Off topic: Don’t give up the day job….Artwork as a sideline to Music.

You may or may not know, but in addition to my career as a musician, I like to create artworks when the mood takes me. Recent weeks have seen a nice return for this activity, as I’ve sold a variety of items featuring my art in one way or another. I thought it might be a good time to share them.

A few weeks ago I sold some greetings cards featuring ‘Souperman’, and ‘Dali the Dog’, and more recently, a couple of T-shirts featuring my ‘Like Father like Son‘ artwork. Then yesterday, a framed print of Pinetop Perkins, (see above) the legendary bluesman I had the pleasure to meet in Austin, Texas in 2010, when at the grand old age of 96, he proceeded to get up on stage and blow me away.

I was inspired to write the song, ’96 on Sixth’ about the experience and it featured on my album ‘Blue Odyssey’ from the same year. You can hear it by clicking on the widget below:

It’s always fun to create art, and always a big incentive to do more when people appreciate and buy it! -and with that in mind, click on the Fine Art America logo below if you are interested in any of my artworks

Kev Moore

More and Moore Music!

Don’t forget music-lovers, I have a host of product out there: including 2 full albums as digital downloads, “The Long Walk Home” and “The Songwriter Diaries” COMPLETELY FREE! Plus, available to buy from Shop:Kev,  My DCFC tribute CD “Fan Fayre for the Commons People”, and my latest CD, the 18 track “Blue Odyssey”.

Click on the picture links to explore, listen, download and buy!

Kev Moore

Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins : July 7, 1913 – March 21, 2011

It was with the deepest, most profound sadness that I discovered today that Pinetop Perkins had passed away peacefully at his home in Austin, Texas. It was just over a year ago that I had the singular pleasure of meeting this legendary 96 year-old delta bluesman, shaking his hand getting him to sign a CD and watching him perform. He amazed and inspired me. So much so, that I wrote a song about him: “96 on Sixth” for my album of the trip, Blue Odyssey.

 

My cartoon inspired by meeting Pinetop at Nuno's

Few people in this world are worthy of the accolade ‘legendary’. but Pine was one of them. The album he signed for me, recorded aged 94, was evidence of his continuing dedication to music, and was full of guest appearances from Eric Clapton, BB King, Jimmy Vaughn, etc – showing in just how high regard he was held.  He also won a Grammy last year for his collaboration with Willy ‘Big Eyes’ Smith.

 

The CD he signed for me

Bluesmen like Pine are International treasures, and with his passing a little more of the Blues moves from the present into the history books. We need to keep it alive, singing his songs, and playing his wonderful records. Pinetop, the honour was mine, I salute you. God bless. R.I.P.

Here’s the song I wrote for him, featuring Stef Cybichowski on drums, who told me the sad news today. This one’s for you Pinetop.

Visit Pinetop’s website to find out more about him.

Kev Moore

A different kind of Pinetop tribute!

Eagerly awaiting the first copies of Blue Odyssey – arriving from the company any day now – and I thought I’d share with you one of my artistic creations. It’s the first time my art and music have ‘met’ really. I have a song about the legendary Delta Bluesman Pinetop Perkins on the new album, called “96 on Sixth”, A reference to his amazing age and also Sixth street in Austin, where he still performs at Nuno’s.

Pine turned 97 this summer, and is truly a living legend. I thought I’d use him as inspiration for one of my music character pieces. Here it is:

If you want to buy a giclee print of Pinetop in various sizes, framed or otherwise, just click on the widget below:

It also seems like a good time to tell you about a new site started by Miki, currently featuring her, myself, and our friend Pamela Allegretto Franz. It is called PAINTING THE MUSIC and its eventual aim is to feature artwork from artists all over the world portraying music and dance.

Kev Moore

Happy 97th, Pinetop!

Pinetop Perkins - 97 yesterday

Yesterday, the song I’m working on about Pinetop Perkins , 96th on Sixth, became out of date before it’s even finished when Pinetop turned 97 – and I couldn’t be happier!

Raise a glass to this living delta blues legend!  Happy birthday, Pine!

96 on Sixth

My attention now turns to the song “96 on Sixth” – which is a tribute to Pinetop Perkins. It describes meeting him at Nuno’s on Austin’s famous Sixth street, and seeing him perform, and will be another ‘signpost’ in my Blue Odyssey song series -part of the trip that will become my next album. The word legend is bandied about in the music world with monotonous regularity these days, and bestowed on one-dimensional johnny-come-lately’s not fit to wear the crown. But in Pinetop’s case, it is richly deserved . He is the oldest surviving Delta Bluesman who still performs at the grand old age of 96, and recorded an album with stars such as BB King and Eric Clapton at the age of 94. I was dumbstruck to see him launch into “Got my mojo workin'” at Nuno’s. The guy is just incredible, and an inspiration. I just had to do a song about him.  Shaking his hand was like connecting directly to the Mississippi delta all those years ago, it was an unbelievable privilege.

I just hope the song will do him justice. I’ve lifted a line from his song ‘barefootin’ to intro the track – “everybody get on your feet” and hope to dovetail it nicely into the song, and the chorus shoutbacks will echo titles – take it easy baby – down in mississippi, etc., to give a flavour of his work.

Once again this track will go over to my friend Stef for the drums to be added.  I hope to present the finished version to Nuno’s where Pinetop hangs out.  It’s a sincere homage to a remarkable character. Don’t stop what your doin’, Pinetop!

Kev Moore

Shaking hands with a living legend

Pinetop Perkins - Living Legend

Our trip to the States has been full of amazing happenstance – being in the right place at the right time on an amazing number of occasions. (Or in the case of this morning, the wrong place, as a plane crashed into a building here in Austin a few blocks away!!!)

But last night, we wandered into Nuno’s on the famous 6th. street, and found ourselves sitting next to Pinetop Perkins who, at 96 years young, is pretty much the oldest living bona fide Delta bluesman. I introduced myself, and shook his hand. It was akin to touching history. Here was a man who was there at the beginning, played Piano for Muddy Waters, Sonny boy Williamson, BB King, the list is endless.  I bought a CD, Pinetop Perkins and friends, recorded with the likes of Eric Clapton, and amnazingly, recorded when Pinetop was 94!  – and he kindly signed it for me. 

But more amazing than that, he took to the stage last night. That grand old man of the blues, joined the house band and proceeded to take us back in time with half a dozen classics, such as Down in Mississippi, and Pinetop Boogie.   I leaned over to Miki and whispered, “We are so privileged to witness this.”

My respect and affection for this man knew no bounds. The term ‘living legend’ is bandied about with vulgar regularity in this shallow era, but here was a man who embodied it.

Who would have thought, when I signed the guitar in Helena at the studios of King Biscuit time, and noticed Pinetop’s signature, that I would meet him some weeks later?  Life, as I had often suspected, is amazing.

Kev Moore