Etta James January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012.

How many people have fallen in love while listening to the song “At Last” or shed a tear when listening to “I’d Rather Go Blind” or danced with delight and empowerment when the song “Tell Mama” would come on? That was the power of the legendary Etta James who died  today after a long struggle with numerous health issues.

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© AP / Hubert Sumlin

Hubert Sumlin, the longtime collaborator with Howlin’ Wolf whose playing on such songs as “Wang Dang Doodle,” “Spoonful” and “Backdoor Man” influenced generations of guitarists, died Sunday in New Jersey. He was 80.Sumlin was ranked number 43 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and was a mainstay of the Chicago blues scene. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2008. Sumlin influenced Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa, among others.Hubert Sumlin was born in Mississippi, raised in Arkansas and moved to Chicago to play with Howlin’ Wolf. After Wolf’s death in 1976, Sumlin continued to play with the rest of Wolf’s band under the name the Wolf Gang.

He was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002 and had a lung removed. In recent years Sumlin continued to perform when his health permitted.

More on Huberts life in the above featured article on the home page.

taken from MSN Music News

It was the second posthumous award for the talented singer, who passed away from liver cancer last December at the age of 55.  In May she was named the winner of the prestigious Blues Music Award for “Contemporary Blues Female of the Year” at the Blues Foundation’s awards ceremony in Memphis.

Robin with 2009 award

Afterwards Tony said, “First of all I would like to thank all the people who voted for Robin for the Blues Blast Award. Also, I would like to thank Bob Kieser and everyone from Blues Blast Magazine. Everyone at Blind Pig Records. I am very grateful for Sharrie and Bob who performed Robin’s songs along with me to help honor her at the awards show. Last but not least, I would like to thank everyone for their love and support over the last year.”

Robin was taken sick and diagnosed with cancer shortly before the release of her highly acclaimed Back In The Fire album, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Living Blues called the CD “Robin Rogers at her vocal best.  She bends her voice the way Buddy Guy  bends a guitar string-squeezing out every last drop of passion.” The Chicago Blues Guide added, “She belongs to a certain  cadre of singers. Like Janis, like Judy, like Billie, she holds nothing back – she pours her soul, heart and guts into her singing.”

EL PASO, TX – Catfood Records has announced the signing of acclaimed bluesman James Armstrong and will release his label debut CD, Blues at the Border, in December, with national distribution by City Hall Records. Blues at the Border, Armstrong’s first new album in 11 years, was produced by Michael Ross, James Armstrong and Bob Trenchard, with tracks recorded at studios in New York City and Tornillo, Texas.

The legendary Johnny Winter will release his new studio album entitled Roots on September 27, 2011 via Megaforce Records. This album returns Johnny to his roots by paying homage to the iconic blues heroes whose pioneering music influenced Winter’s own signature sound and style. Roots is the follow up to his Grammy-nominated I’m a Blues Man.

A host of special guests join Winter trading licks in honoring his idols, including Sonny Landreth, Vince Gill, Warren Haynes, John Popper, Jimmy Vivino, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, John Medeski and Johnny’s brother Edgar Winter.

On ‘Peace Meal’ (due out 9.27, Bismeaux Records), “blues guitar goddess” (NY Post) Carolyn Wonderland reaches into the depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet and the grit of a survivor. Best known for her astounding vocal energy and musicianship, Wonderland is a true legend in her time, equipped with the soulful vocals of Janis Joplin and the guitar slinging skills of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

‘Peace Meal’ is a career benchmark for Wonderland. She collaborated with expert producers Larry Campbell, Ray Benson and famed musical impresario Michael Nesmith of The Monkees. Not one to take comparisons to Joplin Joplin lightly, Wonderland dug deep into Joplin’s vault to find a rare, bootleg recorded in Austin of the little-known gem “What Good Can Drinkin’ Do.” Additional stand-out tracks include the Vince Welnick / Robert Hunter composition “Golden Stairs” as an epic goose-bump-inducing ride, “Two Trains,” a tribute to Wonderland’s Houston mentors like Little Screamin’ Kenny and Wonderland’s fresh take on Bob Dylan’s “Meet Me In The Morning.”

‘Peace Meal’ shows just how far Wonderland has come in her career, touring non-stop across three continents, performing on PBS’ Austin City Limits, and a Janis Joplin tribute at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and collaborating with a long list of luminaries such as Levon Helm, Guy Forsyth, Susan Tedeschi and John Jorgenson. For some time after relocating to Austin from Houston, Wonderland was living out of an old van – flat broke and looking for a gig. It’s been a tough fight and the experience lends a unique credibility to her music and to her life. As a constant advocate for the homeless and peace, the Texas Homeless Network’s John Paul DeJoria Award recognized Wonderland’s efforts in 2010.