Nice Billy Lee Riley Obituary

My friend, Terence McArdle, had a feature obituary in today's Washington Post for the late rocker who passed away this past weekend.

The opening paragraph of the obituary:

"Billy Lee Riley, 75, the growling rockabilly singer and multi-instrumentalist who accompanied Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich and others in recording sessions in the 1950s, died Aug. 2 at a hospital in Jonesboro, Ark. He had colon cancer."

I will leave it to you to read the whole obituary on the Washington Post's website

Memphis Gold Loves that Big Legged Woman

From youtube



I should mention that the new issue of Blues and Rhythm, No. 233, October 2008, has Terence McArdle's story on Memphis Gold and one of my photos of him is the predominant one on the cover. There are a few more of mine inside illustrating the story, taken from gigs in the 1990s at JV's in Annadale VA (not in Washington) and Fleetwood's in Alexandria VA. Its really nice to see the story and the exposure as he is such a good person as well as a performer. He still is recuperating from his fall earlier this year an gets better every time I see him. Bluebeat Music carries Blues & Rhythm, and while I suspect they do not have it yet in stock, you might check in a week or two after the date of this post. Btw the harmonica player on this performance is Charlie Sayles (Hollywood Charlie Sayles as Memphis calls him). Below is Part 2 of this performance.

Bobby Parker Hospitalized - Benefit March 11 at Surf Club

Terence McArdle posted the following on the RockinRecords list at yahoo.com. Ironically, the picture of Bobby is from the benefit he played for Memphis Gold back in March. Memphis is playing this show.

"Blues singer and guitarist Bobby Parker, famous for his hit records “Watch Your Step” (V-Tone label, 1961) and “Blues Get Off My Shoulder” (VJ label, 1958) as well as his two contemporary blues CDs on the Black Top label, has been hospitalized for the past three and a half weeks. Presently, he is at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. where he has undergone surgery for a mass in his stomach. Georgetown has a reputation as one of the best facilities for internal medicine on the East Coast – that’s the good news. The bad news is that Bobby has had to cancel all his immediate local engagements as well as an appearance at New Orleans’ Ponderosa Stomp. His bills are mounting.

For those in the Washington, D.C. area, there will be a benefit concert at the Surf Club, 4711 Kenilworth Ave., Riverdale, Md. on Sunday, May 11th featuring The Nighthawks, Memphis Gold, and Terence McArdle & Jumpin’ Tonight with some special guests. We plan to set up a custodial account for Bobby’s bills probably through the auspices of the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA-DC).

In the meantime, those who want help out by sending donations can writing checks payable to Bobby Parker and send them in care of the DC Blues Society, PO Box 77315, Washington, DC 20013.

You may also send cards and letter to Bobby care of Terence McArdle, PO Box 6548, Silver Spring, MD 20916 – and I will hand deliver them to him in the hospital. (I think this may be better than dealing with the hospital’s internal mailroom.) Please keep Bobby in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you,

Terence McArdle"