Horn From The Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story

I hear ya @crustycool. One of my High School bands played "The Stumble", learning it off John Mayall’s 2nd album, with Peter Green taking Clapton’s place on guitar (Fleetwood Mac’s John McVie was at the time Mayall’s bass player). We hadn’t yet learned it was a Freddie King song. I never managed to see Freddie live, but I did Albert, who was fanf*ckingtastic!

Speaking of Little Walter, he’s still my Gold Standard, and Gary Smith’s as well. James Cotton lived and performed in the Bay Area for quite a while, drawn there by the healthy blues scene and audience. Musselwhite did too, but Butterfield moved to Woodstock, working with Levon Helm quite a bit.

Peter Green’s first solo album (The End Of The Game) came out in late 1970 on Reprise Records (at that time the coolest label in the world, having an amazing roster of artists), and in spite of the album being only three long extended jam songs per LP side---music I usually don’t care for---I remember liking it quite a bit. I haven’t heard it in years, but iirc it is an album of purely instrumental music, no vocals or lyrics.

Have you heard what B.B. King said about Green? "He’s the only white guitarist who makes me sweat." I assume that’s a compliment. ;-)

Another guitarist story: Mike Bloomfield and The Band's Robbie Robertson had become acquainted through John Hammond Jr., with whom Bloomfield had been working. Robbie was invited to a JHJ recording session in NYC, and upon arriving went out into the studio and strapped on his Telecaster as Bloomfield strapped on his Les Paul Jr. Robbie began playing along with Hammond, and after hearing Robbie play, Mike took off his guitar and switched to piano. ;-)

Hammond ended up hearing Robertson and the entire Hawks band live, and hired them for some gigs. His manager was Albert Grossman, also Dylan's manager. Grossman's secretary heard The Hawks backing Hammond on a live gig, and told Dylan he HAD to hear this band. Shortly thereafter Bob did, and hired The Hawks right out from under Hammond!