Blues Unlimited - The Radio Show

The 1960s were heady times when many "rediscovered" Blues musicians of the 1920s and '30s enjoyed a second career — playing and touring overseas and around the country, and occasionally making records. In Memphis, however — a city rich in musical history — one didn't have to go very far to hear a genuine, bonafide blues legend whenever you wanted. In an attempt to bring greater recognition to some of this living history, the Memphis Country Blues Society was formed, in part by Bill Barth, resulting in the short-lived Memphis Country Blues Festival, held between the years 1966 and 1970. Luckily, recordings were made at the 1968 and '69 Festivals, which will be the focus of this program. We'll hear from classic and legendary performers like Bukka White, Furry Lewis, Sleepy John Estes, Rev. Robert Wilkins, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and many more. A tribute to the Memphis Country Blues Festival, on this episode of Blues Unlimited.

Original poster advertising the 1968 Memphis Country Blues Festival. Image courtesy of Mike Vernon/Blue Horizon Records.