Joe 'Guitar' Hughes (vocals, guitar) , Sonny Boy Terry (harmonica) , Tanya Richardson (bass) , David Lartigue (drums).
Houston was homebase to a remarkable cadre of red-hot blues guitarists during the 1950s. Joe Hughes was not as well known as his peers Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland, but he was a solid electric bluesman with a formidable discography. Another of his Houston neighbors, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, lit a performing fire in Hughes when he was 14. Lone Star stalwarts T-Bone Walker and Gatemouth Brown also exerted their influence on Hughes' playing. His path crossed Copeland's circa 1953 when the two shared vocal and guitar duties in a combo called the Dukes of Rhythm. Hughes served as bandleader at a local blues joint known as Shady's Playhouse from 1958 through 1963, cutting a few scattered singles of his own in his spare time ("I Can't Go on This Way," "Ants in My Pants," "Shoe Shy"). In 1963, Hughes hit the road with the Upsetters, switching to the employ of Bobby "Blue" Bland in 1965 (he also recorded behind the singer for Duke) and Al "TNT" Braggs from 1967 to 1969.
A long dry spell followed, but Hughes finally came back to the spotlight with a fine set for Black Top in 1989 with If You Want to See These Blues (by that time, he'd inserted a "Guitar" as his middle name, much like his old pal Watson). Hughes' then released Texas Guitar Slinger, (1996, Blueseye Blues), Down & Depressed: Dangerous (1997, Munich), and Stuff Like That (2001, Blues Express), which contain slashing blends of blues and soul with the ocassional tightly arranged horn section and, most importantly, enough axe to fulfill Hughes' adopted nickname. After half a century of playing the blues, Joe "Guitar" Hughes passed away on May 20, 2003 after suffering a heart attack. ~bio by Bill Dahl
A long dry spell followed, but Hughes finally came back to the spotlight with a fine set for Black Top in 1989 with If You Want to See These Blues (by that time, he'd inserted a "Guitar" as his middle name, much like his old pal Watson). Hughes' then released Texas Guitar Slinger, (1996, Blueseye Blues), Down & Depressed: Dangerous (1997, Munich), and Stuff Like That (2001, Blues Express), which contain slashing blends of blues and soul with the ocassional tightly arranged horn section and, most importantly, enough axe to fulfill Hughes' adopted nickname. After half a century of playing the blues, Joe "Guitar" Hughes passed away on May 20, 2003 after suffering a heart attack. ~bio by Bill Dahl
Album: Live At Vredenburg (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:33
Size: 131.7 MB
Styles: Texas blues
Year: 1993/2011
[ 4:31] 1. Cleo's Back
[ 8:11] 2. Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong
[ 5:59] 3. Down Home Blues
[ 7:00] 4. Hoochie Coochie Man
[ 6:32] 5. Drivin' Wheel
[10:56] 6. Joe's Blues Stew
[ 7:55] 7. Blues Man's Guitar
[ 6:26] 8. Boogie Chillun
Live At Vredenburg (Disc 1) mc
Live At Vredenburg (Disc 1) zippy
Album: Live At Vredenburg (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:09
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: Texas blues
Year: 1993/2011
Art: Front
[ 5:21] 1. Sack O' Woe
[ 7:14] 2. How Blue Can You Get
[ 6:27] 3. Big Boss Man
[11:47] 4. Sweet Sixteen
[ 5:26] 5. Funky Mama
[ 5:28] 6. The Things That I Used To Do
[ 4:25] 7. Albert's Alley
[ 6:58] 8. Woke Up This Morning
Live At Vredenburg (Disc 2) mc
Live At Vredenburg (Disc 2) zippy