Join Kelvin Huggins as he dives deep into the tangled roots and resonant echoes of November 25th in blues history.

November 25 isn’t a headline day in blues history—it’s a heartbeat. Three births, two farewells, and a living tradition carried night after night in small rooms and big hearts. We trace Chicago guitar firebrand Jimmy Johnson (1928), piano architect Eddie Boyd (1914), and harmonica sage Jerry Portnoy (1943), alongside the tender remembrance of Fenton Robinson (d. 1997) and the stage-bound final vow of Coco Robicheaux (d. 2011). The music costs something—but what they gave us is priceless.

You’ll hear why the blues doesn’t live in one big moment—it lives in all the small ones. From birthday tributes and museum nights to dive-bar transmissions, this episode places November 25 inside the long arc of authenticity, gospel-rooted feeling, and standards that keep working because they tell the truth. “Five Long Years” still rings; Portnoy’s harmonica still breathes; Johnson’s church-born soul still sings through steel.

Hosted by: Kelvin Huggins

Presented by: The Blues Hotel Collective

Listen Tomorrow for: Another Blues Moment in Time

Keep the blues alive.

© 2025 The Blues Hotel Collective.