I was told my rather wordy blog on my American foray into the blues was rather boring without photographs.
So here's a selection of pictures to redress the omission, better late than never.
So let us start with a selection from
The Legendary Blues Cruise aboard Holland America's latest. . .
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| More a floating hotel then a ship and assured the captain was not Italian! |
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| Band members setting the tone of the cruise! |
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| Shemekia Copeland guesting with Swiss guitarist Philipp Fankhauser who used to play with her Daddy Johnny Copeland |
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| Dion |
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| Johnny Castro was with his big band and is a regular on the cruise. It was the band's last gig before breaking up as he said he can only afford to tour with a trio - sign of the times! |
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| Johnny's guest the dynamic Keith Crossan who is to reform his own band to tour. |
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| Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Noah Hunt on harp and vocals. They have a huge following stateside and is S R V's successor |
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| Super Chikan & the wild Laura 'Lala' Craig, drums bass and rhythm guitar are all girls and enjoyed each others company as they were in an adjacent cabin! His name derives from the fact he originally worked on a chicken farm. |
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| Super Chikan with his custom guitar modeled on the Legendary Blues Cruise logo |
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| The scorching Canadian songbird Shakura S'Aida and Donna Grantis. Shakura is planning a tour in Europe, don't miss her. |
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| Shemekia Copeland with her own band |
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| Joe Louis Walker's backing duo, Sari Posner and daughter Lena Walker. JLW is at Blues on the Farm this year guesting with Todd Sharpeville that should be a fizzer! |
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| This was the bunch of Californians who adopted me. We are in a German Pub in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The tall cylinder on the table is full of the pub micro brewed beer. Two were high in California's administration, two were IT specialists another was builder and his wife and.... | | |
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| Bobby was a university don and splif man extraordinaire. A 70's hangover in every sense. |
and finally
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Harp aficionado Rick Estrin and me on St Croix, US Virgin Islands
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So now onto the International Blues Challenge in Memphis
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| The Orpheum Theatre on Main Street where the finals were held |
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| Band Winners 'The Wired' sponsored by The Washington Blues Society |
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| Ray Bonneville, Winner of the solo/duo section |
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| From Nashville, Bart Walker winning best Guitarist and his Gibson prizes |
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| Dan Treanor accepting his KBA, Keeping the Blues Alive award at The Blues Foundation's Award Ceremony for his Blues In The Schools activities. I had been with him the day before performing at Memphis Downtown Primary School. |
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| Beale Street's neon |
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| Early hours on Beale Street |
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| Elvis who? Sun Studios with me standing on the X. The studios are still used evenings. The Anorak? It was bitterly cold outside. |
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And now to slightly warmer climes in Nawlins aka NOPA aka New Orleans aka the Big Easy aka The Crescent City
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| And it's Mardis Gras time! These are the traditional colours of Mardis Gras and every thing and every one gets garlanded with bead necklaces in these colours during the street celebrations. |
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| Traditional French Quarter Houses with the Mardis Gras decorations. |
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| More of same |
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| What's Mardis Gras without a drink .........or two |
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or three?
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| Or four |
Or five
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| or six |
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| Jacques Taxi Service! |
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| Want some snappy clothes? |
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| Man we got style! |
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| We also have it Pinkish |
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| Don't Ask! |
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| French Market Courtyard. Yes it's a statue. |
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| Mural Art? |
Time to eat . . . an alligator sausage Poboy. Tastes like beef.
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| Other options |
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| Ham poboy & pickles |
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| Nawlins old and new |
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| Modern Canal Street on edge of French quarter. |
