Perpetual Obscurity
Thorn’s a songwriter, not a fighter.
The former pugilist traded in his boxing gloves more than 10 years ago after going so far as to fight Roberto Duran on national TV, opting instead to make music. Hailing from Tupelo, Miss., he has a blues-gospel viewpoint that informs his country-rock-R&B output.
Yellow Dog
The godson of Bill Monroe (father Tony Ellis played banjo for the Blue Grass Boys), Ellis is a classically trained guitarist who gave up his job as pop music critic for The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal so he could pursue a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology — and, of course, make new-millennium blues gospel records.
Bo Ramsey Records
Ramsey’s latest is a laid-back homage to blues greats and great blues — kind of a guest DJ turn where instead of spinning his favorites, he performs them. The tunes all are given a coat of equal parts swamp and shuffle: Lightnin’ Slim meets J.J. Cale.
Delta Groove
Back in 1997, Fabulous Thunderbirds leader Kim Wilson started a label called Blue Collar Music. It lasted for three releases: Wilson’s own “My Blues,” pianist Fred Kaplan’s “Signifyin’ ” and guitarist Al Blake’s “Mr. Blake’s Blues.”
Ruf
That’s what friends are for.
Helping their bud make one righteous album of blues, rock and all the nuances between, that is. And these guys aren’t just acquaintances: Most are people Trout has worked with extensively at one point or another of his 35-year career.
