Undercover Blues #81 6/19/22 - If you have never heard of Lonnie Mack, then you should catch this show and listen to some great blues and killer guitar work. Growing up in rural Indiana not far from Cincinnati, Lonnie McIntosh was exposed to a heady combination of R&B and hillbilly. In 1958, he bought the seventh Gibson Flying V guitar ever manufactured and played the roadhouse circuit around Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Mack steadfastly cited another local legend, guitarist Robert Ward, as the man whose watery-sounding Magnatone amplifier inspired his own use of the same brand.

Lonnie Mack inspired guitarists over the generations most notably Stevie Ray Vaughan and Duane Allman who are two of my favorites. In fact, Stevie Ray Vaughan helped to revive Mack’s career later in the 80’s into the early 90’s. Lonnie Mack had lightning fingers and truly was “the man with that Memphis wham”. Lonnie Mack passed away in April of 2016, but his music lives on and inspires blues musicians to this day. Don’t forget Alligator artist Carolyn Wonderland will be appearing at Chans in Woonsocket June 29th Join me for the best in blues music on Undercover Blues Monday nights at 9 PM.

Undercover Blues #80 6/12/22 - Beth Hart is one of the best vocalists in any genre. She decided to perform the Led Zeppelin tribute album during the pandemic despite not planning to do the album initially. Beth Hart first rose to fame on the show Star Search but didn’t get a record contract due to a certain stigma associated with talent shows. Hart's debut solo album, Screamin' for My Supper was released in 1999, and featured "LA Song (Out of This Town)", a No. 1 hit in New Zealand, as well as a Top 10  chart hit in the US. Beth has toured and performed extensively with Joe Bonamassa and can shake the room or sing it slow and sultry.  As always on Undercover Blues we always strive to play the best Blues music anywhere. Join us every Monday night at 9PM for a new episode on 990wbob.com. See you then

Undercover Blues #77 5/15/22 - Psych 9 was the outgrowth of a project by the neo-psychedelic band Plan 9. Plan 9 was formed in 1979 by a beach community of musicians looking to create something different and not having a scene to do it in.

Many albums and tours later Plan 9 were inducted into the RI Music Hall of Fame in 2017. After that
honor a new album was planned, but band leader Eric Stumpo tragically passed away in 2019. The
remaining members decided to continue the music and vibe as Psych 9 with their new album “The Trip Goes On”.

“The Trip Goes On”, showcases the talents of multiple singers and songwriters, resulting in an eclectic
mix. The band is composed of Brian “BT” Thomas and John Devault on guitars and vocals, Frank Villani and Mike Meehan on drums and vocals, and Gary Klimala on bass.

On Undercover Blues we like to showcase local talent because local talent grows to bigger things. If you like hearing the latest music before everybody else does, then you will like Psych 9. Give us a listen on Monday nights at nine for the best in blues and new music.

Undercover Blues #74 4/24/22 - Luther Allison first connected to the blues at age ten, when he began playing the diddley bow (a wire attached by nails to a wall with rocks for bridges and a bottle to fret the wire). His family migrated to Chicago in 1951, and Luther began soaking in the sounds of Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Robert Nighthawk. He was classmates with Muddy Waters' son and occasionally stopped in the Waters' house to watch the master rehearse. It wasn't until he was 18 already in Chicago for seven years that Luther began playing blues on a real guitar and jamming with his brother Ollie's band.

Allison signed with Motown Records in 1972 as the label's only blues act. His three records for the Gordy subsidiary led to numerous concert dates and both national and international festival appearances, but domestically, interest in the blues was fading. After finding instant acceptance in Europe, he was convinced that Paris was the place to be. While he gained superstar status in Europe and released a dozen European records, his presence in the American music scene diminished.

Throughout it all, Allison delivered one show-stopping performance after another. His boundless energy and fierce guitar attack combined to make him a blues superstar who reached rock fans like no bluesmen since Freddie King and Albert Collins. When the news broke that Allison had been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in July of 1997, the blues world was shocked. When he died just four weeks later, they were devastated. Without a doubt, Luther Allison's death robbed music fans of one of the most exciting and popular blues performers ever. With Live In Chicago, Allison lives on, as he tears through the songs with the single-minded desire to give everything he has to his audience. While listening to the album, fans can immerse themselves in the explosive power of Luther Allison's music and experience the redemptive force of his legendary performances. (Quote from Alligator)

Tune in with 990 WBOB.com to Undercover Blues Monday nights at 9PM and listen to the best music anywhere.

Undercover Blues #71 4/10/22 - Quinn Sullivan got his start as a musician at an early age. From appearing on the “Ellen” show to performing with Buddy Guy and BB King and Joe Bonamassa, Quinn has done more by the age of Twenty-Two than most people do in a lifetime. We have an exclusive interview with Quinn and we will be playing select cuts from his newest release “Wide Awake” Tune in with 990 WBOB.com to Undercover Blues and listen to the best music anywhere.

Groundbreaking Blues prodigy Quinn Sullivan will be performing locally at Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club on May 11th and The Narrows Center May 20th for more info go to  https://quinnsullivanmusic.com/quinn-sullivan-tour-dates/Undercover Blues #73 4/10/22 -

Undercover Blues #71 3/28/22 - Guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Michael "Iron Man" Burks was a modern-day blues hero. His "Iron Man" moniker was born from his hours-long, intensely physical performances, his fearsome guitar attack, and his tough, smoky vocals. He won the 2004 Living Blues magazine Critics' Award for Best Guitarist. GuitarOne named his Alligator Records debut album, Make It Rain, one of the Top 200 greatest guitar recordings of all time. According to Living Blues, "Burks burns his own signature onto almost everything he touches...he has the ability and the imagination to fuse the best of the old and the new." When he suddenly died at age 54 on May 6, 2012, the world lost a true musical treasure.

Undercover Blues #68 3/12/22 - This week we are featuring one of the best blues guitarists to grace the stage, Gary Moore. As part of a professional career that began when he was only 16. He leaves behind a huge hole for many guitar fans around the world. Of all the many tributes paid since Gary's passing, maybe this one, from Gary's friend and musical collaborator, Don Airey, might sum up the best of most people's thoughts of Gary: "At the 1984 Donington Festival during the long solo in "Empty Rooms" the previously restless crowd went so quiet, you could hear a pin drop - everyone back and behind stage stopped whatever they were doing and just stood to listen open-mouthed. His artistry touched thousands of people over the years, not least those of us lucky enough to have shared a stage or a recording studio with him. Sleep tight old mate, you'll be sorely missed."

​Gary Moore - April 4th, 1952 - February 6th, 2011. 
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