LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT WASHINGTON BLUES SOCIETY Hi Blues Fans, Proud Recipient of a 2009 As I write this, final planning Keeping the Blues Alive Award is underway for the 2021 Best of the Blues Awards show. I exciting event! You will find more information about the Points wish we could do this event in West Virtual Blues Showdown in this issue. Be sure to share with person, and able to have our your favorite musicians! As I wrote earlier, live music is starting to blues community together to emerge, and the audiences are slowing being allowed to grow per celebrate this year’s recipients, the reopening guidelines from the state. We had our first live Blues but COVID-19 is not going to Bash in Edmonds at Engels Pub in March. The number of people allow us just yet. I am encouraged that there is finally some move- was limited, but the event was enjoyed by all and it was live streamed ment and “live” music is beginning to emerge. Hopefully, we will stay (and many where able to enjoy this Blues Bash virtually). on the same path we have been on, and this will continue to build attendance will be able to grow safely. May brings us our second Live Blues Bash! It will be at our normal home at in the Pub room at Collector’s Choice Restaurant and fea- If you’re reading this, and missed the Best of the Blues show, you ture Kim Archer and Brian Feist. The attendance is limited to 50% can go to our new YouTube page (Washington Blues Society) and capacity and is first-come, first served. If the weather is good, there watch it at your leisure. Our Vice President Rick Bowen is the Pro- will also be outside seating on the back patio where the in-house duction Manager, and Jeff Menteer is once again our Technical Di- video feed will capture the show. For more information, please see rector. These gentlemen did a great job last year and it was a fun, the Blues Bash Preview for this event in this issue of the Bluesletter. well-received show. Since then, they have continued to learn and There are some festivals for late summer in planning stages and grow in a virtual production environment, and from the preliminary hopefully the state guidelines will continue to open up as we move bits I have seen, this show will surpass last year’s show by leaps and forward to our new normal. We will have more on this in upcoming bounds. Be sure while you’re at our YouTube page to subscribe so issues and on our Facebook and website, so keep checking back to you will get notices of our other upcoming productions. keep up on these opportunities as they develop. One of those upcoming production projects is the POINTS WEST We are always looking for volunteers to help out, and if you’re in- VIRTUAL BLUES SHOWDOWN! I really love the International terested, please reach out to me via email at [email protected]. Blues Challenge; it is one of the most enjoyable parts of being the One skill set I’m looking for is someone with grantwriting knowl- President of the Washington Blues Society. The annual trip to Mem- edge and experience. Thankfully, due to the generosity of our mem- phis for this event will be something I will continue to do after my bership and some successful fundraisers we have kept the society term on the Board of Directors ends. We are blessed with so much afloat and stable. Just need a little bit more to get us through the talent in the Greater Pacific Northwest. And, being able to share that winter months and into the new year. One item I would like to be with blues fans from around the world is a blast! We get to share our able to fund is our Pass the Torch Fund so we can redevelop a youth bands and solo/duos with them, and they share the same with us. program and bring the “blues” to the next generation! We haven’t been able to do much in this area for awhile and this is a perfect time The POINTS WEST VIRTUAL BLUES SHOWDOWN could be one to get restarted with sharing this experience. So please reach out to of those types of events. The move to virtual events has grown, and me if you have interest! so many musicians have gotten quite talented at producing videos, so they are still able to connect with their fans. We hope this event will Until next month, stay safe and healthy! Looking forward to see- allow each of the entrants to widen those networks and allow their ing you all in person soon! And don’t forget to turn the radio up fan bases to grow. Even in our own backyard there is a ton of talent occasionally! that many don’t know about and we hope to be able to share that with all of you! Speaking of our new YouTube page you will be able Thanks for your support, to go and see all of these virtual sets and get introduced to all of these talented musicians. We want to grow this musical connection across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana and British Columbia and Alberta! We will have a page on our website (www.wablues.org) for this event and we are also creating aFacebook page dedicated to this Tony Frederickson, President event, so keep checking back and be sure to like the Facebook page Washington Blues Society once we have it up and running so you can keep up on the new and Member, Board of Directors, The Blues Foundation (2015-2017) 2 May 2021 BLUESLETTER Washington Blues Society In This Issue... BLUES RIFFS 2 LetterLetter from the President 5 LetterLetter from the Editor BLUES FEATURES 6 ThankThank YouYou LittleLittle BillBill 12 A Farewell Interview: Randy Oxford 20 That Empty Spot on Your Coffee Table BLUES NEWS, PREVIEWS AND REVIEWS 16 50 YearsYears of Northwest Folklife 16 “Two Scoops:” An Appreciation 17 KNKX Update: Welcome to the Grooveyard! 18 May Blues Bash Preview WASHINGTON BLUES SOCIETY STUFF! 2 2021 BluesBlues Society Officers & Directors 10 PointsPoints West Virtual Blues Showdown 19 WashingtonWashington Blues Society Membership Form 22 WashingtonWashington Blues Talent Guide 24 BluesBlues Jams & Open Mic Listings 26 Washington Blues Venue Guide This issue honors two very special Pacific 28 MusicMusic & Live Streaming Calendar Northwest Bluesmen: Little Bill & Randy Oxford, and welcomes (as of press time), the Washington 30 Blues on the Radio (and online) Blues Society’s first live Blues Bash back to the 31 Washington Blues Society Best of the Blues Collector’s Choice Restaurant on May 11th! (“BB(“BB Awards”) Recipients Frequent contributor Kirk Anderson takes us back to Chicago blues clubs in the 1970s through the lens of noted blues photographer Kirk West, and this issue also features details on our first-ever Points West Virtual Blues Showdown! Above: Bonefest 2010: Randy Oxford, Fred Wesley & Ed Early) (Photo by Ricki Peto) Cover: Brian Feist & Kim Archer (Courtesy of the Artists) May 2021 BLUESLETTER Washington Blues Society 3 THE BLUESLETTER MAY 2021 - Volume XXXII, Number V PUBLISHER Washington Blues Society - www.wablues.org EDITOR Eric Steiner (editor@ wablues.org) PRINTER Pacific Publishing Company (www.pacificpublishingcompany.com) CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kirk Anderson, Rev. Dave Brown, Rick J. Bowen, Tony Frederickson, Mark Hurwitz, Eric Steiner, Kirk West 2021 OFFICERS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS President, Tony Frederickson [email protected]@wablues.org Blues Boss (Dennis Dudley), Paul Brown, Amanda Gibbons, Vice President, Rick Bowen [email protected]@wablues.org Cindy King, Ricki Peto, ML Sutton, Kirk West Secretary, Marisue Thomas [email protected]@wablues.org Treasurer, Ray Kurth [email protected]@wablues.org DEADLINES Editor, Eric Steiner [email protected]@wablues.org AdAd Reservations 5PM5PM on the 5th of the month [email protected]@wablues.org 2021 DIRECTORS CalendarCalendar 5PM5PM on the 10th of the month Music Director, Open [email protected]@wablues.org PleasePlease submit @ www.wablues.org Membership, Chad Creamer [email protected]@wablues.org EditorialEditorial 5PM5PM on the 5th of the month Education, Open [email protected]@wablues.org [email protected] Volunteers, Rhea Rolfe [email protected]@wablues.org Merchandise, Tony Frederickson [email protected]@wablues.org Camera-ReadyCamera-Ready Ad Art 5PM5PM on the 12th of the month Advertising, Open [email protected]@wablues.org [email protected] SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS THANKS TO OUR 2021 STREET TEAM Please send articles and photos only as attachments. 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Please also do not send low-resolution, social media photos.