Delbert McClinton
8-5-2015
Three-time Grammy winner Delbert McClinton is a legend among Texas Blues/Roots music aficionados, not only for his amazing longevity, but for his ability to combine country, blues, soul, and rock & roll as if there were no distinctions between any of them in the best time-honored Texas tradition. A formidable harmonica player long before he recorded as a singer, McClinton's career began in the late '50s, when he played harmonica on "Hey Baby" a #1 hit by fellow Texan Bruce Channel, yet it took him nearly two decades to evolve into a bona fide solo artist. A critics' darling and favorite of his peers, McClinton has won three Grammy awards to date - one for a duet with Bonnie Raitt (Good Man, Good Woman), and two for the albums, "Nothing Personal" and "Cost of Living."
But he began his career dodging flying bottles and whipping through greasy versions of “Watermelon Man” and “Tequila” behind the strippers on the Jacksboro Highway, the infamous Fort Worth honky-tonk row. And during his 40-plus years he has flirted with bankruptcy, burnout and all the standard issues of substance abuse and familial chaos that come along with a career at the ragged edges of a lifelong road trip. These days Delbert finds himself in the strangest place of all - the mainstream - with respectability, acclaim and even, as one of his CDs was called “Room to Breathe.”
Delbert McClinton is now becoming a household name. And as Willie Nelson said: “It's about time. Delbert's stuck to his guns, he's been so good for a really long time, and he's as good as anyone.”
OPEN: Brian Dunne - Raised in New York, folk rock singer/songwriter Brian Dunne's music has won the attention and praise of many. With his sharp lyrical prowess and country-influenced vocals, Brian has played in the U.S. folk scene far and wide. "A pure, expressive voice and a fondness for lonesome steel guitar" - CMT Edge
Three-time Grammy winner Delbert McClinton is a legend among Texas Blues/Roots music aficionados, not only for his amazing longevity, but for his ability to combine country, blues, soul, and rock & roll as if there were no distinctions between any of them in the best time-honored Texas tradition. A formidable harmonica player long before he recorded as a singer, McClinton's career began in the late '50s, when he played harmonica on "Hey Baby" a #1 hit by fellow Texan Bruce Channel, yet it took him nearly two decades to evolve into a bona fide solo artist. A critics' darling and favorite of his peers, McClinton has won three Grammy awards to date - one for a duet with Bonnie Raitt (Good Man, Good Woman), and two for the albums, "Nothing Personal" and "Cost of Living."
But he began his career dodging flying bottles and whipping through greasy versions of “Watermelon Man” and “Tequila” behind the strippers on the Jacksboro Highway, the infamous Fort Worth honky-tonk row. And during his 40-plus years he has flirted with bankruptcy, burnout and all the standard issues of substance abuse and familial chaos that come along with a career at the ragged edges of a lifelong road trip. These days Delbert finds himself in the strangest place of all - the mainstream - with respectability, acclaim and even, as one of his CDs was called “Room to Breathe.”
Delbert McClinton is now becoming a household name. And as Willie Nelson said: “It's about time. Delbert's stuck to his guns, he's been so good for a really long time, and he's as good as anyone.”
OPEN: Brian Dunne - Raised in New York, folk rock singer/songwriter Brian Dunne's music has won the attention and praise of many. With his sharp lyrical prowess and country-influenced vocals, Brian has played in the U.S. folk scene far and wide. "A pure, expressive voice and a fondness for lonesome steel guitar" - CMT Edge