JULY 1,2008:
HINDS COUNTY PRE-4TH OF JULY BLUES FEST
Hello BLUES AND SOUTHERN SOUL FANS.What can be hotter than the temperature in Mississippi in July?How about the start of all the outdoor blues festivals that are so popular.I just love this time of the year.I just recently attended "The Hinds County Pre-4th Of July Blues Festival" in Edwards,Mississippi.I was really looking forward to this outdoor event.Don't get me wrong I like the settings of a civic center and I just love the vibes that an old fashion juke joint provides but there is nothing like the atmosphere of an outdoor blues festival.The lawn chairs,the tents,the coolers,the delicious southern cuisines being cooked on a grill and the thousands of fans assembled like a big family reunion.Yes this is truly the best of times for the loyal blues and southern soul fans here in the magnolia state.
The lineup for this blues and southern soul gathering included Rick Lawson,Ms. Jody,David Brinston,Lebrado,Robert"Duke"Tillman and T.K. Soul.When I arrived I saw a couple of familar faces in attendance.There was producer and songwriter Bruce Billups,southern soul recording artist Kenne Wayne who made a brief special guest appearance and my good friend Roni a.k.a. "The Clarksdale Diva" and Melissa(Myspace friend).I also had the pleasure of meeting Duke Tillman's business manager,Chestine Jackson who made it all possible for me to cover this show exclusively for you fans.I didn't know the promoter for this event but Chestine introduce me to the man everyone simply referred to as Eddie and he extended me VIP acess so once again the big dawg was able to bring another blues show to life.
The mc for the show was The Ragman(WMPR 90.1 radio personality).There were plenty of vendors on hand and the air was filled with the smell of bar-b-que,hot wings and fried fish.The weather was hot but with all the coolers I saw I know the cold beer was very refreshing.I was joined in Da Dawg Pound by Kenne Wayne,Roni and a few local divas who were truly getting their blues on all night long.So with my cold bud light in hand and my man Kenne Wayne chilling in Da Dawg Pound good people allow me to take you on this blues and southern soul ride.
I arrived at the end of the first performer on the show,Rick Lawson.I haven't seen him perform in awhile but from the reaction the crowd gave him he must have put on a decent show.I hate I didn't have the opportunity to see his entire performance so to all you Rick Lawson fans maybe I can see him perform again in the near future.
The next performer was Ecko recording artist,Ms. Jody and those of you who have been following my concert reviews have probably noticed that she has been included in several of them.She has been the busiest diva on the southern soul circuit by far.She received a nice ovation as The Ragman introduced her to the crowd.It was two guys in attendance(they look like the alcohol had gotten the best of them)that stood front and center down by the stage and they both appeared to be competing for her attention during her performance.She opened her show with "I'm Getting What I Want".She followed that with a rendition of Shirley Brown's "Too Much Candy".The crowd enjoyed "Sugar Daddy" and "Sleep With One Eye Open".She continued to thrill the crowd with "It's The Weekend" and the very popular "Your Dog,About To Kill My Cat".She closed her performance with "Big Daddy Don't You Come" and for those of you who have seen her perform this song know she brings a male fan from the crowd to join her.Well this time Ms. Jody said she was feeling freaky so she brought the two guys that were down front and the two of them were like nymphos who hadn't seen a woman in twenty years(I think you get the picture).I thought she had bit off more than she could chew but Ms. Jody was able to handle her business and give these two guys a freak dance that they will never forget.The crowd loved it and she received a big ovation as she left the stage.For all the latest news on Ms. Jody please visit www.eckorecords.com
The next performer was my homeboy David Brinston.He had just got in from North Carolina and he had his blues band from Florida with him.The crowd showed him a lot of love as he hit the stage.His band was sounding good as they started his set with Johnnie Taylor's "Still Called The Blues".His next song was "Hit & Run" and this was a nice upbeat song that got the crowd up and dancing.He kept the crowd dancing with "Work That Thang" and one of the local divas in Da Dawg Pound was doing just that as she was turning heads with her very seductive rump-shaking grown folks dance(I'll just say that there was a whole lot of shaking going on)."Let Me Hit It One More Time" was his next song and this once again had the folks getting their groove on.He slowed it down with the nice ballad"Somebody's Cutting My Cake" and I love to hear him sing this song.His voice is very unique and it has a soulful sound that isn't replicated by any other artist.He received a big ovation as he did several synchronize pelvis thrusts as the band did a pop and stop medley."Hardworking Lady" was his next song followed by the southern soul classic "Party Til The Lights Go Out".He was about to close his performance with "Two Way Love Affair" when The Ragman(mc) told him he had to end his performance due to time restraints.I don't allow myself to get upset at shows but I got mad at The Ragman this time.The fans were enjoying his performance and he only wanted to do one more song,with him making it in from North Carolina you would have thought they could have allowed him another four minutes to close his performance on his own terms but none the less David showed a lot of class and thanked the crowd and exited the stage.I really enjoyed his performance and I hope to have an opportunity to see him perform again real soon.For more news on David Brinston please visit his myspace page at www.myspace.com/davidbrinston01
The next performer was IFGAM recording artist,Lebrado.For those of you not familar with him he is the younger brother of r&b singers K-Ci & JoJo.As he was introduced,the stage area quickly became packed with female fans who all were screaming profusely as he hit the stage.He opened his performance with "Coffee" and this one was definetly for the ladies.He makes no secret about the kind of woman he perfers-hot,black and strong.His next song was "Sure Wasn't Me" and I was blown away by his vocals on this song.He gave a superb renditon that probably had our beloved Tyrone Davis and Ronnie Lovejoy looking down smiling.He paid another tribute to Tyrone Davis with "Banging The Headboards" and the women loved it as he banged and banged toward their direction.He got everyone up and steppin with "Dancin" which is a nice dance(steppin) groove.His show quickly took on a r&b vibe with his next two songs "First Lady" and "Come Back Love"."Try Me" and his new southern soul hit "Fire" kept all the women down front screaming and he allowed a few of them to join him on stage and this really set the stage on fire.He closed his performance with my personal favorite and the hit that established him as a southern soul artist,"I'm Missin You Babe" and the crowd gave him a big ovation as he exited the stage.Lebrado is truly one of my favorite newcomers.He has really matured as a performer and has also become very popular especially with the female fans.For all the latest news on Lebrado please visit his website at www.lebrado.com
The next performer on the show was Robert"Duke"Tillman.This was a much anticipated performance for me.We've been in contact the last several months and I've been trying to catch one of his shows but each time I was unable to see him perform.For those of you not familar with Robert"Duke"Tillman let me first of all say he is no newcomer to the industry.He is a former lead singer for The Drells(formerly known as Archie Bell & The Drells),he has shared the stage on venues with a who's who in the industry including The Temptations,Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes and The Manhattans just to name a few.He has collaborated with the likes of Rue Davis,Frank-O Johnson and the late Mckinely Mitchell.His soulful tenor and falsetto has put him in the same breath as Smokey Robinson and Eddie Kendricks.He received a big ovation as he was led to the stage.He opened his performance with "Coochie Whipped" and immediately he begin to showcase his abilty as a true entertainer.His body movement was pure electric and his soulful vocals came across very well as he ripped the stage and this was just his opening selection."Love Ya Tonight" is a nice song with a tempo that allowed the couples in attendance to do a swing dance.His next song was the silky ballad "I Found Love" and the couples in attendance went from swinging to slow-dancing.He was able to showcase his sugary but sweet and sexy vocals on this jam."Can't Do Without You" is another sleek soulful jam with a Jackie Wilson vibe to it.He received a thunderous ovation as he did an amazing rendition of William Bell's "I Forgot To Be Your Lover".He closed his performance with the uptempo dance groove "Drop" and the crowd again went wild.It was time to get the boogie on and boogie is what the crowd did.I was a lil disappointed because I was hoping that he would perform my personal favorite "Doggone Right".I had the opportunity to meet him right before he went on stage and just let me say that this is the coolest cat that I've ever met.When I say cool I mean "Mr. Zero Below".Right here and now I'm dubbing Robert"Duke"Tillman "THE KING OF COOL".He is'n't a blues singer at all.Duke Tillman is a soul singer cut from the same cloth as the legendary Jackie Wilson and Smokey Robinson.He is truly a gifted artist and I am looking forward to seeing him perform again very soon.For all the latest news on "THE KING OF COOL" please visit his website at www.robertduketillman.com and his myspace page at www.myspace.com/robertduketillman
The last performer on the night was T.K. Soul and it was very late and everyone was still in attendance.I've covered his show probably more than any other artist and it never gets old.Like always the stage area was packed with the ladies as he performed his classic hits "Cheating And Lying","Meet Me At The Spot Tonight","Try Me" and "It Ain't Cheating Til You Get Caught".The highlight of his performance was his "T.K. Soul Cruise Step".Everybody got a thrill out of that.T.K.Soul still remains one of the top performers in the industry.For all the latest news about "The T.K. Soul Cruise" and all other T.K. Soul news please visit his website at www.mrtksoul.com and his myspace page at www.myspace.com/tksoulmusic
In closing I would like to thank Eddie who was the promoter for this show and Duke Tillman's business manager and his PR Agent,Chestine Jackson and Diane Neal who allowed me plenty of acess to cover this show.I also would like to thank Ms. Jody,David Brinston,Lebrado,Robert"Duke"Tillman and T.K. Soul for all taking the time to meet and converse with me,your time is deeply appreciated.I want to also give a shout out to Bruce Billups(Thanks for the love man),Kenne Wayne,Melissa and The Clarksdale Diva,Roni.I had a great time at this show and I just wanted to share it with the greatest fans in the world.Take care and MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS.I'll see you down by the stage.
BIG K9
HINDS COUNTY PRE-4TH OF JULY BLUES FEST
Hello BLUES AND SOUTHERN SOUL FANS.What can be hotter than the temperature in Mississippi in July?How about the start of all the outdoor blues festivals that are so popular.I just love this time of the year.I just recently attended "The Hinds County Pre-4th Of July Blues Festival" in Edwards,Mississippi.I was really looking forward to this outdoor event.Don't get me wrong I like the settings of a civic center and I just love the vibes that an old fashion juke joint provides but there is nothing like the atmosphere of an outdoor blues festival.The lawn chairs,the tents,the coolers,the delicious southern cuisines being cooked on a grill and the thousands of fans assembled like a big family reunion.Yes this is truly the best of times for the loyal blues and southern soul fans here in the magnolia state.
The lineup for this blues and southern soul gathering included Rick Lawson,Ms. Jody,David Brinston,Lebrado,Robert"Duke"Tillman and T.K. Soul.When I arrived I saw a couple of familar faces in attendance.There was producer and songwriter Bruce Billups,southern soul recording artist Kenne Wayne who made a brief special guest appearance and my good friend Roni a.k.a. "The Clarksdale Diva" and Melissa(Myspace friend).I also had the pleasure of meeting Duke Tillman's business manager,Chestine Jackson who made it all possible for me to cover this show exclusively for you fans.I didn't know the promoter for this event but Chestine introduce me to the man everyone simply referred to as Eddie and he extended me VIP acess so once again the big dawg was able to bring another blues show to life.
The mc for the show was The Ragman(WMPR 90.1 radio personality).There were plenty of vendors on hand and the air was filled with the smell of bar-b-que,hot wings and fried fish.The weather was hot but with all the coolers I saw I know the cold beer was very refreshing.I was joined in Da Dawg Pound by Kenne Wayne,Roni and a few local divas who were truly getting their blues on all night long.So with my cold bud light in hand and my man Kenne Wayne chilling in Da Dawg Pound good people allow me to take you on this blues and southern soul ride.
I arrived at the end of the first performer on the show,Rick Lawson.I haven't seen him perform in awhile but from the reaction the crowd gave him he must have put on a decent show.I hate I didn't have the opportunity to see his entire performance so to all you Rick Lawson fans maybe I can see him perform again in the near future.
The next performer was Ecko recording artist,Ms. Jody and those of you who have been following my concert reviews have probably noticed that she has been included in several of them.She has been the busiest diva on the southern soul circuit by far.She received a nice ovation as The Ragman introduced her to the crowd.It was two guys in attendance(they look like the alcohol had gotten the best of them)that stood front and center down by the stage and they both appeared to be competing for her attention during her performance.She opened her show with "I'm Getting What I Want".She followed that with a rendition of Shirley Brown's "Too Much Candy".The crowd enjoyed "Sugar Daddy" and "Sleep With One Eye Open".She continued to thrill the crowd with "It's The Weekend" and the very popular "Your Dog,About To Kill My Cat".She closed her performance with "Big Daddy Don't You Come" and for those of you who have seen her perform this song know she brings a male fan from the crowd to join her.Well this time Ms. Jody said she was feeling freaky so she brought the two guys that were down front and the two of them were like nymphos who hadn't seen a woman in twenty years(I think you get the picture).I thought she had bit off more than she could chew but Ms. Jody was able to handle her business and give these two guys a freak dance that they will never forget.The crowd loved it and she received a big ovation as she left the stage.For all the latest news on Ms. Jody please visit www.eckorecords.com
The next performer was my homeboy David Brinston.He had just got in from North Carolina and he had his blues band from Florida with him.The crowd showed him a lot of love as he hit the stage.His band was sounding good as they started his set with Johnnie Taylor's "Still Called The Blues".His next song was "Hit & Run" and this was a nice upbeat song that got the crowd up and dancing.He kept the crowd dancing with "Work That Thang" and one of the local divas in Da Dawg Pound was doing just that as she was turning heads with her very seductive rump-shaking grown folks dance(I'll just say that there was a whole lot of shaking going on)."Let Me Hit It One More Time" was his next song and this once again had the folks getting their groove on.He slowed it down with the nice ballad"Somebody's Cutting My Cake" and I love to hear him sing this song.His voice is very unique and it has a soulful sound that isn't replicated by any other artist.He received a big ovation as he did several synchronize pelvis thrusts as the band did a pop and stop medley."Hardworking Lady" was his next song followed by the southern soul classic "Party Til The Lights Go Out".He was about to close his performance with "Two Way Love Affair" when The Ragman(mc) told him he had to end his performance due to time restraints.I don't allow myself to get upset at shows but I got mad at The Ragman this time.The fans were enjoying his performance and he only wanted to do one more song,with him making it in from North Carolina you would have thought they could have allowed him another four minutes to close his performance on his own terms but none the less David showed a lot of class and thanked the crowd and exited the stage.I really enjoyed his performance and I hope to have an opportunity to see him perform again real soon.For more news on David Brinston please visit his myspace page at www.myspace.com/davidbrinston01
The next performer was IFGAM recording artist,Lebrado.For those of you not familar with him he is the younger brother of r&b singers K-Ci & JoJo.As he was introduced,the stage area quickly became packed with female fans who all were screaming profusely as he hit the stage.He opened his performance with "Coffee" and this one was definetly for the ladies.He makes no secret about the kind of woman he perfers-hot,black and strong.His next song was "Sure Wasn't Me" and I was blown away by his vocals on this song.He gave a superb renditon that probably had our beloved Tyrone Davis and Ronnie Lovejoy looking down smiling.He paid another tribute to Tyrone Davis with "Banging The Headboards" and the women loved it as he banged and banged toward their direction.He got everyone up and steppin with "Dancin" which is a nice dance(steppin) groove.His show quickly took on a r&b vibe with his next two songs "First Lady" and "Come Back Love"."Try Me" and his new southern soul hit "Fire" kept all the women down front screaming and he allowed a few of them to join him on stage and this really set the stage on fire.He closed his performance with my personal favorite and the hit that established him as a southern soul artist,"I'm Missin You Babe" and the crowd gave him a big ovation as he exited the stage.Lebrado is truly one of my favorite newcomers.He has really matured as a performer and has also become very popular especially with the female fans.For all the latest news on Lebrado please visit his website at www.lebrado.com
The next performer on the show was Robert"Duke"Tillman.This was a much anticipated performance for me.We've been in contact the last several months and I've been trying to catch one of his shows but each time I was unable to see him perform.For those of you not familar with Robert"Duke"Tillman let me first of all say he is no newcomer to the industry.He is a former lead singer for The Drells(formerly known as Archie Bell & The Drells),he has shared the stage on venues with a who's who in the industry including The Temptations,Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes and The Manhattans just to name a few.He has collaborated with the likes of Rue Davis,Frank-O Johnson and the late Mckinely Mitchell.His soulful tenor and falsetto has put him in the same breath as Smokey Robinson and Eddie Kendricks.He received a big ovation as he was led to the stage.He opened his performance with "Coochie Whipped" and immediately he begin to showcase his abilty as a true entertainer.His body movement was pure electric and his soulful vocals came across very well as he ripped the stage and this was just his opening selection."Love Ya Tonight" is a nice song with a tempo that allowed the couples in attendance to do a swing dance.His next song was the silky ballad "I Found Love" and the couples in attendance went from swinging to slow-dancing.He was able to showcase his sugary but sweet and sexy vocals on this jam."Can't Do Without You" is another sleek soulful jam with a Jackie Wilson vibe to it.He received a thunderous ovation as he did an amazing rendition of William Bell's "I Forgot To Be Your Lover".He closed his performance with the uptempo dance groove "Drop" and the crowd again went wild.It was time to get the boogie on and boogie is what the crowd did.I was a lil disappointed because I was hoping that he would perform my personal favorite "Doggone Right".I had the opportunity to meet him right before he went on stage and just let me say that this is the coolest cat that I've ever met.When I say cool I mean "Mr. Zero Below".Right here and now I'm dubbing Robert"Duke"Tillman "THE KING OF COOL".He is'n't a blues singer at all.Duke Tillman is a soul singer cut from the same cloth as the legendary Jackie Wilson and Smokey Robinson.He is truly a gifted artist and I am looking forward to seeing him perform again very soon.For all the latest news on "THE KING OF COOL" please visit his website at www.robertduketillman.com and his myspace page at www.myspace.com/robertduketillman
The last performer on the night was T.K. Soul and it was very late and everyone was still in attendance.I've covered his show probably more than any other artist and it never gets old.Like always the stage area was packed with the ladies as he performed his classic hits "Cheating And Lying","Meet Me At The Spot Tonight","Try Me" and "It Ain't Cheating Til You Get Caught".The highlight of his performance was his "T.K. Soul Cruise Step".Everybody got a thrill out of that.T.K.Soul still remains one of the top performers in the industry.For all the latest news about "The T.K. Soul Cruise" and all other T.K. Soul news please visit his website at www.mrtksoul.com and his myspace page at www.myspace.com/tksoulmusic
In closing I would like to thank Eddie who was the promoter for this show and Duke Tillman's business manager and his PR Agent,Chestine Jackson and Diane Neal who allowed me plenty of acess to cover this show.I also would like to thank Ms. Jody,David Brinston,Lebrado,Robert"Duke"Tillman and T.K. Soul for all taking the time to meet and converse with me,your time is deeply appreciated.I want to also give a shout out to Bruce Billups(Thanks for the love man),Kenne Wayne,Melissa and The Clarksdale Diva,Roni.I had a great time at this show and I just wanted to share it with the greatest fans in the world.Take care and MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS.I'll see you down by the stage.
BIG K9