Hello,All Blues Lovers and welcome to my space!To give you an idea of what nature I am,in the 50's, I traveled down South to see where those old deep South blues songs were coming from!I rode out through the old red clay dirt roads in Georgia to try to find one of the old black deep south blues players sittin out on his porch playing the slide blues guitar!I sure enough found one!He lived in an old bleached out shotgun house.He was sitting on the porch playing an old Stella guitar with a steak bone slide!Being a white boy and not realizing that back in the 50's, it could have been a dangerous situation going into the old black man's neighborhood alone,I ventured out.Being from Pike County,Kentucky,I did not realize that there were people who did not get along!We had a neighbor next door who was a kind old black gentleman,who was liked and respected by everyone in the neighborhood.I sat at his table and broke bread with him many,many times!His food tasted better than anyone else's in the neighborhood!That is why I did not fear going down South to find someone who played the music I loved!I stopped and asked that old man if he cared if I stopped and listened to him play awhile!He flagged me on in,saying,"Come on in here!"I told him I had some good bourbon liquor and asked if he would care for a drink. He said"Sho would,young man!"
I had a case of George Dickel in the trunk and went and got a fifth out,went over and sat down on the porch with him.We sat there for hours.I listened and watched trying to learn how to do that.I became friends with the old man and visited him several times!That was what put me on the road to the blues.His name was Willie.That was all I ever knew him by!
I bought an old Hohner blues harmonica and some blues records with harmonica in them and right away learned to play the blues -cross harp style.I went to several clubs that had bands and asked the bands if I could sit in with them a couple of songs.During the break they would check me out to see if I would be able to play with them.I told them I just mainly knew the blues and we played some old Jimmy Reed style songs!I was scared to death they would boo me off the stage,but believe it or not,I got a standing ovation after the first song.Someone out in the crowd yelled out,"You'd better hire that guy,Sammy."I played the rest of the show with them until 12:00 midnight.I was offered a job with that band,but I couldn't be still that long!I traveled from town to town and club to club,having a ball for years!
I am now 70 years old and blind and still playing the blues!
I am married and have a son!I own an independent record label and publishing license which I use for my personal use,to do the songs my wife has written,which is actually not my style,but we did them anyway!My label is Velvet Blues Records and Publishing!I have one album of songs that my wife wrote titled "Pick Me A Rose".However,there are two songs on the album that I purchased a mechanical license for from Harry Fox!These songs are "Long Black Limousine And Big Boss Man."On this album,I do the lead singing and harmonica.Kenny Bowman plays all instruments,Paul Mason also plays all instruments,So you Are hearing Two different Styles Of Blues .My wife,Violet Williams does the backup!I don't claim to be a great artist,but maybe,you will enjoy some of the music!Thank You and have fun!!!
Blind Dog Powell
Music By Velvet Blues Records And Publishing
