"Dr. John" - The good doctor brought the good gris gris and voodoo to the masses out of the swamps of Louisiana and always was in the right place.

"John Lee Hooker" - King of the boogie, King of Detroit's Hastings Street who brought the delta blues rhythm to the up north urban streets!

Joni Mitchell - The sweetheart of Laurel Canyon whose songwriting, voice, guitar and attitude always had my attention. Joni sings the blues.

Bob Dylan is All Along The Watchtowers

Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas guitarist who was at the top when he fell to the ground

Rufus Thomas - The mayor of Beale Street
Just out”Walking The Dog”

John Lennon
A day in the life
Beatle genius

George Harrison
Lead guitarist of the Beatles
Soul of Beatles

Django Rheinhardt
A Roma or gypsy who is considered the leader of the jazz revolution in France

Albert Collins - was the Iceman, He was very cool,
Antones was one of favorite haunts

Fats Domino - The heart of New Orleans
One of the fathers of Rock and Roll

Edith Piaf - The little Sparrow
TheVoice of Paris

Marcia Ball -  Long tall Marcia Ball peddling doen Chartres Street at Mardi Gras 1998, New Orleans. Keeping the boogie in piano playing.

Joan Baez - The folk queen of the 60’s and 70’s, Bob Dylan’s sidekick and a hero of mine, Joan Baez has always looked for “good trouble.” A voice unique pleading for human rights.

Linda Ronstadt - The sweetheart of Joshua Tree, Linda Ronstadt’s first band The Stone Ponies became The Eagles. The heart and soul of old school Tejano music.

Champion Jack Dupree - One of New Orleans and Paris, France’s piano masters and once a boxing champion. Always happy Champion Jack loved to smoke reefers.

Super Chikan - James Johnson of Clarksdale is a master story teller, guitarist, band leader and bohemian luthier… and a lover of chickens! Shoot that thang!

Kingfish - Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is Alligator Records new blues star started at the Delta Blues Museum and now tours the world - the next big thing.

Billie Holiday - Lady Day came from my hometown Philadelphia and everything she sings I can relate to and understand. She sang the truth and she was real.

Koko Taylor - Once known as the Queen of the Blues was the real deal blues shouter whose voice could cut through walls and reach the universe. She was always having a “Wang Dang Doodle."ß

Thornetta Davis - Queen of Detroit Blues, Thornetta is showing the world why Detroit has been known for its shouting blues divas. The sweetheart of Greektown.

“Bob Marley aka Robert Nesta Marley”
Jamaica's #1 reggae star, gone too soon. His songs of love and peace and ganga and politics . His grooves with the Wailers always had an Island feel”

"Bobby Rush, Bobby Rush" - Bobby and I have had many 'milk drinkin' lobster eating' contests. Rush is a legendary soul man from the old school. He keeps lying about his age; he can't be 85! The "BR" - Bobby Rush - bottle caps are from a brewery in the Quad Cities.

"R.L. Burnside" - Father of the Mississippi Hill Country Blues, I was honored to be his friend and his family's friend. One of my favorite Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine's cover shoots was R.L. at Jr. Kimbrough's burned-down juke joint. The Budweiser (his favorite beverage) bottle caps I gathered at his trailer, where he had drank every one of them.

"Janis Joplin" - Janis embodied the sexy 60's in dress, song and lifestyle. I got to see her a couple of times in Ann Arbor and her personality and good times filled the room.

Bettye Lavette - Detroit’s Bettye Lavette is now America’s Bettye Lavette as she has now performed for presidents.  A unique soulful voice, at the top of her game. We love this “Blackbird!"

"Uncle Lionel" - At almost every funeral or second line in New Orleans, right at the front was Uncle Lionel holding his big bass drum with The Treme Brass Band.

"Marie LaVeau" - The voodoo priestess of New Orleans was a real hero for the poor, performing nontraditional medicine for healing the sick and also nontraditional blessings for the dead.

"Carlos Santana" - While I was residing in San Diego last fall (2018), Santana emerged in my mind as very California blues.

"Charles Neville" - The quiet Neville who was know as the "Horn Man" and leaned to the jazz side of the rhythm & blues. Charles was an educator, father and brother.

"Aaron Neville" - The “voice" of the Neville Brothers. Aaron Neville’s falsetto magic is unforgettable. Aaron now lives in up state New York on an organic farm. Peace! This portrait is autographed by Aaron Neville.

"Samantha Fish" - Hottest guitarist on the planet earth. Her dreams are coming true as an international sensation. Sam is humble but on fire!

"Don Was" - Detroit's gift to the musical universe. Everyone wants him to produce their music, such as The Rolling Stones, Bob Weir, MC5 and he is now also the president of Blue Note Records. Don Was is the bass man to the stars!

"Taj Mahal" - The real deal, still feeling the blues, Taj is now one of the last of the legends. Our maestro and captain on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruises and a great fishing guide.

"Buddy Guy" - The Crown Prince of Chicago blues and a wonderful host at his club, Legends. Royalty is in the house. These rare bottle caps on his frame are from "Buddy Beer."

"Robert Johnson" - Father of the blues who supposedly sold his soul to the devil at the infamous crossroads, he wrote most of the popular early blues anthems. Poisoned at 27 and quickly interred, no one knows for sure where he is buried.

"Little Richard" - One of the last originators still with us - rock and roll, rhythm and blues, gospel, soul. Little Richard's shows were spectacles with his electric stage presence.

"Mavis Staples" - Mavis is still fighting the power, "Marching for Freedom's Highway." A leader in the Civil Rights movement and the peace movement, she is still out there singing and preaching!

"Tom Waits" - Very offbeat and traveling down a different road, Mr. Waits does not disappoint with his vocals and song shaping. Not the usual suspect!

"Muddy Waters" - The King of delta blues and then electric Chicago blues, Muddy Waters was the man who people still look up to!

"Louis Armstrong" - Pops - New Orleans personified. An orphan who climbed up the ladder of life and ended up playing for kings and presidents. Pops was the King of Zulu!

"Benny Turner" - Benny has been around for a long time, he was a fixture in his brother's band - Freddie King. Benny is now back in the saddle and leading his own band.

"Jimi Hendrix" - The best guitarist ever, later for the rest. He was so far ahead of his time and could fit in the blues, jazz or rhythm and blues world. Gone way too soon!

"Irma Thomas" - Queen of New Orleans blues, Irma is a lioness who has brought gospel to another level with sweetness and soul. Even The Rolling Stones love Irma Thomas!

"Otis Clay" - Sweet soul music is now singing with the choir above us all. The trumpet flowers are singing for Otis Clay!

"Bonnie Raitt" - Slide queen Blonnie Raitt has been singing the blues since the '60's. Raitt is the sweetheart of the blues.

"Clifton Chenier" - The king of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier's music still rings through the bayous of Texas and Louisiana, long live the king!

"Elvis Presley" - The monarch of rock and roll, thus the butterflies. Elvis' gospel and church roots were his bed and where he belongs, not Vegas!

"Chuck Berry" - The key architect of rhythm & blues and the first pilot of rock and roll had the guitar licks that no one else could create.

"Aretha Franklin" - Motown's church lady and the nation's soul singer, kept the love in her music and the soul in her heart.

Ruthie Foster - If you love Sister Rosetta Tharpe, you will love Ruthie Foster who hails from the plains of Texas. And that’s the gospel truth!

"Lena Horne" - "Stormy Weather" with Ms. Horne was not a problem, she was way ahead of her time. Lena Horne would be on top of the world today!

"Frida Kahlo" - My mentor and inspiration for painting. We spent time in the same hospital room in Detroit. A Mexican rose!

“B\ig George Brock”
ia a harmonica player and band leader in St Louis  who has ties to the delta ,,one of the last of the true blue bluesmen!

“Dat Crow”
Robert Jr's best friend at Helm's Deep in Glen Arbor, Smarter than a Smaetphone
A Murder Of Crows hang at the barn

“Gus Thornton”
St Louis's #1 Bass Player with Marquis Knox and Big George Brock and always at BB's

“Marsha Evans”
St Louis's spark plug who is the firestarter when she hits the stage! Look Out!

“Sugar”
aka Shirley Mae Owens
is a counselor for the State Of Michigan, a former radio personality at KKFI in Kansas City, President of the Kansas City Blues Society and then president of the Detroit Blues Society, Senior Editor and staff photographer at Big City Rhythm & Blues magazine, and my wife, best friend, my reason to live and my mentor I try to live up to everyday.

"Bo Dollis" - For many years Bo was the Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians. Dollis was the voice of many traditional Indian songs recorded during his reign, "Smoke your peace pipe, smoke it right!"

"Happy To Have The Blues" - This is why I am the luckiest man in the world, I love blues!