This Week In The Blues: May 17 - May 23, 2026

HEY BLUES FANS

Here's the latest episode of "This Week In The Blues" for the week of May 17 - May 23, 2026.

Some of the highlights include Blues shouter Big Joe Turner, blues pianist Aaron Pinetop Sparks, and blues guitarist Jimmy Thackery .

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:

Taj Mahal - "Queen Bee" - (Bloody Sunday Sessions) - https://youtu.be/sjTEkhXgu_4?si=Vzn-2WJ84fw_gzuR

Big Joe Turner - "Shake, Rattle & Roll" ( Live 1954 Performance from Rhythm & Blues Revue) - https://youtu.be/YhELpSeeipg?si=wcsIbf8eCZXJbgJJ

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

Taj Mahal was born May 17, 1942 and redefined blues by blending it with global influences. His birth name is Henry Saint Clair Fredericks. He was raised in a musical household, was inspired by worldwide sounds, and he began reshaping acoustic blues in the 1960s. Drawing from African, Caribbean, and other traditions, he treated blues as a living, evolving form. Over a 50-plus-year career, he earned multiple Grammys and collaborated with artists like Los Lobos, Ben Harper, and Keb' Mo'.

Blues shouter Big Joe Turner was born on May 18, 1911.  He was the premier blues shouter of the postwar era, Big Joe Turner’s roar could rattle the very foundation of any gin joint he sang in — and that’s without a microphone. Turner effortlessly spanned boogie-woogie, jump blues, even the first wave of rock & roll, enjoying great success in each genre. Turner was a product of the Kansas City music scene and his career as a performer endured from the 1920s into the 1980s. 

Blues guitar player Jimmy Thackery was born May 19, 1953, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He’s known for his gritty, blue-collar approach and marathon live shows. Thackery was part of the band The Nighthawks for many years, and earned the reputation as one of the hardest-working blues bar bands. By the late ’80s, he was touring and recording under his own name, and finding widespread success on the festival circuit.

Country blues harmonica player, guitarist, and singer Burl “Jaybird” Coleman was born May 20 in Gainesville, Alabama, although the birth year still remains a mystery. He gained regional popularity in the 1920s and 1930s. Largely self-taught, he performed locally before serving in the U.S. Army, where he earned his nickname. He toured with Big Joe Williams and the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and recorded for several labels, though often unpaid. 

Lee “Shot” Williams was born May 21, 1938, in Lexington, Mississippi. He earned his nickname from his sharp style as a child. He moved to Chicago in 1958 and later joined Magic Sam’s band. Williams recorded his first singles in 1962, gaining attention with “Hello Baby” and “I’m Trying.” His 1964 track “Welcome to the Club” became a Chicago hit and was later covered by Little Milton in 1965.

Blues pianist Aaron Pinetop Sparks was born May 22, 1910, in Corona, Mississippi. He earned his nickname from performing Pinetop Smith’s “Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie.” After moving to St. Louis in 1920, he formed a group with his twin brother Marion “Lindberg” Sparks and recorded with his brother beginning in 1932. Their most notable work includes “Every Day I Have the Blues,” which they wrote and recorded in 1935.

Blues pianist Abie “Boogaloo” Ames was born May 23, 1918, in Cruger, Mississippi. He began playing piano at age five and later moved to Detroit, where he led a band and performed at top venues alongside artists like Nat King Cole and Erroll Garner. After Motown’s rise, he returned to Mississippi, working as a piano tuner while performing widely. A mentor to Eden Brent, Ames earned numerous honors before his death on February 4, 2002.

Alright blues fans, that’s just a quick stop on this week’s ride through blues history. If you want to know more about these stories or other things that happened this week in the blues, then head over to BigTrainBlues.com and explore the archives. Better yet, follow us on social media and see every blues history post. We’ll be back next week with more blues stories, legends, and history. Until then, keep the Big Train Blues rolling down the track. See you at the next stop.