- Blogs, Bleader, May 20, 2013
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The House of the Rising Sun burger at Portage Park's Leadbelly
The blues-bar theme is a little silly, but the burgers are fat and satisfying.
- Blogs, Bleader, May 19, 2013
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Reader's Agenda Sun 5/19: An organic beer garden, 60 years of blues, and Andrew Lloyd Webber
What's on the Reader's Agenda for Sunday, May 19
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, May 2, 2013
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Johnny Griffin
This masterful jazz saxophonist isn't exactly obscure, but he's been unjustly overshadowed since his heyday in the 50s and 60s.
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Apr 4, 2013
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Doctor Clayton
This rowdy bluesman cut just 30 tracks, all between 1935 and 1947, but they helped plant the seeds for rock 'n' roll.
- Blogs, Bleader, Apr 3, 2013
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12 O'Clock Track: "Sounds of His Motor," trancey blues-pop from the Norwegian duo Stein Urheim and Mari Kvien Brunvoll
The hypnotic, warped pop-blues of Norwegian duo Stein Urheim and Mari Kvien Brunvoll
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Mar 7, 2013
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Eddie C. Campbell
This flamboyant, innovative blues guitarist needs help getting home after a heart attack and stroke on the road in Germany.
- Blogs, Bleader, Mar 5, 2013
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Blues singer Shemekia Copeland lays waste to the competition, including her own band
Shemekia Copeland deserves material worth her monumental talent, but she doesn't get it on her latest album.
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Feb 21, 2013
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Tail Dragger
This west-side Howlin' Wolf imitator did time for shooting a fellow bluesman dead, but he's back out there putting on great shows.
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Feb 7, 2013
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Tommy McClennan
This raw Mississippi bluesman made his only recordings—among them the classics “Bottle It Up and Go” and "Cross Cut Saw"—between 1939 and '42 in Chicago.
- Music, Music Review, Feb 5, 2013
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The 53rd annual University of Chicago Folk Festival
Blues-guitar scion Elmore James Jr., bluegrass greats Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, and more
- Blogs, Bleader, Oct 23, 2012
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Wednesday: Veteran Texas roots rocker Ray Wylie Hubbard at SPACE
Ray Wylie Hubbard plays SPACE in support of his tough new album, The Grifter's Hymnal
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Aug 8, 2012
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Robert Petway
Muddy Waters turned this obscure bluesman's 1941 "Catfish Blues" into his famous single "Rollin' Stone"
- Blogs, Bleader, Jun 29, 2012
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Reconsidering Albert King
It's never too late to appreciate the beauty of Albert King's electric blues guitar
- Music, Music Feature, Jun 6, 2012
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The Reader's guide to the Chicago Blues Festival
There's more than Mavis: Other must-see acts include Texas Johnny Brown, Floyd Taylor, Joe Louis Walker, and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Apr 4, 2012
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Tampa Red
An influential slide guitarist, he recorded 335 sides of hokum and jump blues between 1928 and '53 but died largely forgotten in '81
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Mar 21, 2012
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Jody Williams
Lead guitar on Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?", Jody Williams is gigging again after 35 years.
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Feb 23, 2012
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The Secret History of Chicago Music: Blind Joel Taggart
This gospel singer and bluesman may have been the first guitar evangelist ever to make a record
- Blogs, Bleader, Dec 5, 2011
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RIP Howard Tate and Hubert Sumlin
Over the weekend soul singer Howard Tate and blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin passed away, at 72 and 80, respectively.
- Blogs, Bleader, Mar 17, 2011
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Fat Possum Still Has the Blues, Sort Of
Fat Possum Records may have abandoned the blues for indie rock, but its Big Legal Mess imprint has been picking up the slack.
- Music, The Secret History of Chicago Music, Mar 10, 2011
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Secret History of Chicago Music: Papa Charlie Jackson
Groundbreaking blues artist recorded with legends
