nt. In its eighth year, The Thom Hartmann Program airs live daily, NOON – 3pm, ET simulcast as both radio and TV on over 120 radio stations. into more than 50 million homes via both nationwide satellite TV systems (DirecTV and Dish Network). SLO Blues presents Kim Wilson
| 02 March 2010
PHOTO CREDIT: Sara Kocher
On Saturday March 20, the San Luis Obispo Blues Society welcomes Kim Wilson’s Blues All-Stars, the harmonica rich ensemble featured on the Cadillac Records soundtrack. The Cinders will open the show at 8:00pm at the SLO Vets Hall, 801 Grand Avenue. Tickets are sold at the door; $17 for Blues Society members; $20 for general public; 21 and over, please. Free dance lessons are offered at 7:30pm. For more information or to volunteer, call 805/541-7930 or visit: http://www.sloblues.org/.Headliner.
Kim Wilson is best known as the harmonica player and vocalist of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, a band he founded in the mid-1970s with guitarist Jimmie Vaughan. Wilson maintains a successful parallel career as a solo artist, which this year yielded a Grammy nomination for his work on the Cadillac Records soundtrack. As a result, Wilson is currently touring with other contributors to the soundtrack as Kim Wilson’s Blues All-Stars.
Wilson started playing harmonica as a high school student in Goleta. He began his music career in San Francisco, billing himself as Goleta Slim and honing his harmonica skills playing with Charlie Musselwhite, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’ Wolf, and Jimmy Reed. By the early 70s, Kim was playing with the Aces of Straights and Shuffles, a band featuring guitarist Luther Tucker and managed by Willie Dixon (one of the characters in Cadillac Records).
Wilson has released a dozen albums with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, while his solo recordings include Tigerman (1993 solo debut featuring blues harmonica covers) and Smokin’ Joint (nominated for a Grammy Award and multiple W.C. Handy Awards).
The All-Stars include Larry Taylor (bass, Canned Heat), Richard Innes (drums, Mannish Boys), Barrelhouse Chuck (keyboards, Sunnyland Slim), and Billy Flynn (guitar, Willy Smith); stellar musicians who share Wilson’s respect for classic blues.
The Cinders Blues Band plays a straight-forward, slightly raw version of the blues. The band includes Dorian Michael (precise and funky guitar) Brett Hoover (natural, soulful vocals and engaging stage presence), Dean Giles (foundation drums), and Paul Olguin (roots inspired bass). Samples from their CD, Rooms on Fire, are available online: http://www.cindersbluesband.com.
Grant support for Kim Wilson’s Blues All-Stars is provided through Art! Inspires, a fund held at the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation. The Art Inspires! Fund offers donors the opportunity to expand, enrich and endow the arts in our community, and provides a perpetual source of support for local arts.