buddy Guy. The drummer was also one of the Chicago players who was involved in bringing this great genre of blues directly to audiences, when the public's interest in the style mushroomed in the '60s. As a member of the Chicago Blues All Stars in the late '60s, under the loose direction of bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon, he toured Europe, the United States, and Canada, hitting many cities where this style of blues had never been performed live. Other members of this group included pianist Sunnyland Slim, harmonica champ Shakey Walter Horton, and the fine guitarist Johnny Shines. He had also toured Europe in 1964 as part of an especially stripped down Howlin' Wolf quartet rounded out by Slim and Dixon. A live recording released by this outfit, although not legitimate, is certainly worth seeking out. Better known, but not as strong musically, are the European recordings of Sonny Boy Williamson II, which combined Chicago bluesmen with members of the British blues-rock combo the Yardbirds. Another all-star outfit was the Chicago Blues Band, which included both Shines and John Lee Hooker in the frontline, despite the fact that the latter blues great was not from the Windy City at all. The Super Super Blues Band The drummer was also a popular choice if a loose jam session was the order of the day, as he had a pleasant, giving personality that helped smooth out any rough spots that might occur between these highly competitive blues stars. Although albums such as Super Super Blues Band, featuring four of the top names in Chicago blues, or Two Great Guitars, which brings together archrivals Diddley and Chuck Berry, tend to be disappointing, the tracks show off the ease with which James can lay down a nice groove, even if the stars can't seem to think of anything to do on top. James was also granted the occasional vocal number when performing with these type of all-star outfits, and sang the blues with enough aplomb to make some listeners wish he had had more of a solo career. He has led bands occasionally, including a tour of Holland in the '70s. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”