Turkey Testicle Festival an acquired taste, And yeah, they taste like chicken .... mushy, mushroomy chicken

State Rep. Mike Tryon may have the stomach for politics, but apparently that's where it ends.

The Crystal Lake Republican was at Huntley's Parkside Pub Wednesday afternoon for the annual Turkey Testicle Festival, as he has been each year since 2004 as a way to meet constituents and have fun before celebrating Thanksgiving with his wife and 20 members of his family.

But one sample was enough.

“I had three in 2004 and they were very good and that was enough to last me a lifetime,” said Tryon, who has not eaten any since.

Tryon was one of 4,000 people expected to descend on the pub, which was holding the 29th annual, one-day event that also featured music and beer and, for the less stout of heart, pizza, Italian sausage and Italian beef.

Mark Weishaar, who with his business partner Jeff Lovell has owned the pub for three years, said it was important to keep the festival going, because it helped put Huntley on the map and draws visitors from across the country.

“I think it's just a unique festival, it's not like a blues festival,” Weishaar said. “People are intrigued. The product that we sell is unique.”

This particular part of the turkey is deep fried, breaded and prepared with four secret seasonings in a recipe that has been passed down among the pub's owners. They have a mushy texture and taste like a cross between mushrooms and fried chicken. Or, depending on whom you ask, chicken liver and gizzards.

11-25

Article Link

JMAX Productions Presents BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA

Sunday, December 18^th, 2011@ Grand Sierra ResortReno, NV

Doors –; 7:00 pm Show – 8:00 pm

Tickets On-Sale Friday 10/14/11

Tickets available at:

Grand Sierra Box Office (with no fees)

by phone at 775-789-2285Ticketmaster.com

Outlets

& online at www.jmaxproductions.net

Tickets: $27.50-39.50 advance,

General Admission / All Ages

Much in the world has changed since the original version of the Blind Boys of Alabama first raised their voices together. That was in 1939, when the members were just kids at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in Talladega, Ala. Today, more than 70 years later, founding member Jimmy Carter can look back on a career far beyond what he and his colleagues couldimagine at that time. The group has won a long list of awards, including Lifetime Achievement honors from the Grammys and the National Endowment for the Arts, entertained around the world, been profiled on 60 Minutes, sung for two Presidents at the White House and been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Yet throughout this long adventure, they kept one secret to themselves.

“All my life, I’ve loved country music,” confesses Carter. “I was raised up around it. Back in the 1940s, I remember listening to Hank Williams and so many others. Their voices were great. The writers were great. And every song had a meaning. I still have loads of country music in my home and I play it all the time. As a matter fact, I’ve got it on XM radio as we speak.”

Though the group has recorded and performed with a few country artists, along with others as diverse as Ben Harper, Tom Petty, Peter Gabriel and Prince, they never crossed the line and committed to doing a project inspired by the country genre until now, with the release of Take The High Road on Saguaro Road Records. This landmark recording draws from modern and traditional country to enrich the group’s gospel-rooted sound with fresh and illuminating insight.

For years the Blind Boys had imagined such a project. But it wasn’t until they were voted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2010 that their plans began to coalesce. The catalyst was their meeting rising country music star Jamey Johnson, who sang “Down by the Riverside” with them at the induction ceremony in Montgomery. Johnson, whose gifts as a songwriter and performer match his fierce commitment to country music’s history and tradition, is a longtime admirer of the Blind Boys. The experience of sharing the stage with him prompted the Blind Boys to seek his services to help bring their dream of doing a country gospel album to life. 

12-16

Link

Bendigo Blues and Roots Festival launched

[AUSTRALIA] Blues and roots music fans will have no shortage of entertainment this weekend with the first Bendigo Blues and Roots festival launched last night.

Chief co-ordinator Colin Thompson got the festival going at Gold Dust Lounge in Williamson Street last night but the festival proper begins tonight.

Under way: Peter Gavin, Penelope Sommerville, Sue Webb, Marc Leon and Roy Webb of the Old Buzzard Medicine Show perform at the Gold Dust Lounge.

Tasmanian blues band Pete Cornelius and the DeVilles kicks off the festival at the Metro/Puggs from 6pm while central Victorian legend Archer is on stage at Gold Dust Lounge at the same time.

Mr Thompson said he was excited to see a lot of acts after so many months of organising the gigs.

“I could start naming individual acts I’m particularly excited to see again, but I really do respect, admire and enjoy the talents of absolutely every act on this program,” he said.

“We’re co-operating with 15 plus venues, we’re running the big all-day concert in Rosalind Park and we have more than 60 acts performing over the course of the weekend.

“It’s been a huge juggling act and, a big part of me will be relieved when the weekend’s over and we’ve managed to get through it all.”

Mr Thompson said he couldn’t positively say how many volunteers are helping out but the crew were vital to many aspects of the shows as well as the support of the council.

11-25

Article Link

Kenny Neal Stages Benefit for Living Blues Co-founder Jim O'Neal at Buddy Guy's

Louisiana blues star Kenny Neal, who was won awards from Living Blues Magazine, as well as the Blues Foundation, Jus' Blues, and many other organizations, is bringing together a cast of Chicago blues veterans in a benefit show at Buddy Guy's Legends on Nov. 30 to assist Living Blues co-founder Jim O'Neal, who was recently diagnosed with lymph cancer. Neal also organized and headlined a benefit for O'Neal at Knucklehead's in Kansas City on Oct. 28. Washington, D.C., guitarist Memphis Gold put together another benefit on Oct. 20 in Hyattsville, Maryland, and plans to fly to Chicago for the Legends gathering, which will feature the Wayne Baker Brooks band backing Neal and a number of other performers who received their first magazine coverage in the early years of Living Blues. The magazine published an interview with Buddy Guy  by O'Neal and Tim Zorn in its second issue in 1970 and has featured him several times since.

Both Neal and Memphis Gold have dealt with their own serious health issues -- Neal had to take a year off from performing to be treated for hepatitis and Memphis Gold suffered a fall that left him partially paralyzed; he still performs with the aid of a wheelchair and a walker. Jim O'Neal, a former Chicago and Mississippi resident who has been in Kansas City since 1998, had no health insurance in June when he learned that his back pains were due to lymphoma and spinal tumors. Following back surgery, he is now undergoing chemotherapy and continuing to work at home when possible writing texts for the Mississippi Blues Trail historical marker project. O'Neal, who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2002, co-founded Living Blues, America's first blues magazine, in Chicago in 1970. 

When Kenny Neal's Hooked On Your Love CD won an award in the 2011 Living Blues Critics' Poll, Neal recalled: "I can't believe it's been 31 years since I picked up my first Living Blues magazine and opened it up and read an article on myself entitled "Kenny Neal and the Neal Brothers."  I can't describe the feeling that I got when I first saw the article; it wasn't because I was in the article but because someone cared about the blues.  I was so excited I caught a flight to Chicago from Toronto and found the Headquarters of Living Blues magazine.  Knocked on the door and there were Jim and Amy O'Neal inviting me into their house.  They took me on a grand tour down into the basement and showed me where Living Blues was being printed.  And this is at a time when we needed someone to help keep the blues alive and they did just that.  Now today here in 2011, the blues is alive and well as ever before.  I'm honored to receive the 2011 Critics Poll Living Blues Award for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year.  Keep on living the blues, Living Blues!" 

A fund has been set up at Commerce Bank in Kansas City to receive donations, which may be sent to: Jim O'Neal Blues Fund, P.O. Box 10334, Kansas City, MO 64171, or by PayPal to onealbluesfund@aol.com

11-25

Blues Video of The Week - Dr. John

Dr. John is one of the greatest Blues piano players ever to live and has done so much for the city of New Orleans in every way he could.

In honor of the Dr. we bring you several hours of Live Video of John performing his music.

I hope you enjoy!

Video Link on Classic Blues Videos.com