April07

Blues Guitar NEWS

April 2007

Welcome to
Mike Dollins'
Blues Guitar News

Jumpin' Josh, is only 9 years
old. You need to check this
new bluesman out.

Just Mouse Click any photo,
to open other Blues Sites for
Networking.

Sunday in the Park: Blues and Delta Boogie good old, down home
music festivities you can't find anywhere else on earth. The crew here at Blues
Guitar News will be there on May 20th, in Jonesboro, Arkansas to join in making
some blues, and BBQ. Located on Blues Highway 49, just northwest of West
Memphis, Arkansas this is in the Blues Motherland Delta Cotton country for sure.

Patty Benson, is one fine
blues singer you shouldn't
miss. If you like soul felt
singing, Patty is the real deal.

Terry Knott, from the United
Kingdom, is getting his blues
over the pond to us, and is
worth your time to hear him.

One Chord is our Spotlight
Blues DJ for April, and we thank
him for spinning our CD's on
Radio WWPV 88.7 in Vermont.

Mike Dollins

BLUES GUITAR NEWS:
DELTA BOOGIE: Blues in the Park Blues Festival
Hairy Larry has us on the schedule for May 20th, in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Now for all you folks that
are not familiar with the geography of Blues Motherland Country, Jonesboro is on Blues Highway 49,
just northwest of West Memphis, Arkansas in the middle of cotton fields as far as you can see.
Close to the White River that flows into the Mississippi River, just north of the Arkansas River at
Helena, Arkansas.   A gourmet meal in Jonesboro is catfish, black-eyed peas with ham hocks, turnip
greens with pepper sauce and cornbread.    This is the most laid back, front porch pickin’ you will
find on God’s good earth. No hyped up Hollywood BS, and just pure down-home music. Leave your
attitudes, and ego trips in the bed of your truck, put your coveralls on and just have a great time
jamming. When you get tired, you can go fishing for catfish in the lake behind the stage. This is my
kind of place since my daddy was born down the road on Highway 49, and grew up on a cotton farm
walking distance from where I’ll be playing.   It all feels like a big home coming to me.   All you
Arkies that don’t make it, “Shame on you.”   This is what it is all about folks. See y’all there.   The
directions are easy: Interstate 40 to Highway 49. Follow the signs. www.deltaboogie.com

MARK KERR:
Was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, and appointed Blues Ambassador to the State of Louisiana
this Month.   My blues guitar brother Johnny Mannion nominated Mark, and I seconded the vote.
www.johnnymannion.com Welcome Mark to the Blues Hall of Fame, a well-deserved honor for a
real deal blues guitar player that knows how to share the hog.   Mark’s Blues Nation Radio Show is
gaining momentum, along with his new blues guitar CD release. For the rest of the story go to: www.
markkerrltd.com

DIRTY BLUES GUI TAR: “Mike Dollins is a low down dirty blues guitar
player.” I had to explain to a few non-blues guitar folks that Mark Kerr, a smokin’ Beele Street
bender from Cajun County down in Louisiana, called me this last week, and was an extremely
flattering comment.   It is the highest honor one blues guitar player can call another blues guitar
player, and only reserved for heart-felt expression of blues guitar brotherhood.   Now Mark has
melted a few 6L6’s into oblivion in his time, making his comment that I was a low down dirty blues
guitar player so much more meaningful due to his impressive blues guitar skill set, credentials and
low down dirty guitar playing his own self.   Doug Treadway of Nightflying Entertainment Guide
chimed in and tagged reviews for Mark and I in this month’s online and hard copy issues. Thank you
Mr. Doug, you are such a fabulous good friend to us underground blues guitar players. (I hate the
word Indie, so we use underground) www.nightflying.com/new/news.html

BLUES GUITAR GANG:
For all you latecomers that haven’t heard, we have a new gang in town.   It is called the Blues Guitar
Gang, and was created and launched at Tornado Valley Radio, with DJ Brad Cole: www.myspace.
com/bradsbluesbuddies Then Ron Ryder caught on first, and spread the Blues Guitar Gang all over
his Radio Cave Blues Show: http://radiocave.com/news.htm Following up with that Blues DJ Paul
Bondarovski from Midnight Special Blues Radio, www.ms-blues.com , featured the Blues Guitar
Gang on his home page.   Do I have your interest?   Well now there is a fan club, and at least 100,000
blues guitar friends from all over the world that are pouring in to visit, share and chat about blues
guitar.   Go on and check it out for your own self at: http://mikedollins.biz/BluesGuitarGang.html
MySpace at: www.myspace.com/bluesguitargang Where you will see blues guitar porn plastered all
over the background.   If you want to join the fan club that just started by Henry M: http://groups.
myspace.com/BluesGuitarGangFanClub

SHARING THE HOG:
Talking to a blues guitar buddy a couple weeks back, and he mentioned how guys like Texas Jake and
Mark Kerr, like to share the hog.   I hate to go through this and explain it again, as most blues guitar
players, even the ones not from the blues motherland here in the south, know what it means.
MySpace etiquette tells it all.   A hog sharing person comes on and compliments you on your site and
your music, then runs a little of their own credits. A “It’s all about me” person comes on and starts
blah, blah “My CD” blah, blah “Me” blah, blah, “My Video” etc and so on with no mention of you as
if you were chopped liver, and fish heads stew, then plasters a page and half url that takes an hour to
download.    Now Johnny Mannion is the most gracious blues guitar player on MySpace. But then he
is a gentleman’s, gentleman. I read the comments he writes so personalized to each site he is on. He
so great about acknowledging the music and the site he is visiting, and never a word about himself.
If the sites he visits only knew they could get a blues guitar lesson by listening to Johnny’s jukebox on
his site they would thank him. Now this is sharing the hog. Number one, you have to know who you
are. Number two, you got to know how to share the spotlight and microphone.   You know you have
gotten somewhere when others toot your horn, instead of your mother, family and girlfriends doing it
all. Texas Jake: Sharing the hog at: http://jakeleeblues.com

TERRY KNOTT:
Terry has become a great blues-networking friend from across the pond in the United Kingdom.    He
is featured on Mark Kerr’s Blues Nation, and is just getting around over here in the United States
now.   He knows how to share the hog, and has done more promoting of the Blues Guitar Gang, and
myself than he has his own blues venture.   Now this is a real deal putting other blues guitarists first,
and never mentioning he was a blues guitar player too.   I urge everyone to get on over to Terry’s
site, and start networking with him. He is one great blues guitar friend: www.myspace.
com/britpackblues

WRAP UP:
As spring jumps on us here in the delta country, getting my bass boat ready to hit the Arkansas River
seems like the foremost thought on my mind.   I’ve been out once, and caught a few black bass, and
looking forward to more sunny days on the old muddy, enjoying the outdoors.   I was networking
extensively this winter, and had time on my hands to really get around in cyber space, chat and share
with folks from all over the world.   There are so many music projects, gigs and production items on
the schedule now; I have to make room to at least get one of these Blues Guitar News Letters out now
and then. I apologize for not being around as much as I was in the middle of winter, but things are
popping all around as spring starts to bloom.   Looking forward to a great blues season playing more
this year.   I’ll try to stay in touch as much as possible, so please keep the emails, blogs and messages
coming in. I read them even if it takes a few days to clear them all out.   The blues guitar mothership
is still at: www.mikedollins.biz where you can find all the blues guitar gang, and blues guitar friends
web sites and MySpace locations.   That’s it for now y’all, and keep on jamming them blues.

THANK YOU:
A special thanks to Johnny Mannion and Steve McTaggart for running the Blues Guitar Gang
MySpace, and John “Hot Tub” Krier for designing the logo. Also for Henry M, for networking all
over the world and building the Blues Guitar Gang fan club site.

Here are some other great networking sites:
www.myspace.com/teddybterrific
www.myspace.com/bluesmomma2
www.myspace.com/bensonroad
www.myspace.com/rufushuff
www.myspace.com/johnnykrier