Freddie King

Lightnin' Hopkins Finally Wins a Grammy

It took the Texas Historical Society long enough to appropriately recognize Houston bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins, but not as long as the Grammys. As part of the run-up to Sunday night's 55th annual Grammy Awards, its governing body the Recording Academy announced that Hopkins, who died in 1982, will ... More >>

Wanda Jackson

A Soulful Christmas In July

I didn't think I would succumb to sharing with the world how freaking hot I think it is because every time I see one of you complaining about it on Facebook, I envision your head between a Foreman grill. That might be pregnancy hormones speaking, but seriously; it's July, we're in Houston, it's ou ... More >>

Rocky Hill: Ballad of a Lone Star Legend

The late Rocky Hill was a handful. Even his widow, Joy, told the small but attentive Saturday-afternoon crowd celebrating the (very) belated release of Hill's album Lone Star Legend at Cactus Music's Record Ranch that being his bride was "like being married to a tornado." Hill was a man of tremendo ... More >>

Rockin' Bluesman Joe Louis Walker Ignites Hellfire

While many young'uns spent their years 'twixt 12 and 20 just listening to music and attending concerts, Joe Louis Walker was a bit more proactive. At age 16, he became the house guitarist for the legendary San Francisco rock club The Matrix, he played with or opened shows for everyone from Jimi Hend ... More >>

Who Should Induct Axl Rose And Guns N' Roses Into The Rock Hall?

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is coming up quick on April 14, and the presenters for the event have been announced, except for one artist. Just who will speak about and induct Guns N' Roses? Who is even qualified? Rapper Chuck D will induct the Beastie Boys, while funnyman Ch ... More >>

A God-Fearing Boogie Man

Reverend K.M. Williams says the blues aren't the devil's music.

No Surprises: Rock Hall Set To Induct Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys

Photo By Marco TorresGuns N' Roses are Rock Hall bound, but which version of GNR will show up? ​This morning (well, it leaked last night) the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland announced their 2012 class of inductees. Included on the list are Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Bo ... More >>

The Wylie Llama for President

The singer-songwriter on ­Michelle Bachmann, seceding from the Union, big hair and wild hogs.

The 15 Best Bill Graham Presents Posters And Artwork

Photo By Tony MorelliBill Graham in 1974​Twenty years ago this week, legendary concert promoter Bill Graham went to the big backstage party in the sky after the helicopter he was riding in flew into a high-voltage tower in Vallejo, Calif. Also killed in the crash was Graham's girlfriend, Melis ... More >>

The End is Nigh: 2012 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Edition

Mason Lankford said, "There will come a day when we forget the Rapture ever even happened," but Rocks Off is keeping an eye out for signs of our impending Armageddon. We were wrong last time, but we're totally right this time! Once again the time has come to select the most excellent musicians in o ... More >>

G N' R, The Cure & Chili Peppers Could Be Hall Of Famers Next Year

Oh, this will be a fun induction ceremony...​This morning, The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland announced the list of nominees for its Class of 2012: The Small Faces & The Faces, Freddie King, The Cure, Guns 'N Roses, Heart, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Spinners, War, Joan Jett and the Bl ... More >>

Texas Pop Festival Finally Getting Historical Marker

Mike PorterBathe, hippies, bathe!​Rocks Off can't do anything about the drought, but this weekend we will be breaking our own personal drought and returning to the Austin City Limits Music Festival after taking 2010 off. But long before ACL, there was another massive musical gathering in Texa ... More >>

Last Night: Ian Moore Band At The Continental Club

Photos by Jason Wolter​Ian Moore Band Continental Club August 11, 2011 Nostalgia has a funny way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. Aftermath suspects the Ian Moore Band would agree. As the quartet hit the home stretch of its 90-minute set Thursday with "Blue Sky" and "How Does ... More >>

Hadden Sayers

Hadden Sayers

The Five Most Texan Types Of Music

​Happy San Jacinto Day, fellow Texans and people who wish they were; i.e. everyone else. If you don't know why today is special, shame on you. But since us Texans are a friendly sort, allow Rocks Off to fill you in. On April 21, 1836, Texian forces under Gen. Sam Houston (aka "Big Drunk") lau ... More >>

Last Night: Vince Gill At Arena Theatre

Photos by Jason Wolter​Vince Gill Arena Theatre January 27, 2011 Nashville superstar and Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill spent his Thursday hanging with former President George H.W. Bush, but that and four margaritas didn't keep Gill from laying down a note-perfect, immaculate 28 song ... More >>

Inquiring Minds: Gov't Mule's Warren Haynes On Billy Gibbons, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ray LaMontagne And More

Shore Fire Media​ In this week's print edition of the Press, Warren Haynes talks about juggling his membership in the Alpha and Omega of jam bands, the Allman Brothers Band and The Dead, with the musclebound blues-rock engine he started in 1994, Gov't Mule. The Mule pulls into House of Blues Satur ... More >>

Get Funky at Aurora Picture Show's "Soul Nite" at the Eldorado Ballroom

​ The Eldorado Ballroom, the boxy Deco warehouse on the corner of Elgin and Dowling, will once again be filled with the sounds of soul thanks to Aurora PIcture Show and film curator Peter Lucas, who are presenting Soul Nite Saturday at 7 p.m. The ballroom, the epicenter of Houston's black musical ... More >>

Dr. Strangelove

Tool and A Perfect Circle wouldn't work, so Maynard James Keenan channels his love of Hee Haw through Puscifer.

The Forgotten Festival

The 1969 Texas International Pop Festival

A Musical Guide to Post-Secession Texas, Part 2: "Trinity"

[Note: This week Rocks Off is looking at the musical heritage, highs and lows, for each of the five possible states that might result should Texas secede from the U.S. like Gov. Rick Perry wants it to. Yesterday we began with the Panhandle/West Texas "Palo Duro" territory; today it's northeastern qu ... More >>

Young Mammals Chow Down on First LP Carrots

Dynamically Yours

Can Lil Wayne Overcome His Spotty Live Track Record?

Weezy Peezy

Dan Aykroyd on the (Mostly Texan) Blues Brothers Band, Our New House of Blues, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Houston Kinfolk, SNL in Campaign '08 and More

Tonight: Back Door Slam at Warehouse Live

The Smokin' Joe Kubek Band with Bnois King

Be of Good (Blue) Cheer

Alan Haynes

Blues guitarist comes home

Uncle John Turner, 1944-2007

Easy Like Sunday Afternoon

These N'awlins musicos are a real Eyeopener

Playbill

David Holt

Perpetual Motion (Blue Corn)

Michael Burks

Saturday, April 10

Jay Hooks

Red Line (Provogue Records)

The Anti-Clapton

Rocky Hill hopes to find a smooth patch on his rocky road

Pack Fair & Square

Bluesman Big Walter celebrates his 87 years with star pupil Jerry Lightfoot

Being Gary P.

He packs dance halls across Texas. But how does he play in Peoria?

Listen In

Clandestine -- Dave Nevling and the Blues Kats -- Tommy Dardar and the Sheetrockers

Native Talent

Indigenous Americans blow blues-rock smoke

Soul to Sell

Epic keeps raiding Stevie Ray Vaughan's vault, but when is enough enough?

Blues for Freddie

The family of a Texas guitar legend fights to protect his legacy

PatiencePays

Decades down the line, Sherman Robertson has finally made an album he likes

Young and Stylin'

Mind's Ear

Jimmie Vaughan is two albums into a solo career he didn't necessarily want

Rotation

Spanish Rocks

Color of the Blues

Rotation