The Last Music Podcast
The Last Music Podcast
Blues of The Month Club with Malcolm Mills: March 2026 ~ International Women's Day Edition
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Welcome to the March 2026 episode of The Last Music Podcast's "Blues of The Month Series, hosted by Malcolm Mills.
Each month, "Blues of The Month Club" will shine a spotlight on standout tracks from across The Last Music catalogue, with some backstory for good measure.
Today, we're celebrating International Women's day with an episode that features selections from some of the great women we have on the label.
Where to find the tracks featured in the episode:
Pre-order Dan Penn's Smoke Filled Room here: https://lastmusiclink.com/smokefilled
Find Rosie Flores here: https://lastmusiclink.com/simplecase
Find Maria Muldaur here: https://lastmusiclink.com/feelmyleg
and with Bill Kirchen here: https://lastmusiclink.com/properyrs
Find Dr. John with Shemekia Copeland and Bonnie Raitt here: https://lastmusiclink.com/satch
Find The Jimmie Vaughan Story here: https://lastmusiclink.com/jvstory
Find Jimmie Vaughan's The Pleasure's All Mine collection here: https://lastmusiclink.com/jvpleasure
Find Anita Wardell here: https://lastmusiclink.com/noted
Find Ottilie Peterson here: https://lastmusiclink.com/trailblazer
Find Lisa Best here: https://lastmusiclink.com/mustang
Find Hannah White here: https://lastmusiclink.com/sweetrevolution
Brought to you by The Last Music Company, an old school haven for fine music in this mad world.
Come visit us at https://www.lastmusic.co.uk to see what we're up to.
Brought to you by The Last Music Company, an old school haven for fine music in this mad world.
Come visit us at https://www.lastmusic.co.uk to see what we're up to.
This is Malcolm Mills, welcoming you to another closure of the Mother Club. It's no accident that we call such a fine crop of blue artists on the road. In this series, you'll find out how they're all connected in some way, and why the lowest music company is their home. Everything you hear in these podcasts is a track from an aluminum catalogue, which you'll find on our website in the recording tab. Sunday morning is International Women's Day, and today I'm drawing your attention to music made by some of the great women that we're proud to have on the label. I'm gonna start this monthly game of musical stepping stones with Rosie Flores. I met Rosie at a Bill Coaching Gate at the Continental Club in Austin, Texas. She said that she made a blues album, and her record company at the time wasn't particularly interested in it because it wasn't a style of music that the people associated her with. Charlie Singstone was one of the producers, and I called Martin Jenna Calls as well. I had a feeling that this one was right for us, and uh I was bang on. The songs she's picked up for this are all perfect for her, and she was right to have made the album. We released it late in 2019, and I was looking forward to playing the drums on the UK tour book for her. Shortly before she arrived, I saw a problem in my heart, and I told her a pacemaker for it. Reluctantly, I gave up the drum chair. There's a few of Rosie's original songs on this album, and the title track is one of them. So here it is a simple case of the blue.
SPEAKER_03It's no lie, I've tried to open my mind to the thought of someone new. Will I ever be the same? I still get weak at the sound of your name. I'm dazed, I'm crazed, and a little amazed. And I can't trick losers this. I'm confused, cuz you say you love me too, but I don't feel it in your kiss. You whisper words I wanna hear. You keep disappointing, making me cry. I want to believe you, and I ask myself why. I feel like I'm losing it. My heart's blown abuse. This is more than just a simple case of the blue. Got to be strong enough to see the truth and understand that you lie to me, and now I can see you're an evil heart and then gonna throw my life away. Hoping that you'll change before it's too late. You keep disappointing me and making me cry. I won't you believe you and I ask myself why? I feel like I'm losing it. My heart's gonna fuse. This is more than just a simple case of the blue case of the blue.
SPEAKER_07Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_03Case of the blue Yeah, this is more than just a simple Case of the Blue Rosie Florida's there, simple case of the blue.
SPEAKER_01The great picture on the album cover shows Rosie with one of her turquoise electric guitars, and I missed the colour of it for the vinyl design. It looks really, really good. This episode is dedicated to the women of the world. I have to tell you that the album design was done by Shauna and Sarah Dort, a backstage design in Austin. They are Grammy Award-winning designers, and I used them again for the Jimmy Ball album. Baby Plays Come on, and that looks fantastic too. So it was also Bill Curtin who introduced me to Maria Malt. During the proper record years around 2010, I suggested to Bill that we made an album featuring guest appearances with friends of his on the songs that he wanted to do. He came over to the UK with his American band, and we recorded all the backing tracks in our studio. Including Commander Cody, Danny, Nicolas, Paul Carrot, Elvis Costello, and the winner's charge came from people like Maria Montur, Chris O'Connell and Louise Kirchner, and Lisa Best, of course. Let's we forget. Bill says that he wrote Ain't Got Time for the Blues, specifically for Maria for inclusion on this album, mindful of her status as the Queen of the Lost Oasis tribe.
SPEAKER_11And singing all night, trying to bring in some good news. If I can't get my rest, then it's all for the best. Cause it don't leave much time for the blue.
SPEAKER_02I'm out on the town. My dance card is full, but there's a few that I'm gonna have to refuse. Got to exercise care because I ain't got time. Father Blue.
SPEAKER_01I saw Maria when she was touring the UK as the guest vocalist with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Geeks. That was an outstanding band, and you could tell that Maria was in her element. Bill has an encyclopedic knowledge of the blues. Not long after the tour, he phoned me to say that Maria had sent him some demos of a new album that she was working on down in New Orleans. The track was Don't You Feel More Lake. And it was from a whole album of the songs of Blue Louis Parker that she was looking for a home for. Not long after that, I was down in New Orleans again in a girlfriend lunch with Maria and working on a plan to release the record. As you'd expect from her, it's a blue masterclass, and we got a Grammy nomination for it. So here it is.
SPEAKER_02Don't you feel my leg? Don't you feel my leg? Cause if you feel my leg, you might wanna feel my thigh. If you feel my thigh, you gonna go too high, so don't you feel my leg? Don't you buy no rye, baby? Don't you buy no ride? Cause if you get me right, you know I'm gonna get too hot. Get me hot. You're in for a real surprise, so don't you buy me no ride? Well said you take me dancing, buy me just a glass of wine, but I know you got something else on your mind. You said we'd have a ball and have a lovely time. Well, what I got is my mama. Don't you feel my leg? Because if you feel my leg, you just my own trauma. Feel my father. You gonna go to her, so don't you feel my legal? I'm in just a glass of wine. But all you men are all alike, you just got one thing on your mind. You said we'd have a ball and have a perfectly respectable time. Don't you feel my leg? Cause if you feel my leg, you just not wanna sneak up on my thigh. It's gonna get you hot. So don't you feel my leg? Don't you feel my leg? Don't you feel talking about my plump yet oh so firm I mean my little old leg. I told you not to do that, dog.
SPEAKER_01Uh uh I'm gonna stay with the New Orleans connection here. It was my good fortune to have got to know Dr. John from releasing his tribal album. He told me that Louis Armstrong had visited him in a dream and simply said do my music your way. That was the whole fucking dream. Anyway, back to the show. And here is the mighty Shamakia Copeland with Sweet Hunger Trash to prove it.
SPEAKER_14You don't act up too much, ain't got that glamour touch. You trifling lazy, ain't worth a cigarette ash. You just my good for nothing, my sweet hunk of trash. Better check that. You very short on looks. Dumb when it comes to books. You stay full of corn just like a suffer.
SPEAKER_19What do you wanna do for my ring?
SPEAKER_14You just my good for nothing, my sweet hunker trash.
SPEAKER_19Say I worry you for years. That's a ball fly moochin' be. Why you sweat over stole swinging? Hey, working my fingers down to the elbow. I ain't no good for nothing, but I'm still your hunger friend, and I'm not sure. It's all over that. Can I when you keep me, bro? So I can't spend no cash. Yeah, no good for nothing, but I'm still your Uncle Drash.
SPEAKER_14Listen hip pops. You know you lie about to you. I just careless with the truth. How careless can you be? And with all these chicks, you try to make a flash. You're my good for nothin', my sweet hunker trash. Now when you stay out very late, it makes me mad to wait. Why come, baby? Cause you come home too tired to raise just one eyelash. Look out. You just a good for nothin', but you're my sweet hunker trash.
SPEAKER_19Yes, indeed. You better have been know I be your hunker trash forever.
SPEAKER_14Don't give me no flex, I know you're my hunker trash.
SPEAKER_19Yeah, well, if we be on time for school, I be checking it out. And I know that I'm your hunker trash.
SPEAKER_14Yeah, I'm following my own rules, but you still my hunker trash.
SPEAKER_19Yeah, that's the way it is, baby.
SPEAKER_14Too late to turn back now. We stuck with each other.
SPEAKER_19Yeah, you better hurry up and know that's right. We gon' play it on that tonight.
SPEAKER_14If it's all night, it's alright.
SPEAKER_19You better do it. All the fight.
SPEAKER_15You might hunt the trash. I'm gonna hold on to what I got. I got them all three off the trash. Yeah, you might hunt the trash.
SPEAKER_01That was from the Dr. John album Ski That Did That The Spirit of Satch. One of the other duets on the record is with Bonnie Wright. I had the pleasure of releasing a Bonnie Wright album on Proper Records, and seeing her working with Dr. John on this album was a real treat. Many snooty jazz people were dismissive of the massive body of work Louis Armstrong performed on the world stage after his departure from New Orleans. That's their loss, as far as I'm concerned. He had a great way with songs. A favourite of his was I've got the world on a string. And you can hear that Bonnie and Dr. John are having a ball throwing this one around and conjuring up Armstrong's spirit without a shadow of a doubt. So here it is, I've got the world on a string, Bonnie Wright and Dr. John.
SPEAKER_19I got the world on a string. Sittin on a rainbow. Got the string on my fingers. I'm in love.
SPEAKER_05I've got a song that I sing. I can make the rain go anytime I move my finger. Look at me. Oh, can't you see, baby? I'm in love.
SPEAKER_19Life's a beautiful thing. Long is our oldest.
SPEAKER_05I'd be a silly so I'm so if I should ever let it go. I've got the word on a string sitting on the rainbow.
SPEAKER_19Get the string on my finger. What a wear What a lie. I be a silly so it's it's about that you go. Got the world on the string. Sit on the rainbow.
SPEAKER_05Got the string around my finger. What a whirl! What a light. I'm in love.
SPEAKER_19What a world! What a lie! Baby I'm in love. What on a water strength? I got the world on my strength, but I'm strung out on you.
SPEAKER_05Never let me go. I got it never, never don't know what to do with it. Come on over here and I'll show you a couple of things.
SPEAKER_01Yeah! Love it. Bonnie right there. In the previous blues of the month club, I was telling you about Jimmy Vaughn and his collection of blues, palettes, and favorites. I really should be able to, as I said, entitled The Pleasures of All Mine. And he thinks that Jimmy's constantly that there's any library at all. That people know of his existence. I've seen Bonnie Raid and Jimmy play together, and it's one of the songs that I love to get off on. So here it is. The pleasure's all mine. Jimmy Vaughn featuring the great Bonnie Raid in his wonderful Jew.
SPEAKER_12Everybody, who doesn't get the blues? Everybody gets the blues, right? Not everybody can sing it or play it like this guy. He and his brother Stevie Ray are Austin legends. Yes, they are. And they are vital links to the roots of this unique American music style. If you want to hear what the blues sound like in the 21st century, get ready for the one and only Jimmy Vaughn, along with one of my favorite voices of all time, Bonnie Wright.
SPEAKER_10You think I own the walls of my bed?
SPEAKER_05You think I'm happy, you alive But I'm ready, willing and ever loving all the time Cause you don't have to begin for my loving You know the pleasure of mine I go for the little gifts you buy me Oh so sweet and lovin' and kind love I won't so don't deny me Cauld a love like yours is hard of mine You won't ever be for my love a Because it pleases so much Day I go where you send me And I come when you come I want you love not your mommy Your mother can't pop I love it all right Baby I go when you see me You know I come baby when you come I love you fill it baby smile again by my love at all You know what I like that's why I love you Even if you never have a dime You know baby you still are my sweet fine healthy baby And I will love you all the time You're gonna have to beg me for my love man You know the pleasure's all my You don't have to beg me for my love man because the pleasures all my Say the pleasures of mine Pleasures all the time I love Jimmy Vaughn That was Bonnie Wright and Jimmy Vaughn from the Jimmy Vaughn story, and that track was recorded live in Austin 2015.
SPEAKER_01Jimmy's been keeping track alive since he seemed to be playing with a fan of the Sunday in the early 70s. In those early 30s, and then included the storming version of Joe Morris and Shake A Hand. It made a million-selling hit for Farms in 1954, arguably heralding the tournament in the USA. In Lou Ann and Jimmy's hands, the flame is still burning bright. So here it is, shake a hand.
SPEAKER_00So everybody put your hands together all the way from Austin, Texas. It's start time with a Luan button right here, baby.
SPEAKER_01The same year that Faye Adams scored her hit with that song, over here in England, Chris Barber's band with Lonnie Donnegan ignited the Skiffle Croys with their version of Little Belly's Rock Island Lion. And in case you didn't know it, as Chris Barber played the bite on that huge hit record. Got everything going on here as far as we're concerned. Chris's band was one of the few outside of the USA to play the blues. And in 1954, he discovered the singer or leading with New England, and he'd been introduced to the blues of Christians.
SPEAKER_16Nobody knows you when you get out.
SPEAKER_06I mean when you jelly.
SPEAKER_16Without a doubt. No man can use you when you die at all. I mean when you die.
SPEAKER_01That was from a set I did recently called A Trailblazer's Legacy. Four CDs and a great little book. It contains all the lasting evidence that anyone would need to prove that future generations will cry. Released on specific jazz was by Alan Barnes when I had asked him to do his versions of Horace Silver James. The themed idea worked exceptionally well. And so I asked Anita to make a Pluno themed album. We made four albums on the label together with Anita and noted that the Pluto one is still my favorite. Here's her version of moaning from the album. And when she hears that trumpet, I'm like, come on, you check this one out.
SPEAKER_18Every morning by me moanin', cause of all the trouble I see. Like it's a losing gamble to me. Cause I was I got me moanin'. Every evening by me moanin'. I'm alone and crying the blues. I'm so tired of paying these dues. Everybody knows I'm moanin'. Lord, I spend plenty of days and nights alone in my green and I pray, really and truly pray somebody will come. Bring me relief every morning, find me moanin' Cause of all the trouble I see. Life's a losing gamble to me. Cause I'm also got me moanin. Every morning find me moanin'. Just take a trouble that's following me round out. In the morning and in the evening, I cry ow. The truth is, it's just not the way that I thought it would be. But in the pain and the strain of it and who's that it can't no one's there, just the flues now, and that is why I'm crying. Day after day, night after night, it's all the same I didn't wonder if there's ever gonna be just one day. It might only not and I just wanna do anything and I thought to put an end to all my grieving. Well I guess I never learned. Always with the wanna take two steps, and it's one of one step back. Tired. So woa woah woah woah woah woah woah woah woah woah, tired. So sick and tired of baby do. But want to lose. Now I'm gonna wandering, wandering, blumbering, ballowing, blumbering, rumbling, grumbling, wanna do. Oh, oh, who is me? Feelin' so terribly bad that my poor heart is aching, and I don't wanna get up. I can see no letter keep we're gonna swag up. Think about the trouble like I'm starting better. It's a miserable kind of existence when you have to live it all by yourself. The odds could mean that y'all end up on the shelf. That's all you got to show for all your hard work and all of your pain. Everybody thinking about the lack of money that you make. Believe it or not, it is such a joke. It starts me crying and I'm silent. I think about the future now. I can't believe things will get any better now. Only fake and control it anyhow. I keep asking you how If when I know I stop my moanin', I'm all the groaning, all the moanin', it's gotta be my turn to begin the lead. That's why I keep on praying. Life's a losing gamble to me. Every evening find me moanin'. I'm alone and climb the blues. I'm so tired of paying these dues. Everybody knows I'm moanin'. Lord, I spend plenty of days and nights alone in my grief, and I pray, really and truly pray somebody will come and bring me relief every morning find me moanin' Cause of all the trouble I see, life's a losing gamble to me Cause I'm always I got me moanin' Lord. I spend plenty of days and nights alone with my green and I pray really and truly pray I find some relief Yes I pray really and truly pray I find some relief Cause I'm own Anita Wardell.
SPEAKER_01What a voice. Well, unfortunately, Anita suffered a stroke while doing a gig a couple of years back in England and she's had to retire from performing. It was a particularly bad stroke. I went to see her a few times while she was still here, and I'm glad to say that she's recovering and she's recovered sufficiently well to have made it back to Australia where she now lives. Her voice is still intact, she's starting to play the piano again. And you know, I wish her from the bottom of my heart the very best health you can get. She's one hell of a time. I started a specific jazz label in 2004. And around the same time we started out in America with proper American. The main reason for showing the label over there was to provide local support for the public profile that was being related. I was confident that we could run a US based business because I had expected more offered to run the label. And we still get to work together with a lot of energy company. Well you might not know Lisa is a terrific thing. Lisa and her partner Bucky Lindsay had each made an album produced by Dan Penn, which they had privately released on their own label. Unfortunately for Blues fans, most of the CDs have been confined to a cabin in Florida for the last 20 years because the pair didn't really do much to promote them. Well, I'm bringing them blinking into the daylight because I think they're fabulous. They mainly use these as albums as calling cards for songs they had written. And here's Lisa with a great example of one of Bucky Lindsay's co-writes, Hearts Don't Break. Her partner Barkey Lindsay, like I said, already made a record at the same time. And that one was called Black Bailey Blues. The two albums are now available again. Check them out. They contain music played by some of the crime of the muscle shows music scene. Both albums were produced by Dan Penn and recorded by him in his national studio. Well, this edition is all about a celebration of the women on the record label. I really couldn't let it go without talking about the final woman in my life. The one behind the curtain. 2026 is our 50th wedding anniversary. Yeah. Nothing that we've done so far would have been possible without supporting the roller coaster. And she is the love of my life. Unfortunately, she hasn't made any report. She doesn't sing, she's sitting in the other room and I've been watching the telling. But as I'll say, she is fantastic and I couldn't have done it all without her. Back to the music. So I'm gonna close this one out with a track by Hannah White. If you don't know about Hannah, I urge you to make inquiries to find out for yourself. Suffice to say, I've already released plenty of her music because I love it. Hannah isn't really known as a blues artist, but when I heard The Chains of Hours, it immediately brought to mind latter-day Fleawood Mac. And here it is from the album Sweet Revolution.
SPEAKER_17These are all ways where you walk in and look at all ways are where we all be given. And that's another logo for me. Father back on a point of view is a game as old as lovers. And another dog host on me. And still I'm in history. Fall and back on a point of the game is a wood is lovers off.
SPEAKER_07These lovers are nothing new.
SPEAKER_01That was Hannah White with Chains of Hours from the album Sweet Revolution. Well, that's it. I'll be bringing you another one of these. Next month. So if you like it, tell your pals. You know where to find it now. There's no excuse. You don't get too fed up with this deep South London twang. Bye bye.
SPEAKER_09It's the first of the month. It's about that time. Step out to the mailbox, knowing what I'll find. There'd be a note from the landlord saying I'm overdue. And a bill from the doctor, but I still got the flu. There's always electric, water and case. I can tell that my paycheck just ain't gonna last. One thing I'm sure of it would do the paid up. Have my memory good standing.
SPEAKER_08Have the blues of the month Got a letter this morning from my first ex-wife.
SPEAKER_09I ain't enough money to get her out of my life. I'm the woman I'm loving. She's doing me wrong. Our June wedding, she says, has been postponed. Now that same sad story I heard laugh made. I don't understand why she treats me this way. One thing I'm sure of if my dues are paid up. I'ma member in good standing of the blues of the month. Just as I expected it was no say, the only thing I'm sure of is my dues are paid up, and I member in good standing of the blues of the month club. February would be fine if I had my Valentine. March, April, May and June. Something better happen soon. July, August, and September. Not one good day I remember. I'm glad to see October over. But then again, here's Thanksgiving. I'm just thankful I'm still living. Looking for some Christmas cheer. Trying to smile through all these tears. Oh, January's back again. Guess these blues won't ever talk about the blues of the book.