I have been revisiting some of my “roots” music for a bit—you know, that music that’s just sort of in your DNA based on where you grew up. I was definitely influenced by and am a great fan of the 60´s British Invasion and the psychedelic era. But my roots were in early rock, country, blues, and rhythm and blues. One of the artists who was, and still is, sort of a mashup of all that is Delbert McClinton. I always think of him as West Texas R n B.
He started playing professionally in 1957. Early on, he worked in a bar band, the Straitjackets, who backed Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Jimmy Reed. McClinton recorded several regional singles before hitting the national chart in 1962, playing harmonica on Bruce Channel’s “Hey! Baby.” On tour in England where Channel was the headliner, the Beatles were once an opening act.
McClinton has earned four Grammy Awards; 1992 Rock Performance by a Duo with Bonnie Raitt for “Good Man, Good Woman”; 2002 Contemporary Blues Album for Nothing Personal; 2006 Best Contemporary Blues Album for Cost of Living, and 2020 Best Traditional Blues Album for Tall, Dark, & Handsome. He has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards as of 2020. Four of his albums have been number 1 on the Blues chart.
So, I was surprised to find out that another of his great fans was Beegie Adair. Before you hear about that on a podcast from May 2020, I want to share three clips of McClinton so you’ll get an idea of his music. Enjoy! 
[Note: if you want to drop out of the podcast, there is a segment with Lukas Nelson and a pianist who clearly shows what Tuomo is trying to share in his great vocal accompaniment lesson. And please at least listen to “Just a Little Loviń" at 55:30. It’s a rough cut of her childhood singing that later is incorporated with full studio treatment. It´s the first time I have heard Beegie on western swing.]
