Hubert Sumlin (November 16, 1931 – December 4, 2011) was an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer. He was best known for his celebrated work, from 1955, as guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band. His singular playing was characterized by "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic suspensions". Sumlin was listed as number 43 in the Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.  Born in Greenwood, Mississippi, United States, Sumlin was raised in Hughes, Arkansas.

Robert Calvin Bland (born January 27, 1930) better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland, is an American singer of blues and soul. He is an original member of the Beale Streeters, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues".

Johnny Otis was born December 28, 1921 in Vallejo, California. He grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned and operated a neighborhood grocery store. He began his musical career in 1939 as a drummer with Count Otis Matthew's West Oakland House Rockers.

This month is turning out to be a very sad time for the Blues.  So far this month we have lost Etta James (Jan. 20) and Johnny Otis (Jan. 17).  May they rest in peace.

"Toward the end of its delivery noted African American gospel singer Mahalia Jackson shouted to Dr. King from the crowd, "Tell them about the dream, Martin." Dr. King stopped delivering his prepared speech and started "preaching", punctuating his points with "I Have a Dream." " - from Wikipedia

To learn more about Mahalia Jackson's role in the Civil Right's movement, check out this History Channel article.

"Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an African-American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel". Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world, and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist; entertainer Harry Belafonte called her "the single most powerful black woman in the United States".

Click Here to remember those Blues and Soul musicans that we lost in 2011.

"Santa Claus doesn't talk about it very often, but he's actually Turkish.

Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins, January 25, 1938) is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues (R&B), rock and roll, gospel, and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer. She is best known for her version of the Mack Gordon and Harry Warren song "At Last", and for "I'd Rather Go Blind", for which she claims she wrote the lyrics.  James was born and brought up in Los Angeles by a series of caregivers.

On November 12,2011 Mr. Kenny Neal stopped by the studio for an interview with Brother Frank.  You can click here to see the interview and video.