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This is the archive of the combined Barking Spider and Andy Broad Portsmouth Blues Site mailing lists.
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O.K, there's no Barking Spider gig on Friday 27 May, so that's a great reason to have a drive out to Lavant Memorial Hall, Lavant (1 mile north of Chichester). It's got a great bar, nice views, and what's even better two BRILLIANT bluesmen from the States - Watermelon Slim and his special guest Michael Pickett. Bill Homans, a.k.a. Watermelon Slim, got a Best New Artist Debut nomination for the 2005 W.C. Handy Awards – within six months of leaving his day job for a life of a touring blues and roots musician. He's looked after in the U.K. by John Adams, of Bottleneck Blues Club, who is VERY picky about who he chooses to represent, and Country joe MacDonald is a good friend, and has recorded Slim's material himself, so the man's calibre is in no doubt. Watermelon Slim first appeared on the music scene in the early 1970s as the only Vietnam veteran to record a full length LP album during the Vietnam war, a 1973 protest-tinged "underground" release entitled Merry Airbrakes. He developed friendships and musical bonds with Barbara Dane, Henry ‘Sunflower’ Vestine of Canned Heat, and Chicago blues harp player 'Earring George' Mayweather. In his 30 years of music he has played with Henry Vestine, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray, the late John Lee Hooker, in Paris with expatriate New Orleans barrel-house piano player Champion Jack Dupree, Boston's leading blues guitarist and producer Chris Stovall Brown, and most recently with Muddy Waters' guitarist ‘ Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin. But not until recently did he fully chase the dream, and now less than six months after leaving his truckdriving job, Slim is now a full time touring bluesman, and In May 2004 Slim toured through the United Kingdom, impressing festival and club audiences with his musicianship. The Lavant gig is part of Slim's second U.K. tour, which started on May 10 and ends May 30th this year. There's more information on www.WatermelonSlim.com A good friend of the Barking Spider and The Bullfrog is the Canadian bluesman Michael Picket who embraces the blues with style, substance and musical integrity. His albums "Conversation With The Blues" and "Blues Money" were both nominated for Juno Awrds and "Blues Money" received the Jazz Report and Real Blues awards for Blues Album of the Year. Michael was also presented with the coveted Maple Blues Blues With A Feeling Award in recognition of his passion and commitment to the blues. Michael is a formidable guitarist on the six-string, twelve-string, and National Steel. With exceptional award winning rack harmonica skills and remarkable vocals, he delivers performances that are charged with electricity and filled with passion, authenticity, substance - and a unique style. He has shared the stage with John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, John Hammond, Sunnyland Slim, James Cotton, Tom Rush, T Graham Brown, Jeff Healey, Matt Minglewood, The Kentucky Headhunters and has opened for Taj Mahal, Muddy Waters, Son Seals, and James Cotton at venues ranging from Massey Hall to New York's Village Gate, to last year's "Blues On The Farm" and also the Bullfrog Blues Club and The RM.A.! More info avaialble on www.michaelpickett.com. So - what are you waiting for? Tickets will be avaialble on the door at Lavant, and the gig starts at 8pm -see you there!