Real Conversations and Oral History from the Blues Community

Singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Erin McCallum, has been delivering her brand of Blues for over 20 years. Best known for her unmistakable contralto voice, McCallum’s name has been on the marquee at countless national and international festivals and events, and the list continues to grow. With five all-original albums to her name, McCallum has received recognition (Maple Blues Award nominat...

What if one song in your teens could change the whole direction of your life? Seattle guitarist Jon Clemence holds a master’s degree in biblical studies and runs a publishing firm by day — yet the blues remain his lifelong compass. On Talking Blues , Jon shares how a single spark ignited his journey and why the music still shapes his path today. Stream it now on the Talking Blues Podcast . Connect...

Malta isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think “Blues capital of the world.” No, rather, it’s a sun-baked speck in the middle of the Mediterranean — three main islands, stone alleys, and centuries of history crammed into 316 square kilometers. But if you know where to look, the blues have a way of finding you, even here. And sometimes, it comes roaring back out — louder, tighter, an...

Some musicians survive the blues. Others elevate it. Ira Walker was shaped by a world where thought, art, and sound mattered—a home where classical compositions weren’t background noise, they were conversation. Where intelligence wasn’t just valued, it was expected. And yet, somewhere between the string section and the silence, a different rhythm called out. It wasn’t rebellion—it was recognition....

Mark Hunt’s Story in Wood, Wire, and Willpower Some musicians write songs. Some build guitars. Mark Hunt does both. Raised in rural Eastern Ontario, Mark is a self-taught guitarist, songwriter, and builder who’s carved out a life in music one honest note at a time. Whether he’s crafting unique, custom guitars from reclaimed materials or pouring his heart into his own blend of blues, rock, and Amer...

The Guy from Verdun Who Got Your Foot Tapping—Part Two If you thought Part One hit hard, wait till you hear where we go next. In this episode, Jerry Mercer pulls back the curtain on a life lived loud—from the raw magic of that first jam with Myles Goodwyn to the birth of the second coming of April Wine. He talks about the spark behind Electric Jewels , the real deal on the Attitude Tour of ’93, an...

🎙️ Still Keeping Time: Jerry Mercer’s Lifelong Groove What does an 86-year-old rock legend do after decades behind the kit? If you’re Jerry Mercer, you pick up the bass—not to teach, but to learn. To stay curious. To keep growing. And maybe, to find a little peace in the groove. In this episode, Jerry reflects on a lifetime in rhythm—from his early days in Newfoundland to the sweaty R&B clubs...

Some people talk about the blues. Others grow up learning how to express it—quietly, patiently, and on time. DeShaun Jones is a music event and industry professional whose story begins in the province of Ontario, where his grandfather played guitar in rural churches and he learned to keep time on the drums. That’s where he first discovered the language of the blues—not just as music, but as expres...

🎤 Danny Boy Phelan – Carrying the Flame of Front-Porch Blues Some players chase the blues. Danny Boy Phelan seems to have been born with it stitched into his soul. A gentle old soul from St. Catharines, Ontario, Danny channels the ghosts of the Delta with a rawness that’s hard to fake and harder to forget. His voice carries dust, hope, and history in equal measure—and his command of banjo, harmon...

Vince Lee: Blues Roots, British Grit Vince Lee didn’t wake up one day with a slide and a following. He built it—over decades, one gig, one guitar, one groove at a time. Before leading bands like The Big Combo and The Wildcards, he was grinding it out in working bands, soaking up everything he could from older players and long nights on stage. We talk about those early days, the gear he’s picked up...

Adam Gussow – Blues Harmonica, Books & The Meaning of It All Adam Gussow didn’t just play the blues—he lived it on the streets of Harlem, side by side with the late Mister Satan. That legendary partnership shaped not just his music but his life’s work. These days, he’s a harmonica master, a blues scholar, and a full professor down at Ole Miss. In this episode, we get into the whole journey, fr...

His landmark work is Up Jumped the Devil: The Real Life of Robert Johnson , co-authored with Gayle Dean Wardlow. The result of over 50 years of chasing documents, recordings and oral histories, it destroys the crossroads myth and brings us a more complex, brilliant—and human—Robert Johnson In this engaging conversation, Bruce Conforth, a lifelong bluesman and ethnomusicologist, shares his journey...

Raw Chicago Blues from a man who lived it—and never left it behind. What do you call a guitarist who stood beside Muddy Waters for seven years, played The Last Waltz , and still sounds like he’s got the South Side of Chicago running through his cables? You call him Bob Margolin . The blues world calls him Steady Rollin’ —a name he’s more than earned. Bob doesn’t just carry the tradition—he embodie...