Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials - 2016 Chicago bluesman, Lil' Ed Williams, was born and raised in Chicago. He and his Blues Imperials performed at the Upper Mississippi Shakedown Festival in Santiago, MN. This video shows Lil' Ed performing a slow blues with The Lamont Cranston Blues Band.

Marcia Ball at MN State Fair - 2014 The Tattooed Lady and the Alligator Man is Marcia's new release. Marcia Ball is a master songwriter and New Orleans piano player. This performance was from the MN State Fair's Leinie Lodge stage. The band members in this clip include Don Bennett (bass), Mike Schermer (guitar), Damien Llanes (drums), Thad Scott (sax) and Tim Wick (organ). www.marciaball.com

ThunderBay Canada Blues Festival - 2010 I'm singing and playing Professor Longhair's signature song, Mardi Gras in New Orleans with Jimmy Thackery on guitar with Big Walter Smith and The Groove Merchants. Longhair's really name was Roy Byrd. He record this song in 1949, for a small Dallas label. It was recorded later as Goin' to the Mardi Gras. www.bigwaltersmith.com

The Lamont Cranston Band in the Summer 2013 Lamont Cranston Band was formed in 1969. The members in this video are Pat Hayes (Vocal/Harp/Guitar) Bruce McCabe (Piano), Brad Pelkey (Bass), Jeff Rogers (Drums), Rod Smith (Guitar), Jim Greenwell (Sax), and myself (Organ). www.lamontcranston.com

Lisa Wenger Band at Legend's in 2011 Lisa Wenger always has a very busy schedule. She performs at variety of venues around the Twin Cities metro. In this video, she sings the popular ballad Angel From Montgomery. www.lisawenger.com

Dakota Jazz Club Minneapolis - 2007 Big Walter Smith and Groove Merchants performing a classic Chicago blues tune by Jimmy Reed called Baby What You Want Me To Do. Jimmy Reed recorded this in 1959 and released on Vee-Jay Records.

Legends - St. Cloud - Dec 2012 From the Senders, David "Cool Breeze" Brown (guitar), Billy Black (bass), Brian Glascock (drums) and myself playing a T-Bone Walker number called She's Gonna Ruin Me. Cool Breeze past away a few months after this show, and I miss him.

KAXE 91.7 FM in Grand Rapids - 2007 This band is called BACKROAD. I saw them play frequently in my youth. Three decades later, I got to play with them at this wonderful venue. KAXE is the coolest public radio station around. This song, Turn On Your Love Light, was made popular by Bobby Blue Bland in 1961. Later, the song became a favorite for the early Van Morrison band, Them. By 1966, LoveLight became a staple at Greatful Dead concerts.

The Senders in the Summer 2011 After WWII there was a salty, sassy, sophisticated music that swung harder than most jazz. This music predated the explosion of rock'n'roll and though it did produce a handful of crossover stars, was largely the private province of America's urban black communities. The hottest sound around was known as JUMP BLUES. - from The Senders old website

Bloomington - Lake Normandale Park - 2007 Big Walter and the Groove Merchants play the tune Something You've Got. This New Orleans tune was a collaboration of Allen Toussaint and Chris Kenner.

Viking Bar on the West Bank, Minneapolis - Summer 2004 Hydraulic Jack and the Lifters performing a tune by bassist Chris Johnson called Playground. The Viking Bar closed forever a few weeks after this performance. It had been a fixture on the West Bank for 47 years. Musicians are Chris Johnson (Bass), Jimmy Ouska (Guitar), Pat Hulme (Drums), and myself (keyboard).