Larry McCray to headline at Anti-Freeze Blues Festival

Larry McCray

Singer Andre Williams has suffered a stroke and will not be able to perform at this year's Anti-Freeze Blues Festival on Jan. 5. Guitarist-singer Larry McCray will be substituting for Williams.

Ticket prices have been adjusted to $20.

The Anti-Freeze Blues Festival is a two-day event at the Magic Bag in Ferndale that benefits the Detroit Blues Society.

Performers on opening night (Jan. 4) include Savoy Brown featuring Kim Simmonds, Laith Al-Saadi and Pazman’s Super Session. Tickets are $25.

Eddie Burns (Blues photos by Don McGhee)

On Jan. 5, the lineup will include McCray, Jim McCarty and Jeff Grand, The Rootsologists featuring Laura Rain, and the Boa Constrictors.

For information, click www.themagicbag.com.

Funeral arrangements for Eddie Burns

Funeral arrangements have been announced for Detroit bluesman Eddie Burns, who died Dec. 12 at age 84.

 Visitation will be from 2-8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, at Cantrell Funeral Home, 10400 Mack Ave. in Detroit. The funeral will held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 20, at Lemay Church of Christ, 2500 Lemay at Vernor in Detroit.

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

 

Magness receives 5 Blues Music Awards nominations

Janiva Magness

Alligator Records artist Janiva Magness, a Michigan native, has been nominated for five 2013 Blues Music Awards, presented by The Blues Foundation.

Magness, a vocalist/songwriter who attended Mount Clemens High School while living with her grandparents, was nominated for the prestigious B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year award. She also received nominations for Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year for her recording “Stronger For It,” Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year, and Song Of The Year for “I Won’t Cry” (by Magness and Dave Darling) from “Stronger For It.”

Detroit native Bettye LaVette was also nominated for the Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year award.

The 34rd Annual Blues Music Awards will be presented in Memphis on May 9, 2013 at the Cook Convention Center, and will be broadcast live in their entirety in Sirius XM's B.B. King's Bluesville.

To see a list of nominees, click on https://blues.org/#ref=bluesmusicawards_nominees.

Click here to see a previous post on Magness' work as an advocate of foster children at risk

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

Eddie Burns dies at age 84

Eddie Burns

Harmonica player Little Sonny reports that his longtime friend, Eddie Burns, passed away Wednesday at the age of 84.

Burns, who was born Feb. 8, 1928 in Mississippi, was an outstanding  blues singer, harmonica player and guitarist who was active on the music scene for seven decades. Burns settled in Detroit in 1948 and was a member of John Lee Hooker’s band. He backed up Hooker on the recording “Real Folk Blues.” Burns also had several solo recordings of his own.

“Eddie Burns and Washboard Willie were the first guys who gave me a chance,” Little Sonny said. “They helped me become what I am.”

Little Sonny performed with Burns on his last show in 2008 at the Motor City Blues & Boogie Woogie Festival at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts that also featured Bobby Rush and Otis Clay.

Burns was already ailing at that time, and Little Sonny was not sure it was a good idea, but, in retrospect, he’s glad he was able to perform with Burns at what turned out to be his friend’s last show.

“I did some of my first stuff with him and his last stuff was with me,” Little Sonny said. “It was a miracle how it worked out.”

Little Sonny described Burns as a “lost legend.”

“So many people don’t know who he is, but he was such a great artist.”

Funeral arrangements are pending.

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