Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin by Bluesman

(Washington D.C.) Maybe you've heard the name Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, maybe you haven't, but if you love music and you have a pulse, you've heard his music before. Bob played guitar with the great Muddy Waters' Band from 1973-1980, played with Muddy Waters and The Band in The Last Waltz, the classic movie documentary, opened shows for Eric Clapton, and now performs around the country with his own band.

Bob says he was inspired to play guitar by Chuck Berry. "I followed the path of his inspiration back to The Blues, especially Muddy Waters. I fell in deep and I haven't crawled out yet." It's easy to see why he is the guitarist he is today with inspirations like Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters. When asked which CD of his HE feels is his best work, he said "I think my last one, In North Carolina, is the best in terms of representing who I am as a musician. I created it by myself at home with all the love, life and musical experience I could bring."

Bob thinks The Blues is "artistically thriving , but commercially challenged." It's not unusual these days to see a top performer like Bob Margolin, Pinetop Perkins, Joe Bonamassa and other great Blues artists in small venues. Bob says, "There are great Blues musicians of every age, race, gender and nationality who love the music, and they carry on the traditional and progressive while adding their own soul to it. Blues has never been mainstream commercial, but it faces even more obstacles in the current world economy. " People tend to cut out entertainment costs, going to clubs, etc during hard times.

Bob says he listens to the Blues legends for inspiration, but says that lately, he has been "knocked out" by the music that some young artists are making as well. Among his list of young musicians he admires are Dave Gross, Gina Sicilia, Matt Hill, Matt Walsh, Tadd Walters, V.E. Paul, Micah Kesserling, Clay Swafford, Trampled Underfoot, Nick Moss, Sean Carney, to name just a few. This is an impressive list of musicians, and most likely the future of The Blues. As for LIVE Blues acts (females), Bob listed a few of his favorites ... Diunna Greenleaf, Candye Kane, Janiva Magness, Erica Brown, Angela Strehli, and Lou Ann Barton.

Asked what LIVE act he would see if he had only one choice, Bob said it would have to be 96 year old Pinetop Perkins. Bob goes on, " I've known him since we were in Muddy Waters' Band together in 197, and we still play together . All that he represents in my memories and in his music would make my choice Pinetop."

Bob doesn't have any immediate plans to tour the East Coast, but he says that there WILL be shows to come. Look for Bob to release a new LIVE CD possibly titled Steady Rollin' Live " from different shows in the last year or so. I hope to get it out by the summertime. " Bob will be playing at The Rumboogie tonight (Friday) and Saturday, that's the 22nd and 23rd of January, in Memphis at 11:00 P.M. during IBC weekend. According to Bob's personal Facebook page, he will be playing a short set and then jam the rest of the night . Last years jam included Michael Burks, Zak Harmons, Shemekia Copeland and Diunna Greenleaf. It doesn't get any better than that!

Check out Bob Margolin at http://www.bobmargolin.com/ , and by all means, make sure you catch a LIVE show. He is well worth the price of admission.

Geraldo Padilla

virginiabluesman@gmail.com