Bluestone's Track of the Day: Stormy Monday

I chose this track so we could talk a little bit about Eva Cassidy, likely my favorite female vocalist.  She's really a folk singer, but she does Stormy Monday, so welcome to Champagne n' Reefer.  Cassidy's first album wasn't released until 1992 and she died four years later.  From what I've heard, she was virtually unknown when she died in 1996, but has come into much more popularity since then.  Her biggest song, Over The Rainbow, got exposure in the UK three years after its release, where it blew up.  She also topped charts in a few other countries.  Read more about her here.
And now for a little bit about Stormy Monday.  Stormy Monday was released by T-bone Walker in 1947 and became a blues standard, recorded by artists including Albert King, B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Buddy Guy, and Eva Cassidy.  Stormy Monday reached #5 on the charts and supposedly inspired B.B. King to pick up the electric guitar.  They call it stormy Monday, oh but Tuesday's just as bad...
Stormy Monday, T-bone
Stormy Monday, Eva Cassidy
Stormy Monday, Albert King
Stormy Monday, B.B. King
Stormy Monday, Buddy Guy
Here are a few more tracks from Eva Cassidy - Ain't No Sunshine, Fever, Wade in the Water, Wayfaring Stranger, The Letter, Over the Rainbow, all worth listening to!

Live at the Coconut Grove: B.B King and Bobby Bland (1976)

B.B King and Bobby "Blue" Bland's recording of Together Again... Live, from the Coconut Grove. I have about 45 minutes of music from the performance; I don't know if it's the entire set list. It opens with Let the Good Times Roll and closes with a medley including The Thrill Is Gone. I have heard some criticism of this performance, but I think it's great.  Some say it's not as good as the first time they were together, live in Memphis (1975), but it's lively, with a good audience, plus B.B. and Bobby do sound great together. Bobby is, unfortunately, going through a phase where he growls during the songs, and it sounds horrible.
Although this probably isn't true, it really seems like they didn't practice for this show; the vibe is that of two guys just getting together and playing. In fact, the best part of the concert is the last track in which Bobby convinces B.B. to do The Thrill Is Gone. B.B. seems reluctant so Bobby asks the crowd, "Can he cut it y'all?" and gets an enthusiastic, "Yeah!" ... then the funk begins.  Then later in the medley, Viola Jackson joins in on I Ain't Gonna Be The First To Cry.  Bobby says to the crowd, "Let me hear it," and one response stands out.  Viola says, "Feel it!"  Bobby says to B.B., "Goodness, I think we got a hot one hear."  Next thing you know, he says, "Sing a little bit sexy now," and she is up on stage, singin' a little bit sexy, in a low, smooth voice.

I believe there were about 16 people on stage for this performance; check out Wikipedia.org for the full track listing and personnel.

Buy Together Again...Live on Amazon.com