[mastercheif]

Hey guys! I was wondering, what are some good acts to get into The Blues as a genreal Genure? I have been addicted to The Black Keys latley, and I always have a need to explore more music types. What are some good acts to really get into The Blues? I guess I wan't some hard Blues bands, sorta like the Black Keys.

 

[Cooter]

The Black Keys remind me of the White Stripes.

For a killer raw blues sound, check out Hound Dog Taylor. Alligator Records was founded specifically to record him.

The North Mississippi Allstars might interest you, too. And Buddy Guy's 'Sweet Tea' cd has a similar sound.

I'll wait for a few suggestions from others before I throw any more out there.

 

[mastercheif]

Definatly like both Hound Dog Taylor and North Missisippi Allstars! Thanks for the suggestions!

Also, can you please recomend Albums from these paticular artists?

EDIT: Giving Shake hands with shorty a listen through. Not only is it good music, the recording quility is great!

 

[Sleestack]

My current iPod blues rotation:

Junior Wells & Buddy Guy - Junior Wells & Buddy Guy Play The Blues
Junior Wells & Buddy Guy - Pleading The Blues
Buddy Guy - Left My Blues In San Francisco
Muddy Waters - Hard Again
Muddy Waters - Folk Singer
Albert Collins - Ice Pickin
Mel Brown - Chicken Fat
Albert King - Born Under A Bad Sign
Otis Spann - Otis Spann Is The Blues
Shuggie Otis - Freedom Flight (not all blues, but a killer)

 

[MoreCowbell]

Alligator Records has a couple anniversary compilations available, they're great fun. Also, I'd consider Kenny Wayne Shepherd's new one called 10 Days Out. He went on the road recording and playing with some of the classics old time blues men. Great, great blues.

 

[lmilhan]

It would be a tragedy if SRV wasn't mentioned, so:

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Other safe bets (of the contemporary flavor):
The Derek Trucks Band
Gov't Mule
Badlands
Raging Slab
Eric Gales
Indigenous
Richie Kotzen - Slow


If you are looking for something a bit heavier, but with a bluesy vibe:

Russell Allen - Atomic Soul is an amazing CD. It is like a mixture between Blues and Metal.

Black Label Society.

 

[Happy Camper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoreCowbell /img/forum/go_quote.gif Alligator Records has a couple anniversary compilations available, they're great fun. Also, I'd consider Kenny Wayne Shepherd's new one called 10 Days Out. He went on the road recording and playing with some of the classics old time blues men. Great, great blues.

Ya know, I like KWS and Johnny Lang, etc. But they are shredding to classics. Buy the classics. The new wave has to do their own stuff to be considered IMO. Just mimicking the greats is like playing for your buddies in the basement. Alligator Records, Greatest Hits and some good compilations to start will give you some exposure to artist & style.

Muddy Waters
Willie Dixon
Omar & the Howlers
Lightnin Hopkins
John Mayall
Elmore James
Brownie McGee w/Sonny Terry
Memphis Slim
Ray Charles
Etta James
Susan Tedeschi
Bonnie Raitt
T-Bone Walker
Robert Johnson
Bobby "Blue" Bland

A good documentary on the blues was done by Ken Burns.

So many directions to go. Enjoy the trip.

 

[Cooter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mastercheif /img/forum/go_quote.gif Definatly like both Hound Dog Taylor and North Missisippi Allstars! Thanks for the suggestions!

If you like the Allstars then definitely check out R.L. Burnside. He's the king of the north Mississippi sound that the Allstars modeled themselves after and his son was a member of the Allstars for awhile.

Howlin' Wolf is another 'raw' blues singer. Check out his vocal intro in the song, 'Moanin' at Midnight.' It sends chills down my spine every time I hear it.

Eric Sardinas is a newer artist that I really like. He plays slide that's very reminiscent of Johnny Winter. (another great one) Check out the commercial he did for Berghoff beer awhile ago. This guy is definitely one to see perform!

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooter /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you like the Allstars then definitely check out R.L. Burnside. He's the king of the north Mississippi sound that the Allstars modeled themselves after and his son was a member of the Allstars for awhile.

X2. Also check out Junior Kimbrough, who has a similar sound. This is a more abrasive kind of blues, not exactly my cup of tea, but I do own several CDs of their music, and it is interesting to compare it to a more mainstream blues / blues-rock sound.

 

[Cooter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jubei /img/forum/go_quote.gif X2. Also check out Junior Kimbrough, who has a similar sound. This is a more abrasive kind of blues, not exactly my cup of tea, but I do own several CDs of their music, and it is interesting to compare it to a more mainstream blues / blues-rock sound.

Agree completely and that's specifically why I recommended it. The OP said he was digging the Black Keys and he wanted other 'hard blues' recommendations. There have been lots of good recommendations given but many are not really in the style requested, IMHO.

Thought of a couple more, too.

Freddie King's instrumentals, such as "Hideaway" and "San-Ho-Zay" are pretty raw and rockin' early blues.

And DEFINITELY check out Link Wray, aka the Godfather of Punk! His instrumental 'Rumble' was actually banned from radio for being too violent! (interesting side note--the song was named by a record company exec's daughter because it reminded her of the fight scene in "West Side Story") I really like his "Barbed Wire" cd, which was recorded at the ripe young age of 71.

 

[Aman]

Another vote for Hound Dog Taylor! That scratchy voice and raw sound is absolutely the definition of "the blues."

Also, I recommend the artist Lightnin' Hopkins to anybody interested in the blues. He's my very favorite - such a easy-going, humanist acoustic sound. Beautiful singing voice, lyrics that are made up on the spot, and clever ones at that! He is the one artist you must hear from the late 50s delta blues era, in my opinion.

Please check out any albums from either one of them.

A funny snippet on the man:

Quote:

The archetypal story of Hopkins as a performer supposedly involved Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, then a young kid in a band around the corner from my band's garage -- The Moving Sidewalks. Supposedly, Gibbons heard Hopkins play at a coffeehouse and muttered, "He doesn't even know when to change chords." Hopkins was standing behind Gibbons, according to the story, and leaned forward and surprised the teenager with, "Lightnin' change when Lightnin' want to."

Great stuff.

 

[Jubei]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooter /img/forum/go_quote.gif The OP said he was digging the Black Keys and he wanted other 'hard blues' recommendations. There have been lots of good recommendations given but many are not really in the style requested, IMHO.

My thoughts exactly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, I recommend the artist Lightnin' Hopkins to anybody interested in the blues. He's my very favorite - such a easy-going, humanist acoustic sound. Beautiful singing voice, lyrics that are made up on the spot, and clever ones at that! He is the one artist you must hear from the late 50s delta blues era, in my opinion.

Good recommendation. I've only recently delved into acoustic / folk blues and Lightnin' Hopkins was one of my first buys. Absolutely fantastic music.

 

[luuk]

Those are some great recommendations!
if you got any time left: check out--> Joe bonamassa- Blues deluxe

 

[Hermitt]

I X2 on RL Burnside. and if you havent gotten Kenny Wayne Shepherd's new cd/dvd 10 Days Out, it is a must have. The dvd footage alone is worth watching some of the earliest history of the blues that are still with us.

 

[Ingo]

This may be a little outside of what the OP was thinking but...

How about some G. Love & Special Sauce...

Funky Blues... some people hate G. Love's vocals though.