News

MICHAEL “IRON MAN” BURKS RECEIVES 2004 “LIVING BLUES” AWARD
10/19/2004
“Living Blues” magazine named guitarist/vocalist Michael Burks “Most Outstanding Musician – Guitar” in its 2004 Critic’s Poll. Burks’ two Alligator CDs, MAKE IT RAIN and I SMELL SMOKE, along with non-stop touring, has helped him win over thousands of fans both domestically and internationally with his fiery fretwork and soulful, smoky vocals. “GuitarOne” magazine said Burks is “An immensely talented guitarist and singer who will singe the whiskers right off your face.”

MICHAEL “IRON MAN” BURKS RECEIVES 2004 “LIVING BLUES” AWARD

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MAVIS STAPLES APPEARS ON LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN
10/19/2004
Gospel/soul legend Mavis Staples appears on “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” on Wednesday, October 20, singing the title track from her new Alligator CD, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH. Other guests on the show that evening will be actress Claire Danes and “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” host Carson Kressly.

MAVIS STAPLES APPEARS ON LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN

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MAVIS STAPLES AND SHEMEKIA COPELAND APPEAR IN MARTIN SCORSESE-PRODUCED FILM, “LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE”
10/19/2004
“Lightning In A Bottle,” the Martin Scorsese-produced film, begins its limited theatrical release on Friday, October 22nd, 2004. Wider distribution will begin on November 5. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, compiles the highlights from the “Year of the Blues” concert at Radio City Music Hall in February 2003. Alligator artist Shemekia Copeland performs “I Pity The Fool” with Robert Cray, and Mavis Staples sings “A Dying Man's Plea” solo and “A Man Is Like A Streetcar” with Ruth Brown, Natalie Cole and Bill Cosby.
MAVIS STAPLES GOES TO BAT FOR THE BOSTON RED SOX
10/6/2004
The Boston Red Sox and New England Sports Network (NESN) have adopted “I Still Believe In You,” a standout track from gospel / soul singing legend Mavis Staples’ new Alligator CD, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, as the theme song in their televised promo spots for the team’s 2004 playoff run. The spots feature an MTV-type description complete with the artist's name, album title and the song title with each promo.
Mavis Staple Audio feature on WBUR's "ON POINT"
9/9/2004
Listen to the the 1 hour interview with Mavis Staples on WBUR's "ON POINT". Originally airing on September 3, 2004, this piece features an in-depth interview as well as two spectacular acoustic performances.
Mavis Staples USA TODAY feature
9/3/2004
Steve Jones interview Mavis Staples for this story in the September 3, 2004 edition of USA Today.
RAFUL NEAL: JUNE 6, 1936 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2004
9/2/2004
Famed Bayou bluesman, singer/harmonica player Raful Neal, died Wednesday, September 1, after a long bout with cancer. He was 68. With his relaxed vocal style and behind-the-beat harmonica playing, he was considered one of the best bluesmen to emerge from the south Louisiana area, bringing the sounds of the region to a worldwide audience. Neal was the patriarch of the famed Neal clan: nearly all of his children are blues musicians, including recording artist Kenny Neal.

RAFUL NEAL: JUNE 6, 1936 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2004

Raful Neal was born in Baton Rouge in 1936, and began playing harmonica at age 14. Heavily influenced by Little Walter, Neal’s playing quickly earned him a reputation as the area’s premiere harpist. His vocal mixed swampy Louisiana blues with soul and R&B. Combined with his harmonica playing, Neal helped create a sound now known worldwide as Louisiana Swamp blues.

Neal formed his first band, The Clouds, when he was just 17. The group originally featured guitarist Lester Johnson (later known as Lazy Lester) who was soon replaced by the young Buddy Guy. Little Walter himself heard the band while he was in Baton Rouge and invited them up to Chicago to fill in gigs he couldn’t make. While Guy headed north, Neal stayed in Baton Rouge to raise his growing family.

Neal’s first single, “Sunny Side Of Love” came in 1958 on Don Robey’s Peacock label. A series of singles followed on regional labels like Witt and La Louisiane. During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Neal became a local legend, performing around the south and teaching his children the finer points of the blues. As his reputation grew, a 1987 single for the Fantastic label, “Man, Watch Your Woman,” was nominated for a W.C. Handy Blues Award.

His first full album, “Louisiana Legend,” was released on King Snake Records in 1988 and was later reissued by Alligator. A 1991 recording for Ichiban, “I Been Mistreated,” and a 1998 release, “Old Friends,” for the Club Louisianne label, helped Neal stay in the public eye. Neal appeared on a number of compilation CDs for the Telarc label, including “The Hoodoo Kings,” and “Superharps II.” These recordings kept Neal’s tour schedule full, as he performed from Baton Rouge to points all over the country.

Nine of Neal's 11 children inherited his blues-playing prowess and play professionally, including guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Kenny Neal, who played on “Louisiana Legend” and has made 10 albums on his own. Other famed musician family members include Raful, Jr., Fredrick, Darnell, Larry, Graylon, Noel, and Jackie. Raful was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame in 1995.

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NOBLE “THIN MAN” WATTS: FEBRUARY 17, 1926 – AUGUST 24, 2004
8/27/2004
Influential R&B and jazz saxophonist Noble “Thin Man” Watts, whose recording career began in 1954 and who shared stages with such musical luminaries as Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis, died on August 24 in his hometown of DeLand, Florida. He was 78.

NOBLE “THIN MAN” WATTS: FEBRUARY 17, 1926 – AUGUST 24, 2004

Born in 1926, Watts worked raking leaves to pay for violin lessons as a boy before learning to play trumpet and saxophone in his teens. In 1942 he enrolled at Florida A&M University and played in the school’s esteemed marching band with soon-to-be jazz legends Cannonball Adderley and his brother, cornetist Nat Adderley.

The Griffin Brothers, one of Dot Records' most popular touring R&B acts, hired Watts right after he finished college, and he toured with them for a time. In 1952, he joined famed baritone saxophonist Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams as a member of the house band for the groundbreaking TV show “Showtime At The Apollo.” Later on, he had a stint playing with Lionel Hampton's big band. He also played on late '50s tour packages behind the likes of Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers.

Watts first recording came in 1954 on DeLuxe Records. A 1956 single for VeeJay Records preceded his two-year association with New York’s Baton label. The song “Hard Times (The Slop)” brought Watts to the pop charts in 1957. Countless tours and performances – as well as a string of singles for various labels - kept Watts busy through the 1960s and into the 1970s.

A comeback album in 1987, RETURN OF THE THIN MAN, for Kingsnake Records (re-released by Alligator Records in 1990) received massive critical acclaim brought Watts to his largest audience. A 1993 album for the Ichiban label, KING OF THE BOOGIE SAX, kept Watts’ visibility high.

Although Watts performed less frequently in recent years, he did headline a DeLand, Florida concert in 2001 to celebrate his 75th birthday. He received an honory doctorate in 2000 from Stetson University in DeLand. In May 2004, the African American Museum of the Arts in his hometown dedicated an amphitheatre named after Watts.

Watts is survived by his wife, son, daughter, sister, five grand children and two great grandchildren.

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Mavis Staples on "Sound Opinions"
8/25/2004
Listen to Mavis Staples perform and be interviewed on WXRT-FM's "Sound Opinions" hosted by Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot and Chicago Sun-Times music critic Jim DeRogatis. In addition to extended interview segments, Mavis performs three songs, including two accompanied by Chicago singer/songwriter Robbie Fulks and his band. After clicking the link, scroll down to August 24, 2004 to link to the audio of the show.
Listen to National Public Radio's All Things Considered's Mavis Staple Feature
8/17/2004
National Public Radio's All Things Considered featured Mavis Staples and her new CD, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, in a 9-minute audio program which ran on August 16, 2004. Click the link below to listen to the feature and to view the Mavis Staples build out at the NPR website, which includes two streaming full length songs from the new CD.
Mavis Staples "Have A Little Faith" Features And Reviews
8/16/2004
Mavis Staples' new cd, Have A Little Faith, is already receiving stellar reviews. A few among many are linked below.

Mavis Staples "Have A Little Faith" Features And Reviews

BILLBOARD CD Review
http://www.billboard.com/bb/reviews/album_article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000611986


CHICAGO READER feature:
http://www.chicagoreader.com/TheMeter/040813.html


CHICAGO SUN-TIMES feature
http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/sho-sunday-mavis15.html


CHICAGO SUN-TIMES CD review
http://www.suntimes.com/output/rock/sho-sunday-spins15.html


NEW YORK DAILY NEWS CD Review
http://www.nydailynews.com/08-14-2004/entertainment/story/221804p-190617c.html


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LEGENDARY VOCALIST MAVIS STAPLES TO APPEAR ON NATIONAL TELEVISION AND RADIO PROGRAMS!
8/12/2004
Mavis Staples, whose new CD HAVE A LITTLE FAITH will be released on August 17, 2004, will appear in many national television and programs over the next few days. “The Chicago Tribune” called the CD “a classic blues-tinged gospel album from one of the greatest soul singers of the last half-century.” Details on broadcasts are as follows:

LEGENDARY VOCALIST MAVIS STAPLES TO APPEAR ON NATIONAL TELEVISION AND RADIO PROGRAMS!

September 3: National Public Radio’s “On Point.” Airing at 8:00pm est. Originating from WBUR in Boston, this program airs on over 40 stations nationwide, including WNYC in New York, as well as being broadcast on XM satellite radio. Mavis will be featured for the entire length of the program talking about HAVE A LITTLE FAITH and her long career. She performs acoustic versions of “God Is Not Sleeping” and “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” For additional information, go to http://www.onpointradio.org/ .

August 14: Public Radio International’s “Conversations From The World Café.” Airing at 1:00pm est. Mavis discusses her career and the making of HAVE A LITTLE FAITH. Go to http://www.worldcafe.org/conversations.php for more information.

August 16: National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered.” Airs on over 700 NPR affiliates domestically and NRP Worldwide, reaching 140 stations around the world. Mavis speaks with host Michelle Norris about the new cd as well as her career. Go to http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/ for more information.

August 17: CNN Headline News. Airing at 11:54am est. “Paste Magazine” editor Josh Jackson will highlight HAVE A LITTLE FAITH in his on-air new releases segment.

August 18: CNN/fn’s “The Biz.” Airing at 12:30pm est. Mavis will be interviewed live in a segment highlighting her new CD.

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