I cover the Blues Power Rankings at Blogcritics for many reasons and one of those is cheerleading. I love seeing artists and albums I love finding an audience. I suppose it has something to do with being competitive by nature and these artists and albums turn into sports teams for me when placed on a chart like this. Let’s take a look at some of the teams winning at radio courtesy of the Roots Music Report and at retail via Billboard and let the cheerleading begin.
Let’s begin by cheering for a couple of my favorite contemporary blues female artists. Hooray for Eden Brent, who had inexplicably fallen off the radio charts until surging to #6 last week. She continues the forward momentum, up one spot to #5. The title track from Ain’t Got No Troubles was featured on NPR and Brent won a pair of awards at the 2010 Blues Music Awards in May.
Joanne Shaw Taylor just released Diamonds In The Dirt and it debuts both on the radio charts as well as on the sales chart (more on that momentarily). Diamonds follows White Sugar, which was nominated for Best New Artist Debut at the BMAs. My copy recently arrived and I’ve been spending time with it, prepping for a proper review. I don’t want to tip my hand too much other than to remind you I’m leading cheers.
We have a couple records on the chart I am convinced will make my Best of 2010 list at year’s end, notably Ronnie Earl’s Spread The Love, Duke Robillard’s Passport To The Blues, and Charlie Musselwhite’s The Well. I’m a traditionalist , waiting to post my year-end lists until after the year ends so there could still be changes but those three are contenders and I’m happy to see them continuing to succeed at radio.
Speaking of succeeding at radio, we can see Buddy Guy is again holding the top slot followed by James Cotton, Robin Rogers, Eric Clapton, and Brent. Here is the full radio rundown, followed by a look at the albums chart.
- Buddy Guy – Living Proof
- James Cotton – Giant
- Robin Rogers – Back In The Fire
- Eric Clapton – Clapton
- Eden Brent – Ain’t Got No Troubles
- Kenny Neal – Hooked On Your Love
- Hosea Hargrove – Tex Golden Nugget
- Charlie Musselwhite – The Well
- Ronnie Earl – Spread The Love
- Tony Joe White – That On The Road Look – Live
- Albert Castiglia – Keepin On
- Sabrina Weeks & Swing Cat Bounce – Tales From Lenny’s Diner
- Lucky Peterson – You Can Always Turn Around
- Joe Louis Walker – Blues Conspiracy: Live On The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
- Cyndi Lauper – Memphis Blues
- Mel Brown – Love, Lost And Found
- Dave Specter – Spectified
- Duke Robillard – Passport To The Blues
- Shawn Camp – 1994
- Kirsten Thien – Delicious
- Joanne Shaw Taylor – Diamonds In The Dirt
- The Derek Trucks Band – Roadsongs
- JW-Jones – Midnight Memphis Sun
- Mitch Kashmar & The Pontiax – 100 Miles To Go
- Robert Cray – Cookin’ In Mobile
The top four slots on Billboard’s chart are identical, topped once again by Buddy Guy’s Living Proof. I picked up the Kenny Wayne Shepherd live set and there are some good performances on it, including the numbers featuring Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. The big excitement here for me is seeing Diamonds In The Dirt debut and Bettye LaVette’s return with her completely wonderful Interpretations album. Joe Bonamassa keeps a pair in the Top 10 and Charlie Musselwhite remains on the list this week as well but falls two positions.
- Buddy Guy – Living Proof
- Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – Live! In Chicago
- Etta James – Icon: Etta James
- Joe Bonamassa – Live From The Royal Albert Hall
- Cyndi Lauper – Memphis Blues
- Joe Bonamassa – Black Rock
- Bettye LaVette – Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
- Joanne Shaw Taylor – Diamonds In The Dirt
- Charlie Musselwhite – The Well
- The Derek Trucks Band – Roadsongs