It is our 100th episode at Time Signatures, and you cannot celebrate a landmark episode without a legendary Bluesman, like Billy Branch. Billy came up in Chicago, learning harp skills in all of the local clubs, battling with the likes of James Cotton, Willie Dixon, Carey Bell, and others. Billy joins Erv to talk about all of that, plus his first recorded single with Willie Dixon and the Chicago Blues Allstars, his longstanding Blues in the Schools work (some 46 years!), forming the Sons of Blues and playing as the first band to play at the legendary Rosa's Lounge. In addition to all of that, Billy is about to celebrate the release of his new album, the first on the Rosa's Lounge Record label, and he recently was named as a recipient of the prestigious Taproot Fellowship for his lifelong work in the Blues. This is a wonderful episode you do not want to miss, as it is full of great stories, and Billy is just an amazing guest, and Blues Ambassador. Enjoy!

Rosa's Lounge Records: https://rosaslounge-records.com/

Taproot Fellowship: https://taproot.actaonline.org/fellow/billy-branch/

Website: https://www.billybranch.com/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillyBranchMusic

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5cUazMvxcAPELFif0BGn2t?si=YaluP4-sR8i7bZ_OKdL1CQ

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Y1KhczoDrp2T8UcfmcMJQ

_________________________

Facebook: Time Signatures

YouTube: Time Signatures

Facebook: Capital Area Blues Society

Website: Capital Area Blues Society

Friends of Time Signatures _______

Website: University of Mississippi Libraries Blues Archive

Website: Killer Blues Headstone Project

Website: Blues Society Radio Network

Website: Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation

This is Time Signatures with Jim Ervin, a podcast and radio program presented by the Capital Area Blues Society in Lansing, Michigan. Most any contemporary musical style can trace its roots back to the blues.

Time Signatures explores the blues and its musical connections with captivating interviews, lively discussions and news from the world of the blues. And now here he is, your host, Jim Ervin.

Well, thank you, Parker. I'm your host, Jim Ervin and this is Time Signatures. You know, I never get tired of shows like we're having here today.

Our guest was born in North Chicago at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital and got his start in music at the tender age of 10 when he purchased his first harmonica and at a Los Angeles Woolworth store. It's been said that following this purchase he was never seen without his harmonica.

And he has spent decades providing education to younger aspiring musicians in the Blues in the Schools program.

He is currently celebrating a brand new group of singles that are being released in advance of his new album which is slated for release in November on the Shiny New Roses record Roses Lounge record label. And there he is. There's a really cool story there as well.

And if that weren't enough, he and his lovely wife Rosa are celebrating the the recent addition of a grandchild to the fold. Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pride to welcome Billy Branch to Time Signatures. And this is our 100th episode. How are you? Welcome.

I'm doing great, Jim. Thank you. Thank you so much.

And how's that grandbaby doing?

Oh, baby is beautiful, you know, like, where did I see it? Somebody said if they knew how much fun grandchildren were, they would have had them first.

Amen to that, man. I understand completely. Now, I promise you we're going to talk more about your new album on this hot new record label.

But I'd like to, I'd like to talk about a couple of other things and I'd be remiss if I didn't collect a few stories from you. Billy. Let's start with your earliest memories of music. Would you do that for me please?

Well, as you stated, actually you know, I was the, the technically the hospital that I was born at was in North Chicago.

But you know, basically I, I'm a Chicago native because that's where we lived before I moved to Los angeles at about 5 and I grew up there until I returned here to pursue my studies at University of Illinois, which you also stated.

But growing up, you know, I listened to what was on the radio in la and we'd hear everything from the Beach Boys to James Brown to the Doors, that Jimi Hendrix to all Motown, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder. And I didn't have a very discriminate ear. I listened to everything and I still do. I don't discriminate.

You know, a lot of people think, well you're blues guy, you know, you just listen to blues. Well, that's not true.

And I can state that on behalf of a lot of the other musicians because as you know, blues was never really played consistently on the radio.

Right.

And even some of your legendary blues greats will testify that they came up, you know, from the south, listening to a lot of country western because that's what largely populated the airwaves. So I came up, you know, typical teenager listening to what was on the radio, the R and B stations and the, the pop stations as well.

And you know, I, I think that it has something to do with that era because I grew up much the same as you. You didn't have those genres on each radio station. They were kind of molded in together and, and just a top 40 blend if you will, pretty much.

But you know, of course you had the black radio stations which played primary, primarily the, the black artist and then the so called white radio stations which you know, played more of the white artists. But there was some crossover, there was some blending. Yes, back in those days as well.

Billy, I want to hear about that first harmonica that you purchased at the age of 10. Rumor has it you were never seen without it. And, and it was just one of those things that just became a part of your Persona as you were growing up.

Well, I walked into a Woolworths five and dime store, saw the shiny harmonica in a glass case. Never heard anyone play one live before, never saw anyone play one live. But a little voice spoke to me and said I could play that.

So I Asked the clerk how much it was, he said, a dollar. I happen to have a dollar. And as soon as I put it in my mouth, I could play any folk melody or Christmas carol I could think of right immediately.

Then it turns out just fairly well within the last few decades.

That turns out my great grandfather, who was an escaped slave from the Underground Railroad from Missouri and ended up in Coyne, Iowa, he also played harmonica. Yeah. And. But to this day, I always have a harmonica with me. At least I try to. It's very, very rare that.

But I keep one with me because I find in the least likely of circumstances I'll be called on to play. I might be going through the airport. You know how sometimes they have live music in the airport?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

I was playing the blues. I'll say, what key are you in, man? I'll pull out my harp, I'll join them. I used to play on the subway train, on the L train, on the CTA bus.

I play in the movie theater during intermission and entertain the crowd, you know, and. Which we can address later. But, you know, I have a song, another single recent release of, for my upcoming album called the Harmonica Man. Okay.

Anybody who knows me will say, yes, Billy is the harmonica man indeed.

Well, as you were coming up, Billy, and getting used to playing and whatnot, who were your chief inspirations on the harmonica?

Put a big blemish on Chicago, the city of Chicago, because the Democratic convention, they had the riots, you know, that then Mayor Daley issued the order, shoot to kill. It was very ugly. And this was, I believe, an attempt to kind of soften that image or, you know, erase that blemish.

Because Murphy Dunn, who was the son of then Mayor Daley's closest ally, George Dunn, he and Willie Dixon put this festival together. And Murphy Dunn went on to become. Well, he still is active musician. He was in Blues Brothers Murph and the Murph Tones. And so he contacted Willie.

Willie organized this incredible lineup which included Muddy Waters, Coco Taylor, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, James Cotton, Big Walter Horton, Sleepy John Estes, Betty Everett and about 30 more legendary names. And this was the very first day I ever heard the Blue Blues. And I'm blown away.

What a welcome.

Yeah. So I later discovered the rich Chicago blues scene. One of my closest friends on campus, well, his mother was Junior Wells's longtime girlfriend.

Her name was Anna Barner. She just passed last year or year before last. And. And Junior Wells was home base was Teresa's Lounge on the south side.

So Lucius, my buddy, took me down there to meet Junior. And if looks could kill, I would have been dead on the spot because he said, hey, man, this is my buddy Billy.

He wants to learn harp, man, teach him some stuff. And Junior looked at me like, better get the hell out my face. But he was one of the first cats that I started listening to.

Along with James Cotton, Carrie Bell, Big Walter Horton, were the four Prince, my four principal influences live. But on recording, the other influences are, of course, Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson.

Very cool. And we have to hear about how the. How you became part of Willie's band as well.

Well, I. On campus there was. I found out there was a young lady did some secretarial work for Willie, okay?

And after I found that out, I said, her name was Sarah. Sarah, you gotta hook me up with Willie Dixon. And I bugger and bugger. And she finally said, look, here's the number. You call him your damn self.

And I did. And he was just, you know, he was really a non assuming, really gracious kind of guy. And he invited me down to his studio on the south side.

And it just so happened on that day, they were rehearsing a song called the Last Home Run commemorating Aaron Breaking Babe Ruth's recording. Kerry Bell at the time, was his harmonica player. On that particular day, Carrie happened to be out of town. He asked me, did I have a harp?

I said, sure. And I ended up rehearsing. And then he said the next day, he said, you know where Chess Studios is? I said, not exactly.

He told me, next day I did the song with the. It was performed by a popular ballad singer, McKinley Mitchell. That was one of my first recordings, the Last Home Run.

About how long did you play with the Chicago Blues All Stars prior to beginning the Sons of the Blues?

Well, they, they. They ran concurrent. Yeah, they. They overlapped.

Okay.

Just type in Willie Dixon and the Young Blues Generation. And then Willie Dixon I forget the title of the other link, but there's two cuts of the same event.

One features more interviews, one more performances. Okay, but I had already joined Willie Dixon's band, but we were invited.

We were recruited by Jim o' Neill and his then wife, former wife Amy o', Neill, as the answer to the question, are there any young black musicians playing blues? And he recruited 15 of us, comprising three bands. And so Freddie and I were already playing in Willie Dixon's band. He said, you need a guitar player.

So we found Lurie Bell, the son of Carrie Bell.

And the drummer who only did that one gig with us was the son of Clifton James, who was Bo Diddley's original drummer and current drummer at the time. His name was Garland Whiteside. So I was the only member who was not the son of a famous blues musician.

But I came up with the name and been using that name ever since. I'd like to. I've had. Probably I. I feel like I've had the three greatest guitar players of my generation of Chicago blues in that band.

And that was first Lori Bell, then Carlos Johnson and then Carl Withersby and. But we keep.

As I announced during a song that we do called Son of the Blues, written by acclaimed poet, author and one of my mentors, one of my former professors, Dr. Sterling Plump, he wrote the song, the lyrics to Son of the Blues. And when I introduced that, I say, we like to keep a foot in the past with an eye to the future. And we still. That is our. Our mo.

Well, Billy, as you well know, just a few weeks ago, several Chicago blues architects were inducted into the Illinois Rock and Roll museum on Route 66 in Joliet's hall of Fame. That's a big mouthful. They include Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Howlin Wolf and your first blues boss and mentor, Willie Dixon.

How did you feel to be present for that induction?

Well, it was pretty auspicious honor just to be, as I said, when I performed two Little Walters songs and we are a part of Little Walters foundation, my wife Rose and I with Little Walters daughter Marion Diaz. And as I stated before, we performed just to be mentioned in the same breath as Little Walter is a huge honor.

You know, my prior previous release was entitled Roots and Branches. The songs of Little Walter on Alligator Records covered, you know, a wide variety of Little Walter songs.

I felt that it was a fitting honor to the greatest blues harmonica player of all time.

Wonderful, wonderful. I wanted to turn the page here. When Rose's Lounge opened, you and the Sons of Blues were the first band that. That they booked for the venue, right?

Yes.

How did that come together?

Well, Tony Mangulo, the owner, you know, has said that he felt like it should be for the open end. It should be. I believe he said, well, we were. Let me see, that was. How many years ago was it already? Is it over 40 years ago?

He wanted somebody young and representing, you know, have enough vision for the future. So Tony known me for years and he just asked me to do it. And of course, I said, certainly, now.

We'Re going to be talking a little bit more about Rose's Lounge and their incredible history in a moment. But, Billy, I have to hear how the Harp Attack album came together. That had to be some kind of milestone moment for you.

Yeah, yeah, it definitely was. Bruce Eagle Hour, of course, that was on Alligator Records. And Bruce has told me on several occasions, you know, he had.

Well, before that he had done Guitar Showdown with, I think, Robert Cray and Lonnie Brooks, and I can't think of. Was it Long John Hunter? I'm not sure.

But he wanted to do a similar harmonica themed album and he had assembled Junior Wells, Carrie Bell and James Cotton and he told them they needed a fourth harmonica player. And he said unanimously, they said, get Billy. So that is one of my most treasured honors. Accolades, if you will.

Yes, sir.

Those guys for decades had been cutting my head by blowing me off the stage. But for them to say that, obviously I had earned their respect for them to want to include me on, which is now a classic, classic album.

So. So you're saying that they were not as accepting of you when you were a young harmonicist just getting your feet wet in this?

Is that what you're saying?

You know, it wasn't like that. It wasn't like, come on over here, little young man. No, we go, you know, back there, there was so many.

I'm talking about in the 70s and through the 80s, but there was so many great artists, you know, harmonica players, singers, guitar. I mean, Chicago was like a Disneyland of the blues. On any given night, you could probably hit 10, 15 different blues clubs seven nights a week.

And I was just fortunate that I got in under that wire and got to see and hang and play and record and tour with a lot of these artists. But no, back then it was, you know, it was. It was a friendly competition, but it was like, yeah, so and so got his head cut tonight.

You know, that happened all the time.

All right, Billy, I want to return to Roses for a moment. Following their grand opening, you formed incredibly Close relationship with Mama Rosa and with Tony.

So it's really no surprise to learn that you have been selected as the very first artist to release an album on the brand new Rosa's Lounge record label. Yes, but take me inside that process. At what point did you learn that the label was going to launch and what a full circle moment for you?

Well, I think it was almost a couple of years ago that Tony and his wife Marnie had told us they were launching this record. Okay, even pre Covid. And that may be what stalled it.

But I had been working on a new album for a while and we talked with Marnie and Tony, my wife Rose and I talked to them about it and we just decided, well, let's take a chance. Let's see. You know, being the first artist, actually right now, we're the only artists.

But that also gives us the full attention and, you know, the time to be put in to focus on what me and the band as their premier artists.

Well, the single is called Begging for Change and like so many other songs released these days, it can definitely be received and promoted from different angles. How are you presenting Begging for Change?

Well, we actually, Jim, we feel like begging for change, which of course is a metaphor, you know, for the first verse, refers to a man asking for actual physical money, you know, some change. But it's also referencing the fact that people are wanting change all over the world.

Yes.

Their social and political circumstances are not very conducive to their well being. And we feel that it has the potential to be a global anthem. I mean, just look around. All you got to do is turn on the news every day.

Yes.

And people are, they're frustrated, they're angry.

A lot of them are sad, you know, But Ronnie Brooks, who I call my little brother, he and I, you know, I had this idea for the song for a few years and I called Ronnie in on it. And so he, we collaborated and he. We shared the verses and Ronnie basically came up with the cool arrangement.

Then my producer Larry Batiste even made it more cooler with the background and the gospel, like choir, you know, we just feel like it is an anthem for what's happening right now.

So in addition to Ronnie Baker Brooks, who's just about everywhere these days, backing you on guitar, you've got. And. And also with do with you doing the lead vocals in the harp, of course, you've got Shamika backing you on vocals as well. What a team.

Isn't that something?

Yeah, yeah. I, I couldn't be more happy to have these two Stellar artists. You know, it's Shamika, of course, is the Queen of the Blues.

I was there when Coco Taylor's daughter Cookie put that crown on her head at the Chicago Blues Festival. And you know, what can you say? She's just, just super, you know, she's at the top of the top of the hill and she did a fantastic job.

Ronnie did a fantastic job in arranging and writing as well as performing. He's got a really sizzling guitar solo on that album. So I feel really blessed to have Ronnie Brooks and Shamika Copeland on that song.

And a huge thanks to you. I have a copy of the video that we are going to share at the end of this episode. So stick around everybody. You're going to want to see this.

It's the lyric version and you'll be able to check it out up close and personal. So back in August you celebrated the release of the single at Roses, but you're about to release the entire album and that has to feel good for you.

It does. This is the title of the album is the Blues is My Biography.

Okay, that is somewhat of a metaphor as well, but I'm excited because this out of the 11 tracks I wrote and or co wrote nine of them.

We only have one cover and of course we put our personal touch on that and that's Lou Rawls's Dead End street which was a classic that I enjoyed my coming up years as a teenager. I love that song so decided to record it and all of the. Like I said, most of the songs are original.

I have one, the title track, the Blues is my Biography again is a metaphor. If you look, read between the lines. We got a wide array of styles. Song called how youw Living could be maybe described as a hip hop blues.

We have a song called I have a song, the Ballad of the Million Men, which is a reggae. And I wrote this when the Million Man March happened I think about 30 years ago. And I finally was able to record it in its entirety and put it out.

So really excited about this. My wife and I feel that this is the best thing I've ever done recording wise.

Well, I'm excited to hear the rest of it because I did enjoy begging for change and it makes you hungry for more. But Billy, the release of this new album is not the only big news for you, sir.

You have built a rock solid reputation of working with the next generation and even the one after that in your Blues in the schools work. Your efforts have resulted in hundreds of hours being spent in blues in the schools.

Programs for more than 46 years, both locally in Chicago, but also in places like Indianola, Mississippi. And you spent a couple of weeks in Veracruz, Mexico, among other places, for a program funded. Funded by the Ford Pro Foundation.

Well, yes.

You have been a two time recipient of the Keeping the Blues Alive Award for education. And the accolades just go on from there, man. Earlier this year you were a recipient of the Taproot Fellowship.

Now this is big stuff and based on your history, I can only imagine how important this honor is for you. Talk about that for a minute, would you?

Well, as you mentioned there, we. This was. The Taproot Fellowship acknowledged me as a cultural bearer.

Yes, sir.

There was a significant monetary stipend. So that even added to the value of it because, you know, as musicians we. We have our ups and downs. You know, we're not always.

There's not always a steady flow of income. So it was.

Right.

Very beneficial. And I was very honored to receive that award.

And I did a State Department tour in the 80s. We went to 10 countries in six weeks. So I even had blues in schools in Nicaragua and Haiti.

In Jalapa, Veracruz, I collaborated with musician Ramon Gutierrez, who teaches Son Hirocha, which like the blues, has its roots in slavery because a lot of Veracruz is on the coast. And so. And I actually taught my classes in Spanish with some help. Okay. I've been in the Andes mountains of Ecuador doing workshops for youth.

And amazingly, when I called up some of these youngsters to come and jam with me and my guitarist, a few of them were playing in the style of Little Walter. Yeah, it was mind blowing. In China we did. I visited China five times and we did three times in the last five years.

But I can't remember which town it was because one of the tours we had, we had like 25 shows in 30 days or something. Oh, wow. And we're going to a different city every time.

But one of the provinces, they had a school, a harmonica school, and it was based on Little Walter style in China. But I've always enjoyed teaching the youth.

And you find contrary to what you might believe, you know, because you don't see a lot of very young people listening to blues. But when you present it to them, they, like Willie Dixon would describe it as the facts of life. And they see, well, what Gives you the blues.

Well, homework, my little brother, my mother telling me to take out the trash, my bicycle got stolen. Well, they can write songs about that. And they do. And sure, you know, I give them a little bit of history in different settings.

Sometimes we have the whole band, sometimes just me and a guitar player.

But most of the time they get it and they find out the blues is not just for old folks, that it can be relatable to them and others in their generation as well.

There's a great video on your page that talks about the blues in the schools and it interviews some of the kids that you were doing the Blues in the Schools program with. And I encourage anybody that gets the time. Go to your.

Go to Billy's page and go watch the video because it really shows you the, the level of dedication that this man has had. And I have to ask you, Billy, looking back over that vast landscape over 46 plus years, how does it feel to you?

I mean, hundreds, would you say hundreds of children, Thousands of children over the years.

Probably over a million by this point. But I've reached, I've taught you thousands, many thousands. But sometimes it would be in the context of a performance. You know, 46 years.

Wow.

Auditorium.

How does it feel when they respond to you like that, though, Billy?

It feels great. I mean, it's wonderful.

And see, the beauty of the, the harmonica is that you can teach in a very short time, in an instant almost, you can teach something that's entertaining to the person who's playing it. You know, I would say I can teach anybody how to boogie inside of five minutes. Anybody. And people would challenge me and I'd always prove it.

You know, it's. The harmonica is probably the most natural instrument because to my knowledge, it's the only instrument that you breathe to play. Think about.

Horns are all exhale. Expiration. Well, harmonica is inspiration and expiration. So you're basically breathing.

And I've done workshops with people to encourage them to use harmonica for COPD issues. I've had several friends that sadly passed. One passed away. Donald Kinsey was a good friend of mine, one great guitarist, you know who.

Yes, sir.

Blues man played with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. But Donald was suffering from severe COPD and lung cancer during his final years. And I encouraged Donald.

I said, man, just take that harp and just breathe, breathe in and out. On it while you're watching tv. And he was doing it, unfortunately, it was a little bit too late. But, yeah, harmonica is very therapeutic.

You can entertain yourself with very little instruction. It's easy to play, but like any instrument, it's. It takes time to master. But the harmonica, you know, you can.

Within a few minutes, you can do something that's pleasing to the earth.

I was actually in Kalamazoo with a good friend of mine who plays harmonica. He goes by Kid Cincinnati over here in Lansing.

And I've.

I've picked up the harmonica, and I. A friend of mine who is a fellow musician said, no matter where you're at, carry it with you.

That's right.

Even if you're not. Even if you're not playing it right now, but, you know, you might be going down the road and you just want to pick it up and play it a little bit.

You got it with you. So I do. But. But it was kind of cool because Roger looked at me, goes, Kia C, pull your harmonic out. And he says, play along, play along.

And, you know, he's really good at it. I'm really rudimentary. Yeah. Roger Gentry.

Yeah, yeah. Tell him I said, hey, yeah, you just did.

He'll make sure he sees it. But I. I had so much fun at the Kalamazoo Blues Fest doing that and just picking it up and playing along. And.

And as a matter of fact, before we leave, the issue of the harmonica, the subject of it I would like you to talk about. Because you're involved in a program with Marion, are you not?

Yes.

Would you like to talk. You want to talk about that foundation? Yes, sir.

Yeah.

The Little Walter foundation, which my wife Rosa is the current director, is, you know, established to promote the legacy and keep the legacy of Little Walter intact, in addition to providing educational opportunities and potential scholarships for the youth. And we've.

We've done several benefit performances, we've done a few workshops, and, you know, Little Walter, who is widely known, of course, in blues circles, but I have come to realize that Little Walter is the most, at least in my opinion, the most influential harmonica player of all time, of any genre. Because if you. In pop culture, you think about harmonica players, a lot of time, the first name comes up is Stevie Wonder, who is awesome. Who was.

I love. I love all styles harmonica. And then you think jazz, you think too Steelman. Then we got people here like Howard Levy, who's called the Wizard.

And, you know, there's so many great harmonica artists from classical, jazz, pop, blues, all. All genres.

Charlie McCoy, country I like, I, I love harmonica, but I have never, you know, the way when you see harmonica player play through a bullet shaped microphone. Right. That was pioneered by Little Walter.

The fact that when you see, because Little Walter figured out how to use distortion and feedback as a performance and recording tool. Because listen to the harmonica, Little Walter's recordings, it doesn't sound like a harmonica, it sounds like a horn.

Would you say that Steve Bell is one of those that plays in that similar vein? Because I've heard Steve play and there's times I've heard him do things with a harmonica I've never heard anybody else do.

Well, Steve plays largely in the style of his father, Carrie. Okay. Steve has evolved into a great harmonica player.

Yes, he has.

Carrie Bell was one of my closest and strongest influences as well. But I mean, you've got guys you like, Jason Richie, that play way out the box, does some phenomenal things.

And other guys, you know, you're seeing more and more of this overblow technique where guys are transcending the, the conventional use of the instrument where they're playing full chromatic scales on a diatonic harmonica. Yeah, you're seeing more and more of that these days. But again, going back to Little Walter, as I stated, China, Japan, Europe, South America.

I see people trying to play like Little Walter.

How cool is that? Well, Billy, I'm excited to see what you do with the Taproot funding. I really am.

I think you're going to do wonderful, wonderful things with it and, and keep us in touch.

If you ever find that you need to get on the the program and speak about something you're doing, by all means, reach out to us and be glad to bring you on. But the most important part of this interview now is where can we send people to learn more about you?

Maybe buy some merch, some CDs or other goodies or book you for a gig.

Well, at my website, Billybranch.com can certainly we had some problems with it. I think it's up and running now. And also on Facebook. On my Facebook page, Billy Branch and Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues.

We usually keep our engagements posted in our current happenings up to date on Facebook as well.

Sounds good. Well, Billy Branch, it has been an incredible honor, my friend. Thank you for being here for the 100th episode.

But anytime, as I said, that you need a microphone, you have one available here. And please do me a favor and give your lovely wife Rita my best and congratulations as well to Tony and his wife.

And enjoy that grandchild because they grow even faster than your kids did.

My wife is Rosa, but not Rose's Lounge.

Right, Right.

But I will be sure to do that. And thank you.

And it's an honor to be on the hundredth episode of your show and kudos to you for all that you do and keeping the music and the musicians visible and current. And we appreciate that.

Yes, sir. Well, before we close this episode, I want to talk to you about the Blues Foundation.

Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the Blues foundation preserves blues heritage, celebrates blues recording and performance, expands worldwide awareness of the blues and and ensures the future of this uniquely American art form.

The Blues foundation is responsible for the International Blues Challenge held each year and beyond Beale street, the annual Blues Music Awards, and the Blues hall of fame. Celebrating 45 years. And they're just getting started. To make a tax deductible donation, please go to blues.org today.

Click on the donation button at the top right and make your donation in any amount. And as always, thank you so much for your consideration. And that wraps up this edition of Time Signatures.

Once again, my thanks to our guest, Billy Branch, but also to you. For without you, none of this would be possible. Jim, reminding you keeping the blues alive is everyone's responsibility.

But preserving the history of the blues, one story at a time is my mission. Until next time. So long, everybody. And now enjoy the video.

This has been Time Signatures with Jim Ervin, presented by the Capital Area Blues Blues Society in Lansing, Michigan.

For more information on cabs, visit capitalareablues.org you can find this episode and past episodes@lccconnect.org the Time Signature's theme song, Michigan Roads, is used by permission and was written by Root Doctor featuring Freddie Cunningham.