You don’t have to be from Mississippi to play and sing the Blues. Curtis Salgado has been doing all right spreading the word from the Left Coast for more than 40 years.

The Portland, Oregon based Bluesman started his journey in a musical family in Eugene, Oregon. His home was always filled with the latest jazz and Blues sounds from guys like Fats Waller or Louis Armstrong. He listened to Muddy, Little Walter, Wilson Pickett, all artists who would influence his musical destiny.

A Count Basie show when he was 13 stirred his urge to become a musician and Little Walter was so cool with the harmonica that young Curtis made it his instrument of choice. From there the stage was set for a long and fruitful career that is still going strong today.

It wasn’t long after picking up the harp before Curtis was making money playing the club circuit in the Pacific Northwest along with his band, The Nighthawks. In the early ‘70s, Curtis helped organize a Blues festival that allowed him and his mates to rub elbows with some of the Blues legends they’d grown up listening to and idolizing. Among the luminaries who played the Eugene gig were Floyd Dixon (“Hey Bartender”), Albert Collins, Big Walter, Sonny & Brownie and Otis Rush among others.

“Eugene is a college town,” Curtis recalls. “There are lots of Blues lovers there. It was in Eugene where I met Robert Cray and his bass player, Richard Cousins. I started playing with him in 1976 after my band broke up when we were both 20 years old.

“You have to realize Robert was a fully established guitar player and singer at 20, “Salgado says with a hint of awe in his voice. “His voice hasn’t changed one bit since the day I met him. We weren’t writing songs back then but boy could he play. Now nobody writes songs like Robert Cray. And his guitar has only gotten better.

“I stayed with him from ’76 to ’82,” Curtis recalls. “It finally got to the point where we didn’t need two front men in one band. What did he need with a harmonica player? The harmonica and guitar are both lead instruments and he would be just as well off with a three-piece group. Besides, I needed to get out on my own as well. I was with him for seven years and Robert and I are still great friends.”

After parting company with Cray, Curtis spent a couple of years in Roomful of Blues and played on the band’s disc “Live at Lupo’s.” After that Curtis formed Curtis Salgado & The Stilettos which played the club scene in the Northwest until the early ‘90s.

And if Robert Cray isn’t enough for a musician’s resume, Salgado runs into wild man John Belushi one night at a gig in Eugene during the Animal House days.

“The truth is, I was John Belushi’s muse,” Curtis explains. “Ya see the Blues Brothers idea was Dan Aykroyd's. John wasn't really falling into step with it because he wasn't really into the Blues. More of a Blue Oyster Cult, and the AC/DC rock guy. That is until he saw me play at a concert In Eugene when he was filming “Animal House.” It was then that John had someone he could relate to, which is what actors do. Then he got on board with Dan.

“Aykroyd was already a Blues freak,” Curtis said. “He championed a band called The Down Child Blues Band out of Toronto, Canada. There were two brothers in that band, which inspired the idea of the Blues Brothers. The whole thing was Dan Aykroyd’s brainchild.”

It’s common knowledge that the Blues Brothers were a huge hit everywhere they went. What might be that well known is Curtis was the inspiration for Jake, Belushi’s Blues Brothers alter ego.

“It's a very long story but the results are that they dedicated the record (Briefcase Full of Blues) to me,” Curtis recalls. “Look on the LP album. You will see my name at the bottom right corner and Cab Calloway played me in the movie. His name is Curtis. I turned him (Belushi) on to songs and history of the Blues during the time in which he stayed in Eugene filming Animal House. For instance, songs like“Hey Bartender” and a bunch more.

Click Here to see the video of the first appearance of the Blues Brothers on SNL that mentions Curtis Salgado.

“Belushi said thank you to me the first time the Blues Brothers appeared on Saturday Night Live,” Curtis recalls. “You can see that on YouTube. He gave me credit where credit is due. I played a strong part in what was to become an iconic movie and a record that rejuvenated the music and career of a lot of Blues and soul artists. It got people who never had been Interested before into Blues and soul. And I am proud of that. John and his wife, Judy Belushi Pisano, and I were friends and she and I still keep in touch to this day. I wish he was still alive.”

Rumor has it that Belushi asked renowned Blues guitarist Steve Cropper to learn all the Blues songs he could before being cast as a band member in the Blues Brothers movie.

“The rumor of Steve Cropper being told by John Belushi to learn all the blues songs he could sounds like bullshit to me,” Curtis says incredulously. “I mean really? For chrissakes, he (Cropper) plays on one of the greatest Blues records ever made, Albert King’s “I’ll Play the Blues for You.” I can just see it now. ‘Hey Steve! I know you produced and recorded some of the greatest black Blues and soul records in the history of American music, but could you please learn the Blues?’ John was no idiot.”

Later, another major player enters Salgado’s life.

“Steve Miller was in the audience one night and he came up and started talking and we hit it off right away.” Curtis recalls. “At the time he was about to start a shed tour with Peter Frampton. Steve later made up his mind he didn’t want to go out with Frampton and called me and asked me and my band to open for him on the ’92 tour.

“Steve Miller is a great guy,” Curtis says. “I don’t think he gets near enough credit for his work. He has all kinds of songs that are still being played today. He really knows his stuff.

“During that time I got hooked up with the wrong record company. The owner was a great guy with a lot of money who decided he wanted to run a record label. But, he was an amateur. The label didn’t support us after we’d been on the road with Steve Miller. It’s all about creating images. If they see you’re a good act they need to send you back out on the road. This guy didn’t do that. You’ve got to get back out there and build your fan base. All he wanted was a hit record. Something he could sell. It just doesn’t work that way.”

Depending upon which publication you pick up Curtis Salgado has been called a Bluesman, a soul singer or a Rhythm & Blues act. To him they’re all the same.

“Basically, they’re all in the same category,” he says. “Different people call it different things in order to advertise you,” he says. “Rhythm & Blues is what I’m doing. There’s Blues in everything, county & western, soul, rock ‘n’ roll. Gospel is the mothership of all American music. It all started with gospel. What I do is an entire smorgasbord of American music. It’s all the same to me.

“They call it different things in order to categorize it,” Curtis explains. “You know who named it Rhythm & Blues don’t you? Jerry Wexler. He was writing for “Billboard” when he came up with the term. Before, it had always been called race music. To me it’s like Duke Ellington said, ‘There’s only two kinds of music, good and bad.’ Makes sense to me.”

Even with the economy in a state of near constant decline, Curtis still sees a bright future for the Blues and music in general.

“I am from the generation who has been lucky enough to see all of the (Blues) greats,” he says. “I mean, I took a harmonica lesson from Big Walter (Horton). The new generation never saw those people. It’s just not the same socially or economically. It doesn’t matter what color you are, we just live in different times. Things are never going to be the same as when I was a young guy coming up.

“The future of the Blues is still strong in my opinion,” Curtis says. “There are still young artists out there who will keep the light burning. Gary Clark Jr. is very big right now and his album is not necessarily straight-ahead Blues. It’s a mixture of what he likes. It’s obvious he’s like me in the fact that we like all types of music. But, he’s reaching a younger audience, which is important. People are opening up more to the music.

“Soon all those Blues masters will be gone,” Curtis says. “The black community has always been out front with new musical ideas. They’ve always been cutting edge, whether it be hip hop, R&B, rap or Blues. They are leaders in American music. But, the door is wide open. It’s all going to change. In the ‘30s and ‘40s it was swing and big band. The ‘50s gave way to rock ‘n’ roll. Everything had a name. Now, all those lines are blurred. Those categories are disappearing and in the end it’s just music.”

With the changing nature of the music business, artists have to work harder than ever before to make a decent living.

“Actual record sales are down all across the board now,” Curtis says. “All genres, not just Blues. Pick up a “Rolling Stone” and look at the chart in the back. A top-selling artist might be No. 1 with a half million copies in sales over a six month period. Eric Clapton used to sell 11 million copies. Two million in a week.

“The money is in live concerts and merchandise,” he says. “Those records don’t get done for free. There are a lot of people pushing them. Until all of the marketing and production costs are recouped you don’t make a dime. There are a lot of people involved. The bread and butter comes from being out on the road. It’s about touring and being seen.

“When I’m out there I look forward to being at home,” Curtis says. “I get home and get comfortable and then it’s time to go again. You get used to it. It’s just the way it is. It’s all about the economy. Things usually don’t brighten up until springtime. The festival season starts. We’re like migrant workers.”

In 2006, Curtis underwent treatment for liver cancer including a liver transplant. Then, two years later, lung cancer was found. He was declared cancer-free in time to release the album “Clean Getaway” in 2008.

Alligator Records signed Curtis in 2011 and his first album, “Soul Shot,” was released in early 2012.

“Since I signed with Alligator I’m up for four Blues Music Awards for “Soul Shot”,” he says. “The label is 40 years old and they are very careful who they sign. I’m honored to be with them.”

Currently Curtis is laying down tracks for a new record and anticipating getting back out on the road in March.

“I haven’t really been doing much since the crops aren’t in,” he says. ”I’m booked to open some shows for BB (King),” he says. “I love and respect BB tremendously. I’ll bet if Martians landed here on Earth tomorrow, they’d know who BB King is. If you discovered a lost tribe in the Amazon they’d probably have BB King posters in their huts.”

Curtis Salgado likens his musical journey to a kid running away and joining the circus.

“That’s exactly what I did,” he says. “There are very few lucky ones and I’m one of them. I’m not a Blues freak, I’m an American music freak. Music is the most positive thing we do on this planet. It’s the one thing we do that everyone can take part. I’m really glad to be still making music.”

Photos by Marilyn Stringer © 2013 www.mjstringerphoto.com

I was fortunate to attend the Atlanta Blues Fest in early March to see a some of the best Soul Blues artists on the planet. The show was held at the Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta Georgia. It was my first time visiting Atlanta but if this show is an example of the kind of talent you see there, I need to move closer!

The show started off with an opening group called the Klass Band. They did a good job of warming up the crowd.

The were followed by Floyd Taylor and his band. Floyd Taylor has been exposed to music all his life as the son of legendary artist Johnnie Taylor. Floyd has a long history that started in Chicago when he sometimes sang with his father. He has a great following in his own right and for this show he brought a an incredible band of musicians including Chicago guitar ace, Max Valldeneu.

Next up was the "Stand Up In It" man himself, Theodis Ealey. Theodis had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he performed his past hits and showcased some of the songs from his new album, The crowd went wild for his show with much excitement among the ladies at the show! This was really a fun set to watch.

Next up was Bobby Blue Bland. Bobby is a true legend. He was was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1981, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He is getting up there at 83 years but was still able to show his stuff to a very appreciative audience.

Next up was Charles Wilson. He performed quite an entertaining show mixing R&B, Soul and Funk tunes.

The next performer was R&B legend Mel Waiters. Mel Waiters was born in San Antonio, TX. In 1974 he began his career performing at local teen clubs and soon became a radio deejay. He entertained at military bases across the southwest for a few years before releasing Suki-Suki Man in 1997. He later released a hit single "Hit It and Quit It from the album I'm Serious.

It is easy to see why Waiters is a popular soul act. He can work a crowd really well. His set was one of the most impressive of the night to me.

The final act of the night was Bobby Womack. Definitely last but not lease as they say.

Womack's set was a great way to finish off a stunning night of music. Womack was born March 4, 1944. He has been an active recording artist since the early 1960s, Womack started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and was Sam Cooke's backing guitarist. His career has spanned more than 50 years.

Womack wrote and originally recorded The Rolling Stones' first UK No. 1 hit, "It's All Over Now" He has written songs  or played on many records including releases by Joe Tex, The Box Tops, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett in the 1960's and early 70's. Womack also worked with rock musicians Sly and the Family Stone and Janis Joplin, contributing vocals and guitar work on The Family Stone's album, There's a Riot Goin' On, and penning the ballad "Trust Me", for Joplin on her album, Pearl. Womack was one of the last people to speak to Joplin before her death in October 1970. In 2009, Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Sadly Womack himself told the BBC in an interview late last year that he is suffering from Alzheimer's. I am glad I got to see him perform this show.

The musicians making up this fest are continuing to tour and you can catch some or all of them in shows coming your way. This Saturday, March 16th, you can catch them at the 9th Annual Chi-Town Blues Festival at the Arie Crown Theater  in Chicago. The show features Mel Waiters, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Floyd Taylor, Charles Wilson, Bobby Rush and Theodis Ealey. If you have never attended a show that features these great Soul Blue artists, I highly recommend it

Photos and comments by Bob Kieser © 2013 Blues Blast Magazine