"ULTIMATE VALENTINES BLUES SHOW"
Hello Blues and Southern Soul fans.Febuary is a month of observance,first it is recognized in this country as "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" and we pay special attention to the contributions,achievements and the legacy of so many great African-Americans in this country.I personally hope that we remember these things not only in Febuary but throughout our everyday existance.Also in Febuary we look on with much anticipation to see if the groundhog will see his shadow and this is suppose to predict the type of weather we will have for the upcoming weeks,yeah right,(I'm through with that one already).Finally there is "VALENTINES DAY",this is without a doubt the most popular day in Febuary.Love is the theme and millions of married and single couples display their devotion to one another with flowers,candy and other things that make you spend your hard earned money on.
Well this Valentines Day weekend Rico Owens,the CEO of HUSTLE ENTERTAINMENT provided the wonderful people in the Mississippi Delta with some serious love.The Clarksdale Civic Auditorium in Clarksdale,Mississippi played host to "DA ULTIMATE VALENTINES DAY BLUES SHOW".You all have heard me give much praise to Rico Owens in the past and I hate to sound redundant but I have to just let everyone know that this young man continues to provide the great fans of this Blues and Southern Soul thang with the best and hottest recording artists that this genre of music has to offer.
The lineup for this Southern Soul Blues Party was local recording artist Mississippi Slim,Betty Padgett,Nathaniel Kimble,Steve Perry and T.K. Soul. I was joined on this night by my fellow Dawg Pound member Will Lindsey a.k.a. Chill Will and honorary Dawg Pound member,"The Gentle Giant Of Southern Soul" O.B. Buchana.There were a few familar faces in attendance as we arrived early for the show.My Godfather,Jerry"Boogie"Mason from THE BOOGIE REPORT was the first familar face that we saw.Its always good to go bluzing with the Godfather.Big Joc from WBAD was in the house and Sho-Lo Johnson who was the mc for tonights show was also in the house.Also in attendance were a couple of my in-laws,members from "The Kitty Kitty Club",the "Arkansas Divas" and a slew of other friends and co-workers.As always the local sound man had the likes of Tyrone Davis,J. Blackfoot and Johnnie Taylor sounding oh so good as people were beginning to settle in for tonight's show.It was a BYOB affair so you can already imagine what the atmosphere was like for this Southern Soul party.The smell of hot wings and fried fish were coming from the kitchen in the back and the good people in Clarksdale were grooving to the great sounds being played.It was now showtime,so with my gin and juice chased with cold bud light starting to kick in and Chill Will and O.B. Buchana chilling in DA DAWG POUND good people let me take you on this Blues and Southern Soul ride.
Local recording artist Mississippi Slim opened the show and he opened with a bang.I remember it was a time I wouldn't arrive early to a show because I didn't care about the opening act but Mississippi Slim has changed all that.He began his performance with Z.Z. Hill's "Down Home Blues" and the place immediately begin to rock.He continued with several B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland hits but he closed his performance with my personal favorite "I Was Checking In,She Was Checkin Out".With his rendition of this one song he can headline a show.I can listen to him sing this song a thousand times.I wasn't the only one enjoying this cut as I glanced around the room.I don't know if he was hitting home for some folks but he sure had them going with this selection even O.B. Buchana was soulfully enjoying this cut.He now set a nice tone for the rest of the show.Good Performance.
The next performer of the night was the delightful Betty Padgett and this was a much anticipated performance for me.I was familar with her music but I've never seen her perform before.Like so many artist that I've never seen perform before,I wanted to see the type of stage presence an artist has and this dictates to me the type of a performer an artist really is,well I can throw all that out for this performance.She walked out on stage and she received a wonderful ovation from the people in attendance.She opened her performance with "Love Light" and I could tell that she was no stranger to the stage.Like so many of her peers she begin to ad-lib with the crowd and they welcomed her with another big applause.She was able to feed off the crowd and for her next song she left the stage.If you are going to do a rendition of someone else song you better come correct somebody should have told me that Aretha Franklin recorded Betty Padgett's "Dr. Feel Good".I love Aretha dearly but Betty Padgett's version of this song is the best I've ever heard.She walked around the entire auditorium and even held my hand briefly as she belted out this soul-stirring rendition of "Dr. Feel Good".Just like Jeff Floyd she has argurably one of the most powerful live female voices that I've ever heard.She now had the crowd at her command.She made her way back to the stage for "Don't Jump My Pony" which got everyone up on their feet,"Treat Your Man Like A Baby" allowed her to display her supple vocals.She closed her performance with her biggest hit to date,"Never Coming Home" this song is making a big mark on the blues and southern soul charts,dominating everyone's playlist and its also my personal favorite.Once again she left the stage area and worked her way around the auditorium as her sultry but soulful voice filled the room.She received her biggest ovation of the night.Her performance might have been new for me but the way she performed I could tell that she has been doing this awhile.Betty Padgett has a strong stage presence with a very powerful voice.She is definetly from the old school with a Denise Lasalle sound mixed with a soulful Aretha Franklin.I hate it took one song for me to get familar with this beautiful and talented young lady who has definetly paid her dues in this industry but I'm also glad that I am very familar with her now.After the show I had the opportunity to talk with her and she told me that she was already familar with me so you know I really love her dearly for that.We took a few photos and agreed to stay in touch.For fans who haven't heard this wonderful lady sing I urge you to please do so and soon,the name of her current cd is "Never Coming Home" from the Meia record label.For all her latest news and much more please visit her website at www.bettypadgett.com Great Performance!
The next performer on the night was my homeboy,the Bagg It Up Man himself,Nathaniel Kimble.He opened up his performance with "Shake Your Groove Thang" and the ladies down front understood loud and clear as they begin to get their groove on.He kept the dance party going with "You Make Me Happy".He slowed this southern soul party down with "I'm Gonna Wait" and he begin to converse with the women down by the stage area."Lets Have Some Fun" was his next song and thats exactly what he was having as the female fans were are grabbing at his body parts and for you grown folks his private parts(You all get the picture).His next song was a rendition of Ronnie Lovejoy/Tyrone Davis "Sure Wasn't Me" and he suprised me with his vocal range on this one.You know the people in the Mississippi Delta love their beloved TD and Nate did him justice on this one.His next song is a single from his new cd and its also my personal favorite,"You Are The One" and he gave a hellified performance on this jam.I've never given him much praise on his vocals but they came across masterfully on this song.This is definetly a hit for him.He even passed out red stem roses to the women flocked down by the stage area.He picked the tempo back up on his next three selections,"Please Don't Go","Let Me Live My Life" and "Back In The Streets".He closed his performance with the song that made him popular on the blues and southern soul scene, "Can U Bagg It Up?" got everyone up on their feet and dancing and O.B. Buchana left the Dawg Pound briefly to join him on stage for the finale of this song.I've watched Nathaniel Kimble's maturation as an artist I don't won't to say that his shows have never been good or I haven'tbeen impressed but this performance tonight was the best that I've seen from him.The band was tight tonight and his vocals and showmanship came across very well.With more performances like these he will surely begin to be in demand even more.His new cd is titled "I'm Back" and I believe this is his best material to date.For all of you familar with www.myspace.com you can find out all the latest news and much more on Nathaniel Kimble.Damn good performance!
Next on the show was the return of "The Sensational One",Steve Perry.He made his Mississippi Delta debut a few months ago and he left the people in the delta starving for more.I can tell you now they were all ready and excited for his return.He hit the stage and received a huge ovation from the crowd especially from the females.He opened his performance with "Meat On Her Bone" and several of the thick women in the house were feeling him on this jam as they made their way down front to the stage.This song appears to be the one to get folks up and dancing.His next song "You're A Freak" is the comeback or answer song to Shirley Brown's "I Got To Sleep With One Eye Open" but the women in attendance must interpet it another way as they all were reaching for Steve's private parts.He now had these women really doing some grown folk dancing now.His next song was "Let Me Go" and I was looking foward to hearing this one again.I remember this slow jam from his last performance.This is a nice silky ballad the really allows Steve to display his softer harmony and just like Nathaniel Kimble before him he begin to pass out roses to the now packed down stage area.Damn I love that cut.He picked the tempo back up with "Donkey Donk" and he really was playing up to the females now.I don't mind some women up and dropping it like its hot but this one woman had so much a** if you told her to haul it,she would need ten trips but it did have me and O.B. cracking up.His next song was "Come Back Love" and he closed his show with a bang."You Can't Raise Her" which is now the southern soul national anthem for females,got him one of the biggest ovations of the night.Every woman in the house young,old,black and white were on their feet as "The Sensational One " brought down the house.I thought that was the end of his performance but he wanted to let the women in a attendance know that "It's Okay" which is a single from his new cd.This is a bona fide hit.He has a way with the women for real and this will allow him to continue to stay popular with the ladies.I've only seen him perform twice but he has quickly become one of my favorite artists.I can tell by his return this time that he was more than ready for the people in this area and they in return embraced his performance.I saw a confident performer on stage and I only expect to see and hear bigger things from "The Sensational One".His new cd titled "It's Ok" on Bluesland records is availiable now.For more Steve Perry news and much more please visit his website at www.steveperrysoul.com Great Performance!
The last performer on the night was "The Bad Boy Of Southern Soul",T.K. Soul.I've always wonder why people don't let this man close shows?It was late and usually people begin to walk out on the last performer,not on this night.The house was packed and now the entire down stage area was standing room only.No disrespect to all the other artists in this industry but I can only think of three people who can make an entire audience stay for the last performance of the night and lets just say T.K. Soul is one of them.He hit the stage and the thunder came with him.He opened his performance with "You Ring My Bell" I wanted to get some closeup shots of him but the crowd was just too much downstage so I slipped to the back to watch the rest of his performance.He continued to keep the house packed as he performed "Short Skirts,Tight Jeans","My Kind Of Girl" which also got a huge ovation and "If You Don't Want me"."Where Jody Stay" still gets a big ovation when he simulates a knock on the door and he and the baddest band in the land,SOUL 4 REAL continues to turn heads with their tight dance routine on "Meet Me At The Spot Tonight".It was late and fans this man still had a packed house.I've seen his shows many times and I thought that there was no way he can make it any better.Wrong again."All The Man You Need" stole the show.He placed five chairs on stage and five women from the audience were selected to sit on stage and good people the grown folks show begin.One by one they all received their one on one session with "The Bad Boy Of Southern Soul" and the crowd erupted.1:30 am and these country folks were having the time of their lives.All the women selected were like lil kid at Christmas time and T.K. Soul was Santa Claus.He closed his performance with "Party Like Back In The Day","It Ain't Cheating Til You Get Caught" and "Cheatin And Lying".Once again T.K. Soul was the man.Without a doubt he remains the TOP SHOWMAN IN THE INDUSTRY.
BIG K9
Hello Blues and Southern Soul fans.Febuary is a month of observance,first it is recognized in this country as "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" and we pay special attention to the contributions,achievements and the legacy of so many great African-Americans in this country.I personally hope that we remember these things not only in Febuary but throughout our everyday existance.Also in Febuary we look on with much anticipation to see if the groundhog will see his shadow and this is suppose to predict the type of weather we will have for the upcoming weeks,yeah right,(I'm through with that one already).Finally there is "VALENTINES DAY",this is without a doubt the most popular day in Febuary.Love is the theme and millions of married and single couples display their devotion to one another with flowers,candy and other things that make you spend your hard earned money on.
Well this Valentines Day weekend Rico Owens,the CEO of HUSTLE ENTERTAINMENT provided the wonderful people in the Mississippi Delta with some serious love.The Clarksdale Civic Auditorium in Clarksdale,Mississippi played host to "DA ULTIMATE VALENTINES DAY BLUES SHOW".You all have heard me give much praise to Rico Owens in the past and I hate to sound redundant but I have to just let everyone know that this young man continues to provide the great fans of this Blues and Southern Soul thang with the best and hottest recording artists that this genre of music has to offer.
The lineup for this Southern Soul Blues Party was local recording artist Mississippi Slim,Betty Padgett,Nathaniel Kimble,Steve Perry and T.K. Soul. I was joined on this night by my fellow Dawg Pound member Will Lindsey a.k.a. Chill Will and honorary Dawg Pound member,"The Gentle Giant Of Southern Soul" O.B. Buchana.There were a few familar faces in attendance as we arrived early for the show.My Godfather,Jerry"Boogie"Mason from THE BOOGIE REPORT was the first familar face that we saw.Its always good to go bluzing with the Godfather.Big Joc from WBAD was in the house and Sho-Lo Johnson who was the mc for tonights show was also in the house.Also in attendance were a couple of my in-laws,members from "The Kitty Kitty Club",the "Arkansas Divas" and a slew of other friends and co-workers.As always the local sound man had the likes of Tyrone Davis,J. Blackfoot and Johnnie Taylor sounding oh so good as people were beginning to settle in for tonight's show.It was a BYOB affair so you can already imagine what the atmosphere was like for this Southern Soul party.The smell of hot wings and fried fish were coming from the kitchen in the back and the good people in Clarksdale were grooving to the great sounds being played.It was now showtime,so with my gin and juice chased with cold bud light starting to kick in and Chill Will and O.B. Buchana chilling in DA DAWG POUND good people let me take you on this Blues and Southern Soul ride.
Local recording artist Mississippi Slim opened the show and he opened with a bang.I remember it was a time I wouldn't arrive early to a show because I didn't care about the opening act but Mississippi Slim has changed all that.He began his performance with Z.Z. Hill's "Down Home Blues" and the place immediately begin to rock.He continued with several B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland hits but he closed his performance with my personal favorite "I Was Checking In,She Was Checkin Out".With his rendition of this one song he can headline a show.I can listen to him sing this song a thousand times.I wasn't the only one enjoying this cut as I glanced around the room.I don't know if he was hitting home for some folks but he sure had them going with this selection even O.B. Buchana was soulfully enjoying this cut.He now set a nice tone for the rest of the show.Good Performance.
The next performer of the night was the delightful Betty Padgett and this was a much anticipated performance for me.I was familar with her music but I've never seen her perform before.Like so many artist that I've never seen perform before,I wanted to see the type of stage presence an artist has and this dictates to me the type of a performer an artist really is,well I can throw all that out for this performance.She walked out on stage and she received a wonderful ovation from the people in attendance.She opened her performance with "Love Light" and I could tell that she was no stranger to the stage.Like so many of her peers she begin to ad-lib with the crowd and they welcomed her with another big applause.She was able to feed off the crowd and for her next song she left the stage.If you are going to do a rendition of someone else song you better come correct somebody should have told me that Aretha Franklin recorded Betty Padgett's "Dr. Feel Good".I love Aretha dearly but Betty Padgett's version of this song is the best I've ever heard.She walked around the entire auditorium and even held my hand briefly as she belted out this soul-stirring rendition of "Dr. Feel Good".Just like Jeff Floyd she has argurably one of the most powerful live female voices that I've ever heard.She now had the crowd at her command.She made her way back to the stage for "Don't Jump My Pony" which got everyone up on their feet,"Treat Your Man Like A Baby" allowed her to display her supple vocals.She closed her performance with her biggest hit to date,"Never Coming Home" this song is making a big mark on the blues and southern soul charts,dominating everyone's playlist and its also my personal favorite.Once again she left the stage area and worked her way around the auditorium as her sultry but soulful voice filled the room.She received her biggest ovation of the night.Her performance might have been new for me but the way she performed I could tell that she has been doing this awhile.Betty Padgett has a strong stage presence with a very powerful voice.She is definetly from the old school with a Denise Lasalle sound mixed with a soulful Aretha Franklin.I hate it took one song for me to get familar with this beautiful and talented young lady who has definetly paid her dues in this industry but I'm also glad that I am very familar with her now.After the show I had the opportunity to talk with her and she told me that she was already familar with me so you know I really love her dearly for that.We took a few photos and agreed to stay in touch.For fans who haven't heard this wonderful lady sing I urge you to please do so and soon,the name of her current cd is "Never Coming Home" from the Meia record label.For all her latest news and much more please visit her website at www.bettypadgett.com Great Performance!
The next performer on the night was my homeboy,the Bagg It Up Man himself,Nathaniel Kimble.He opened up his performance with "Shake Your Groove Thang" and the ladies down front understood loud and clear as they begin to get their groove on.He kept the dance party going with "You Make Me Happy".He slowed this southern soul party down with "I'm Gonna Wait" and he begin to converse with the women down by the stage area."Lets Have Some Fun" was his next song and thats exactly what he was having as the female fans were are grabbing at his body parts and for you grown folks his private parts(You all get the picture).His next song was a rendition of Ronnie Lovejoy/Tyrone Davis "Sure Wasn't Me" and he suprised me with his vocal range on this one.You know the people in the Mississippi Delta love their beloved TD and Nate did him justice on this one.His next song is a single from his new cd and its also my personal favorite,"You Are The One" and he gave a hellified performance on this jam.I've never given him much praise on his vocals but they came across masterfully on this song.This is definetly a hit for him.He even passed out red stem roses to the women flocked down by the stage area.He picked the tempo back up on his next three selections,"Please Don't Go","Let Me Live My Life" and "Back In The Streets".He closed his performance with the song that made him popular on the blues and southern soul scene, "Can U Bagg It Up?" got everyone up on their feet and dancing and O.B. Buchana left the Dawg Pound briefly to join him on stage for the finale of this song.I've watched Nathaniel Kimble's maturation as an artist I don't won't to say that his shows have never been good or I haven'tbeen impressed but this performance tonight was the best that I've seen from him.The band was tight tonight and his vocals and showmanship came across very well.With more performances like these he will surely begin to be in demand even more.His new cd is titled "I'm Back" and I believe this is his best material to date.For all of you familar with www.myspace.com you can find out all the latest news and much more on Nathaniel Kimble.Damn good performance!
Next on the show was the return of "The Sensational One",Steve Perry.He made his Mississippi Delta debut a few months ago and he left the people in the delta starving for more.I can tell you now they were all ready and excited for his return.He hit the stage and received a huge ovation from the crowd especially from the females.He opened his performance with "Meat On Her Bone" and several of the thick women in the house were feeling him on this jam as they made their way down front to the stage.This song appears to be the one to get folks up and dancing.His next song "You're A Freak" is the comeback or answer song to Shirley Brown's "I Got To Sleep With One Eye Open" but the women in attendance must interpet it another way as they all were reaching for Steve's private parts.He now had these women really doing some grown folk dancing now.His next song was "Let Me Go" and I was looking foward to hearing this one again.I remember this slow jam from his last performance.This is a nice silky ballad the really allows Steve to display his softer harmony and just like Nathaniel Kimble before him he begin to pass out roses to the now packed down stage area.Damn I love that cut.He picked the tempo back up with "Donkey Donk" and he really was playing up to the females now.I don't mind some women up and dropping it like its hot but this one woman had so much a** if you told her to haul it,she would need ten trips but it did have me and O.B. cracking up.His next song was "Come Back Love" and he closed his show with a bang."You Can't Raise Her" which is now the southern soul national anthem for females,got him one of the biggest ovations of the night.Every woman in the house young,old,black and white were on their feet as "The Sensational One " brought down the house.I thought that was the end of his performance but he wanted to let the women in a attendance know that "It's Okay" which is a single from his new cd.This is a bona fide hit.He has a way with the women for real and this will allow him to continue to stay popular with the ladies.I've only seen him perform twice but he has quickly become one of my favorite artists.I can tell by his return this time that he was more than ready for the people in this area and they in return embraced his performance.I saw a confident performer on stage and I only expect to see and hear bigger things from "The Sensational One".His new cd titled "It's Ok" on Bluesland records is availiable now.For more Steve Perry news and much more please visit his website at www.steveperrysoul.com Great Performance!
The last performer on the night was "The Bad Boy Of Southern Soul",T.K. Soul.I've always wonder why people don't let this man close shows?It was late and usually people begin to walk out on the last performer,not on this night.The house was packed and now the entire down stage area was standing room only.No disrespect to all the other artists in this industry but I can only think of three people who can make an entire audience stay for the last performance of the night and lets just say T.K. Soul is one of them.He hit the stage and the thunder came with him.He opened his performance with "You Ring My Bell" I wanted to get some closeup shots of him but the crowd was just too much downstage so I slipped to the back to watch the rest of his performance.He continued to keep the house packed as he performed "Short Skirts,Tight Jeans","My Kind Of Girl" which also got a huge ovation and "If You Don't Want me"."Where Jody Stay" still gets a big ovation when he simulates a knock on the door and he and the baddest band in the land,SOUL 4 REAL continues to turn heads with their tight dance routine on "Meet Me At The Spot Tonight".It was late and fans this man still had a packed house.I've seen his shows many times and I thought that there was no way he can make it any better.Wrong again."All The Man You Need" stole the show.He placed five chairs on stage and five women from the audience were selected to sit on stage and good people the grown folks show begin.One by one they all received their one on one session with "The Bad Boy Of Southern Soul" and the crowd erupted.1:30 am and these country folks were having the time of their lives.All the women selected were like lil kid at Christmas time and T.K. Soul was Santa Claus.He closed his performance with "Party Like Back In The Day","It Ain't Cheating Til You Get Caught" and "Cheatin And Lying".Once again T.K. Soul was the man.Without a doubt he remains the TOP SHOWMAN IN THE INDUSTRY.
BIG K9