Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Ray Stiles. All rights reserved

Bob Bingham & Gordon Thorne Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Tom Asp. All rights reserved

The weekend kicked off on Friday with a reunion by acoustic blues duo Bob Bingham and Gordon Thorne playing some of the best non amplified blues in Minnesota. "Here's one we learned off our first album," joked Bingham, commenting on the fact that they don't get to play together that often since Bingham lives in Arizona for part of the year.

Bob & Gordon first met in 1993 and became fast friends after they discovered a common passion -- playing country blues. Influenced and inspired by such legendary bluesmen as John Hurt, Big Bill Broonzy, Mance Lipscomb, Rev. Gary Davis and Blind Blake, among others, these two musicians arrived at a common point from different directions. After spending 25 years playing hard core electric blues Bob was focusing on a solo acoustic blues style. Gordon on the other hand, was playing less solo acoustic blues and more lead guitar in an electric blues band.

They found in each other a great opportunity to learn the different styles each had developed over their careers. In 1997 Bob & Gordon recorded an album featuring their duets of acoustic delta and ragtime blues called "Out Of The Desert & Into The Blues." By fusing their different styles and experiences they bring out the best in each other's playing, offering the listener a fresh approach to a classic blues form.

Paul Mayasich Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Pete Ismirian. All rights reserved

The final two shows on Friday were held in the amphitheater. Big John Dickerson and Blue Chamber stormed on stage in their high-energy attack of blues and R&B.

Big John Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Pete Ismirian. All rights reserved

It was a homecoming of sorts for Iron Ranger Paul Mayasich who is from Eveleth. He delivered his usual stellar guitar playing and after one of his extended solos had the large crowd up clapping and shouting, garnering a standing ovation when he finished.

Big John's charming stage personality and good time antics easily won over the crowd. It's always fun to watch him as he struts, spins, glides and postures for the audience. After the show some fans were commenting on his performance and Big John summed it up when he said, "I just love to entertain."

Eddie Floyd Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Ray Stiles. All rights reserved

The final act of the night featured the original Blues Brothers Band (minus John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd). I was looking forward to seeing this all-star line up of Steve Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn (of Booker T. & the MG's fame), Matt "Guitar" Murphy (perhaps one of the greatest living blues guitar players) and Eddie Floyd (one of the hit makers from the Stax soul days in Memphis during the 1960's). Their set started off with this great line up (except for Floyd), including the 3 piece horn section, playing the theme from Peter Gunn.

Matt Murphy Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Tom Asp. All rights reserved

A second lead vocalist for the band then came on stage dressed in the "campy" Blues Brothers dark suit and shades. He sang and played harmonica on the Junior Wells song "Messin' With The Kid." Even though this guy was a pretty good singer he wasn't whom I came to see. I was really looking forward to seeing Eddie Floyd so was a little disappointed when they didn't bring Eddie out for another half-hour.

That disappointment faded fast when Floyd took the stage singing some of his classic soul hits like "Knock On Wood" and "634-5789," sounding as good as ever. He was in constant motion as he paced back and forth around the stage (which made it pretty hard to get a good photograph of him). Floyd was a member of the doo-wop group the Falcons out of Detroit during the early 1960's where his fellow band mates were Wilson Picket and Joe Stubbs. See a conversation with Eddie Floyd later in this issue.

Steve Cropper Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Pete Ismirian. All rights reserved

"Duck" Dunn Ironworld, 6/12/98 Photo © 1998 by Ray Stiles. All rights reserved

(Click on the links to see photographs of musicians from the rest of the weekend.)

The rest of the weekend featured regional acts Blew Munday, Mel Sando & The Delta Resonators, Port Authority, Azure Dujour, The Busters, Jack Knife & The Sharps, Paul Metsa, Big Walter Smith & The Groove Merchants and The Lamont Cranston Blues Band. The national blues acts rounding out the festival were Chubby Carrier and his high energy Zydeco music, Corey Stevens, who played an extra long set ending close to midnight on Saturday, and Smokin' Joe Kubek with Benois King who closed out the weekend on Sunday.

This was an excellent blues festival with one of the nicest atmospheres of any out there. You might want to make plans to attend the 4th annual Blues on the Range festival next June!

Web page: http://www.bayfrontblues.com.

E-mail Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com

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Copyright © 1998 by Ray M. Stiles
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.