Underrated Blues musicians?

Question

Who are some underrated blues musicians?

(Please, no SRV or RJ!)

I'd kick it off with Lonnie Johnson

Who else?

Answer 1

Muddy Waters...

Answer 2

Duke Robillard, Tony Vega, Rod Piazza, The Insomniacs, The Ty Curtis Band, Boogie Bone, Magic Slim, Byther Smith, Junior Watson, Omar Dykes, Tab Benoit, Benois King, Smoking Joe Kubek, Kellie Rucker, Blues Company, B.B. & The Blues Shacks, Memo Gonzalez and the Bluescasters, Richie Arndt & The Bluenatics, Doug Jay & The Blue Jays, Igor Prado Band, 12 Bar Blues Band, Trickbag, Papa Salty, Paul Mark & The Van Dorens, Hamilton Loomis, Matt Leddy & The Meatcutters, Long John Hunter, The Nighthawks, Jim Suhler & Monkybeat, The Buddaheads, Dave Gross, Gina Sicilia, Maria Muldauer, Marcia Ball, Sue Foley, Susan Tedeschi, Debbie Davies, Mississippi Heat, James Harman, Kid Ramos, JW Jones Band, David Gogo, The Twisters, Nick Moss & The Flip Tops, Chicago Blues Angels, Barrelhouse Chuck, Carter Chaplin, Bryan Lee, Eric Sardinas, Kenny Wayne Shephard, Hubert Sumlin
t.b.c.

Answer 3

Since I was just listening to him earlier, I'll say Juke Boy Bonner.

Chunga has a valid point re; Alvin Lee , Bloomfield , etc..
On the other hand, Chain Lightning's response begs a question. How many people know SRV vs. how many know Michael Bloomfield? 10 to 1? 20 to 1?
Underrated/unknown by aficionados is not the same as underrated by the general public. My response is an example. I assume most of the regular contributors to this forum know Juke Boy Bonner, but on a larger scale?
Probably 1 person out of ten thousand.

EDIT #2-To Hi_Sakura
I must take exception to your comments. In virtually any other endeavor, creative or otherwise, I would agree with you 100%. In fact, I would stand shoulder to shoulder with you and proclaim the same. In blues, however, women have always been recognized and valued for their contributions. The initial "blossoming" of the blues was virtually male free as far as the record buying public was concerned. Sippie Wallace, Alberta Hunter, Victoria Spivey, Ma Rainey, the many Smiths (Clara, Trixie, Bessie, Ivy, Mamie), Ida Cox, Lucille Hegamin, even your "Chippie" Hill, were all successful and appreciated to varying degrees. Subsequently, everyone from Memphis Minnie to Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Bonnie Raitt, Janis Joplin, Marcia Ball, Susan Tedeschi, and others has been recognized and welcomed by the blues community.

Answer 4

Eddie Cotton, Jr

Babe Stovall

Snooks Eaglin

Earl King

Tuts Washington

Professor Longhair (Henry Roland Byrd)

Guitar Slim

Percy Mayfield ("Serves Me Right To Suffer" should be a standard)

Ok, enough of my pumping all the old New Orleans guys and young Mississippian Eddie Cotton. Eddie's the only contemporary bluesman I mentioned.

Must throw in Fenton Robinson, too, since so many people think SRV wrote "Texas Flood". And, "Somebody Loan Me A Dime" is one of the best songs of anguish ever.

Oh, Jimmy Witherspoon!

Answer 5

Many people have mentioned artists like Alvin Lee, and Mike Bloomfield (RIP). I don't feel they are underrated at all. They are very respected and rated highly as great blues and rock guitarists.

Most authentic blues musicians such as 'Skip James', 'Mississippi John Hurt', 'Charley Patton', 'Blind Lemon Jefferson, and 'Lonnie Johnson' are underrated, or simply not known by many people today. With the exception of blues music aficionados of course.

I always felt that 'Tony TS McFee' of the UK blues rock band 'The Groundhogs' was very underrated as a blues musician.
He played authentic blues very well, and he was/is a true modern day blues man.

Canadian blues guitarist John Mendelson, who was with the band 'McKenna Mendelson Mainline' the late 60's, early 70's deserves mention as well. He later embarked on a solo career as Medelson Joe. A true blues purist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKenna_Mendelson_Mainline
Also Canadian Richard Newell RIP (aka The King Biscuit Boy) was one of the best harp players ever, and a true blues master. I feel he was underrated on a world scale.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Biscuit_Boy
http://kingbiscuitboy.com/
http://kingbiscuitboy.com/

Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer, both guitarists of the early Fleetwood Mac, were awesome blue players as well. Jeremy was heavily influenced by Elmore Lames, while Peter drew influences from many of the great American blues men.

These are just a few of the many blues musicians I feel are underrated.

Edit:
Oh yeah, and of course we can't forget Paul Hxyz. Many people have never heard of this blues man, and I feel this is why he's so underrated as a player... haaaa!

Answer 6

Since harp players are undervalued, I cast my vote for Corky Seigel. He is absolutely the most original and accomplished living purveyor of the "Mississippi saxophone". Like B.B. King and Duane Allman, he can say more with one note than other players say with ten.
By the way, nice stroke for Richard Newell, the King Biscuit Boy. A great talent and sadly a tragic figure in the post-war blues pantheon.

Answer 7

Luther Allison, Big Maceo, Albert King, Freddie King, Magic Sam, Pinetop Perkins

Answer 8

Sweeeeet jayzus, as Ma Rainey might have said, no female blues singers listed here? Or singers don't count as musicians?

I'd say most female blues artists are underrated in a field that tends to be dominated by men with guitars. But I'd especially name Clara Smith and Bertha "Chippie" Hill (who didn't deserve that nickname nohow) as underrated and sadly ignored.

Almost forgot, Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, who originally recorded "Hound Dog" before Elvis pilfered it.

Answer 9

I was gonna say Gary Moore but JR M beat me to it. I guess I'll have to throw out some others. Tab Benoit, Tinsley Ellis, Studebaker John Grimaldi, Jake Andrews, and Susan Tedeschi. These are just a few that Blues afficionados should check out if they haven't all ready.

Answer 10

Elvin Bishop; Hound Dog Taylor

Answer 11

Lucky Peterson - Really great performer, singer, guitarist, and also quite the organ ripper as well. Very much underrated and overlooked.

Links:

http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/luckypeterson

http://myspace.com/luckypetersonmusic

http://www.alligator.com/index.cfm?section=artists&artistid=25

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Peterson

Good Luck!

Kevin Chisholm - American Guitarist