This Week In The Blues: March 15 - March 21, 2026

HEY BLUES FANS

Here's the latest episode of "This Week In The Blues" for the week of March 15 - March 21, 2026.

Some of the highlights include Texas blues guitarist and singer “Lightnin’” Hopkins, Chicago blues pianist Lovie Lee, and the Godmother of Rock and Roll Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

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:

“Lightnin’” Hopkins - "Baby, Please Don't Go" (Live) - https://youtu.be/lK5zYI86wIw?si=NgHmgNG-dfcU36rP

Sister Rosetta Tharpe- "Didn't It Rain?" Live - https://youtu.be/Y9a49oFalZE?si=scLnruvki8Qn4C4w

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

“Lightnin’” Hopkins was born March 15, 1912, in Centerville, Texas. He was a towering Texas blues guitarist and singer. He met Blind Lemon Jefferson as a child and learned from his cousin Texas Alexander, shaping a highly personal style. Known for his free, conversational phrasing, Hopkins often played bass, rhythm, lead, and percussion simultaneously in a solo setting. Though rooted in 12-bar blues, his loose structure and raw delivery made him one of the most distinctive voices in country and electric blues.

Son Bonds was born March 16, 1909, in Brownsville, Tennessee. This country blues guitarist and singer’s recordings helped define West Tennessee blues. Closely associated with Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon, Bonds favored a rhythmic, storytelling guitar style. His 1934 song “Back and Side Blues” became a blues standard later adapted as “Good Morning, School Girl.” Though his career was brief, ending with his death in 1947, Bonds left a lasting influence on the Brownsville blues tradition.

Chicago blues pianist Lovie Lee was born March 17, 1909, and is best known for his tenure with Muddy Waters. Raised in Mississippi, he built a quiet reputation as a mentor and accompanist, helping guide Carey Bell and later playing a key role in Chicago clubs. In 1979 he joined Muddy Waters’s band, anchoring it with traditional piano until Waters’s death. Though never a flashy solo artist, Lee’s influence on Chicago blues remains profound.

Willie King was born March 18, 1943, in Prairie Point, Mississippi. This powerful rural blues voice was shaped by poverty, civil rights activism, and life in the Deep South. He called his music “struggling blues,” and he wrote socially conscious songs rooted in lived experience. King founded the Rural Members Association and the Freedom Creek Blues Festival, strengthening grassroots culture. Though he recorded late, his albums earned wide acclaim. He died March 14, 2009, remembered as a juke-joint legend and community builder.

Clarence “Frogman” Henry was born March 19, 1937 in New Orleans. He became a distinctive R&B singer and pianist known for his croaking vocal style, hence his nickname. He broke through in 1956 with the novelty hit “Ain’t Got No Home,” followed by later successes like “But I Do.” Henry toured widely, including opening for The Beatles in 1964, and remained a beloved New Orleans performer for decades. He was honored by the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe was born March 20, 1915 in Cotton Plant, Arkansas and was revered as the Godmother of Rock and Roll. She was a groundbreaking guitarist and singer who fused gospel with blues, R&B, and early rock and roll. A pop-gospel pioneer, she brought sacred music to mainstream audiences with electrified guitar and driving rhythm. Her influence reached artists from Little Richard and Chuck Berry to Eric Clapton. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. She passed away on October 9, 1973.

Son House was likely born March 21, 1902, although some sources differ. This pioneering Mississippi Delta blues singer and slide guitarist had a raw intensity that shaped the blues tradition. A former preacher, he brought gospel fervor to songs like “Preachin’ the Blues” and “Walkin’ Blues,” recorded in 1930. Though initially overlooked, his style deeply influenced Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. Rediscovered during the 1960s blues revival, House returned to performing before his death on October 19, 1988, leaving a towering musical legacy.

Alright blues fans, that’s just a taste of the history we covered today. If you want the full story, jump over to Big Train Blues dot com and dig into the archives, or follow us on social media and keep the blues rolling all week long. We’ll be back next week with another round of legends, stories, and deep-cut blues history. Until then, keep that blues train moving down the line, and we’ll see you at the next stop.