This Week In The Blues: May 31 - June 6, 2026

HEY BLUES FANS

Here's the latest episode of "This Week In The Blues" for the week of May 31 - June 6, 2026.

Some of the highlights include Chicago session blues pianist Lafayette Leake, One of today's most respected blues guitarists Tinsley Ellis, and blues guitarist Memphis Minnie.

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:

Tinsley Ellis - Death Letter Blues (Official Video) - https://youtu.be/yj9V_uyTRmk?si=xonlBAKBVfy4DUFp

Lafayette Leake bends notes on the piano - https://youtu.be/h2oDmEb6qfo?si=grbTxnXaSdUNAMSK

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

ALSO - 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

Red Holloway was born May 31, 1927, in Helena, Arkansas. He became a versatile tenor saxophone player after first starting on banjo and harmonica. Based in Chicago, he worked with jazz and blues greats including Dexter Gordon, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, and Aretha Franklin. A sought-after sideman, he toured internationally and recorded widely. Holloway died February 25, 2012, at age 84, leaving a legacy across jazz and rhythm and blues.

Lafayette Leake, born June 1, 1919, was a key Chicago session blues pianist for Chess Records. He played on classics by Chuck Berry, including “Johnny B. Goode,” and backed major artists like Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Buddy Guy, and Koko Taylor. A member of the Chicago Blues All-Stars, he toured and recorded through the 1970s, helping define the sound of postwar electric blues.

Roosevelt Baby Brooks, born June 2, 1905, was an elusive early country blues figure active in the Carolinas. Associated with Baby Tate, he performed in the Carolina Blackbirds and appeared on early radio broadcasts. His style reflected the Piedmont tradition, with melodic fingerpicking distinct from Delta blues. Though little recorded evidence survives and details of his later life remain unclear, Brooks played a role in sustaining regional blues traditions during the interwar years.

Memphis Minnie, born June 3, 1897, as Lizzie Douglas, was one of the most prolific and respected blues artists of her era. Recording around 200 songs, including “Bumble Bee” and “Me and My Chauffeur Blues,” she bridged Southern roots with the Chicago blues scene. She was admired by fans, critics, and peers and earned a reputation as a formidable guitarist, with Big Bill Broonzy praising her as the best woman guitarist he ever heard.

Born June 4, 1957, in Atlanta and raised in South Florida, Tinsley Ellis has become one of modern blues music’s most respected guitarists. He's been praised by Billboard for his consistently outstanding albums and by Rolling Stone for his “feral blues guitar.” Ellis blends fiery fret-board work with deep blues roots inspired by artists like Jimmy Reed and Junior Wells. Ellis is a  relentless touring musician and recording artist, and continues carrying traditional blues into the modern era while delivering powerful live performances that keep audiences coming back for more.

Country blues singer and guitar player Lil McClintock was born on June 5, 1883. Not much is known about McClintock's personal life, before or after he recorded four sides for Columbia Records. Interest in his recordings has been revived over the years, and they are prized by collectors. McClintock was commonly referred to as "Lil"; it has been speculated that this was either an abbreviation of little or a reference to his tall, thin figure.

Blues singer and harmonica player Raful Neal was born June 6, 1936, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Neal became a respected figure in swamp blues and Louisiana blues music. Raised on a tenant farm in West Baton Rouge Parish, Neal began playing harmonica at 14 and later performed with Buddy Guy in a band called the Clouds. He toured internationally and gained wider recognition through appearances on recordings like Tab Benoit’s Live: Swampland Jam. Music ran deep in the Neal family, with nine of his ten children also becoming blues musicians and performing alongside him.

Alright blues fans, 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, we will See you at the next stop!