This Week In The Blues: May 3 - May 9, 2026

HEY BLUES FANS

Here's the latest episode of "This Week In The Blues" for the week of May 3 - May 9, 2026.

Some of the highlights include the day Muddy Waters recorded “Baby Please Don’t Go”, blues guitarist Bumble Bee Slim, and blues legend Robert Johnson.

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:

Muddy Waters - "Baby Please Don't Go" - (ChicagoFest 1981) - https://youtu.be/838Ka13qjAk?si=2Jq2kdYmz5n3kaFR

Robert Johnson - "Crossroad" - https://youtu.be/Yd60nI4sa9A?si=sdJqjnfC8c-VsMmA

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

ALSO - Consider joining the Blues Society of Oklahoma and helping them continue their mission - https://bluessocietyoklahoma.com/membership/

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

Bobby “Blues” Ray was born May 3, 1946, in Crossett, Arkansas. He built a strong blues career in Sacramento, blending gospel roots with deep blues emotion. Performing professionally by age sixteen, he gained recognition across Northern California. A 1972 show with B.B. King and Bobby "Blue" Bland earned him the nickname “Blues Knight of the West Coast.” He later recorded and performed widely, supporting local music programs. Ray died February 9, 2024, leaving a lasting regional legacy.

On May 4, 1953, Muddy Waters recorded “Baby Please Don’t Go” for Chess Records, backed by Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Elgin Evans, and Big Crawford. The track took a Delta blues standard and turned it into a powerful electric Chicago blues recording. The track showcased a full-band sound that helped define the genre and influenced generations of musicians.

Born May 5, 1898, Blind Willie McTell was a distinctive Piedmont blues guitarist known for fluid, syncopated fingerstyle playing. Blind from childhood, he stood apart by favoring a twelve-string guitar and incorporating slide techniques uncommon in ragtime blues. Though he never had a major hit, McTell recorded extensively in the 1920s and 1930s under various names, leaving a lasting influence on blues guitar tradition.

Duncan, Mississippi native Eddie Campbell was born May 6, 1939. He became a key Chicago blues figure after learning from legends like Muddy Waters and Otis Rush. He worked with major artists, joined Willie Dixon’s Blues All-Stars, and toured internationally. His later album Spider Eating Preacher earned award recognition. After a 2013 stroke ended his career, Campbell died November 20, 2018, leaving a lasting Chicago blues legacy.

Blues guitarist Bumble Bee Slim was born May 7, 1905. His real name? That was Admirl Amos Easton. He blended Piedmont and urban blues styles. After a stint with the Ringling Brothers Circus – yes, the circus - he settled in Indianapolis. There he connected with Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell. He moved to Chicago in 1931, and began recording. He scored a hit with “B&O Blues,” helping spark a wave of railroad-themed blues songs.

Blues legend Robert Johnson was born May 8, 1911, and became one of the most influential blues artists, despite a recording career lasting just seven months in 1936 and 1937. A master of Delta blues, his work shaped generations of musicians. His life is surrounded by legend, including the famous crossroads story, adding mystique to a legacy that continues to define the blues.

Blues guitarist Steady rolling Bob Margolin was born May 9, 1949. He is a respected electric blues guitarist best known for playing with Muddy Waters from 1973 to 1980. Beyond that role, he built a strong solo career recording for multiple labels and his own imprint. Margolin also serves as Musical Director for the Pinetop Perkins Foundation workshop in Clarksdale, helping pass the blues tradition to new generations.

Alright blues fans, that’s just a quick stop on this week’s ride through blues history. If you want more, then head over to BigTrainBlues.com and explore the archives, or follow us on social media to keep the blues rolling all week long. We’ll be back next week with more legends, history, and blues stories. Until then, keep the Big Train Blues rolling down the track. See you at the next stop.