This Week In The Blues: February 22 - February 28, 2026

HEY BLUES FANS

Here's the latest episode of "This Week In The Blues" for the week of February 22 - February 28, 2026.

Some of the highlights include Texas blues legend Johnny Winter, Ida Cox, known as “The Uncrowned Queen of the Blues,” and the founder and original creative force behind the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones.

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:

Johnny Winter - "Be Careful With A Fool" - https://youtu.be/8Tyg5SJDpiQ?si=jwpqAROKHiqgucDY

Ida Cox - "Four Day Creep" - https://youtu.be/ZyUFxp1zDRk?si=uy15VRkWQoOsvsm0

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

Blues guitarist Texas Johnny Brown was born February 22, 1928. This guitarist and songwriter’s elegant, jazz-influenced style anchored the Houston blues scene. Though Mississippi-born, his career in Houston earned his nickname. He wrote “Two Steps from the Blues,” later the title track of Bobby Bland’s classic 1961 album. Brown also worked with Amos Milburn and Lightnin’ Hopkins. A Duke and Peacock Records sideman, Brown helped shape blues-soul guitar. He returned to recording in the late 1990s and in 2001 he received Houston’s Blues Artist of the Year. In 2011, his birthplace was commemorated with a Mississippi Blues Trail marker.

Texas blues legend Johnny Winter was born February 23, 1944, and became one of the most electrifying blues-rock guitarists of his era. Rising in the late 1960s, he earned acclaim for his fiery albums and live shows. He also produced three Grammy-winning records for Muddy Waters. Winter received multiple Grammy nominations and won posthumously for “Step Back” in 2015. Inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1988, he remained active until his death near Zürich, Switzerland, on July 16, 2014, leaving an iconic blues legacy.

Blues musician Driftin’ Slim was born on February 24, 1919, in Keo, Arkansas. His real name was Elmon Mickle and this blues singer, guitarist, and harmonica player was known for his raw one-man-band style. Influenced by Sonny Boy Williamson II, he worked the juke joint circuit and recorded under several names for multiple labels. Moving to Los Angeles in 1957, he combined guitar, harmonica, and foot drums into a solo act. Rediscovered during the 1960s folk-blues revival, Slim retired due to illness and died in Los Angeles on September 15, 1977.

Heather Crosse was born February 25, 1974 and is a blues bassist, singer, and songwriter closely associated with Clarksdale, Mississippi. Leader of Heavy Suga’ & The SweeTones, she became a regular presence at Ground Zero Blues Club and major regional festivals. Originally from Louisiana, Crosse moved to Clarksdale to immerse herself in Delta blues, blending classic blues with deep soul influences inspired by Etta James, Koko Taylor, and Big Mama Thornton. Her solo album Groovin’ At The Crosse Roads expanded her international profile, and she continues to carry Mississippi blues traditions forward through performance and songwriting.

Ida Cox, known as “The Uncrowned Queen of the Blues,” was born on February 26, either in 1888 or 1896. A major figure of the classic female blues era, she recorded 78 titles for the Paramount label between 1923 and 1929. Her career slowed during the Great Depression but revived with a 1939 Carnegie Hall appearance. Forced into retirement after a 1945 stroke, she returned briefly to record Blues for Rampart Street in 1961. Cox died of cancer on November 10, 1967, leaving a lasting blues legacy.

Delta-born guitarist and singer Jimmy Burns was born February 27, 1943, in Dublin, Mississippi. Raised on a cotton plantation, he learned guitar early, sang in church, and absorbed blues from jukes and street corners before building his career in Chicago. After early work in doo-wop and soul, his 1972 single “I Really Love You” became a Northern soul classic. Burns returned to prominence in the 1990s with Delmark Records, earning major awards and acclaim. Blending Delta roots with Chicago soul, he remains a vital modern blues master.

Brian Jones was born February 28, 1942 and was the founder and original creative force behind the Rolling Stones. He shaped the band as a British blues outfit rooted in American blues traditions. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, he expanded the group’s sound beyond guitar, adding distinctive textures to many classic recordings. As Mick Jagger and Keith Richards assumed control of songwriting and direction, Jones’s role diminished amid struggles with substance abuse. He was dismissed from the band in June 1969 and died on July 3, 1969, at age 27. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

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 just go out and visit our website at Big Train Blues.com. We’ll have a new episode next week and we’ll talk about Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher and the day Bukka White recorded “Parchman Farm Blues.”  It’s going to be a great show, so…we’ll see you then!