Blues concert update: Drink Small at Mars Theater in Springfield GA July 12

Hope everyone in and near Georgia will trek down to see the amazing Drink Small, the Blues Doctor (click here to LIKE his Facebook page) for the Music Maker Relief Foundation show ...

Here is the poster for the show at the Mars Theater:

Mars Theatre presents Drink Small, the Blues Doctor

From the Web site (link above):
"Drink Small (his real name), based in Columbia, SC, is known worldwide as "The Blues Doctor". Born on January 28, 1933 in Bishopville, SC, he learned his first rudiments of music, as a child, on guitar and piano. His first recordings were with The Spiritualaires of Columbia, SC (1955-56, Vee Jay Records), during which time he received numerous awards as a top gospel guitarist, touring nationally and performing at such notable venues as The Apollo (NYC), The Howard (DC), The Regal (Chicago), etc. He cut his first blues record (1959: "I Love You Albertha" b/w "Cold Cold Rain) on Savoy Records subsidiary Sharp; a platter now cherished by collectors everywhere. Subsequent recordings for Ichiban, Erwin Music, Mapleshade, Southland, and his own Bishopville Records imprint helped position him on the international blues scene. Drink Small has played the Chicago Blues Festival, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage, Smithsonian Folk-Llfe, The World's Fair (Knoxville), virtually every major blues festival in the Southeast, and, despite a dislike for flying, even gigged in Europe (Finland, 1992) at the urging of his longtime friend and collaborator (the late) Charles Derrick. Drink Small is still going strong, performing solo & with band. Ever creative, he continues to write new songs and releases at least one record every year. His "The United States Will Never Be the Same" (2008) "Living in a BBQ World" (2011) are witty blues observations and deserve to be in every serious blues library."

NOTE FROM CLAIR: Drink and I are working on a very special CD that will include those two songs - available soon!

Drink Small, the Blues Doctor

Drink Small, the Blues Doctor, is a key figure in the Carolina music scene. He prefers we not call his style Piedmont Blues, because - although he plays Piedmont style powerfully - he plays a lot of different styles, even Delta Blues, but he doesn't live in the Delta. When he lectured my university class (Music of the Carolinas), he artfully delineated the difference between a playing style, a location, and a playing style associated with a location.



Drink is 80 now and, in a conversation we had recently, we discussed lots of old music venues around the Capitol City of SC (Columbia) that have "up and gone."

I'll be talking more to Drink about places, stories and events as I gather more material for my upcoming book - would love to hear your stories, too, about places and roots music throughout South Carolina (Upstate to Lowcountry and everywhere inbetween). Please feel free to contact me on my FB pages (Blues Moon Radio) or leave a comment here.

If you know Drink and want to give him a call - or if you are a fan but barely know him at all - please comment and share your thoughts - he would love to hear them and I'll be happy to relay any you leave here.

If you would like to order a CD or signed photograph, let me know and we'll arrange that, too. "It's hard to be a sick, blind, old man," Drink says. He can use any support and encouragement he can get.

Drop Drink Small a line c/o Blues Moon Radio and we'll get your get-well cards to him as well.

If you would like his latest CD or a color photo of him, please include a suggested donation of $25 for each or $45 for both - we'll cover S&H, but be sure you include your return address. He'll sign the photos as long as he is able. The mailing address is: DRINK SMALL c/o PO BOX 5591 Columbia SC 29250.

As we have seen, sadly our Blues icons do not last forever - let's pay tribute while we can.

Blues Moon Radio playlist for Jan. 29, 2013

Radio news and news about a great birthday celebration and some of our elder statesmen of the Blues:

Re: Blues Moon Radio on Jan. 29... Will post the playlist as soon as possible.

Things went a bit awry at the station; technical problems abounded as happens from time to time with technology - we have the world's best engineer, but parts is parts and they sometimes go wonky. Not sure if the right word is floopy or kerflooey, but there was near-zero computer access and we were back to real radio, the way it was done back when I started (no, it was not broadcast through a megaphone, thank you very much, I'm not quite that old - we did have mics and amplification way back when I started! LOL).

So, give me a chance to locate the scrap of paper I wrote (I know... using one of those pen thingies) the song titles down on and I'll transcribe them here. Soon. I hope. I intend to. I'm busy and I know it is possible I might never catch up so I won't promise anything but to try.

More importantly than my playlist: the fabulousness of Drink Small's birthday party was immense and immeasureable. Thanks to all who came, played, supported, gave money, gave hugs and thanks to Drink Small, the Blues Doctor... Thanks to Elfi Hacker and 145 Club in Winnsboro for being the hostess with the mostest and the coolest club.

To read about the party (and see a video - click on the party invitation link) from WIS News, click here: http://fairfieldcounty.wistv.com/news/arts-culture/55180-friends-musicians-pay-tribute-local-living-blues-legend

Drink Small's 80th birthday at the 145 Club
photo credit: Joyce Murphy

To contribute to Drink Small's birthday fund (which is defraying the rapidly rising costs of his health issues) you may send a check payable to Drink Small to POB 5591 Columbia SC 29250. Any donation of $15 dollars or more will receive a signed photo of The Blues Doctor - please include your return snail mail address.

Thank you for supporting our Blues legends while they are alive.











Please pray for Chick Willis and Eddie C. Campbell and Jimmie Vaughn and Finis Tasby and Kid Ramos who are fighting severe health issues as well; and blessings upon the family and friends of Music Maker Foundation Bluesman, George Higgs, who went to his final rest this week.

Life is too short... we miss those we loved so well. Let's help those who are still with us while we can.

Stay healthy, stay cool, stay Blues, and stay generous in an increasingly stingy world...
... much love,
Clair DeLune
Blues Moon Radio

Please LIKE Blues Moon Radio on  Facebook and follow on BluesMoonRadio on Twitter
also, please LIKE the fan page for Drink Small, the Blues Doctor on Facebook

Drink Small celebrates turning 80; to appear on Blues Moon Radio

So excited to have the opportunity to host a very special guest tonight celebrating a very special event!

Drink Small, who has been introduced by long-time Blues promoter, Gary Erwin, as:

Sunday, January 27
DRINK SMALL 80th BIRTHDAY PARTY...JAM/CONCERT/FUNDRAISER
WHERE: 145 Club, Winnsboro, SC (Midlands)
www.the145club.com
WHEN: Starts at 4:30 p.m. and carries on till whenever.
WHO: The man himself will be there with help from MARV WARD, DOUG ALLEN, and a huge host of other friends, students, admirers helping jam it out.
HOW MUCH: $10 minimum admission with all funds going to DRINK SMALL.
WHO IS DRINK SMALL? He's "The Blues Doctor". Born in 1933 in Bishopville, SC, DRINK SMALL has been a professional musician (blues & much more) since his youth. His earliest recordings date from 1956 with The Spiritualaires of Columbia, SC (gospel).
His first blues record was in 1959 on Sharp Records (Savoy subsidiary) with subsequent blues releases on Southland, Erwin Music, Ichiban, Mapleshade, Musicmaker, and of course his own label Bishopville Records.
He has played all the major festivals (Chicago, NOLA Jazz & Heritage, Lowcountry Blues Bash, Lincoln Center, The Apollo, etc. etc.) and played every honky-tonk and juke joint from Manning to Memphis.
We describe him as "holy-roller blues troublemaker blessed with the world's great basso-profundo voice and a double-threat on razorwire guitar and barrelhouse piano). DRINK SMALL is South Carolina's blues patron saint and the last of his kind." And all of us blues players in the region have learned from him.

Yes, the man himself will be on the air tonight with Clair DeLune and Doug Allen.



Freddie Vanderford, Drink Small & Doug Allen

He will spend the afternoon at a birthday party with students at USC who are enrolled in Music of the Carolinas, through the Institute of Southern Studies (humanities course).

We'll post a playlist that we'll pull from, but with stories flying and merriment abounding, we might not fit them all in.

Tune in and catch it... and if you have a birthday wish or gift you'd like to send Drink for his birthday or recent wedding to the beautiful Andreana, please send to Drink Small, care of Blues Moon Radio: POB 5591 Columbia SC 29250... let's make his 80th special!

Thanks for letting us share this event with you!
Clair DeLune, Blues Moon Radio and WUSC-FM