Blues News #633
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Blues News #633

March is shaping up as a pretty amazing month. The features are two international acts – Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges at Motor City Music Festival and Big Daddy Wilson at Pistol Pete’s – two amazing events in Geelong in one month.

Big Daddy Wilson was born in a small town called Edenton, North Carolina. The population of Edenton is less than 6000, 55% African Americans, 25% below the poverty line.

“We were very poor but I had a very beautiful childhood,” Wilson remembers. In Edenton Wilson only heard church and country music, but when he joined the US Army and in Germany, he heard the blues.

“It was here that I found a part of me that was missing for so long in my life.”

He went on stage, jammed all over the German blues scene and made an impression with his warm and soulful voice.

“My Day Will Come” (2004) proves that blues doesn’t necessarily need rock elements such as drums and distorted guitars in order to cast its spell. Recording albums and touring came next.

He has won several awards in Europe for his unique trademark style of blues and roots music. His CD “Time” was produced by blues icon Eric Bibb. Wilson has a voice baptised in the river of Afro-American song – a voice with the power to heal. His repertoire encompasses spirituals, blues, country and soul, delivered in his unique and heartfelt way.

However you define the music, this international singer is astonishingly authentic, has great stage presence and a highly original sound. He’s going to be here in Geelong this month at Pistol Pete’s.

Our second international act is Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges, also from the USA. Eugene was born in New Orleans, and has become a nomadic musician living his life on the road travelling from America through Europe, to Australia with many other stops in between.

Joining the armed forces at the age of 16 was also Eugene’s way out. He played in the Air Force band for the next three years.

On leaving the Air Force he joined The New Chosen on guitar and vocals and went on to play with The Mighty Clouds of Joy. Eugene then travelled alone to Europe, where BB King Bassist, Big Joe Turner spotted him in Paris and offered him the position of guitarist and vocalist with Big Joe Turners Memphis Blues Caravan.

He’s a towering man with a huge voice, playing an unparalleled brand of blues, oozing enough genuine charm to light up a small city.

Eugene is a triple 2012 Blues Music Award nominee in the following categories; Album of the Year for Rock And A Hard Place, Soul Blues Album for Rock And A Hard Place and Soul Blues Artist.

If you like your blues music laced with soul, funk, gospel and rock, delivered with buckets of class and warmth take a listen to Eugene’s musical catalogue at Motor City Music Festival.

And that’s not mentioning The Housewreckers at Sleepy Hollow!

So don’t say we never have anything in Geelong!

Written by John (Dr John) Lamp
Proudly presented by the Sleep Hollow Blues Club