Dallas/Fort Worth BLUES ARTISTS

This section contains dozens of photographs, interviews, and links with Dallas/Fort Worth based blues artists. I know of no area in the nation, except maybe Chicago, that has so many excellent bands. This ain't a Texas brag, it's a fact. There are over 100 working blues bands and artists based here.  More than 70 of those bands have CDs out and that number is growing every year.  Many locally based blues bands have national and international recognition.  One of the most exciting things about the blues scene here is the diversity.  Almost any style of blues you can think of is performed here by people who live here.  Solo acoustic, soul blues, rockin' blues, Chicago style, Delta, swing, jump, you name it, you can find it.  The wonderful blues scene here acts like a magnet to blues players from other places.  A number of fine blues performers have relocated here in recent years from Canada, Austria, and the east and west coasts of the U.S. 

Here are just a few of the fine Texas blues bands and artists that call DFW home. All photos and interviews are copyright Don O.

The top of the heap has to be Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets.  This band has won 9 W.C. Handy blues awards during the years with Sam Myers, including the 2004 award for Traditional Blues Album of the Year. They have 8 albums on Blacktop Records and a very nice video in the American Blues series. Until recently, they spent most of their time on the road (270 dates a year), taking Texas blues to the world.   A photo of Anson appeared on the cover of the 1998 Northeast Tarrant County phone book!!   Sam Myers' death in 2006 after a long battle with throat cancer left the future of the band up in the air for awhile.  Anson currently works occasionally and helps produce CDs for other artists.  Anson occasionally tours as guitarist with James Harman, Mark Hummel, Eric Lindell, or Big Joe Maher.  In 2012 he appeared at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.  He has also appeared as guitarist on recent releases by the Ruff Kutt Blues Band, Four Jacks, and Eric Lindell.  

Bnois King partnered for many years with the late Smokin' Joe Kubek.  They have one album out on The Netherlands' Double Trouble label, six albums on Bullseye Blues, four on Blind Pig Records, two on Alligator Records, and 2 on Delta Groove Records. Joe and Bnois released their only acoustic CD, Close to the Bone, on Delta Groove Records.  In 2012 they completed a 6 week tour in Turkey.    In April 2014 the band announced they had re-signed with Blind Pig Records.  Their last CD together, Fat Man's Shine Parlor, was released in February 2015.  Joe Kubek passed away suddenly on October 10, 2015.  Bnois is now working locally with the Bnois King Band.  Bnois considers himself retired and only plays occasional local shows to keep his chops up and see his friends.

Mike Morgan and the Crawl have 8 albums out on the Blacktop label plus Mike appears on another Blacktop production with Jim Suhler. In a town of very tough blues guitar players, Mike is one of the toughest.  He occasionally sits in at local blues jams and often sits in with local or regional bands at their gigs.  Mike is also a very popular guitar teacher.  Harp player and vocalist Lee McBee left the band at the end of 1999 to pursue a solo career and passed away in 2014. However Mike is still fronting a mean three piece version of Mike Morgan and the Crawl and has taken on the vocal duties.  Mike's latest CD, The Lights Went Out In Dallas, was released by M.C. Records in October 2022.  Shawn Pittman and Anson Funderburgh guest on a couple of tracks.  Booking-Morgan and Associates 214-679-6439.

Hash Brown is the widely known as the King of the Dallas blues jams, after 9+ years of hosting Schooner's Sunday night jam and 13 1/2 years of hosting a Tuesday jam at The Bone. Hash is the heart and soul of the Dallas blues scene and has mentored literally hundreds of aspiring blues performers.  A former housemate of blues giant Sam Myers, Hash has released one album on the European Parsefil label and a self produced CD titled Rollin' Blues. His versatility is amazing and has enabled him to work and record with such diverse artists as Zuzu Bollin, Big Al Dupree, Henry Qualls, Sam Myers, Bobby Rush, and Barrelhouse Chuck.  Hash is currently fronting a mean three piece, The Hash Brown Band, and his guitar work is sounding better than ever.  Hash's Parsefil CD was reissued on Cannonball Records as Hash Brown's Texas Blues Revue in 1999 and received good airplay nationwide, charting on the Living Blues poll for several months. Hash has a second band, The Browntones, where he plays harp and features a traditional Chicago sound.  The first Browntones CD was released in Summer 2002 and also charted on the Living Blues radio poll.  That release led to the formation of Browntone Records which Hash has used to help other local blues artists, such as Mitch Palmer and Chris Ruest to get their music out on CD.  His most recent CD, Stop! Your Evil Ways, was released on Feffery Records in February of 2022.  Hash is also a popular guitar and harmonica teacher and plays a mean solo acoustic gig, now and then.  He also performs with A Band of Brothers, which is more of a country/rock act.

Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones is a Dallas native who got his first break playing in Freddie King's band at the age of 16. He later joined The Silent Partners and backed Katie Webster on one of her Alligator releases. He also led the Charlie Musselwhite Band for 8 years, toured the world, and shared in the honor of winning Band of the Year at the W.C. Handy Awards. He has had a solo career since the mid 90's.  His first CD, "I Need Time", came out on JSP in 1996. That CD was later leased to Bullseye and he then recorded a second CD for them. "Jr. Boy" is one of the most creative blues guitarists on the scene today.  In 2007 he played a month long series of gigs in Beijing China.  In 2009 he released Gettin' Real on Electro Fi Records.   Junior recently married his performing partner, Kerrie LePai.  Their most recent release is Junior Boy and Kerrie's Blues, which came out in November of 2019.

Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat is another much loved Dallas band. Jim's blues roots run deep, in fact he used to host a two hour blues program on community radio station KNON. Jim is one of the toughest slide players around. So tough, he impressed George Thorogood, who helped him with his first release.  Jim seems to be moving more in a rock direction on his recordings, but he still plays lots of blues live. Catch him at a live show with his friend Mike Morgan if you really want to see and hear some blues fireworks.  Jim is currently spending a lot of time on the road playing in George Thorogood's band.  He released an acoustic CD, Dirt Road, on Topcat Records and a compilation CD with several new tracks, The Best of Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat, on Lucky 7.  Jim's latest CD, "Live at The Kessler", was released in 2016.

Blues vocalist R.L. Griffin is The Right Reverend of Dallas Blues. His night club, The Blues Palace #2, is one of the hottest night spots for the Dallas blues community. It's a regular hangout for Bobby Rush, Vernon Garrett, and other celebrities. R.L. has put out a number of 45's on GalexC and other local labels, a compilation tape titled I Want To Be Rich, and a CD titled It Don't Have to Be this Way on the Black Grape label in England. R.L. self-released his first U.S. CD in 1999 titled Too Hot to Stop. His latest self-released CD is titled I'm Back Again, released in September of 2020.

Ernie Johnson is double dangerous. He has a great blues voice and writes excellent original material. He's kept busy with nearly constant national and international touring, often opening for folks like Bobby Bland. He has recorded several albums for Paula and Malaco associated Waldoxy Records. Ernie's newest CD is a self released compilation titled EJ Sings the Blues.   He was featured in an interview in Living Blues Magazine in February 2009.

Bob Kirkpatrick has been playing the blues since the 50's. His first recording was for Folkways Records in 1973.  After a long period of work for the Federal gpovernment, he re-emerged on the Dallas blues scene in the 90's.  He has one CD on JSP and several self released CDs of live performances recorded in Europe. He is popular overseas and has toured Europe several times.  However he does not tour in the U.S. because the money is so poor.  Bob is a great talent with a wonderful deep voice and strong B.B. King influenced guitar licks. Bob latest CD on Topcat/Red Lightin Records is called Drive Across Texas.  Bob had some health problems the last few years but began performing again late in 2008.

Gregg Smith is a smooth soulful blues vocalist in the style of Little Milton and Bobby Bland. The Honey Grove, Texas native relocated to Dallas in the early 80's and has been a constant contributor to the South Dallas Blues scene. Gregg often tours with Lucky Peterson. His first album was on  Ichiban and was re-released on CD in Europe to great critical acclaim and heavy radio airplay. He played several festivals overseas in 1990. Gregg also does a blues radio show on KNON 89.3 FM, Friday from 9 am to noon. Gregg recently released a blues compilation CD on his own Gman Record.  Gregg was the subject of a major interview in Living Blues Magazine in 2014.

The listing above will give you some idea of the size, depth, and diversity of the DFW blues community. However, this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. Additional DFW based blues bands and artists with recordings are listed below.  

PLUS!

and a few locals who have moved away: