I've always loved music. Growing up from 6 to 67, I've gone through different phases of addiction to various musical styles from Jerry Lewis's Never Smile at a Crocodile to Chris Standring's Imagine That. When I was 10 I was in awe of The Beatles' She Loves You, and later blown away by the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

Somewhere along the way, I became fascinated by the blues. I loved all kinds of blues music from the British blues bands like John Mayall and the Blues Breakers and the early Fleetwood Mac to the classic American blues musicians like Howlin' Wolf, Lightnin' Hopkins, Hound Dog Taylor, and Son Seals. And of course, I can't forget The Butterfield Blues Band, Electric Flag, Johnny Winter, and Canned Heat. I never got to see any of those musicians in concert except for Fleetwood Mac. And that was only after they had migrated away from the blues toward more mainstream rock music. But one great bluesman I did get to see and hear, quite loudly I might add, was JB Hutto.

I don't remember exactly when it was or who I was with, probably some hapless co-ed I asked to join me for a cheap date. After all, it was a free concert. But I do remember that it was in the ever-so-cramped, low ceilinged, 1950s vintage, student union ballroom at the University of Connecticut. Seeing as there was no charge and the venue was the smallest I had ever seen, I wasn't expecting much. Boy, was I wrong! It was one of the best concerts ever. Like they say – "The best things in life are free."

If you like loud, in-your-face, electric blues guitar, it was the time and the place to be. Of course, I didn't recognize many of the songs. Mr. Hutto played mostly original material, and I had never even heard of him before going to the concert. But that didn't stop me from being completely immersed in the music. As I said, I don't even remember who I was with – I was so engrossed in the music. I do remember saying to whomever it was, "This guy is just as good as Eric Clapton. And, yet I bet a lot of people never heard of him. I can't believe a guy this good is playing in a tiny dump like this." - or something to that effect.

To be honest, I'm listening to some of JB Hutto's music at this very moment as I try to recollect that electric evening from so long ago. Songs such as Too Much Alcohol, I Feel So Good, and Hip Shakin' still pack quite a punch. But there's nothing like being at a live blues concert in a small room filled with a partyin', dancin', rockin' crowd.

"What are you listening to?" asked my wife just now as she interrupted me. "And what are you writing?"

"It's about a JB Hutto concert."

"Oh, I remember when we went to that!"

Story and Cover Illustration Copyright © 2021 by Michael DeFrancesco