To the townsfolk of Adamsville, Alabama, Elnora Spencer’s birth was merely a cruel consequence of human nature. Two months premature, she was born to an 11-year-old rape victim and unlikely to [...]
Cool John Ferguson can play any style. But when he chooses to go real smooth with his sound he really shines. Match his silky smooth guitar with a Christmas classic and you’ve got yourself a [...]
Cookie McGee was born and raised in Dallas in the North Park neighborhood and started playing the guitar at the age of five years old. As a young girl she would visit her neighbor, blues legend [...]
Christmas With Cootie by Cootie Stark During the holidays there usually two guarantees: 1) you’ll spend some quality time with family 2) you’ll probably be drinking. It’s these two things that [...]
Sam Frazier, Jr. is a powerful vocalist, with a lilting drawl that whines, growls and whistles through a smile neatly tucked under his pristine ten gallon hat. He’s a careful study that can blow [...]
Eddie Tigner is a longtime Music Maker artist, a national treasure, and a living legend. Born in 1926, Eddie is approaching his 93rd birthday. With each passing year, this original Ink Spot and [...]
Not many people have had careers as long and as varied as Sandra Hall, “The Empress of the Blues.” Her career in the music industry began when she was just 12 years old, and it has never [...]
Music Maker to Celebrate 25 Years with new Album, UNC Press Photobook and New Orleans Museum of Art Exhibition
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Preorder your Blue Muse book & CD package – HERE! Music Maker Relief Foundation is thrilled to announce that we will be celebrating our 25th Anniversary with BLUE MUSE: a new [...]
Chapel Hill, N.C., October 8th, 2018 – Timothy Duffy has been photographing musicians throughout the Southeastern U.S. for over thirty years. His upcoming book, Blue Muse: Timothy Duffy’s [...]
We are thrilled to announce a new release from Music Maker partner artist Patrick Sky. The album is entitled Many a Mile, one of Patrick’s most famous songs and covered by Buffy [...]
Last year, Frank “Sugar Chile” Robinson reached out to Music Maker after he lost most of his belongings in a house fire. After a quick google search, we were astonished by his profound impact on [...]
Grotto Sessions by Rufus McKenzie Rufus McKenzie’s raw style is as a precursor to soul music. The roots of Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye can be heard in his voice — and this remixed [...]
This blog post was originally posted on Dec. 5th, 2016 | The blues call us to face the reality of mistreatment. Blues songs are full of people doing one another wrong—mistreatment from lovers, [...]
Express your care for hardworking elderly musicians today! At 79, Beverly “Guitar” Watkins is STILL one of the toughest working blues musicians around; playing for packed clubs and ripping solos [...]
The Folk Revival movement of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s played an integral role in our ability to look back at our musical traditions with reverence. Known for producing several Mississippi John [...]
We recently sat down with donors Al and Rich to ask them about their Music Maker experience and why our mission resonates with them. Al and Rich are both longtime donors and provided the $15,000 [...]
Don’t Mess With Miss Watkins by Beverly “Guitar” Watkins For me, this song is the highlight of Don’t Mess with Miss Watkins. Listening to this blues guitar virtuosa assert her [...]
Simon Arcache, Rafael Evrard, and Clement Prunet are true students of American music. The latter two from Southern France and the former a Parisian, they have visited and lived in Hillsborough, [...]
ALBUM PREMIERE: EUROPEAN MUSICIANS CELEBRATE MUSIC MAKER RELIEF FOUNDATION WITH THE ‘GROTTO SESSIONS’
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“a fascinating tribute that feels like a postmodern meditation on the legacy of American blues” – Glide Magazine Get an exclusive listen of the Grotto Sessions via Glide [...]
Follow Your Heart’s Desire by Pura FéI find myself drawn to this track from Pura Fé’s debut solo album. Her soulful voice and acoustic lap steel slide are soothing, yet the solemn lyrics [...]
The holiday season—a time often equated with comfort and joy—can bring feelings of anxiety and despair when you’re living alone in chronic poverty. This is the case for many of our artists who, [...]
Last week we posted on the blog about Robert Finley’s incredible journey and his recent performance at the Beacon Theatre and just when you think things have gotten as good as they can get [...]
Earlier this year, Music Maker said goodbye to dear friend and pioneering blues woman, Algia Mae Hinton. Since 1994 Algia has been a part of the Music Maker family and although her passing [...]
Double Bang: Big Bang! by Ironing Board Sam Ironing Board Sam’s musical showmanship is unparalleled and inspiring to all who have seen or heard him perform. Sadly in late 2016, just before [...]
Don’t miss John Dee Holeman and Thomas Rhyant at the Reeves Theater in Elkin, NC: More info – John Dee Holeman | November 16th | HERE More info – Thomas Rhyant | December 1st | HERE
Outsider Lounge Music by Captain LukeWith the weekend upon us it feels appropriate to dig on Captain Luke‘s song, Waiter. With Captain’s sultry voice and smooth delivery backed by [...]
Cabbage Man by Sam Frazier, Jr. Somewhat similar to Johnny Cash’s rendition, Sam Frazier, Jr.’s pared down version of this country classic gets an even more traditional twist by using [...]
Robert Finley’s talent is undeniable. Music Maker founder Tim Duffy knew this the second he spotted him playing on the street at the King Biscuit Blues Festival. After working to address [...]
St. Louis, M.O., October 12th, 2018 – Timothy Duffy has been photographing musicians in the South for thirty-five years and is the founder of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, a nonprofit [...]
When asked if he has cut his portions to make his food last through the month, Pee Wee Hayes, pictured below, replied, “Yeah, you’ve got to, that’s quite common in life for [...]
There are only a handful of artists as emblematic of New Orleans culture than Little Freddie King. It’s easy to forget that even in with his flashy zoot suits and hard driving electric [...]
Over the past three years Music Maker has been forging a partnership with the famed Telluride Blues & Brews Festival and for this year’s festival we pulled out all the stops. We set a [...]
For over a decade now Music Maker has been partnered with the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival in Columbia, MO which has featured many iterations of the Music Maker Blues Revue on it’s main [...]
One Man Band by Adolphus Bell Nobody knew the blues quite like Adolphus Bell. When Music Maker founder Tim Duffy first me Adolphus he was going town to town scraping up gigs while living in his [...]
Music Maker Relief Foundation – a non-profit organization that supports traditional Southern musicians by documenting and presenting their music will be premiering their photography exhibit, We [...]
Music Maker is thrilled to be partnered with the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival! This year’s festival, which happens September 14 – 16 will feature performance from Music Maker [...]
Born in Alamo, TN, Pee Wee Hayes came up listening the great fore fathers and mothers of the blues by sneaking under the floorboards of his father’s cafe to secretly listen to the nightly [...]
Me and My Fiddle by Andy Edmonds The string-band tradition has always been carried on through master and apprentice relationships. Mt. Airy fiddler Andy Edmonds followed in that great tradition [...]
Last week we said goodbye to folk artist and longtime Music Maker supporter and friend, Sam “the Dot Man” McMillan. When I met Sam McMillan with Guitar Gabriel in Winston-Salem in the [...]
Music Maker is thrilled to announce that it will be partnering with the Bluegrass Situation, the International Bluegrass Music Association, the North Carolina Museum of History and PineCone for [...]
Goin’ Away by John Lee ZeiglerWe recently released a long awaited collection of John Lee Ziegler’s music and received a wonderful response from Music Maker’s fans. It feels so [...]
Music Maker has worked alongside piano player Eddie Tigner since 1998 and we are honored to call him a partner artist. Eddie’s career as a musician IS in incredible, I emphasize IS because [...]
Soul of the Blues by Albert White Albert White’s clean rendition of the classic “Someday Baby” is a slow, bluesy, heartfelt story of accepting the loss of a love. For anyone getting over a [...]
Imagine being in your home, unwinding from a long day, when before you have a chance to grasp what is happening, you suddenly feel a bullet rip through your skin. This was the situation on May [...]
Cabbage Man by Sam Frazier, Jr. Sam Frazier Jr.’s album, Cabbage Man, is a classic collection of blues, gospel, and country worth hunkering down and digging in for a listen. The title [...]
Music scholars such as Mike Seeger and Taj Mahal have often told me that John Lee Zeigler is the most important artists that Music Maker has ever partnered with. John was from Kathleen, [...]
Touring With Lucy by Lee Gates We all have those days – waking up with the blues, going to bed with the blues – nothing in between but more blues. Lee Gates’ says it all with his guitar and his [...]
Music Maker’s Next Generation program connects younger musicians with our elder partner artists to ensure that our musical traditions are passed on. For years our Next Generation Program has [...]
The death of a spouse when you’re elderly is an emotionally devastating experience, and the impact of this loss can become even more significant when your spouse was also your primary [...]
My Name Is Precious by Precious BryantThere’s something about It’s Alright by Precious Bryant that reminds me of the happiness of summertime. Maybe it’s the warmth in her voice or the depth [...]
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I have the perfect go-to song for nearly any situation. For long summer road trips I tend to lean towards freight train blues, for rainy nights at the [...]
Learn more about this event – HERE
Theotis Taylor’s new album, Something Within Me, will be the first time the world has heard a full length album from this legendary Georgian gospel singer and pianist. Something Within Me [...]
Outlaw by Harvey Dalton Arnold No rocks quite like Harvey Dalton Arnold, and he’s got the resumé to back up his explosive vocal performance. As a member of the the 70s rock band the [...]
APPSTATE’S SCHAEFER CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS BRINGS PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT THAT CAPTURES TRADITIONAL MUSICIANS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTH
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Timothy Duffy has been photographing musicians in the South for thirty-five years and is the founder of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Hillsborough, NC that [...]
Tomorrow night the Glorifying Vines Sisters will play in Carrboro, NC for our third installment of Freight Train Blues. The show will be an Eastern North Carolina Jubilee and feature four other [...]
On Monday, May 29th Como Mamas singer Angelia Taylor was struck by a bullet while in bed at her Como, MS home from a drive-by shooting. Angelia believes the bullet was intended for her son, who [...]
Tim and Denise Duffy founded Music Maker because the musicians we partner with, who our society has cast away, are actually rockstars. Pictures of Guitar Gabriel, Precious Bryant, Ironing Board [...]
Ernie Vincent will be in Carrboro, NC this Friday to tear it down for our second Freight Train Blues of the season with his buddy Guitar Lightnin’ Lee to bring some of that New Orleans [...]
The Kettle River runs through songster Dave McGrew’s hometown of Curlew in Washington state and has experienced record flooding due to snow melt. Dave’s home, which sits near the [...]
N.O.L.A. Rhythum And Booze by Guitar Lightnin’ Lee Guitar Lightnin’ Lee is coming to North Carolina for Freight Train Blues this month and Jazz Fest happened two weeks ago, so New [...]
Just as soon as we welcomed our newly hired social worker, Brittany Anderson, to the Music Maker team, she jumped into action helping Music Maker partner artist and drummer Chuck Cotton. On April [...]
Music Maker Relief Foundation – a non-profit organization that supports traditional Southern musicians by documenting and presenting their music will be premiering their photography exhibit, We [...]
Rain In Your Life by Essie Mae Brooks Essie Mae Brooks‘s voice and Cool John Ferguson‘s guitar were meant for one another on this track from Brooks’ 2000 album Rain in Your [...]
Music Maker’s Photo Exhibit, Our Living Past, On Display at the Gregg Museum of Art & Design in Raleigh!
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Timothy Duffy has been photographing musicians in the South for thirty-five years and is the founder of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Hillsborough, NC that [...]
Somewhere Between Truth & Sanity by Dave McGrew Dave McGrew is a songwriter for the ages and draws his musical inspiration from his rich experiences in the Great Northwest. Not all of [...]
We asked new donor David Propst to write about his experience with Music Maker after visiting some of our partner artists. In July 2012, I moved back in with my parents. My mother had been [...]
Music Maker Relief Foundation – a non-profit organization that supports traditional Southern musicians by documenting and presenting their music will be premiering their photography exhibit, We [...]
What Left by Robert Lee Coleman When I walked into the studio during Robert Lee Coleman’s recording session for his new released album What Left, I know this was going to be a special [...]
Music Maker needs your support now to ensure that our collective culture lives on and remains vital for future generations: Your support identifies and serves artists who are an important part of [...]
Pickin’ Low Cotton by Boo Hanks If you got to spend even five minutes with Boo Hanks he would have a positive impact on your life. Boo was from deep within the Virginia countryside, just [...]
Pee Wee Hayes, the Glorifying Vines Sisters, and Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen to Play Telluride Blues & Brews Festival!
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Music Maker is thrilled to be partnered with the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival! This year Music Maker partner artists Pee Wee Hayes, the Glorifying Vines Sisters, Christone [...]
Hold The Rain by Pura Fé Pura Fé is a musical genius, period. Her singing and Hawaiian lap steel guitar playing are unique and deeply inspired by her Native heritage. Pair that with a super [...]
Amythyst Kiah is among the most recognized new voices interpreting, reviving, and reimagining the African American musical tradition. Both a scholar of African American music history and a [...]
Sisters Of The South by Marie Manning The blues, like any great work of art, serves as a mirror for life, giving us the opportunity to process it’s inevitable ups and downs. Hard Luck & [...]
We were quite surprised the other day to learn that Terrence Cunningham, who is Music Maker partner artist Etta Baker’s Great Nephew, was on the NBC TV show, The Voice. His performance [...]
Labor of Love by Taj Mahal This has to be one of Music Maker’s greatest releases. Recorded while on the Winston Blues Revival tour, and featuring many Music Maker partner artists, this [...]
Funk, Blues, Soul and Rock n’ Roll run through Robert Lee Coleman’s veins, and you can hear them all in his latest studio album, What Left, out March 27th on Music Maker Recordings. The album [...]
Songs From the Roots of America, Vol. 1 by John Lee Zeigler The connections that can be drawn from the Music Maker catalog to the history of African and early American music are many. Perhaps one [...]
Thomas O. “Pee Wee” Hayes can tell a story about one of the greatest seismic shifts in American history, and it’s the story of his own life. As a child, Pee Wee’s family uprooted their lives and [...]
The Music Maker Minute was created using interviews from the Music Maker Relief Foundation Archive. Each episode features a Music Maker partner artist and their personal experience with [...]
Honey Babe by Algia Mae HInton We were devastated to loose Algia Mae Hinton this past week. She has been a part of the Music Maker family since 1994. Like Algia’s personality, her music was [...]
Exclaim! wrote a raving review for Robert’s performance with Dan Auerbach at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver on Feb. 10th. This was the first show in for Robert’s tour with Dan [...]
Algia Mae Hinton was a national treasure. Guitars and songs and tap shoes were her tools but resilience and joy were her currency. We were deeply saddened to learn of her passing on February 8th, [...]
The Como Mamas are cooking up some sweet gospel music in Como, Mississippi. Here, they express their eternal love and appreciation for their God for continuously providing for them. The live bass [...]
The Music Maker Minute was created using interviews from the Music Maker Relief Foundation Archive. Each episode features a Music Maker partner artist and their personal experience with race in [...]
In “Our Living Past,” Timothy Duffy immortalizes dozens of Southern Blues icons that he’s met over the course of his 35-year career as an artist and activist. Duffy is the founder and executive [...]
We’re doing Mardi Gras in Durham style – Boom Unit Brass Band and Paperhand Puppet Intervention kick off with a second line at 8pm from the downtown Bull statue to the Bullpen. March to the [...]
Vari-Colored Songs by Leyla McCalla From her Langston Hughes inspired album “Vari-Colored Songs” Leyla McCalla describes a racist southern setting with melancholic acoustic melodies in her track [...]
Last year we talked about New Orleans artist Guitar Lightnin’ Lee’s need for new floors and other repairs in his home. Lee has been recovering from a tough bout with cancer and was [...]
Grasshopper Pie by Slewfoot and the Angels Slewfoot’s six minute opus starts with some funky rudiments on the snare paired with a driving bass line and by the time the horns pop in Oh Boy [...]
Music Maker Relief Foundation partner artist the Como Mamas have won the Soul Prix from the Académie du Jazz for their album Move Upstairs! Check out all the winners and nominees here [...]
Even in today’s music business, the album is crucial to an artist’s career. Without an album you can’t get gigs, and every musician wants to gig. When I met Guitar Gabriel, [...]
When Tim and I stepped into the Easy Eye Sound after Robert had been recording for several days we could immediately see that Dan Auerbach, Robert, and the studio musicians were buzzing — [...]
Little Willie Farmer was born in 1956 in the small town of Duck Hill, MS. He grew up on a farm where his father raised cows, chickens, cotton and corn. On Sundays, he had the choice between [...]
Lee Gates was born in Mississippi and moved to Milwaukee in 1959 as a teenager where he has been playing his brand of down home Blues for the past 50 years. Blues legend Albert Collins is his [...]
