Remembering the Attic Bar

Detroit blues fans have many fond memories of the Attic Bar in Hamtramck.

The venue was home to many Detroit blues greats, including Uncle Jesse White, the Butler Twins (Curtis and Clarence), and drummer Duke Dawson, among many others.

Those fine artists are no longer with us, and the bar changed owners and format in 2007.

Duke Dawson (BluesPhotos by Don McGhee) 

But, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, blues musicians and fans can relive the days of the Attic at a reunion held at the Hastings Street Ballroom, 715 E. Milwaukee in Detroit.

Cathy Davis and the Rhythm Bonz band will be the musical hosts, and there will be other talented musicians jamming as well.

There will be food available for purchase by Sidecar Detroit and a historic photo display by photographers Don McGhee and Bruce Harkness.

For more information visit the Attic Bar Reunion page on Facebook.

Big bucks for blues recording

Longtime blues record collector and expert John Tefteller was the winning bidder on eBay at $37,100 for an extremely rare 78 rpm record by musician Tommy Johnson.

Johnson’s record, on the Paramount label from 1930, is one of only two known and verified copies. All other copies of this disc are presumed lost or destroyed. The two songs on the record are "Alcohol And Jake Blues" and "Ridin' Horse."

Johnson, a singer-guitarist from Mississippi, is one of the legendary figures in early recorded blues music, alongside Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Skip James and Son House.

Tefteller, who has been collecting rare blues records for over 40 years, already owns the only other known copy and has released the songs previously on one of his Classic Blues Artwork From The 1920's Calendar series. This newly verified record is in vastly better condition than the other one and Tefteller said he "just had to have it." His original copy will be sold to help offset the cost of this new one and he says he is "going to remaster and re-release this new copy next year" for his 2015 Blues Calendar release. The Blues Calendars come complete with a 20 to 24 track CD that is included free with each calendar.
The seller was a local Columbia, South Carolina collector who found the record some years back at an estate sale.

Check out Tefteller’s website, Blues Images, at www.bluesimages.com

To send info to JB Blues, please email Joe.Ballor@dailytribune.com