Lee Bates & Billy Newton - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Lee Bates (vocal, guitar, slide guitar) and Billy Newton (harp and dancing) are a blues duo based in the North East but playing all over the UK.Billy is one of the Uk's finest harp players, whether it's playing in the style of Sonny Terry, both Sonny Boy Williamsons or Little Walter, Snooky Prior or George 'Harmonica' Smith Billy gets the tone and the feel just right. His style though is all his own, honed over countless years gigging with the likes of Acme Blues and the Scandalous Bachelors.Lee is one of the north easts finest slide guitar players belting out tunes by Robert Johnson, Fred McDowell, Son House, Bukka White etc on his old National. He is equally happy with lighter ragtime styles and at ease laying down fat old-school shuffles.Over the years we have shared stages (and beer) with most of the blues greats... Dr. Ross, William Clarke, Bob Brozman, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, John Hammond, Catfish Keith, Joanne Kelly, Woody Mann, Steve Phillips, Jimmy Rodgers...Together they lay down goodtime blues and boogie where ever they go!These clips come from our recent show with Honeyboy Edwards.This video clip shows Lee performing a Son House song at the 2007 Dundee Blues Bonanza

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 09/03/2007
Band Website: www.freewebs.com/leeandbilly/
Band Members: Lee Bates - Guitar, slide Guitar and Vocals Billy Newton- Harmonica and Vocals
Influences: Muddy Waters, Snooky Prior, Son House, Blind Boy Fuller, Sonny Terry etc, etc, and also The Hokum Hotshots, Brian Cookman, Doug MacLeod, Paul Rishell and Annie Rains... the list could go on and on!object width="425" height="355" ..
Sounds Like: Imagine Sonny and Brownie if they were white, from North East England and on speaking terms.
Record Label: bigdog

My Blog

Blues Purist

I was recently accused (and I use the word correctly) of being a Blues 'purist'. It made me wonder what this means. Does it mean that I think that Blues is something that should only be played b...
Posted by on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:01:00 GMT

Mojo Buford at the Cluny review

Mojo Buford, The Cluny, Newcastle 22.4.08 This was Mojo Buford's first visit to Newcastle and an evening of high quality Chicago Blues was expected by the sizable audience. After an indi...
Posted by on Fri, 30 May 2008 05:29:00 GMT

Jug Band music certainly is a treat for me

Dec 27th will see the launch of a new Jug Band, featuring ourselves with the legendary Hokum Hotshots and (occasionally) Rob Mason. Jug Band music is a wonderful thing and if you've never heard any I ...
Posted by on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:16:00 GMT

Where They Eat Their Young.

Last night's gig was dreadful. We were booked to play at venue we had never performed at before and as usual, there is always a slight trepidation before such a show. You're never quite sure what migh...
Posted by on Sat, 22 Sep 2007 08:53:00 GMT

More Dundee Blues on YouTube

Here are some clips of Jim Murray, Snakehips O'Donnel and Alan Jones. There's a couple of Blind Willie McTell tunes and a little Elmore James too! Please check them out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Posted by on Wed, 01 Aug 2007 07:25:00 GMT

New Videos- Jim Murray, Graham Robinson

These are some video clips of some good friends of ours. These were filmed at Alleycatz on the Sunday afternoon of Dundee Blues Bonanza 2007. These fellas are great and you should check them out!...
Posted by on Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:08:00 GMT

YouTube

Tanks to the fellas at Echo Productions you can now watch us on YouTube! ..> Lee Bates and Billy Newton - Take me back03:11 Added: 5 days agoViews: 89 ..>
Posted by on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:52:00 GMT

Honeyboy Edwards!!!

Billy and I are proud to announce that we will be be appearing with the legendary David Honeyboy Edwards at the Cluny, Newcastle, on Thursday August 16th. (with great thanks to the Jum...
Posted by on Sat, 23 Jun 2007 04:04:00 GMT

Requests

We don't often get asked for requests, when we do we'll try and play something to keep them happy. It depends on the request. I refuse to play Mustang Sally for instance. You have to have standards.A ...
Posted by on Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:37:00 GMT