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Strumming the Blues
John Watkins joins The Boa Constrictors in Friday show
The Friday
night entertain-
ment this year
during Blues,
Brews
and
Barbecue will
bring the blues
portion of the
event to the
stage when The
Boa Constrictors, a Detroit Blues band
with a Rockabilly twist, take to the
stage.
The musicians all have a true
Detroit pedigree and pride themselves
on presenting true Detroit music with a
pureDetroit attitude.
They will perform from 6:30 until
7:30 Friday night and then be joined by
blues legend JohnWatkins.
During the late 1970s and early
1980s, Watkins was considered one of
the most promising blues guitarists and
singers in Chicago, where he was born.
He grew up in the shadow of the famed
Theresa's Lounge on the South Side, a
famedBlues club.
Watkins’ crisp, clean guitar work and
soaring, soul-drenched vocals were
showcased on his debut LP, Here I Am,
cut for the French Blue Phoenix label
during a 1984 tour. His American
recording debut was “Chained To Your
Love,” a track on Alligator's The New
Bluebloods compilation, which
remains his onlyU.S. release.
In the late 1980s, Watkins moved to
Detroit and now occasionally sits in
with The Boa Constrictors in present-
ing real Blues guitar as they play
Detroit music, with their own distinc-
tive style.
The members of the band have
played with legendary Detroit artists
like Billy Davis, The Sharecroppers of
Soul, Lazy Lester, Little Junior
Cannaday, the Butler Twins,
Harmonica Shah, Sir Mack Rice, and
Uncle JesseWhite.
Each and every member of the Boa
Constrictors brings their unique life
experiences to the stage, bothmusically
and personally. The show is guaranteed
to be spontaneous, energetic, loads of
fun, and full of the ingredients that
make Detroit music one of the most
excitingAmericanmusical art forms.
John Watkins
