This Week In The Blues: December 14 – December 20, 2025

HEY BLUES FANS - Here's the latest episode of "This Week In The Blues" for the week of December 14 – December 20, 2025

Some of the highlights include Texas guitarist and ZZ Top founder Billy Gibbons, Chicago blues harmonica player Sugar Blue, and New Orleans piano legend Professor Longhair.

Keep in mind that there's so much more that happened this week in the blues. If you want to know more about these artists or other things that happened this week in the blues, be sure to visit our website or follow our Facebook page:
https://bigtrainblues.com
https://www.facebook.com/BigTrainBlues

Photo credits (if known) and past episodes are posted on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@BigTrainBlues

Here are links to a few of the artists or songs we've referenced in this week's episode:

Professor Longhair & The Meters - "Tipitina" - https://youtu.be/Yj6AXu7_psY?si=OYgcUVr1wJS64SQO

Billy Gibbons Talks About Texas Culture | The Big Interview with Dan Rather - https://youtu.be/XtLL3QBnnEA?si=S-LDnRJ8zyAhmYKX

Join me every weekday from 12:15pm-12:45pm CT to watch a live stream on Facebook of the longest running blues radio show program. https://www.facebook.com/DeltaCulturalCenter

We’ll have a new episode next week – we’ll see you then!

ARE YOU A FAN OF BLUES HISTORY? US TOO!

If you want to know more about these artists or other things that happened this week in the blues, be sure to visit our website or follow our Facebook page:

https://bigtrainblues.com

https://www.facebook.com/BigTrainBlues

Transcript

Terry Adail, born December 14, 1921, was a blues harmonica player best known as Doc Terry. He started playing harmonica at age twelve and never stopped. He was inspired by Sonny Boy Williamson, who he heard playing at country picnics around Greenville, Mississippi. Over the years, Doc Terry performed with major blues artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Yank Rachell, and Henry Townsend, always playing with deep Mississippi feeling.

Golden “Big” Wheeler was born December 15, 1929. He was a Chicago blues singer, harmonica player, and songwriter. He released only two albums, Damn Good Mojo and Bone Orchard, but both became blues favorites. Wheeler was born in Baconton, Georgia, and moved to Chicago in 1954, where he became close friends with Little Walter. By 1956, he had his own band, though he kept working as an auto mechanic since the blues didn’t always cover the bills.

Andrew “Big Voice” Odom was born December 15, 1936. Known for his strong, smooth singing, he was often compared to Bobby Bland and B.B. King. Born in Denham Springs, Louisiana, he first sang in church, then moved to St. Louis in 1955, working with Albert King and Johnny Williams. Five years later, he moved to Chicago and became a regular part of the city’s blues scene until his death in 1991.

John Hammond, born December 15, 1910, was a record producer, civil rights activist, and music critic. As a talent scout, he became one of the most important figures in modern music. He helped discover or promote artists like Charlie Christian, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Big Joe Turner, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Mike Bloomfield. He also helped bring new attention to Robert Johnson’s music.

Billy Gibbons, born December 16, 1949, in Houston, Texas, became famous as the guitarist for ZZ Top. After seeing Elvis Presley on TV, he became obsessed with music. He soon discovered Little Richard, Jimmy Reed, and the blues, and formed his first band at age fourteen. His early group, The Moving Sidewalks, opened for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In 1969, he formed ZZ Top, a Texas band that became known worldwide for its blues-rock sound.

Chicago blues harmonica player Sugar Blue was also born December 16, 1949. His real name is James Joshua Whiting. He started out recording with Johnny Shines and Roosevelt Sykes, then moved to Paris after advice from Memphis Slim. While performing on the street, he was discovered by Mick Jagger, which led to him recording with the Rolling Stones on Some Girls and Emotional Rescue.

On December 17, 1930, Lucille Bogan recorded “Black Angel Blues.” The song went on to be recorded by many blues artists, including Tampa Red, Robert Nighthawk, and Earl Hooker. In 1956, B.B. King turned it into “Sweet Little Angel,” a version that became a hit on the Billboard R&B chart.

Chicago harmonica player Paul Butterfield was born December 17, 1942. He became the first white harmonica player to gain major respect from Chicago’s blues legends. He often jammed with Muddy Waters and other top musicians who encouraged him. In 1963, he formed the Paul Butterfield Blues Band with guitarist Elvin Bishop. The group helped connect blues to the growing rock scene and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

Blues guitarist and singer Clarence “Pee Wee” Crayton was born December 18, 1914. He is believed to be the first blues musician to play a Fender Stratocaster, given to him by Leo Fender himself. His 1948 hit “Blues After Hours” reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart. His clean tone and smooth style influenced many guitarists, and he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2019.

Lonnie Brooks, born December 18, 1933, was a powerful guitarist known for mixing Louisiana and Chicago blues styles. Born Lee Baker, he first performed as “Guitar Junior,” but changed his name after discovering another musician already used that title. As Lonnie Brooks, he became a major figure in modern blues.

Saxophonist Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson was born December 18, 1917. He was a master of jump blues, jazz, and R&B. His nickname came after a hair-straightening accident left him bald, and he decided to keep the look. His sax playing became an important influence on postwar blues and bebop.

Peg Leg Sam was born December 18, 1911. He was a harmonica player, singer, and medicine show performer known for his lively personality. After losing his leg while hopping trains in 1930, he carved himself a wooden replacement and kept traveling. He performed in medicine shows into the 1970s and continued playing music festivals later in life.

December 19, 1918 is the birthdate of New Orleans piano legend Professor Longhair. He was born Henry Byrd in Bogalusa, Louisiana. Here’s a cool little tidbit. He learned to play on a broken piano missing several keys, and this helped shape his unique rhythm and playing style. He spent his youth on Bourbon Street dancing for tips, then started performing in 1948. His mix of rumba, mambo, and calypso helped define the New Orleans sound.

Blues musician Walter Roland was probably born December 20, 1902. He was from Ralph, Alabama, and was known for playing piano, guitar, and singing. Between 1933 and 1935, he recorded about fifty songs in New York for Banner Records. He worked with artists like Lucille Bogan, Josh White, and Sonny Scott, and his energetic style helped shape early piano blues.

Well blues fans, we just covered some of the highlights here. If you want to know more about these artists or other things that happened this week in the blues, be sure to follow our social media pages or visit our website at Big Train Blues.com. We’ll have a new episode next week and we’ll talk about the blues guitarist who called himself the “Devil’s Son-in-Law,”,  Peetie Wheatstraw, and Sonny Boy Nelson, who was one of the last true links to the early blues. It’s going to be a great show, so…we’ll see you then!