This Week In The Blues: July 5 - July 11, 2026

HEY BLUES FANS

Here's the latest episode of "This Week In The Blues" for the week of July 5 - July 11, 2026.

Some of the highlights include blues piano player Pinetop Perkins, an influential figure in Piedmont blues, Blind Boy Fuller, and West Coast blues guitarist Robert "Smokey" Wilson.

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:

Arthur Crudup - "That's All Right" - https://youtu.be/LtHW8wpDjkg?si=Z4Qoega41WSXmWa-

Johnnie Johnson - "Tanqueray" - https://youtu.be/EBDNQcg4WNE?si=43fPnSJ2QoMOOobJ

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

On July 5th, 1954, Elvis Presley recorded the Aurther “Big Boy” Crudup song "That's Alright Mama". The song was written by Crudup, and originally recorded by him in Chicago on September 6, 1946, as "That's All Right". Some of the lyrics are traditional blues verses first recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1926. Crudup's recording was released as a single in 1947 but was less successful than some of his previous recordings. The Elvis version, well, that one started his rise to fame.

On July 6, 1960, Lightnin' Hopkins recorded “Chain Gang Blues,” a song that captured the gritty realism and emotional depth of traditional Texas blues. Known for his improvisational guitar playing and relaxed storytelling style, Hopkins delivered the song with the intimate, stripped-down sound that made him a major figure during the folk and blues revival of the early 1960s. The recording reflected themes of prison labor and hardship common in Southern blues traditions while showcasing Hopkins’ rhythmic guitar work and deeply expressive vocals.

Born on July 7, 1913, Pinetop Perkins became one of the most respected blues piano players in history. Originally a guitarist, Perkins switched permanently to piano after an encounter with an outraged chorus girl toting a knife left him with severed tendons in his left arm. He performed on the famous King Biscuit Time in Helena, Arkansas, before moving to Chicago and eventually replacing Otis Spann in Muddy Waters’ band. In 2010, his album Joined at the Hip earned Perkins a Grammy, making him the oldest Grammy winner ever at age 97.

Born on July 8, 1924, Johnnie Johnson became one of the most influential pianists in rock and blues history. Leading the Sir John Trio in St. Louis, Johnson’s career changed when guitarist Chuck Berry joined the band on New Year’s Eve 1953. Johnson’s driving boogie-woogie piano became a defining part of Berry’s classic recordings, and many believe he inspired the hit song Johnny B. Goode. Over the years, Johnson also performed and recorded with artists including Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, George Thorogood, and Aerosmith.

Born in Seminole, Oklahoma, on July 9, 1916, Joe Liggins became one of the leading architects of jump blues and early rhythm and blues. After moving to California, he formed Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers and scored a massive hit in 1945 with The Honeydripper, which topped the R&B charts for 18 weeks. Liggins blended blues, jazz, boogie-woogie, and swing into a dance-driven sound that helped shape early rock and roll. He continued performing for decades before dying in California on July 26, 1987, at age 71.

Born on July 10, 1907, Blind Boy Fuller became the most influential figure in Piedmont blues history. Though his recording career lasted only about six years, Fuller produced more than 120 recordings between 1935 and 1941, making him one of the most recorded blues artists of his era. Known for his intricate fingerpicking guitar style and expressive vocals, Fuller helped define the sound of East Coast blues. He also guided fellow musicians into recording studios, helping preserve and expand the legacy of Piedmont blues during the prewar recording era.

West Coast blues guitarist Robert "Smokey" Wilson was born on July 11, 1936 in Glen Allan, Mississippi. He spent most of his career performing West Coast blues and juke joint blues in Los Angeles, California. He recorded a number of albums for record labels such as P-Vine Records, Bullseye Blues and Texmuse Records. His career got off to a late start, with international recognition eluding him until the 1990s.

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!