Edito de Blue TrainThe Peter Thorpe Memorial Fund marked its first anniversary in March 2004, and in its first year has provided various forms of assistance and encouragement to independent artists throughout the U.S. and to visitors from as far away as Great Britain and Australia. The title cut, "Blue Train," is by Nashville Fats (Peter Thorpe) and is one of his last recorded songs. It is from "Nickel and Dime Poet," his final CD, released just months before his death. "Blue Train" was selected as the title cut for this compilation by Fats' friends, who find spiritual comfort in his opening words "I'm ready to roll!!" Nashville Fats' CD, "God's Country," is currently available at cdbaby.com/nashvillefats "Freddie's Blues," an instrumental by the Blues Allstars, was recorded in Nashville in the Fall of 2002. The Allstars are an international group of bluesmen who met online. All were chart-topping blues artists on MP3.com. Fans of each others' music, they gathered in Nashville to record an 11-song CD, "Blues Allstars: The Nashville Sessions." They are top-notch players. "Freddie's Blues" features Texas blues guitar player Doc Quinn and Great Britain's Matt Thorpe, both playing lead guitar. "Silly Me," by Nashville singer/songwriter Joel Keller, is a favorite and often-requested song at local Music City writers nights. Two other songs by Joel, "Backdoor Man" and "Looking For a Rainbow in My Tears," are featured in an independent film, "Breaking and Entering," shot in Louisville, Kentucky in 2003. These songs from "Joel Sings Joel" can be previewed at cdbaby.com/joelkeller "Ode To an Old Poway Boy," by James T, is from the CD "Expatriate," released in Australia, featuring three American "ex-pats": James T, Dirk Dubois, and Doc Span. Blues aficionados will remember James T (James Thornbury), as lead singer for the legendary blues band "Canned Heat." "Ode To an Old Poway Boy" features James on electric guitar and vocals. Nashville session player, songwriter, harpman, and vocalist David Street, of David Street and the Rock Doctors, is a recent transplant to Memphis. "Talk About You," an authentic blues tune written, sung, and produced by David, is from the CD recorded in Nashville, "Take One and Call Us In the Morning." More songs from this CD can be heard at cdbaby.com/rockdoctors, where the CD is available for purchase. Anyone interested in music and the power of the internet will be fascinated and impressed with "Love Is Like an Angel" by Patti Sterling. Patti has a rich and powerful blues voice, and the song composed by Patti and John Cohmer is reminiscent of 60's Soul. However, another interesting feature of this song is its unusual production: A full internet collaboration, the song began with Patti in Los Angeles and John near Cincinatti, Ohio, co-writing online. The song was then globally recorded, via the internet, by a talented assortment of mulitnational blues players. Never meeting face-to-face, they laid down the tracks to "Love Is Like an Angel." The song was produced by Matt Thorpe in Manchester, England and sent to The Peter Thorpe Memorial Fund in Nashville to be used on the "Blue Train" project. It is an outstanding cut. "Testify," a powerful tune from "Common Ground" by St. Louis Blues artist Chris Shepherd of The Chris Shepherd Band. They are well known in the Midwest, spending most every weekend in concert and at festivals. His gritty Blues vocals will leave you wanting to hear more testifyin' . . . and he sure does testify!! Natty "O" (Jerry Leff, also known as Eugene, Oregon's hardest working sideman) will soon have to relinquish that title when his CD "It's About Time" is released. On "Note to G-D," you could easily confuse Natty "O" with a fierce, Texas blues guitar player. In addition to working with some of the Northwest's best blues bands, Natty "O" can also be heard live in the Willamette Valley and around the world via the internet on Monday mornings at 5:30 AM PST on KRVM's radio show, "Breakfast with the Blues." "City of Constant Rain" and "Rob Tobias and Friends" are two CDs featuring the work of Natty "O". Check them out at cdbaby.com/robtobias "Immortal" by Watermelon Slim (Bill Homans) is from "Big Shoes to Fill." The music of Watermelon Slim reflects his varied life: A veteran of the Vietnam War, a peace activist, a truck driver, a visual artist, and a journalist . . . he has done it all! Watermelon Slim has a unique, distinct, and compelling blues voice and, after a recent weekend of gigs and showcases in Memphis, he is on the road to becoming an established and well-loved presence on the "Chittlin' Circuit." "Shiny and New," by Will Joy, penned on Music Row by Will (Mark Forrest) and Steve Rupe in the tradition of old heart-wrenching country songs, has brought tears to many an eye while delivering a message of hope, healing and restoration from loss. Will, always the adventurer and now living in San Diego, is working with Calypso artist "Natty Scats" on a yet-to-be-titled CD. Will is well known in Nashville songwriting circles as Mark Forrest. "Shiny and New" is a wonderful, uplifting and well-crafted song. "21st Century Man" is fun and humorous, a country tale bemoaning the plight of modern man. Jerry Lemmon is a Tennessee singer and songwriter. Steve Rupe's song, "Waylon, Harlan, Nashville Fats" is a very personal contribution to the "Blue Train" project. Steve wrote this song with Daniel Putnam Green shortly after Nashville Fats' departure from this world. Steve and Daniel co-wrote many songs with him and they were writing with him just hours before his unexpected death. Waylon Jennings and Harlan Howard also passed away within days of Nashville Fats, and their collective passing inspired this song. Steve performs the vocals and Daniel provides the modulating guitar. Two CDs by Steve, "Strong and Free" and "County Fair," are available for listening and purchase at cdbaby.com/rupe1 and cdbaby.com/rupe2 Many of the artists on this CD were close friends and colleagues of Fats', and generously contributed their songs to help keep the memory and legacy of Nashville Fats alive. PTMF would like to acknowledge their friendship and support. Enjoy the samples from "Blue Train" available on this page and know that when you purchase this unique and excellent compilation you will also be helping the Peter Thorpe Memorial Fund help others! "FREDDIES BLUES" BY THE BLUES ALLSTARS AND "IMMORTAL" BY WATERMELON SLIM recieved the most digital plays this reporting period(May 05-August 05)...thank you Allstars and Slim!!!! New feature added to ptmf.org A fourm for "Blue Train" artists and others working with Peter Thorpe Memorial Fund to post current projects, was recently added to Peter Thorpe Memorial Fund webpage. Please join us at ptmf.org to find out more about the artists on this CD. Forum link is at top of home page. Lire la suite