Joe "Guitar" Hughes

"For the American rugby league player Joe Hughes see Joe Hughes (rugby league)".

Joe "Guitar" Hughes (September 29 1937 – May 20 2003 [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20030526/ai_n12685293 Obituary: Joe "Guitar" Hughes; Independent, The (London), May 26, 2003 by Paul Wadey - accessed January 2008] ] ) was a blues musician, from Houston, Texas. An inventive and versatile performer, Hughes was equally happy with slow blues, Texas shuffles and old R&B hits.

Career

Hughes was sold on the blues by local heroes like Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and Johnny "Guitar" Watson - "anyone who had fire in their playing and a good shuffle".cite book
first= Tony
last= Russell
year= 1997
title= The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray
edition=
publisher= Carlton Books Limited
location= Dubai
pages= p. 119
id= ISBN 1-85868-255-X] His first band was the Dukes Of Rhythm in the 1950s, which also included his friend, Johnny Copeland.

In the 1960s he worked for Little Richard's old group the Upsetters, and next as a member of Bobby "Blue" Bland's band in the 1960s. Like Jonny Copeland he could not see much of a future for the blues in Houston, but unlike him Hughes stayed there.

A long dry spell followed, but Hughes finally came back to the spotlight with a fine set for Black Top Records in 1989 with "If You Want to See These Blues" (by that time, he had inserted a "Guitar" as his middle name, much like his old pal Watson).

From the early 1980s he toured Europe and recorded for Double Trouble Records of Holland. They issued "Texas Guitar Master" in 1986, which included a live "Battle of the Guitars" with fellow Texan bluesman Pete Mayes, that testified to the abiding influence on both men by T-Bone Walker.

After half a century of playing the blues, Joe "Guitar" Hughes died on 20 May 2003 after suffering a heart attack. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kifuxq95ldke~T1 All Music Guide biography - accessed January 2008] ]

elected discography

*1988 - "Craftsman" (Double Trouble)
*1989 - "If You Want To See These Blues" (Black Top)
*1995 - "Down & Depressed" (The Network)
*1996 - "Live At Vrendenburg" (Double Trouble)
*1996 - "Texas Guitar Slinger" (Bullseye Blues)
*2001 - "Stuff Like That" (Blues Express) [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kifuxq95ldke~T2 All Music Guide discography] ]

ee also

*List of Electric blues musicians
*List of Texas blues musicians

References

External links

* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1140621.ece Times Online obituary]