Earl Gilliam

Milton Hopkins & Jewel Brown

Rest Of The Best: Houston's Top 8 Jukeboxes

Along with pickled pig's feet and a steady supply of Slim Jims, a good jukebox is a prime element for any great bar. But, like dinosaurs, jukeboxes are a vanishing breed. Unlike digital jukes, iPods or DJs, jukeboxes require love, care and maintenance, as well as -- among the truly great ones -- som ... More >>

In Memoriam: Musicians And Industry Giants We Lost In 2011

For Rocks Off, one of the creepiest parts of our job is to report on deaths in the industry. Now matter how old or young the musician or mogul is, it's hard to try to quantify a person's life over the course of a few hundred words. How can you? Professional obit writers must be touched by the hand o ... More >>

Houston "Doghouse" Blues Pianist Earl Gilliam Dead At 81

​Rocks Off contributor William Michael Smith just called in to regretfully inform us that Houston blues musician Earl Gilliam has passed away. Gilliam's manager, Sheri Goodman, told Smith that Gilliam died at his home near Tomball of advanced lung disease. The piano player was famous for host ... More >>

Earl Gilliam: "A Huge Loss That Can't Be Filled"

Another of Houston's unique blues treasures, the effusive, ebullient and always stylish pianist Earl Gilliam, has moved on to the big juke joint in the sky. Gilliam, 81, died peacefully this morning at his home in Tomball of advanced lung disease.

Houston and the Blues

Viva the Houston Blues Scene.

Old School

Musicians in their 70s and 80s are keeping Houston's traditional blues scene real.

Here to Stay

Thanks to the Houston Blues Society, local scene is healthier than ever.

Blues Community Going To The Doghouse For Earl Gilliam

Lisa del GrossoL-R: Earl Gilliam, Jonn Richardson and Mojofromopolis​The Houston blues community will come together Sunday to pay homage to one of the godfathers of blues piano, Earl Gilliam. Gilliam, whose youth was spent in the company of giants like Albert Collins, Gatemouth Brown, Ivory Le ... More >>

Batusis Is No Throwback

Cheetah Chrome and Sylvain Sylvain make rock and roll new again.

Dark Tower

Shooter Jennings enlists the occult and Stephen King on ­ambitious, eerie new album Black Ribbons.

Everybody's Invited to Bluesman Earl Gilliam's 80th Birthday Party

​Tomorrow night at the Big Easy, come out to help Houston blues legend Earl Gilliam celebrate joining the octogenarian club with what is sure to be a packed crowd. The blues pianist has been laying waste to crowds since the New Waverly native fell into the Houston scene in 1950. He helped guitaris ... More >>

HPMA: We Have Even More Winners: Los Skarnales, KPFT, Ryan Scroggins, Little Joe Washington

Chris Gray​No performer, but here's presenter Hailey Frances of Channel 39. She's pretty.Best Latin Contemporary: Los Skarnales. That trophy case has got to be getting pretty crowded at this point.Best Radio Station: KPFT. Another snippy acceptance speech. "We don't have a university backing us up ... More >>

Tonight: Earl Gilliam and I.J. Gosey at the Big Easy

Other than getting to live through umpteen 100-plus degree days each summer and a massive hurricane every now and again, one of the supreme privileges of being a Houstonian is easy access to blues giants like Earl Gilliam and I.J. Gosey. Between them, these two guys know more licks than most musicia ... More >>

Things to Do This Weekend If You're (Almost) Broke

Rocks Off knows it's hard to have fun without spending money. Trust us, like Bill Clinton, we feel your pain. But we've been combing the club listings and put together a list of shows and other music-related happenings that won't set you back too any more than $10. You can thank us later, because yo ... More >>

A Gulf Coast Juneteenth

Rocks Off knows it's hard to have fun without spending money. Trust us, like Bill Clinton, we feel your pain. But we've been combing the club listings and put together a list of shows and other music-related happenings that won't set you back too any more than $10. You can thank us later, because yo ... More >>

Before We Go: Odds and Ends on Mechanical Boy, Katy Perry, George Strait, Future Blondes and More

"SWING LOW AND CARRY ME HOME" By Mechanical Boy from Michael Fodera on Vimeo. It's about time for Rocks Off to head off to the bunkhouse for some much-needed R&R, but first here's a few final tidbits that have recently come to our attention. Mechanical Boy just released its first video, "Swing L ... More >>

Little Joe Washington's 70th Birthday

"SWING LOW AND CARRY ME HOME" By Mechanical Boy from Michael Fodera on Vimeo. It's about time for Rocks Off to head off to the bunkhouse for some much-needed R&R, but first here's a few final tidbits that have recently come to our attention. Mechanical Boy just released its first video, "Swing L ... More >>

Fried Rice: In the Hot Seat with Eric C. Hughes from El Orbits, Freddy Steady Five, Allen Oldies Band

"SWING LOW AND CARRY ME HOME" By Mechanical Boy from Michael Fodera on Vimeo. It's about time for Rocks Off to head off to the bunkhouse for some much-needed R&R, but first here's a few final tidbits that have recently come to our attention. Mechanical Boy just released its first video, "Swing L ... More >>

Grand Theft Auto X: The Screwston Chronicles

"SWING LOW AND CARRY ME HOME" By Mechanical Boy from Michael Fodera on Vimeo. It's about time for Rocks Off to head off to the bunkhouse for some much-needed R&R, but first here's a few final tidbits that have recently come to our attention. Mechanical Boy just released its first video, "Swing L ... More >>

The Houston International Festival Is Upon Us

"SWING LOW AND CARRY ME HOME" By Mechanical Boy from Michael Fodera on Vimeo. It's about time for Rocks Off to head off to the bunkhouse for some much-needed R&R, but first here's a few final tidbits that have recently come to our attention. Mechanical Boy just released its first video, "Swing L ... More >>

This Just In: Houston Bringing It to SXSW

"SWING LOW AND CARRY ME HOME" By Mechanical Boy from Michael Fodera on Vimeo. It's about time for Rocks Off to head off to the bunkhouse for some much-needed R&R, but first here's a few final tidbits that have recently come to our attention. Mechanical Boy just released its first video, "Swing L ... More >>

Blues Clues at The Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club

"SWING LOW AND CARRY ME HOME" By Mechanical Boy from Michael Fodera on Vimeo. It's about time for Rocks Off to head off to the bunkhouse for some much-needed R&R, but first here's a few final tidbits that have recently come to our attention. Mechanical Boy just released its first video, "Swing L ... More >>

Earl Gilliam Blues Review

Houston bluesman is one of the greats

The 3700s

The Nightfly spends $20 and three nights on one block

Joe Doucet

Houston's Third Ward Blues

Free to Jam

Get the blues at the Eldorado Ballroom's Juneteenth Bash

Earl Gilliam

Texas Doghouse Blues

Jammin' on the Sabbath

If the Sunday-afternoon concert series isn't enough, there are still 10,000 free reasons to go to the Space Place

Rogue Bosoms, Bouncing Booties and Pac-Man Raps

Looking back on the '04

Best Blues and Soul Preservationist

Looking back on the '04

Houston Blues

Local hero Joe "Guitar" Hughes knows success takes more than talent