If you’ve ever driven through downtown Hillsborough, NC you might’ve noticed that there are several signs reflecting the historical significance of past residents. One of those signs denotes the fact that Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington’s musical partner and the man credited with writing the early American Jazz classic, Take the A Train, was raised in Hillsborough for part of his life.  Eddie Tigner’s version of this tune is a classic an innovative interpretation on A Train, with the addition of amplified harmonica the tune gets a more bluesy feel. Sometimes I put this one on my car stereo as I drive through downtown wondering if this great song was inspired by Strayhorn’s time in Hillsborough.

Eddie Tigner joined the ranks of the Music Maker Relief Foundation’s artists in 1998. Music Maker has helped Eddie obtain a passport, provided him with grants for prescription medicine, and gifted him with a keyboard. In addition, Eddie has toured with the Music Maker Blues Revue throughout Europe and the United States, recorded his albums Route 66 and Slippin’ In, and been featured in the book Music Makers: Portraits and Songs from the Roots of America (2004) and the Music Maker documentary Toot Blues.

You can help support artists like Eddie Tigner – here

— Corn Lewis