T-Bone Walker

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 >>

''One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer — Guitar Art, No Strings Attached''

Sunday: iFest in Downtown Houston -- Galactic, Jason Isbell, Etc.

Houston International Festival Downtown Houston April 22, 2012 With a slight north breeze keeping festival-goers from broiling under a cloudless sky, Sunday's iFest turned into a perfect laid-back Houston day of rest and entertainment excess. It didn't hurt that the music lineup was both diverse an ... More >>

7 Cool & Cheap Things To Do This Weekend -- In Houston, Not At SXSW

T-Bone Walker heir Don Kesee, one of the area's Houston's most underheralded bluesmen - which unfortunately is saying something, but watch a little bit of the above clip at Navasota's Blues Alley festival - comes into the city for a gig at the Shakespeare Pub. Super Happy Fun Land's SXSW Overflow ... More >>

Warren Haynes, A "Man In Motion"

​Warren Haynes has one of the ultimate guitar player resumes, having played for years with the Allman Brothers, many tours with the Grateful Dead and offshoot Bob Weir and Friends as well as his own wildly popular jam band Govt. Mule. He's also toured with Dave Matthews. Haynes comes to town ... More >>

What A Houston Blues "Walk Of Fame" Could Look Like

Lightnin' Hopkins marker photo by Matthew Keever​It was a real pleasure for Rocks Off and Lonesome Onry and Mean to bring you this week's Houston Press cover story, "Old School," but it was also bittersweet. Not to put too fine a point on it, but none of these people are getting any younger - ... 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 >>

Little Joe Washington Still Having Birthdays, Celebrating Them In Public

Jay Lee​Last year around this time, Rocks Off and our buddy Lonesome Onry and Mean both got caught up in multi-day musical benders that left us both dazed and confused (conditions from which some would argue we have never fully recovered). Although our respective paths through those days were very ... More >>

Which Other Local Musical Landmarks Deserve Historical Markers?

Chris Gray SugarHill Studios​Monday's announcement that the Texas Historical Commission has approved Eric Davis' proposal for an official state historical marker honoring Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins is wonderful news, but it's also only the tip of the iceberg. Plenty of other spots around town, ... More >>

Tonight: Dr. Roger Wood Talks With Local Blues Legend Texas Johnny Brown

​Local legend Texas Johnny Brown is a living link to blues history. The 80-year-old was a key player in the genesis of the electric form of the genre, penning hits for the likes of Bobby "Blue" Bland, supporting stars like Ruth Brown and recording under his own name as far back as the late 1940s. ... More >>

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 >>

ReFried Rice: In the Hot Seat with Nick Gaitan

​We're here with Nick Gaitan from Umbrella Man. He's up first in the Hot Seat.Who are you going to see today?Ryan Scroggins. Want to watch Sean Reefer, but we're playing at the same time. And by buddy Jack, we're up against each other for Best Bassist. BUH BUH BUM! (Says in doomy singing voice).I ... More >>

The Year in Albums

Santa Baby

What a few musicians want under their trees this year

Another One Done Gone: RIP Pete Mayes

L-R: Jerry Lightfoot, Texas Johnny Brown, Joe "Guitar" Hughes, "Spare Time" Murray (obscured) and Pete Mayes James Nagel/www.jerrylightfoot.com Veteran Houston bluesman Pete Mayes, a guitarist and singer whose uptown jump-swing style a la Louis Jordan belied his rural Texas roots, has passed away ... More >>

B.B. King

B.B. King

Marty Stuart's American Odyssey Does Houston

Be of Good (Blue) Cheer

Houston’s Golden Horn Is Silenced: Calvin Owens, R.I.P.

Get Lit: Rock & Roll Heaven, by Robert Dimery and Bruno MacDonald

The Houston 100: From Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown to Texas Johnny Brown

Guitar Shorty’s Birthday Party

The bluesman spends his b-day on stage

Magic iPod

Guitar Shorty

Guitar Shorty performs Saturday, January 13, at the Big Easy Social and Pleasure Club, 5731 Kirby, 713-523-9999.

So Long, For Now So Long

RIP, Gatemouth Brown

Computer Error

When it comes to local facts, don't rely on Allmusic.com

Gate Swings Wide

He's been up, and he's been down. Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown has a right to sing the blues.

Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets featuring Sam Myers

Saturday, November 30

Racket

Searching for the First Rock Song

Mount Coy

South Park Mexican carves out his place in history with the 2001 Music Awards

Racket

The Last Concert Cafe has glimpses from its unique history

Bert Wills

Tell Me Why (Gold Rhyme)

Remembering Doug Sahm

The Texas Tornado is gone, but not forgotten

North and South

Tranquil Canada flavors San Antonian Doug Sahm's rustic music

Jumping Genres

Internalizing the Blues

More Blues Than You Can Use

Consummate Gentleman

Pete Mayes, Houston blues' premier nice guy, finally gets busy

Young and Stylin'

Earl of Blues

Uncommon Cause

Static

Hot for Sauce

The tart joys of C. Davis Bar-B-Cue can make your brain boogie

Rotation

Home with the Blues

Joe "Guitar" Hughes has never strayed far from the town that gave him his sound

Hot Sounds in the City

The 5th Annual Houston Press Music Awards

A Hard Case of the Blues

Roy Ames and his Home Cooking records have spread the sound of Houston blues around the world. Some local musicians are wondering why he hasn't spread more of the wealth as well.