Genre: Blues
Rate: 192 kbps CBR / 44100
Time: 00:39:19
Size: 54,04 MB
From the heart of Hamilton, Richard Newell would channel the blues from deep in the heart of the American south and become an international blues legend. Over the course of 4 decades, Newell's musicianship and encyclopedic knowledge of the blues was intense and inspiring.
Born March 9, 1944 in Hamilton, the Steeltown ran through Newell's blood but it was the blues music he heard on late night AM radio from the US that filled his soul. Newell wasn't even a teenager when he got his first harmonica, but playing along with the radio and the 45's he'd hitchhike down to Buffalo to buy would all help shape his 'mouth of steel'.
An instantly recognizable talent, it wasn't long before he was playing with a litany of bands in the 60s including The Barons, The Chessmen and The Mid Knights. But by 1968, Newell was recruited by Richard Bell and Kelly Jay to audition for the latest version of Ronnie Hawkins backing band.
Blues harpist Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) was a seminal influence on Hawkins, Levon Helm and anyone that experienced The King Biscuit Flour Hour radio broadcasts on KFFA AM back in the day. Immediately finding a kindred spirit, Hawkins was so astounded by how well Newell understood and played the blues that one audition later, Hawkins renamed Newell King Biscuit Boy in tribute. A legend was born.
The Beatles and The Rolling Stones would name check King Biscuit Boy as one of their favourite players. You would hear his instantly recognizable harmonica playing on recordings by The Allman Brothers, Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band, and Aretha Franklin. It wasn't long before the most recent version of The Hawks decided to go out on their own and call themselves Crowbar.
By 1970, King Biscuit Boy featuring Crowbar released Official Music and Newell would follow it up with Good 'Uns in 1971, and the self titled King Biscuit Boy (often referred to as The Brown Derby Album) in 1974. Newell's magnificent harmonica and gritty vocals on these landmark recordings with tracks like 'Boom Boom, Out Go The Lights' still stand the test of time 3 decades later.
1980 saw his Mouth of Steel album released but it wasn't until 1988 that Richard Newell aka King Biscuit Boy followed up and then fans had to wait until 1996 for his Urban Blues Re:Newell album. Regardless of the infrequency, King Biscuit Boy recordings never lost that special magic that was King Biscuit Boy - the critics still loved him and the accolades and Juno nominations kept coming. During the 80s, Newell enlisted a local group of players to back him for performances but by the turn of the century, that band, Trickbag would be performing more often without Newell.
In 2002, Newell got back into the studio with old friend, Sonny Del Rio to record for Del Rio's Hamilton Hometown Christmas benefit CD. Sadly, the poignant recording of Blue Christmas would be the last released in Newell's lifetime.
Newell's last performance was with The Little Red Blues Gang featuring Tim Gibbons at the now defunct Mermaid's Lounge in Hess Village just before his passing on January 5, 2003. (http://www.hamiltonmusicawards.com/bio-king.html)
Tracklist:
01 - Georgia Slop 02:49
02 - Done Everything I Can 03:16
03 - Mama Louchie 04:07
04 - Neighbor, Neighbor 03:13
05 - Down The Line 03:25
06 - Hoodoo Party 02:50
07 - Route 90 03:21
08 - Terraplane Blues 02:38
09 - It's My Soul 03:28
10 - Necromonica 03:43
11 - Get It Right 02:49
12 - Look Out Mabel 03:40
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