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Photo by Arnie Goodman Photography Photo by Ÿ Marilyn Stringer
His versions of classics like “River Hip Mama” and “Cristo convene artists of their caliber to not only provide work for such
Redentor” were bucket list blues performances for me. accomplished blues artists, but also to bring live blues to new
Throughout his career, Musselwhite has been linked to a audiences. In 2017, Musselwhite joined William Bell and Bobby
number of genre-defining blues performers. I was more than a Rush for the Take Me to the River Tour, updating classics originally
bit skeptical when I first learned 10 years ago that he’d join recorded on Stax and Hi Records. Most recently, prior to the
Cyndi Lauper on a worldwide tour promoting her 11th studio arrival of COVID-19, Jimmie Vaughan, Charlie Musselwhite and
CD, Memphis Blues. My skepticism, however, evaporated after Buddy Guy played Oakland’s historic Paramount Theatre on
just one listen. Musselwhite does what he does best on the Little March 6,2020.

Walter classic, “Just Your Fool,” and Memphis Blues also includes Perhaps no other touring blues performer, apart from
such notable blues guests as Ann Peebles, Allen Toussaint and legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy, has garnered as much
B.B. King. Memphis Blues was recognized as Billboard’s biggest- recognition as Charlie Musselwhite from blues fans and peers
selling blues CD of 2010, having sat atop the blues charts for alike. In his career spanning six decades, Musselwhite has
13 weeks, and the album’s tour played 140 dates worldwide, received 31 Blues Music Awards, many Living Blues Awards,
surpassing Lauper’s earlier tours. 13 Grammy nominations and his first Grammy win in 2013
In the last few years, Musselwhite has continued to tour. Some for Best Blues Album, Get Up! with Ben Harper. He received the
notable performances include The Blues Foundation Hall of Fame 2000 Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award and was inducted
Tour in 2015, in which Charlie teamed up with James Cotton and into The Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame in 2010, as well
John Hammond. I hope that The Blues Foundation will continue to as into the Memphis Hall of Fame in 2019. Collectively, these
accolades recognize Musselwhite’s lifetime contributions to blues
music. At an age when many of his septuagenarian peers have
long been retired, Musselwhite continues to record and tour
worldwide.
I’ll leave the last words to Charlie. Backstage at the Grammy
Awards with Ben Harper, he was asked about his motivation
for Get Up! “If you think I’m going to make this music to win a
Grammy – that’s not the spirit of the music,” said Charlie. “You
know we’re playing the music from our hearts and with love and
happiness and – you do that first – then you see what happens –
see how people like it.”

Eric Steiner is the editor of the Washington Blues Society Bluesletter
and past president of the Washington Blues Society in Seattle,
WA. He served on the Board of Directors of The Blues Foundation
Musselwhite (ctr), Matt Stubbs (lt) and Randy Bermudes (rt) bring the blues to the
Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, February 2020. from 2010 to 2013, and in 2009, the Washington Blues Society
Photo by Arnie Goodman Photography received a Keeping the Blues Alive in the affiliate category.

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