Episodes

  • Blues is the Truth 808

    Blues is the Truth 808
    Jun 27 2026
    Blues is the Truth #808
    I have got some massive news to kick off the show this week. We have officially partnered up with the legendary Crawdaddy Club Richmond. If you know your music history, you know this is the absolute birthplace of the British R&B boom, the place where The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds cut their teeth. They are doing incredible work keeping live music alive at The Turks Head in Twickenham, and I will be sharing all the news on their upcoming brilliant gigs throughout the episode, so make sure you grab your diaries.
    The music matches that heritage note for note across two full hours. We are starting off with the undisputed fire of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the incredible harmonica mastery of Giles Robson. The groove stays thick and soulful with Eric Bibb and Jean Jacques Milteau, Oli Mac and Hi Rhythm, and the stunning vocals of Jovin Webb.
    We have got the royalty in the building too, with BB King and the hypnotic sounds of Jason Ricci and the Bad Kind leading nicely into some of the finest bands on the circuit today. You will hear the brilliant The Terraplanes Blues Band, The Mustangs, and the powerhouse Albert Castiglia before we pay our respects to the blueprint itself with Robert Johnson.
    The second half is relentless. We have locked in tracks from Chris O’Leary, a fantastic collaboration from Jen M, Lauren Tucker and Little Red & the Rooster, and the raw emotion of Luther Allison and Karen Carroll. We are keeping the standard sky high with Ry Cooder, the beautiful textures of Michael Messer's Mitra, Samantha Fish, and the soulful Frank Bey.
    Wrapping up this monster of a session, we are clearing the runway for the heavy rock blues of Mississippi Shakedown, the award winning The Cinelli Brothers, the legendary John Primer, Bob Malone, Robert Cray, Lara and the Blues Dogs, Kerri Powers, and the master Lonnie Brooks.
    It is a landmark show with the perfect partner on board.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 807

    Blues is the Truth 807
    Jun 20 2026
    ## Blues is the Truth #807

    The crate digging has been particularly good this week. We have got a fair amount of brand new music making its way into the show alongside a massive milestone for yours truly. I am incredibly proud to be sharing another exclusive track from the upcoming Blues is Truth album, giving you another taste of what we cooked up in the studio 16 years ago.

    The new music on rotation is top tier. We are diving into fresh sounds from Colin James, Samantha Fish, and the brilliant Monster Mike Welch alongside the raw energy of Harrell Davenport, PK Harrell, and the excellent Oli Mac and Hi Rhythm. The contemporary scene is sounding absolutely massive with tracks from Nicky T and the Snake Charmers, The Shaelin Band, Trevor B Power Band, Sherri Harding, and The 251s all showing us how much fire is in the tank right now.

    As always, we keep our feet firmly rooted in the tradition. We have got the legendary John Primer, Eddie Boyd, and the hypnotic groove of Magic Sam keeping us company alongside the master Otis Grand and the unmistakable piano work of Pinetop Perkins.

    Rounding out this packed two hour session, we have got another stellar segment from The Paul Michael Band, the timeless guitar work of Junior Watson, and deep acoustic cuts from Graham Hine, Paul Jones, and Jason Ricci and the Bad Kind. We are finishing up in style with the wonderful Maria Muldaur, the clever songwriting of Mark Harrison, and the foundational groove of Lowell Fulson.

    New music, a sneak peek at what we did all those years ago, and two hours of pure bliss.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 806

    Blues is the Truth 806
    Jun 13 2026
    Welcome back. This week we have got some fantastic news to share from the local scene. First up, the legendary Tim Staffell, the man who fronted Smile before it evolved into Queen, is heading to the Turks Head in Twickenham with his band this coming Friday, June 19th. It is always a special night when Tim is on the bill, so if you are in West London, that is the place to be.
    I have also got some news closer to home. My old band, Blues is Truth, has some fresh release news on the horizon. We have been digging back into the archives and the studio lately, so stay tuned for updates on what is coming next from our corner.
    The music this week is a proper cross section of the greats and the new guard. We are kicking off with BB and the Blues Shacks and a track from my own Blues is Truth before sliding into the beautiful collaboration of Staffell and Stewart. You will also hear the Louisiana soul of Tab Benoit, The Knickerbocker All Stars, and the Papa George Band.
    Because no show is complete without the icons, we have got The Rolling Stones, Freddie King, and Big Mama Thornton keeping things grounded. We are also featuring the brilliant harmonica work of Paul Lamb and the Kingsnakes, the fire of Coco Montoya, and a classic pairing of Buddy Guy and Junior Wells.
    The energy keeps rising with Garry Burnside, GA 20, Big Harp George, and Monster Mike Welch. We have also locked in the Walter Trout Band, Paul Garner Band, Shawn Pitman, and Little Mac. Wrapping up this two hour session, you will hear the legendary Taj Mahal, the powerhouse Kyla Brox, the king Muddy Waters, and the master of the slide, Steve Dawson.
    It is a packed show with a lot of history and plenty of future.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 805

    Blues is the Truth 805
    Jun 6 2026
    Blues is the Truth #805
    We have got an absolutely packed edition for you this week. The tracklist is bursting at the seams, and we are flying through some of the finest guitar work, biggest grooves, and deepest vocals across the entire scene.
    We are firing things up with the legendary Derek and the Dominos and keeping the standard sky-high with Harrell Davenport, the brilliant Grainne Duffy, and the razor-sharp guitar of Kai Strauss. The energy stays completely locked in with Iowa's own The Fabulous Trutones, the king Buddy Guy, and the powerhouse sound of the Andreas Diehlmann Band.
    As always, we are representing the home turf with West London's finest, The Guv’nors, alongside Jumping Matt and his Combo and another stellar segment from The Paul Michael Band. The quality keeps rolling with PK Mayo, Burning Rope, the gritty sax-led blues of Eddie Shaw, and the heavy vibes of the Blind Dog Mayer Group.
    We are diving into some serious soul territory too, featuring the irreplaceable Etta James and the incredible Yuri Apsy. Wrapping up a proper two-hour marathon of world-class music, you will hear harmonica heat from Russ Green, the raw rhythm of Fife and Drom, another look at Carl Carlton and Melanie Wiegmann, the Buca Blues Trio, the legendary Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues, and the explosive British blues-rock of The Hoax.
    It is a massive lineup with absolutely no fillers.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 804

    Blues is the Truth 804
    May 31 2026
    Blues is the Truth #804
    We are straight back to business this week with a massive stack of tunes that needs absolutely no introduction. No requests, no fluff, just two full hours of pure, unadulterated groove from some of the best to ever do it.
    We are setting the mood early with the legendary Taj Mahal and the hypnotic blues-rock vibe of Medicine Head, before dipping into some classic vocal harmony from The 5 Royales. The temperature rises quickly from there with The Cashbox Kings, Blues Messenger, and the searing guitar work of Tinsley Ellis.
    For the deep, historic roots, we’ve got the delta giant Bukka White in the building, alongside a brilliant collaboration from Carl Carlton and Melanie Wiegmann, and the godfather himself, John Mayall. We are keeping that classic energy high with soulful runs from Curtis Salgado, the king Buddy Guy, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and the vintage jazz-blues vocals of Helen Humes.
    The second half is a masterclass in harmonica-driven heat and modern grit. You will hear Russ Green, The Four Flames, and the swampy fire of Ghalia and Mama’s Boys, right alongside KAT Blue and the True Believers. We’ve also locked in the powerhouse pairing of the Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling, Dave Weld and the Imperial Flames, and the brilliant Dave Thomas.
    Rounding off an absolute powerhouse of a show, we are clearing the runway for Freddie King, the gritty rock-blues of Mississippi Shakedown, Dixie Peach, and the beautifully expressive guitar of Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, before finishing up with the mighty Tedeschi Trucks Band.
    It is a serious lineup from top to bottom.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 803

    Blues is the Truth 803
    May 23 2026
    Blues is the Truth #803
    The requests have been landing in the inbox thick and fast lately, so for this episode, I’ve dusted off a couple of your personal choices and dropped them straight into the mix alongside all our usual weekly features.
    We are starting off in style with the smooth, laid-back groove of Keb’Mo’ and keeping the energy high with tracks from Burning Rope, Dave Thomas, and The Four Flames. We’ve also got the undisputed pioneer T-Bone Walker and the classic New Orleans piano roll of Al Broussard showing everyone how it is done, flowing beautifully into the sharp guitar work of Kai Strauss and Gary Dranow.
    For the roots and acoustic heads, we are diving deep into the sounds of Reverend Freakchild, the legendary pairing of Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal, and the vintage vocals of Blue Lu Barker. Then we shift gears into the heavy hitters, featuring a stellar run of Buddy Guy, Red Red, and the absolute master of the Telecaster, Albert Collins.
    The quality just doesn't drop this week. You will also hear the Quintus McCormick Blues Band, the gritty brilliance of Ian Siegal, and the unstoppable force of Gabe Stillman. Wrapping up a proper session of the good stuff, we’ve got Little Steve and the Big Beat, Bad Temper Joe, Sunjay, the powerhouse vocals of Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar, and the brilliant Guto Konrad.
    Your tracks, our regular features, and a whole lot of great music.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 802

    Blues is the Truth 802
    May 16 2026
    We’ve got a massive show lined up for you this week. My partner in crime Paul Michael is back in the studio to present his legendary Blues Driver segment, and he is not alone. We’ve got a cameo from someone very special indeed, so you’ll want to keep your ears pinned back for that one. Along with the guest spot, we’ve got all your regular favourite features locked in.

    The music is top tier from start to finish. We are kicking off with the heavyweights, bringing you tracks from Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, and Buddy Guy, alongside the soulful brilliance of Mike Finnegan and Boz Scaggs. The groove stays tight with the Chris Corcoran band, Jump 66, and the legendary tone of Otis Grand.

    We are also diving into some classic territory with Traffic, before sliding into a fantastic run of modern masters. You will hear The Paul Michael Band doing their thing, the brilliant guitar work of Will Johns, and the deep pocket of Pat McDougall.

    We keep the energy climbing with Eugene Hideaway Bridges, the powerhouse Tedeschi Trucks Band, and a killer collaboration featuring the Stevie Watts Organ Trio with Alice Armstrong. Rounding out an absolute belter of an episode, we’ve got the gritty sounds of Mike Zito, the old-school cool of Golden ‘Big’ Wheeler, and the beautiful acoustic touch of Dove and BoWeevil.

    It is a packed house, a special guest, and two hours of the finest music on the planet.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 801

    Blues is the Truth 801
    May 10 2026
    The dust has settled on the big 800, but the momentum isn't slowing down. We are straight back into the thick of it this week with a selection that proves exactly why this genre never gets old. It is all about that raw, unfiltered energy that hits you right in the chest.

    We are opening up the throttle with the Dirty Weather Blues Review and the heavy hitters like Joe Bonamassa and the Altered 5 Blues Band. There is a massive amount of soul in this mix too, with Vanese Thomas and Jennifer Lynn and the Groove Revival bringing that undeniable spark, while Beth Hart and The Reverend Shawn Amos show us exactly how much heart you can pour into a single track.

    I’ve made sure we pay our respects to the masters who built the house. You will hear the pure genius of Howling Wolf, Ray Charles, and John Lee Hooker, alongside the legendary harmonica work of Sonny Boy Williamson II and Junior Wells. We are also digging into the craft with Rory Block, Eddy Clearwater, and the acoustic mastery of Brooks Williams and Corey Harris.

    The scene stays fresh with Thomas Heppell, Big Harp George, and Reverend Freakchild all making their mark, while Erroll Linton, Guto Konrad, and the powerhouse duo of Smokin’ Joe Kubeck and Bnois King keep the gears turning.

    It is just great music, played because it deserves to be heard. No gimmicks, just the good stuff.
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    2 hrs