Last weekends Blues Challenge was a huge success.
Mighty Lester of Raleigh were the winners and will represent the PBPS in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge in February 2006. They will also be on stage at next years Carolina Blues Festival and the Bull Durham Blues Festival.
Although not my choice for top band, the judges saw differently.
This Sunday, October 2, welcomes the Hurricane Katrina Benefit Concert with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross.
70 bands performing in 12 different locations.
Buy a wristband for $10 and see any band at any of the venues for one donation of $10. Great way to spend a Sunday and for a great cause.
Details here.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Friday, September 23, 2005
Great Blues Weekend Ahead
The 19th Annual Piedmont Blues Preservation Society Blues Challenge (whew!) is scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday at the Lions Lair in High Point.
19 bands over 2 days competing for a chance to represent the PBPS in Memphis.
Always a good crowd and lots of fun.
Silent auction with 2 pairs of 4th row tickets to see Buddy Guy in Greensboro on Oct. 16, plus many other great items.
Click here for details and band schedule.
19 bands over 2 days competing for a chance to represent the PBPS in Memphis.
Always a good crowd and lots of fun.
Silent auction with 2 pairs of 4th row tickets to see Buddy Guy in Greensboro on Oct. 16, plus many other great items.
Click here for details and band schedule.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Road Trip
tonight to see Bernard Allison.
Singer, songwriter, and son of Luther Allison, Bernard will be playing at the Double Door Inn in Charlotte.
Bernards' first recording, at age 12 1/2 was playing guitar with his father on a live album called "Gonna Be a Live One in Here Tonight" in 1979.
Four days out of high school he joined Koko Taylors' band the Blues Machine. He has also played with Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughn, where he picked up his slide technique.
His latest album, Higher Power is a great mix of Blues, Soul, and Funk.
Should be a great show.
All I can say is I'm getting ready and looking forward to it.
Singer, songwriter, and son of Luther Allison, Bernard will be playing at the Double Door Inn in Charlotte.
Bernards' first recording, at age 12 1/2 was playing guitar with his father on a live album called "Gonna Be a Live One in Here Tonight" in 1979.
Four days out of high school he joined Koko Taylors' band the Blues Machine. He has also played with Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughn, where he picked up his slide technique.
His latest album, Higher Power is a great mix of Blues, Soul, and Funk.
Should be a great show.
All I can say is I'm getting ready and looking forward to it.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
"Writing Spider" in the Garden
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This little guy was hard at work in the garden yesterday afternoon. He had what looked to be a wasp in his clutches, spinning his web around it before..............
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moving on to big and better things. It's really amazing to sit and watch these creatures do their handiwork.
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Left all dressed up with no place to go.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Grandma
My grandmother passed away yesterday afternoon.
Nine days shy of her 93rd birthday, she had a long and fruitful life, but it’s still hard to let go of someone you cared so much for and who has had a great impact on who you are as a person.
Grandma was a great cook, caregiver, disiciplinarian, and friend. She was an avid churchgoer who often went out of her way to help other people.
I can remember a time at her house in High Point when I was young, seeing a total stranger come up to the house and knock on the door. Grandma answered the door, talked to the man for a minute, then walked off leaving me and him standing there. I must have been about 6 or 7 at the time but I can still remember him looking real dirty and with a scraggly beard.
A few minutes later Grandma came back and handed the man a couple of sandwiches she had made and a big glass of milk. He sat down on the front porch steps and proceeded to eat then he got up and left.
I asked Grandma who that was and she said she didn’t know. I asked her why she was giving him sandwiches and her answer has always stuck in my mind.
“Because he was hungry.”
That’s the way Grandma was. Whatever she had she was willing to share it with someone in need. I don’t know if it was just out of the goodness of her heart, or if she was trying to set an example, but it instilled in me that there are less fortunate people that do need help.
She also took care of my Grandfather who had Charcot Marie disease coupled with essential tremors. He also had a stroke a few years before he died, but there she was, always by his side and tending to his every need. Truly for better or worse. I think they were married about 65 years when Grandpa died.
As for the discipline part, Grandma would tear your butt up in a heartbeat. My sisters and I both learned that real quick. We learned right from wrong the old-fashioned way.
I went with Grandma and Grandpa to the Ellington family reunion in Oregon Hill when I was about 9 or 10. I don’t remember what happened but I do remember Grandma slapping me in the mouth and proceeding to get in Grandpa’s face.
Apparently I’d said “Good God Almighty” and she had heard me. She slapped me for it and then chastised Grandpa for saying it in front of me where I’d pick it up. That was Grandpa’s favorite saying when he was upset. Needless to say I didn’t say that anymore, at least not where she could hear me.
What can I say about Grandma’s cooking?
I used to go over and keep their yard mowed since Grandpa was unable, and she would always cook dinner for me and Jr. Jr always wanted to go help me because he knew that Grandma was cooking. He couldn’t do a lot being 6 yrs old, but he sure could eat. After Grandpa died he did get old enough to ride the mower and was there almost every time I mowed, just for the food.
My favorite dish was her chicken pie. Home made crust. Juicy. Cooked to perfection. I could eat a half one by myself and she made BIG chicken pies.
I haven’t found anyone, my mother, sisters, ex wife included, that could cook like Grandma. Probably never will. But they try and it is good. Just not Grandma’s.
It’s been tough on Grandma the past 12 years, but her and Grandpa are back together again. Probably doing the Charleston on a cloud somewhere watching over the family down here.
I know Heaven is a better place with you there. You are in a better place and the place you worked your whole life to get to. You suffer no more.
Grandma, I love you and miss you terribly. I will see you again………………..
keep a chicken pie in the oven for me.
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.
- Old Indian Saying
Nine days shy of her 93rd birthday, she had a long and fruitful life, but it’s still hard to let go of someone you cared so much for and who has had a great impact on who you are as a person.
Grandma was a great cook, caregiver, disiciplinarian, and friend. She was an avid churchgoer who often went out of her way to help other people.
I can remember a time at her house in High Point when I was young, seeing a total stranger come up to the house and knock on the door. Grandma answered the door, talked to the man for a minute, then walked off leaving me and him standing there. I must have been about 6 or 7 at the time but I can still remember him looking real dirty and with a scraggly beard.
A few minutes later Grandma came back and handed the man a couple of sandwiches she had made and a big glass of milk. He sat down on the front porch steps and proceeded to eat then he got up and left.
I asked Grandma who that was and she said she didn’t know. I asked her why she was giving him sandwiches and her answer has always stuck in my mind.
“Because he was hungry.”
That’s the way Grandma was. Whatever she had she was willing to share it with someone in need. I don’t know if it was just out of the goodness of her heart, or if she was trying to set an example, but it instilled in me that there are less fortunate people that do need help.
She also took care of my Grandfather who had Charcot Marie disease coupled with essential tremors. He also had a stroke a few years before he died, but there she was, always by his side and tending to his every need. Truly for better or worse. I think they were married about 65 years when Grandpa died.
As for the discipline part, Grandma would tear your butt up in a heartbeat. My sisters and I both learned that real quick. We learned right from wrong the old-fashioned way.
I went with Grandma and Grandpa to the Ellington family reunion in Oregon Hill when I was about 9 or 10. I don’t remember what happened but I do remember Grandma slapping me in the mouth and proceeding to get in Grandpa’s face.
Apparently I’d said “Good God Almighty” and she had heard me. She slapped me for it and then chastised Grandpa for saying it in front of me where I’d pick it up. That was Grandpa’s favorite saying when he was upset. Needless to say I didn’t say that anymore, at least not where she could hear me.
What can I say about Grandma’s cooking?
I used to go over and keep their yard mowed since Grandpa was unable, and she would always cook dinner for me and Jr. Jr always wanted to go help me because he knew that Grandma was cooking. He couldn’t do a lot being 6 yrs old, but he sure could eat. After Grandpa died he did get old enough to ride the mower and was there almost every time I mowed, just for the food.
My favorite dish was her chicken pie. Home made crust. Juicy. Cooked to perfection. I could eat a half one by myself and she made BIG chicken pies.
I haven’t found anyone, my mother, sisters, ex wife included, that could cook like Grandma. Probably never will. But they try and it is good. Just not Grandma’s.
It’s been tough on Grandma the past 12 years, but her and Grandpa are back together again. Probably doing the Charleston on a cloud somewhere watching over the family down here.
I know Heaven is a better place with you there. You are in a better place and the place you worked your whole life to get to. You suffer no more.
Grandma, I love you and miss you terribly. I will see you again………………..
keep a chicken pie in the oven for me.
When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.
- Old Indian Saying
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Friday, September 02, 2005
Katrina Aid Again
It looks to me like a total clusterf**k on the part of FEMA and the federal government to aid victims of hurricane Katrina.
No food, water, medical supplies. People dying, looting, getting beaten and raped.
Hell, our response to the Asian tsunami was faster and more organized than this. Why can we get aid to people overseas faster than we can to our own citizens?
In Washington, President Bush admitted "the results are not acceptable" and pledged to bolster the relief efforts with a personal trip to the Gulf Coast on Friday.
"We'll get on top of this situation," he said before setting out, "and we're going to help the people that need help."
That's all they need, another incompetent Federal employee running around down there, with his finger in his a**, and no clue what to do.
How many people have to die before you "get on top of this situation"?
SUPPOSE this had been a terrorist attack instead of a hurricane.
Would the response have been any faster? Would you have been any more organized? Would you have had better control of the situation?
I shudder to think what that answer might be.
No food, water, medical supplies. People dying, looting, getting beaten and raped.
Hell, our response to the Asian tsunami was faster and more organized than this. Why can we get aid to people overseas faster than we can to our own citizens?
In Washington, President Bush admitted "the results are not acceptable" and pledged to bolster the relief efforts with a personal trip to the Gulf Coast on Friday.
"We'll get on top of this situation," he said before setting out, "and we're going to help the people that need help."
That's all they need, another incompetent Federal employee running around down there, with his finger in his a**, and no clue what to do.
How many people have to die before you "get on top of this situation"?
SUPPOSE this had been a terrorist attack instead of a hurricane.
Would the response have been any faster? Would you have been any more organized? Would you have had better control of the situation?
I shudder to think what that answer might be.
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