Twenty-five years ago, Tom Forst sold his soul to the devil and became a corporate executive. At the height of his career, nine years ago, he reclaimed his soul and quit it all to play the blues. Tom "The Suit" Forst was born. Chasing the Blues Podcast began in 2019 with 50 weekly episodes of Season One - sharing interesting stories of the original bluesmen, the pioneers of the art form, as told through personal interviews with players from around the world: some famous in their own right, r ...
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Today’s guest is Blues singer and multi-instrumentalist, Katie Henry! Katie and Tom talk about the challenges of writing, recording, and touring, meeting and being compared to your heroes, and her new album Get Goin'. Follow The Link To Stream and Download! https://katiehenrymusic.com/store Facebook: /KatieHenryMusic Instagram: @KatieHenryMusic Lea…
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Today’s guest is comedian and Hokum Blues Man Chris BadNews Barnes. Chris and Tom talk about starting out as a stand-up and improve actor, the Hokum Blues, and his new album for Gulf Coast Records, BadNews Travels Fast. Follow The Link To Stream and Download! https://lnk.to/BadNewsTravelsFast Facebook: /ChrisBadNewsBarnes Instagram: @ChrisBadNewsBa…
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Today’s guest is Kurt Allen. For over a decade, Kurt Allen has been fusing gritty old school blues, vintage soul, swampy bayou funk, and more into a relentless blues-rock machine. His songwriting reflects craftsmanship honed by years of commitment, and his albums take the listener on an unforgettable ride to almost every corner of the blues univers…
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Today’s guest is acclaimed guitar player, producer, songwriter, and recording artist Mike Zito! In this episode Tom and Mike discuss the Blood Brothers, being a fan first, and Mike's new album which was drawn from the tragic loss of his wife, Life Is Hard. Catch Mike on the road solo or as a member of the Blood Brothers this spring and summer. Foll…
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Today’s guest is Hollywood Allstars' leader Grammy Nominated Songwriter/Producer/Keyboardist, and Steve Gaspár who also plays the Hammond orgon and piano for the group. Tom and Steve go way back. On this episode Tom and Steve discuss the early careers, touring a big band, and working with iconic musicians. The Hollywood Allstars new release, Field …
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Today’s guest is multi-instrumentalist and recording artist Eliot Lewis! Eliot tells Tom about being part of Hall and Oates and Daryl Hall's solo bands for 20 plus years, using technology to be a one-man-band, and meeting some of his musical heroes on Live From Daryl's House. His new single "Love Is Alive" is available to download and stream everyw…
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Today’s guest is Gulf Coast Records recording artist Kevin Burt! Kevin tells Tom about living in Iowa, finding his way as a professional musician, and meeting his inspiration Bill Withers. His entire catalog including the new album Thank You Brother Bill: A Tribute To Bill Withers is available to buy, download, and stream everywhere! Now here's The…
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Today’s guest is Ernie Pinata from the Delta Wires! Ernie tells Tom about his 50 years in the Blues from studying Sociology through the Blues in college, sharing the stage wiht many icons of the genre, and how making music in the Bay Area shaped his sound. Their entire catalog is available to buy, download, and stream everywhere! Now here's The Sui…
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Today’s guest is Gary Hoey! Gary tells Tom about coffee with his mom, auditoning for Ozzy, and filling in as one of the Blood Brothers. His entire catalog is available to buy, download, and stream everywhere! Now here's The Suit! Follow The Link To Stream and Download! www.GaryHoey.com Facebook: /GaryHoeyofficialpage Instagram: @GaryHoey Learn more…
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Today’s guest is Chickenbone Slim! Slim tells Tom about how he got his name, his adherence to the KISS principle, and bomb cyclones. His most recent album, Damn Good and Ready, is available to buy, download, and stream everywhere! Follow The Link To Stream and Download! www.ChickenBoneSlim.com Facebook: /ChickenboneSlimAndTheBiscuits Instagram: @ch…
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Today’s guest is Eliza Neals! Eliza tells Tom about growing up in Detroit, studying opera in Vienna, and being mentored by a Motown legend. Her most recent album, Badder To The Bone, and new single, “Candy Store”, are available to buy, download, and stream everywhere! Follow The Link To Stream and Download! https://elizaneals.com/merchandise/ Insta…
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Today’s guest is Popa Chubby. Popa reflects on his long career, moving from Rocker to Blues Man, and his new album Live At G. Bluey's Juke Joint which is available now on all formats and all streaming platforms. Follow The Link To Stream and Download! https://www.popachubby.com/store Instagram: @popachubby1960, @GulfCoast_Records Learn more about u…
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Today’s guest is Monster Mike Welch. The award-winning Boston based singer and guitar wizard talks about how he got his nickname, working on being a better singer, his struggle with COVID, and most importantly his new album, Nothing But Time available on all formats and streaming services. Go to monstermikewelch.com for more information about Mike,…
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Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia are true “Blood Brothers” in life and in the music they create both individually and collectively. Added to the equation are the talents of producers Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith, who brought fresh ideas to the recording sessions, pushing Mike and Albert creatively and musically to their best work to date. Their new s…
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Andy Watts, who is known as Israel's Ambassador of the Blues, joins Tom The Suit Forst on Chasing The Blues 2 / Episode 33, in time for Tom to wish fans a Happy Thanksgiving 2020. They chat about Andy's recording career and his recent work with blues superstar Joe Louis Walker, who has himself been a guest on Chasing the Blues. Andy has performed w…
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Fee Waybill, singer and frontman of The Tubes joins Tom The Suit Forst in this latest podcast episode of Chasing the Blues, Season 2, Episode 32. In 1984, a year after the Tubes released one of their most successful albums, Waybill released his first solo album called Read My Lips. In 1996, Waybill released another album called Don't Be Scared By T…
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International Blues Festival (IBF) Champion Kevin Burt Shares Deep Insights - Chasing the Blues 2 / Episode 31
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International Blues Festival Champion Kevin Burt joins Tom The Suit Forst on Chasing the Blues 2, Episode 31. For more than 25 years Kevin Burt has been electrifying audiences throughout the Midwest dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. His soul-inspired presentation is unique which consistently get him compared to a range of ar…
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Blues Music Award Winner Vanessa Collier Drops In to Chat about Her New Album Heart On The Line - Chasing the Blues 2 - EP 30
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Multiple Blues Music Award winner, Saxophonist, Vocalist, Songwriter and Producer Vanessa Collier drops in to chat with Tom Forst about her new album "Heart On The Line." She takes Tom back to her roots, starting music at age 11, and through career highlights including touring with Joe Louis Walker, and one very special night trading licks with Bud…
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Blues/Gospel Singer Miss Freddye Shares an Incredible Story of Bravery and Perseverance - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 29
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On Episode 29 of Chasing the Blues Season 2, Tom Forst spends some time with Freddye Stover, aka Miss Freddye. For the past 25 years, Miss Freddye has been singing the blues throughout her Western Pennsylvania hometown of Pittsburgh. From barrooms and nightclubs, to charity events, VFWs and American Legions, Miss Freddye is often recognized as the …
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Blues Festival Guide Contest Winner Gets Deep with Albert Castiglia - Chasing the Blues 2 - Ep 28
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Bluesman Albert Castiglia joins Tom Forst on On Chasing the Blues Podcast, Season 2, Episode 27, being interviewed by special guest Dana Somayaji, winner of a contest run by Blues Festival Guide Magazine. Dana goes deep in the interview prompting Albert to talk about his days touring with Junior Wells, then discovers how he went from AC DC and Bruc…
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Sugaray Rayford Interviewed by Blues Festival Guide Contest Winner - Chasing the Blues 2 / Ep 27
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Grammy nominee Sugaray Rayford joins Tom Forst on On Chasing the Blues Podcast, Season 2, Episode 27, being interviewed by special guest Cristy Benvenutti, winner of a contest run by Blues Festival Guide Magazine. Cristi asks questions about music from deep in Sugarray's catalogue, which leads to an insightful conversation about his unique creative…
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The Suit Chats With Tom Burger, Guitarist of Creature Collective and John Oates Manager - Chasing the Blues 2/ Ep 26
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Tom The Suit Forst chats with Tom Burger, a blues guitarist who plays in a "Blues Revival" band titled the Creature Collective, on Chasing the Blues 2/ episode 26. Burger calls the music a unique mix of blues, rock, roots, jam and psychedelic. As such, we would say he and his group are on the forefront of young musicians taking the blues in new dir…
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Gulf Coast Recording Artist Mark May (Former Dickie Betts Band) Chats About His New Album - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 25
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Gulf Coast Recorded recording artist Mark May calls into the show to chat with Tom about his new album "Deep Dark Demon" which went to #6 on the Billboard Living Blues chart. Mark talks about how he and Tom Forst's bass player Dave Stoltz auditioned for the Allman Brothers Band together, and later both performed with the Dicke Betts solo band. Mark…
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Top Billboard Blues Charting Whitney Shay Chats with Tom The Suit Forst - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 24
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Ruf Records recording artist Whitney Shay calls into Chasing the Blues Season 2/Episode 24, to chat with Tom about her Billboard Blues chart topping album "Stand Up!" She is a four-time San Diego Music Award winner (including 2019 Artist of the Year) and 2019 Blues Music Award nominee. Shay’s latest release on Ruf Records Stand Up! debuted at #1 on…
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John Oates of Hall and Oates Discusses New Solo Album "Live in Nashville" Out 9/18/20 - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 23
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John Oates of Hall and Oates joins Tom The suit Forst on Episode 23 of Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2. Known for writing some of the most well known and classic pop songs of all time, John is also a massive blues fan, which Tom finds out in this insightful interview, as John gets into his love of artists like Mississippi John Hurt and Don Gibso…
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Jeremiah Johnson and his Oct 30 Album "Unemployed Highly Annoyed" - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 22
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Jeremiah Johnson of Ruf Records checks in with Tom The Suit Forst on Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 22, discussing his upcoming album release on October 30, 2020 titled "Unemployed Highly Annoyed." This interview is the very first time the album has been unveiled to the media, which is a great honor to Chasing the Blues. Jeremiah reveals that the work is a…
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Sir Rod and the Blues Doctors, feat. Adam Gussow (of Satan and Adam) on Chasing the Blues 2 - EP 21
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Sir Rod Patterson of Sir Rod and the Blues Doctors, joins Tom The Suit Forst on Chasing the Blues 2, Ep 21, for a sit down to talk about the band's debut blues album "Come Together." The band features percussion and "lead harmonica" by Adam Gussow. Gussow is best known for being part of "Satan and Adam, a blues duo consisting of Sterling Magee, kno…
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Cleopatra Recording Artist Kirk Fletcher (fmr Fabulous Thunderbirds) Discusses New Album Hold On- Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 20
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Cleopatra Records recording artist Kirk Fletcher joins Tom The Suit Forst in Episode 70 of Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2. Fletcher discusses his new album "Hold On," coming September 21, 2020, as well as his experiences performing on stage with Robben Ford, Joe Bonamassa, as well as his time playing with the Fabulous Thunderbirds. The seasoned…
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Rock N Roll Hall of Famer Felix Cavaliere: From the Rascals to Ringo to Joe Bonamassa! Chasing the Blues 2/ Ep 19
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On Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2/Episode 19, Tom The Suit Forst chats with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Famer, Songwriter Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame, and Hammon Hall of Fame, singer-songwriter Felix Cavaliere. Felix talks about his life in music, from his days in the Rascals, writing classic songs like "Good Lovin," "…
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The Business of the Blues with Bonnie Tallman of Billtown Blues Association - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 18
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The Business of the Blues With Bonnie Tallman of Billtown Blues Association - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 18 On this episode of Chasing the Blues Podcast, Tom The Suit Forst catches up with Bonnie Tallman of the Billtown Blues Association (Billtown, PA) to talk about the business of the blues, including her views on how musicians must differentiate them…
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The Suit Catches Up with Los Angeles By Way of Nashville Blues Guitarist Bart Ryan Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 17
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On this episode of Chasing the Blues Podcast (Season 2/Episode 17) The Suit catches up with "Los Angeles by way of Nashville" guitarist, singer-songwriter Bart Ryan, whose mix is contemporary take on old school blues. Bart discusses his new release "The Healer," coming this fall, as well as his work to raise awareness for ALS. About Bart Ryan: Bart…
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"We're an American Family" Says Mark Farner of Grand Funk in Chasing the Blues Podcast 2/Ep 16
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Tom The Suit Forst catches up with the legendary Mark Farner, vocalist of Grand Funk, in Episode 16 of Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2. Mark gives Tom some inside information about the recording of "I'm Your Captain," one of Tom's favorite blues-rock songs, which Grand Funk released in 1970. He fills Tom in about his work with Rock n Roll Fantas…
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Chicago Blues Veteran Bassist Bear Williams and his Alter Ego Larry Kimpel - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 15
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On Episode 15 of Chasing the Blues Season 2, Tom chats with a veteran of the Chicago blues and jazz scene Larry Kimpel, who also performs under the artist name Bear Williams. Bear took on this name as part of a personal musical journey returning to his blues roots. He has performed throughout his career with a "Who's Who" list of musical artists fr…
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Kat Riggins Crying Out for Social Justice; Staying Positive in the Face of Covid-19 - Chasing the Blues 2/Ep 14
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On Season 2, Episode 14 of Chasing the Blues Podcast, host Tom The Suit Forst shares a deeply personal and insightful fireside chat with powerhouse blues-revival vocalist Kat Riggins. Kat talks about her longing for social justice in America as a woman, an artist, and a person of color. She shares her struggling to overcome sadness in the wake of t…
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On Episode 13 of Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2, Tom The Suit Forst goes deep into the history of the Ann Arbor Blues Festival, which became one of the most historically significant festivals when it began in 1969. The historic festival, the first of its kind, put artists like BB King, Howlin' Wolf, Earl hooker, Albert King, Benny King, Son Hou…
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On Episode 12 of Chasing the Blues (Season 2), Tom The Suit Forst welcomes guitarist James Pace. James Pace Band is a guitar-driven rock n' roll act with shots of blues, funk, and soul, with a hint of Jimi Hendrix, that was born in the burgeoning Asbury Park music scene in the early 1990s. They were the Sunday-House-Band at the famed Stone Pony, ha…
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On Season 2, Episode 11, Tom chats with Samantha Muffett of Can't Stop the Blues,"one of the largest virtual blues venues in the world. Broadcasting exclusive shows from multiple artists 5 nights/week...a great place to get together with friends and interact directly with the musicians." Look for them online at: http://www.CantStopTheblues.com and …
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In Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2/Episode 10, Tom The Suit Forst catches up with guitar virtuoso and blues powerhouse Joe Louis Walker, who makes his second appearance on the podcast. Joe shares some interesting insight into how the blues has evolved over many decades into the music we know today. About Joe Louis Walker: "Joe Louis Walker, a Bl…
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Australian Bluesman 8-Ball Aitken on Keeping a Positive Attitude during Covid-19 - Season 2/Ep 9
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In Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2/Episode 9, The Suit has a great chat with 8-Ball Aitken, a bluesman originally from Australia, now in Nashville, TN. 8-Ball discusses his musical life during Covid-19, how he has kept in touch with his massive world wide fan base by live streaming on Facebook twice a week, while also writing a double-album's am…
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In Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2-Episode 8, we go behind the scenes of the blues, with Kaati Reno, Publisher of the Blues Festival Guide, serving the blues community for the past 18 years. We are happy to highlight their work, and thankful to them for being an official sponsor of the podcast. About Blues Festival Guide from their website - htt…
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Fito de la Parra on Living The Blues: Canned Heat's Story Of Music, Drugs, Death, Sex And Survival
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In this episode of Chasing the Blues Podcast, Tom The Suit Forst interviews Fito de la Parra, drummer of the blues-rock band Canned Heat, which was pivotal in bringing the blues into mainstream music. Fito tells inside stories about the band, including tales of performing at Woodstock in 1969. Fito shares information about his book "Living The Blue…
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On this episode of Chasing the Blues Podcast (Season 2/Episode 6) Tom catches up with guitarist Seth James, who makes his second appearance on the podcast. About Seth James: Authenticity and originality don’t always make for the most compatible bedfellows. Indeed, paying reverence to one’s roots sometimes moots the possibility of finding contempora…
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King of Biker Blues Pat Savage Talks Friends Jeff Healey and Albert Collins - Season 2/Episode 5
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On Season 2/Episode 5 of Chasing the Blues Podcast, Tom The Suit Forst chats with "King of Biker Blues" Pat Savage. The musician and recording artist, accomplished filmmaker, actor, and life-long motorcyclist discusses his deep friendship with Jeff Healey and being discovered by Albert Collins. Pat also talks about his world travels, filming a moto…
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On Chasing the Blues Season 2/Episode 4, Tom the Suit Forst chats with Delmark Records recording artist Johnny Burgin. The conversation includes stories about Burgin's days playing guitar with the legendary Pinetop Perkins, a gig he landed right out of college, "long before I was ready," he says. In his impressive career, "Rockin Johnny Burgin" has…
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On Chasing the Blues Podcast Season 2/Episode 3, Tom The Suit Forst goes behind the scenes for a personal chat with blues-rock guitarist Gary Hoey. Their talk ranges from Gary's music to his work as Music Director for the Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. They also talk about his career, and the state of the music industry during and post-Covid-19.…
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On Season2 / Episode 2, Tom checks in with Albert Castiglia who tells more of his story, how he survived his first job in out of college with the Florida Welfare Office and went on to perform with his mentor, Chicago bluesman, Junior Wells.Di Factory Underground Studio
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On Episode 1 of Chasing the Blues Season 2 - Tom interviews harmonica player James Montgomery who has played with Johnny Winter, Foghat, and Allman Brothers. He discusses his time traveling down Highway 61, his time in Clarksdale, MS, his upcoming film documentary about blues pioneer and legendary harp player James Cotton, and other stories.…
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Tom The Suit Forst shares highlights from Season One of Chasing the Blues including clips featuring Anthony Gomes, Dave Cavalier, Barbara Neuman CEO of the Blues Foundation, Christine Ohlman, Robin Liu. Tom discusses blues from around the world, how blues is evolving into an international musical art form, where blues comes from, where it lives tod…
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Tom The Suit Forst speaks with Damon Fowler, a blues journeyman originating from Tampa, Florida, whose latest album has been produced by Tab Benoit in rural Louisiana. Damon cites Johnny Winter and Muddy Waters as key influences.Di Factory Underground Studio
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The unique and primal sound of Desert Blues from the musicians of Mali and nomadic tribes of the Sahara is less an offshoot of "the blues" as closer to its original root before the music was filtered through the African slave experience, through the Delta, and permeated American culture. This music is a modern interpretation of that ancient music, …
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