GEORGE THOROGOOD and BUDDY GUY

08/01/08: I mentioned in my last post that I was unable to stay for The Alarm's show last week because I had to fly – OK, crawl thru L.A. traffic – across town for a cocktail party. I was invited by Gene and Zarah, two very cool folks I've had the pleasure of meeting recently, and friends I'm sure you'll be hearing much more about in the months and - hopefully – years to come. Well, this morning began with me heading to Gene and Zarah's house to record Zarah setting up an interview piece by Bono – YES, that BONO – I'm inserting into a 2-hour U2 special called B In Tune with U2 @ 30. Again, you'll be hearing MUCH more about that soon. Following our voice session, Zarah, who happens to have a Melissa Etheridge-meets-Robert Plant singing voice, asked me to listen to 3 new songs she's recorded for her upcoming debut album. Gene and Zarah asked me to recommend a few possible producers to help Zarah whip her songs into shape and I've already started my search. At the top of my wish list is Marti Frederiksen, a producer/songwriter/musician who's already worked with a few artists you may have heard of: Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Mick Jagger, just to name a few.

After leaving Gene and Zarah's, I raced back home to complete my daily work, writing not one, not two, but three national music news columns, before meeting up with my sister, Patty, for the George Thorogood and Buddy Guy concert at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. I have to tell you, sometimes – many times – I feel like angels surround me. The unbelievably exciting, incredibly satisfying, absolutely amazing things that happen around me often leave me wondering, "Why am I so blessed." I'll give you a tiny capsule of the night, spotlighting highlights, then let you read my post-concert review, so you get a flavor for how blessed I am. Here's the thing: Buddy Guy actually played his guitar FOR – AT – TO – my sister, Patty. Hopefully, Cindy's been able to place visual evidence of what I'm talking about here for you guys to see. But the bottom line is: there were about 7,000 people at the Greek tonight, and Buddy Guy, the legendary bluesman, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, stopped and played and sang for my sister…at her seat!!

Oh, and by the way, after the show, I got a chance to go backstage and say hello to George, snap a picture and have him turn to his wife and say, "Honey, Jim here is the Billy Graham of rock and roll! He's been spreading the word for years!" Life is good!

GREEK SERVES UP TRIPLE SHOT OF BLUES JUICE!
Thankfully for music lovers everywhere, George Thorogood is yet to get a real job. At Friday night's "rock and roll hootenanny" (George's words, not mine) at the open air Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Thorogood and the Destroyers were joined by the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bluesman Buddy Guy and blues rock mainstay Elvin Bishop for a night of blues, booze and stars onstage, in the aisles and in the California skies above. If Elvin is the well, bishop of blues-rock and Buddy the guy on electric guitar, then Thorogood is their disciple, the proverbial modern day Billy Graham of rock and roll, if you will, spreading the word, the F-word…FUN! Following Guy – who not only had fans dancing in the aisles, he literally danced with fans in the aisles – Thorogood and the Destroyers ripped through hit after hit after hit, starting with the oh-so appropriate "Rock Party," and not taking the pedal off the metal until they had the crowd dancing in the aisles with a high voltage version of the Chuck Berry gem "Back In the U.S.A." Belly up to the bar, order one bourbon, one scotch or one beer and drink in this tour serving up triple shots of blues; go to www.georgethorogood.com for info.

There you have it, a Friday night in Hollywood with George Thorogood, Buddy Guy and Elvin Bishop. Sounds like a "Rock Party" to me. How about you?!

Peace
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