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Delbert McClinton

There's an old adage, especially for blues singers, that when the women start coming to your shows the men will follow, and Delbert McClinton is its epitome. Born in Lubbock in 1940 and raised in the rowdy honky-tonk/R&B cauldrons of Fort Worth, McClinton has carved out one of the most successful, if understated, careers in the music business. McClinton's initial flash of stardom passed long before music videos crowded the airwaves, but he just kept doing his thing, building his audience one show or album (like this year's Acquired Taste) at a time. Whether it's blue-eyed soul of the Bobby Blue Bland variety, ripping R&B or that Texas hybrid redneck-country thing, McClinton is a master. And with a monster touring band that has been together for years — sax man Don Wise, keyboardist Kevin McKendree, guitar whiz Rob McNelly — he still brings the goods night after night, the consummate pro.
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William Michael Smith