Greetings from the District

What's going on, people of Atlanta? My apologies for such a belated response. As you may have heard from myself or my radio partner in crime, I hit the dusty road a bit early. Right now, I'm four weeks into my summer here in the nation's capital.

As much as I miss everyone back in Georgia (most especially you Crossroads fans of Album 88), I'm having the time of my life here. D.C. is a great city to be in...for more than a few days of sightseeing. There is so much do, yet so little time. Although it took me a while to get settled in, due to confusing housing arrangements, I think I'm doing just fine.

You may be wondering, "Why is Blind John Johnson in another city for 8 weeks? Atlanta is perfectly fine. Plus, you can't really see all the monuments and landmarks." Well, I don't want to bug everyone out with details and such, but long story short - I got accepted into this journalism program at The George Washington University. It's this large private school right smack dab in the middle (ok, so northwest, really) of D.C....situated fairly similar to Georgia State. It's a nice place, but damn, is it expensive. Talk about 10% tax.

Anyways, I'm taking a class on Washington journalism, doing lots of projects, meeting the big names in telecommunications, networking like crazy, AND interning at XM Satellite Radio. Let me tell you - working at such a rather new and innovative communications company is pretty sweet. From the hands-on experience, to the laid-back attitude, I do look forward to coming to my desk and working four days a week. The perks are sweet too. I think I'm going to go sweet talk my way into getting some good blues tunes from the good folks over at Bluesville (XM Channel 74, for you satellite radio listeners out there) to bring back to the ATL. And I can't wait for another live performance...although I've missed most of them so far. Foreigner came in the day before I started and I heard that was an awesome performance.

Well, I want to keep this one rather short and sweet, as compared to my other posts. I just wanted to write a lil' somethin' so all of ya'll would know that I'm still truckin' along. Shoeless has thrown a list of record stores my way to beef up my collection (now that I have a record player!) No luck so far...the downtown sector of Georgetown was a letdown.



Now, it's off to Adams Morgan, which by the way, has a sweet blues following, besides U Street. Actually, the first place I went to drink on my 21st birthday WAS a blues bar! Madams Organ (promotional billboard/sign/painting displayed above) was a rather pleasant beginning to my night. Three floors of good food, good music, and good drinks. I got carded and was greeted to the humbling sounds of a blues band playing "Sweet Home Alabama"...the band's name has escaped my mind, unfortunately. They had a gnarly looking bass player.


The District is the place to be - late nights on the rooftop, muggy afternoons walking around, and the hint of summer love in the air. But I guess the last one applies to anyone or anywhere, really. I'll be back in the Peach State on July 26th, and back in the station, doing my thing with Shoeless on the night/morning of the 29th. Get ready - I too have a few themed sets coming up - one that is based off of a public TV series...yeah.

Until we meet at the Crossroads,

Blind John Johnson

By the People, For the People

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 - More Jams and a Lot of Requests

I have to be honest - I was not particularly excited come studio time this week. Call it a funk, call it what you will, but it's just been one of those weeks where the gray was sort of lurking omnipresently. Regardless, the Crossroads always manages to come through for me somehow, and this week was no exception. After our first show, I noted the power of the communal experience, and how powerful in particular the Crossroads community truly is. I am positive that this is what made the show for me. My mom even stayed up for the show, which, I have to admit, made me really happy. All in all, things did a 180 and ended up awesome. We also had the most requests of any show thus far, so cheers to you guys! I'm hoping buzz will continue to build for the show ... tell all your friends to tune in, and have Tuesday night Crossroads parties. There's nothing like partying on the porch on a hot Georgia summer night with the best-looking girls and rowdiest guys you know, with the sweet sounds of the blues in the background. Here's the set:

Intro: Robert Johnson - Cross Road Blues

T-Model Ford - Sail On / She Ain't None of Your'n [Milo's Request #1]
Alberta Hunter - Stingaree Blues [Milo's Request #2]
Jesse Fuller - I Got a Mind To Ramble / San Francisco Bay Blues [Milo's Request #3]
Jimi Hendrix - Catfish Blues / Blues [Cliff's Pick]
ZZ Top - Dust My Broom / Deguello
Big Bill Broonzy - Key To the Highway / Where the Blues Began, Vol. 2
Ry Cooder - Vigilante Man / Into the Purple Valley

First Break - 12:30 AM

Bobby "Blue" Bland - Ask Me 'Bout Nothin' (But the Blues) / Ask Me 'Bout 'Nothin ...
Robert Johnson - If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day
John Lee Hooker - Down Child / Boogie Chillen'
Fats Domino - Honest Papas Love Their Mamas Better / Fats Is Back [by request, for Mandy, but song choice was for Momma Staps ... thanks for listening!]
Pride & Glory - In My Time of Dyin' / Pride & Glory

Second Break - 1 AM

Jimmy Rogers - Money, Marbles, & Chalk
Henry Thomas - Shanty Blues / Ragtime Texas: The Complete Recorded Works 1927-1929
Cream - Crossroads / Wheels of Fire [by request, for the Hapeville Guy]
Willie Dixon - Third Degree / The Chess Box
Lonnie Johnson - Sundown Blues
B.B. King - 3 O'Clock Blues / From the Beginning
Pinetop Perkins - Rain / Sweet Black Angel

Third Break - 1:30 AM

Elmore James - Something Inside Me / The Complete Fire & Enjoy Recordings
T-Bone Walker - Life Is Too Short / The Complete Imperial Recordings 1950-1954
Mick Jagger and the Red Devils - Still a Fool / The Famous Blues Session
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Blues Medley / Thyrty: The 30th Anniversary Collection

Okay, I know I keep hyping our big three-week supershow, and I know I said it was going to start next week, but we have a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes at the station this week (translation=paperwork), so I'm going to keep it simple and push things back for ONE MORE WEEK - that's it, I promise! If we haven't kicked things off nicely by the week after next, you can fire me and come in and host the show yourselves.

Which was a joke, but it did remind me that Album 88 is hiring new DJ's! If you're a GSU student with a minimum 2.0, stop by room 300 of the Student Center and pick up an application. They're due back by June 20th, so get on it.

More sweet action coming your way ... stay tuned!

Until next week ... stay positive.

Shoeless

Good Times All Around

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 - Kickin' Out the Jams

After the pure gravity of last week's tribute, I thought it best to just lighten the mood. The blues are heavy enough, and besides, it's the summer of love here in Hot'Lanta ... I had to drop the sweetness. It was also awesome to have my dear ol' long-lost brother, the legendary Mr. T-Bone Roane, drop by for a visit. The highlight, though, was all the calls. Finally hearing from Milo and shootin' the breeze with Pappy Mahan helped things settle back in nicely. Musically, this week's mission was simple ... just playin' good jams. Keepin' it awesome. Any questions? Didn't think so. Here's the set:

Intro: Robert Johnson - Cross Road Blues

B.B. King - Sweet Sixteen, Parts I and II / The Ultimate Collection [for Chelsey ... I love you! Happy birthday!]
George Thorogood and the Destroyers - Madison Blues / George Thorogood and the Destroyers
StoneRider - Bite My Tongue / Three Legs of Trouble
Blind Willie Johnson - Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground
Tom Waits - Cold Water / Mule Variations

First Break - 12:30 AM

Led Zeppelin - Boogie With Stu / Physical Graffiti [for the legendary Stu himself!]
Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers - The Sun Is Shining / Genuine Houserocking Music
Memphis Slim - Crowing Rooster / Memphis Slim & the Real Boogie Woogie [1959]
Earl Hooker - Is You Ever Seen a One-Eyed Woman Cry
Howlin' Wolf - Tail Dragger / The Real Folk Blues
Son Seals - The Woman I Love / Live and Burning

Second Break - 1 AM

R.L. Burnside - Goin' Down South / The First Recordings: Recorded By George Mitchell in 1968
Casey Bill Weldon - I Believe I'll Make a Change
Buddy Guy - Ten Years Ago / Stone Crazy
Kings of Leon - Dusty / Youth and Young Manhood
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Made In the Shade / Nuthin' Fancy
Albert King - Personal Manager / Born Under a Bad Sign
Skip James - Cypress Grove Blues / The Complete 1930 Recordings
The Black Keys - Keep Me / Rubber Factory

Third Break - 1:30 AM

The Allman Brothers Band - Stormy Monday / At Fillmore East [by request, for Pappy Mahan]
T-Bone Walker - That Evening Train
Big Joe Williams - Highway 49 / Blues on Highway 49
The Black Crowes - God's Got It / Warpaint

I had SO many B-sides this week that I can't resist bringing you more of the same goodness next week, then we get geared up with three weeks of pure debauchery. Enjoy it while you can, the party at the Crossroads is about to get totally unhinged ...

CHEERS!

Until next week ... stay positive.

Shoeless

Saying Goodbye To Diddley Daddy

Wednesday, June 4, 2008 - A Tribute To Bo Diddley

This week, we lost an absolute legend. Mr. Bo Diddley, surrounded by the love and warmth of about thirty-five of his closest family members, passed away on Monday at his home in Archer, Florida. I had a set totally prepared for this week, but I had to push it back, as it was more important to honor the memory of a man who had done as much for the blues and rock 'n roll as Elvis, Chuck Berry, or anyone else. Bo was, is, and always will be the man (he even has a song to prove it!), and he deserved all the reverence I could possibly offer. Therefore, I put together, albeit hastily, an impromptu tribute to the man who had given us so much. I had well over two hours of music ready to roll for the show, but halfway in, listening to the voice and guitar that was now echoing from beyond the grave got to be way too heavy, so I pulled it and just closed the night out with some random jams from vinyl I had on hand. Here's the set:

Intro: Robert Johnson – Cross Road Blues

Set 1
Bo Diddley
I’m a Man
You Don’t Love Me (You Don’t Care)
Diddley Daddy
Bring It To Jerome
Who Do You Love
I Can Tell
Mona (I Need You Baby)
Hey! Bo Diddley

First Break - 12:30 AM

Set 2
Pretty Thing
The Clock Strikes Twelve
I’m Bad
Heart-O-Matic Love
500% More Man / 500% More Man
Goin’ Down Slow (w/ Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf) / Super Super Blues Band

Second Break - 1 AM

Set 3
Long Distance Call / Super Super Blues Band
Power House / The Black Gladiator
Shut Up, Woman / The Black Gladiator
Hot Buttered Blues / The Black Gladiator
Say Man
Bo Meets the Monster
Peanut Butter Blues (w/ Anna Moo) / Moochas Gracias

Third Break - 1:30 AM

Set 4
Lightnin’ Hopkins – Jake Head Boogie / V/A The Fifties: Juke Joint Blues
Albert Collins – My Mind Is Tryin’ To Leave Me / Don’t Lose Your Cool
Led Zeppelin – Bron-Y-Aur Stomp / Led Zeppelin III
Otis Rush – So Many Roads / So Many Roads: Live In Concert
Freddie King – Reconsider Baby / The Best of Freddie King

I can only hope I scratched the surface of doing justice to a man whose true impact may never even be realized. He was prolifically talented and above all, he was good. Rest in peace, brother.

Ellas Otha Bates McDaniel
December 30, 1928 - June 2, 2008

Until next week ... stay positive.

Shoeless