“A soul-blues revivalist who isn't strictly a traditionalist, Eli "Paperboy" Reed synthesized several strands of 1960s soul, marrying gritty Southern funk with gutsy Chicago blues.”

With Eli “Paper Boy” Reed set to tour in Australia in May, I sat down for a chat with him about 20 years in the biz, about those amazing times chasing his muse following school, and our favourite Sam Cooke album. Plus songs from four of his incredible albums, released since 2005.

&ldquo;A soul-blues revivalist who isn't strictly a traditionalist, Eli "Paperboy" Reed synthesized several strands of 1960s soul, marrying gritty Southern funk with gutsy Chicago blues.&rdquo; With Eli &ldquo;Paper Boy&rdquo; Reed set to tour in Australia in May, I sat down for a chat with him about 20 years in the biz, about those amazing times chasing his muse following school, and our favourite Sam Cooke album. Plus songs from four of his incredible albums, released since 2005.

Shaun Bindley’s Blues with a Feeling has been playing the latest and greatest blues releases, album features and interviews from Australia and across the world for almost 30 years.

With a dedicated following both locally and internationally as a radio show of 27 years, Shaun is now working on producing Blues with a Feeling as a Podcast.

Shaun Bindley&rsquo;s Blues with a Feeling has been playing the latest and greatest blues releases, album features and interviews from Australia and across the world for almost 30 years.
With a dedicated following both locally and internationally as a radio show of 27 years, Shaun is now working on producing Blues with a Feeling as a Podcast.

Blues with a Feeling - The Official Podcast

Shaun Bindley’s Blues with a Feeling has been playing the latest and greatest blues releases, album features and interviews from across the world for almost 30 years.

Shaun Bindley&rsquo;s Blues with a Feeling has been playing the latest and greatest blues releases, album features and interviews from across the world for almost 30 years.

Shaun Bindley's Blues With A Feeling

SE 5 Ep 6 - Eli Paper Boy Reed Feature Interview 

This week on Blues With A Feeling, following the sad passing of John Hammond in February, I’m rolling the tape all the way back to 1962 — back to a moment when a young New Yorker with an old soul stepped into a studio and cut a debut album that felt less like a beginning and more like a declaration.

The record was simply called John Hammond, but don’t let the plain title fool you. This was a mission statement. A line in the sand. A 20‑year‑old kid saying, “I know exactly who I am, and I know exactly where I’m going.”

 

Plus new releases from Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials, Selwyn Birchwood, Laura Chavez, Eric Bibb, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Christone Kingfish Ingram, Kim Wilson, Sue Foley, Billy Branch & The Sons of Blues, Studebaker John & The Maxwell Street Kings and Bernard Allison.

 

 

 

This week on Blues With A Feeling, following the sad passing of John Hammond in February, I&rsquo;m rolling the tape all the way back to 1962 &mdash; back to a moment when a young New Yorker with an old soul stepped into a studio and cut a debut album that felt less like a beginning and more like a declaration.
The record was simply called John Hammond, but don&rsquo;t let the plain title fool you. This was a mission statement. A line in the sand. A 20‑year‑old kid saying, &ldquo;I know exactly who I am, and I know exactly where I&rsquo;m going.&rdquo;
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Plus new releases from Lil Ed &amp; The Blues Imperials, Selwyn Birchwood, Laura Chavez, Eric Bibb, Robert Randolph &amp; the Family Band, Christone Kingfish Ingram, Kim Wilson, Sue Foley, Billy Branch &amp; The Sons of Blues, Studebaker John &amp; The Maxwell Street Kings and Bernard Allison.
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SE 6 Ep 7 - Classic Album Feature - John Hammond - John Hammond

Not many living blues musicians can say they have performed with and recorded for legends like Big Mama Thornton, Sonny Rhodes, Luther Tucker, Jimmy McCracklin, Pee Wee Crayton, Carla Thomas, Booker T. Jones, Percy Mayfield, Etta James, B.B. King, and Jimmy Reed.

Ron Thompson can, and that's just the beginning!

Ron Thompson was a legendary rhythm and blues guitarist and master keyboardist whose career began in the rough and tumble world of East San Francisco Bay nightclubs and bars in the early '70s. During many years of touring coast to coast with John Lee Hooker, Hooker was quoted as saying, 'Ron Thompson, he's my main man!'

After serving as John Lee Hooker's bandleader for seven years, Thompson went on to form his own group, Ron Thompson and His Resisters, and toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Central America. 

 

I’m super excited to feature for you Ron Thompsons classic 1998 release Magic Touch for you this week. And for extra context, I’ve added some excerpts from my 2020 interview with his long time bandmate and friend Jim Pugh.

 

Plus new releases from Christone Kingfish Ingram, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Laura Chavez, Eric Bibb, Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials, Tinsley Ellis and Darren Watson.   

 

Not many living blues musicians can say they have performed with and recorded for legends like Big Mama Thornton, Sonny Rhodes, Luther Tucker, Jimmy McCracklin, Pee Wee Crayton, Carla Thomas, Booker T. Jones, Percy Mayfield, Etta James, B.B. King, and Jimmy Reed.
Ron Thompson can, and that's just the beginning!
Ron Thompson was a legendary rhythm and blues guitarist and master keyboardist whose career began in the rough and tumble world of East San Francisco Bay nightclubs and bars in the early '70s. During many years of touring coast to coast with John Lee Hooker, Hooker was quoted as saying, 'Ron Thompson, he's my main man!'
After serving as John Lee Hooker's bandleader for seven years, Thompson went on to form his own group, Ron Thompson and His Resisters, and toured extensively in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Central America.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m super excited to feature for you Ron Thompsons classic 1998 release Magic Touch for you this week. And for extra context, I&rsquo;ve added some excerpts from my 2020 interview with his long time bandmate and friend Jim Pugh.
&nbsp;
Plus new releases from Christone Kingfish Ingram, Robert Randolph &amp; the Family Band, Laura Chavez, Eric Bibb, Lil Ed &amp; The Blues Imperials, Tinsley Ellis and Darren Watson. &nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;

SE 6 Ep 6 - Ron Thompson Classic Album Feature - Magic Touch

Grammy Winners Showcase

For more than three decades, Blues With A Feeling has been your weekly home for stories, songs, and the artists who keep the blues alive. And this week, we’re taking a deep dive into the very best of the last six years — a special feature celebrating the winners of the Blues categories at the Grammy Awards from 2021 right through to 2026.

It’s a journey through a remarkable period in modern blues: the elders still swinging for the fences, the young guns stepping up with fire in their bellies, and a couple of live records that remind you why nothing beats the real thing. Across these six years, we’ve seen legends like Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal and Edgar Winter continue to redefine what longevity looks like, while artists like Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Cedric Burnside, Fantastic Negrito and Larkin Poe have pushed the music forward with fresh energy and fearless creativity.

You’ll hear the stories behind the albums, the moments that shaped them, and the artists who made them. You’ll hear how an 88‑year‑old Bobby Rush stripped it all back to guitar and harmonica and still took home the gold. How Cedric Burnside carried the Hill Country heartbeat into a new generation. How Buddy Guy, in his mid‑80s, delivered one of the fiercest records of his career. And how Robert Randolph & The Family Band finally claimed their long‑deserved first Grammy after years of nominations.

It’s a celebration of resilience, reinvention, and the deep river of blues that keeps flowing through every decade. Join me for this special edition of Blues With A Feeling — and as always, hug ’em close and have a great week.

Grammy Winners Showcase
For more than three decades, Blues With A Feeling has been your weekly home for stories, songs, and the artists who keep the blues alive. And this week, we&rsquo;re taking a deep dive into the very best of the last six years &mdash; a special feature celebrating the winners of the Blues categories at the Grammy Awards from 2021 right through to 2026.
It&rsquo;s a journey through a remarkable period in modern blues: the elders still swinging for the fences, the young guns stepping up with fire in their bellies, and a couple of live records that remind you why nothing beats the real thing. Across these six years, we&rsquo;ve seen legends like Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal and Edgar Winter continue to redefine what longevity looks like, while artists like Christone &ldquo;Kingfish&rdquo; Ingram, Cedric Burnside, Fantastic Negrito and Larkin Poe have pushed the music forward with fresh energy and fearless creativity.
You&rsquo;ll hear the stories behind the albums, the moments that shaped them, and the artists who made them. You&rsquo;ll hear how an 88‑year‑old Bobby Rush stripped it all back to guitar and harmonica and still took home the gold. How Cedric Burnside carried the Hill Country heartbeat into a new generation. How Buddy Guy, in his mid‑80s, delivered one of the fiercest records of his career. And how Robert Randolph &amp; The Family Band finally claimed their long‑deserved first Grammy after years of nominations.
It&rsquo;s a celebration of resilience, reinvention, and the deep river of blues that keeps flowing through every decade. Join me for this special edition of Blues With A Feeling &mdash; and as always, hug &rsquo;em close and have a great week.

SE 5 Ep 6 - Eli Paper Boy Reed Feature Interview

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