Rosebud Artists Nominated for 10 Blues Music Awards
December 2009, Rosebud News

Duke Robillard, Tommy Castro, Bettye LaVette and Ruthie Foster have been nominated for a total of 10 Blues Music Awards. The 31st Blues Music Awards will take place at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN on May 6, 2010. Rosebud artist nominations are as follows:

Duke Robillard and Tommy Castro both have four nominations each. Duke is nominated for Album of the Year for Stomp! The Blues Tonight, Band of the Year, Best Instrumentalist - Guitar and Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year. Tommy is nominated for B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Band of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for Hard Believer and Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year. Bettye LaVette and Ruthie Foster are both nominated for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. In addition, Duke produced 10 of the 12 tracks and guests on one song on Album of the Year / Contemporary Blues Album of The Year nominee Between a Rock and the Blues by Joe Louis Walker.

Other Rosebud related nominations are, in the Instrumentalist - Horn category: longtime Tommy Castro Band saxophonist Keith Crossan and Deanna Bogart, who plays in the Rosebud booked Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue with Tommy Castro. Nominated in the Historical Album of the Year category are: Muddy Waters' Authorized Bootleg and Little Walter's The Complete Chess Masters, featuring hit compositions by Willie Dixon. Both Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon were Rosebud artists until their passing. Nominated in the Acoustic Album of the Year category is: Things About Comin' My Way - A Tribute to the music of the Mississippi Sheiks, which features songs by Rosebud artists John Hammond and Bill Frisell.

Congratulations to all the nominees!


10 Grammy Nominations for Rosebud Artists!
December 2009, Rosebud News

We're thrilled to announce that Rosebud Artists received 10 Grammy nominations for this year's awards taking place on January 31, 2010 in Los Angeles. Artists honored with nominations include John Hammond's Rough & Tough nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album. Please see the full entry >>

Rosebud has been fortunate in that generally our artists score between 4 and 6 Grammy nominations every year but 10 is definitely a new record and we are Thrilled, especially considering the fact that Rosebud artists only released 14 eligible CDs this past year. Congratulations to all the nominees!


The Blind Boys of Alabama Release New CD, Duets, October 27, 2009
September 2009, Rosebud News

The Blind Boys of Alabama will release their new CD, Duets, on October 27, 2009. This special project features tracks that the Five-Time Grammy winners have recorded with high profile admirers Lou Reed, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Harper, Susan Tedeschi, Randy Travis, Solomon Burke, Marva Wright, Jars of Clay, Timothy B. Schmit (The Eagles), Asleep At The Wheel, Dan Zanes and Toots Hibbert (Toots & The Maytals) as well as with fellow Rosebud artists, Charlie Musselwhite and John Hammond. Of the 14 tracks on the compilation, four are from Grammy winning albums, three are from Grammy nominated discs and three songs have never before been released. See The Blind Boys of Alabama live on stage, including shows in Europe and Canada later in the Fall, please see Tour Dates>>


John Hammond Releases New CD, Rough & Tough
May 2009, Rosebud News
available at CD Universe >>

Grammy winner and four-time nominee, John Hammond has just released his new CD, Rough & Tough. This is his 32nd album since his 1962 self-titled debut. The disc was recorded live in November 2008 at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in NYC, not in front of an audience, but for the acoustic benefits of the space. John performs here solo and acoustic, playing National Steel, Guild 12-String and Stubbs 6-String guitars and harmonica. Included are songs written by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Blind Willie McTell and Tom Waits among others, as well as two of his own. He has performed or recorded with Jimi Hendrix (discovered while playing in John's band), Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Duane Allman, JJ Cale, Tom Waits, The Band, John Lee Hooker and many more. He remains one of the world's premier acoustic blues artists. A tireless performer, Hammond played his 4000th date as a Rosebud artist last year and continues to tour world-wide on an annual basis. Please see tour dates >>


John Hammond Plays Milestone 4000th Show As Rosebud Agency Artist
June 2008, Rosebud News

On June 26, John Hammond will play a landmark 4000th performance as a Rosebud Agency artist. Signed to Rosebud in 1977, Hammond has since played continuously on five continents and collaborated with some of the most legendary artists of our time, including Rosebud artists Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon and JJ Cale. Coincidentally, this 4000th gig takes place in Vancouver, BC, the very same place that Hammond and Rosebud founder Mike Kappus first discussed working together in 1977. To date, Hammond has 30 albums to his name, a Grammy win, four additional Grammy nominations (all of which were executive produced by Kappus) and seven W.C. Handy Awards.

More on "John Hammond Plays Milestone 4000th Show As Rosebud Agency Artist" press release >>

John Hammond will be touring extensively throughout North America this year...see tour dates >>


Staples and John Hammond Honored With Top Album Awards In Australia's Rhythms Magazine 2007 Readers Poll
February 2008, Rosebud News

The annual Rhythms Magazine Readers Poll named Mavis StaplesRy Cooder produced, We'll Never Turn Back as Album of the Year and John Hammond’s Push Comes To Shove as International Blues Album of the Year. This is Staples’ first Rhythms Magazine Readers Poll Award and Hammond’s third, having also been honored in the same category for 2005’s In Your Arms Again and for Blues Album of the Year with 2003’s Ready For Love. Both Mavis Staples and John Hammond will be touring worldwide throughout 2008. - see tour dates >>


Rosebud Artists Honored on Amazon's Best Music of 2007"
December 2007, Rosebud News

Amazon.com has released their annual picks for Best Music of the Year and Rosebud artists Bettye LaVette, Mavis Staples, John Hammond, Loudon Wainwright III and Bill Frisell are among those honored. Bettye LaVette's The Scene of the Crime was recognized as the #2 CD of the year in the R&B category, while Mavis Staples' We'll Never Turn Back (produced by Ry Cooder) was selected as the #5 CD of the year in the Gospel category. Mavis also makes an appearance with her family The Staple Singers on the #3 R&B CD of the Year The Stax 50th Anniversary Collection, which also features songs by Rosebud artist Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the MG's). Loudon Wainwright III's Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired by the Film Knocked Up was named the fifth Best Soundtrack of the year. And John Hammond's Push Comes To Shove and Richard Thompson's Sweet Warrior (Rosebud is booking Richard's 1000 Years Of Popular Music tour) made the Top Ten lists in the Blues and Folk categories, respectively. Bill Frisell's studio project Floratone (featuring Lee Townsend, Matt Chamberlain and Tucker Martine) was named the #5 Jazz CD of the year.

Congratulations to all. To purchase the CDs and help support Music In Schools Today at no extra cost, please click here.

Amazon.com: Best Music of the Year 2007 >>


John Hammond Kicks Off 2007 With New G Love Produced CD, Push Comes To Shove
January 2007, Rosebud News

Grammy Award winning blues veteran, John Hammond, is set to release his new CD, Push Comes To Shove on Back Porch Records on January 23. Produced by G Love (Garret Dutton III), who counts Hammond as one of his own main musical influences, the CD features five John Hammond original compositions, a bold collaboration with Dutton in the hip hop-tinged blues of “Tore Down”, as well as a handful of personalized renderings of traditional blues numbers. Hammond gives major credit for the stellar sound and feel of the songs on the album to the musicians on the CD who also perform with him live when he is not performing solo. The band features Stephen Hodges on drums, Marty Ballou on bass and new addition Bruce Katz on piano and organ. A tireless live performer, watch for John to tour extensively worldwide in support of the new CD. see tour date >>


Rosebud Artists Featured on Amazon.com's Best of the Decade (So Far) List
July 2006, Rosebud News

Amazon.com music editors have released their picks for the best releases of the decade (so far) and the list features Rosebud artists The Blind Boys of Alabama, Loudon Wainwright III and John Hammond. The Blind Boys were recognized in both the Popular Music and Christian/Gospel categories for their 2001 release Spirit Of the Century and 2002's Higher Ground, respectively. Loudon Wainwright III's Last Man on Earth (2001) was also recognized in the Popular Music category while John Hammond's collection of Tom Waits songs Wicked Grin (2001) was recognized as one of the best in the Blues Category. In the meantime, Charlie Musselwhite's Delta Hardware has been named one of the best blues CDs of 2006...so far. Be sure to catch live dates with The Blind Boys of Alabama, Loudon Wainwright III, John Hammond and Charlie Musselwhite throughout the year. ...see Rosebud Artists' Tour Dates >>

amazon.com: Best of the Decade ... So Far >>
amazon.com: Best Blues CDs of 2006...So Far >>


John Hammond's In Your Arms Again Honored by Rhythms Magazine's 2005 Readers Poll as International Blues Album of the Year
February 2006, Rosebud News

John Hammond's In Your Arms Again has been named by readers of Rhythms Magazine, an Australian roots music monthly, as the International Blues Album of 2005. This is the second time John has been honored with this award as Ready for Love was named Blues Album of the Year in 2003. In Your Arms Again garnered several honors this year including a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Acoustic Album and a Grammy nomination, John's fifth, for Best Traditional Blues Album.


Rosebud Artists Score Combined 13 Blues Music Award nominations• - Marcia Ball, Tommy Castro, Bettye LaVette, Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite, John Hammond, Robert Cray and Muddy Waters Named
December 2005, Rosebud News

Rosebud Artists scored 13 nominations for the Blues Music Awards, formerly known as the W.C. Handy Awards. Marcia Ball is tied for most nominated artist overall this year with four nominations including Entertainer of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, and Piano Player of the Year. Tommy Castro makes his first appearance in the Blues Music Awards with nominations for both Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year for his album Soul Shaker. Bettye LaVette was honored with a nomination for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year for the third year in a row, as well as a nod for Soul Blues Album of the Year for her album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise. Last year's big winners Mavis Staples and Charlie Musselwhite were nominated again for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year and Instrumentalist - Harmonica, respectively. John Hammond's album, In Your Arms Again, was awarded a nomination for Best Acoustic Album of the Year. Robert Cray's song "Twenty" was honored with a nomination for Song of the Year and the late Muddy Waters rounds out the Rosebud Agency honors with a nomination for Historical Album of the Year for the Album Hoochie Coochie Man: The Complete Chess Recordings, Volume 2, 1952 - 1958.


Grammy Noms for Marcia Ball, John Hammond, Robert Cray and Mr. Watts' Other Band
December 2005, Rosebud News

Rosebud artists just nominated for Grammy Awards include Marcia Ball for Live! Down The Road and John Hammond for In Your Arms Again in the Best Traditional Blues category as well as Robert Cray for Twenty in the Best Contemporary Blues category. Rosebud artist Charlie Watts also scored a nomination with his other band, The Rolling Stones, for A Bigger Bang in the Best Rock Album category. The Grammys will be awarded in Los Angeles on February 8, 2006.


John Hammond Featured on Acoustic Guitar December Cover
December 2005, Rosebud News

John Hammond is featured on the cover of the December issue of Acoustic Guitar, the world’s premier acoustic guitar magazine. An appropriate choice for their cover, John is one of the most successful proponents of acoustic blues guitar in modern times as exemplified by consistent ranking and Handy Awards as best acoustic blues artist. A Grammy winner and four time nominee already, John just garnered a fifth nomination for his CD, In Your Arms Again. John’s 2005 schedule alone included tours of Europe, Japan and South America. For upcoming live appearances see tour dates.


John Hammond, Booker T. Jones, Pop Staples and Muddy Waters Featured On Mojo Magazine CD of Hendrix Influences
November 2005, Rosebud News

Rosebud artists John Hammond, Booker T. Jones, Pop Staples and Muddy Waters are given their due on Mojo Magazine's CD, "The Roots of Hendrix: 15 Tracks That Inspired the Legend". The CD, which is included with the December issue, is a collection of music that helped shape one of the world’s most influential guitar players. The CD features "So Many Roads, So Many Trains" by John Hammond, "It’s Your Thing" from Booker T. and the M.G.s, "What’d I Say" by Steve Cropper, Pop Staples & Albert King, and Muddy Waters’ "Hoochie Coochie Man." Notes on the CD reference John Hammond's advice to Jimi after they became friends playing together in the East Village.


Rosebud Artists Win Big At 25th Handy Awards
April 2004, Rosebud News

Rosebud Agency artists had a great night at the 25th Annual W. C. Handy Blues Awards Thursday April 29. Marcia Ball scored double honors for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year and also for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for her latest Alligator CD, So Many Rivers (also a Grammy Nominee this year in the same category). Duke Robillard's guitar mastery was acknowledged once again as he was named Best Blues Guitarist for the fourth time in the past five years - a stunning achievement given the competition in this category. And speaking of consistency, Charlie Musselwhite picked up his 15th Handy Award continuing an amazing streak as Best Blues Instrumentalist - Harmonica. John Hammond once again won as Best Acoustic Blues Artist - a category he has begun to dominate as well. And Bettye LaVette who was barely known to the blues world last year won Comeback Blues Album of the Year for her CD, A Woman Like Me, one of her 4 nominations this year. Finally, Best Historical Blues CD of the year went to Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live by former Rosebud artist, the late Muddy Waters. A big Thank You to The Blues Foundation and all the fans for expressing their appreciation for the talent and hard work put forth by our artists. And a big congratulations to all of our artists for another great year of keeping the blues alive.


John Hammond Wins Down Under Blues Album of the Year
March 2004, Rosebud News

John Hammond’s most recent release, Ready For Love, was voted 2003’s Blues Album of the Year by the readers of Rhythms - Australia’s Roots Music Monthly. Released in 2003 on Back Porch Records, Ready For Love was produced by David Hidalgo of Los Lobos fame. Hammond, one of the world’s premier acoustic blues artists, was also just nominated again as ‘Acoustic Blues Musician of the Year’ (an award he won most recently in 2002) in the Blues Foundation's W. C. Handy Awards.


Rosebud Artists Score Multiple W.C. Handy Blues Award Nominations - Bettye LaVette, Marcia Ball, Charlie Musselwhite, John Hammond and Duke Robillard All Named
January 2004, Rosebud News

Rosebud artists once again made an impressive showing in the 2004 W. C. Handy Blues Award nominations.

Bettye LaVette scored four nominations for this year's awards tying her for second most among all nominees. Her album "A Woman Like Me" was picked in nominations for Blues Album of the Year, Soul Blues Album of the Year and Comeback Album of the Year. Bettye was also acknowledged with a nomination for Best Soul Female Artist.

Marcia Ball, the 2002 winner for Blues Album of the Year, picked up three nominations. Her CD "So Many Rivers" is nominated in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category while "Foreclose on the House of Love" from the CD is nominated for Blues Song of the Year for the songwriter John Lee Sanders. Marcia also received nominations for Best Contemporary Female Artist and Blues Instrumentalist - Keyboards.

John Hammond is once again nominated for Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year - the category he won most recently in 2002. Charlie Musselwhite scored another nomination for Blues Instrumentalist - Harmonica, a category he wins almost every year.

And guitar virtuoso, Duke Robillard is nominated once again for Blues Instrumentalist - Guitar. Duke won this award in 2000, 2001 and 2003 and this is his 5th consecutive nomination in the category - an extremely impressive accomplishment given the strength of the annual competition in the guitar category.

In addition to the above, Jay McShann, who joins The Duke Robillard Band on exclusive festival dates around the world picked up a nomination for Blues Instrumentalist - Keyboards.

Congratulations to all the award nominees. The 25th annual W.C. Handy award ceremonies will take place in Memphis on April 29, 2004. For the latest news on the Handy Awards visit http://www.handyawards.com.


Ruth Brown, Robert Cray, John Hammond, and Mavis Staples in Vanity Fair
July 2003, Rosebud News

Ruth Brown, Robert Cray, John Hammond, and Mavis Staples are pictured in the August 2003 issue of Vanity Fair along with other artists who participated in the historic Salute To The Blues concert at Radio City Music Hall in February. The text that accompanies the photo includes a lead quote from Ruth Brown and a mention of Mavis Staples' "bone-chilling" concert highlight "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean". The concert kicked off what Congress has declared the "Year of the Blues" and was filmed for distribution later this year. The film was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. The Year of the Blues continues with a seven-film documentary series produced by Martin Scorsese which will air on PBS in September.

PBS.org: The Blues >>

YearOfTheBlues.com: Salute To The Blues Photo Gallary >>


Rosebud Artists Score Big at 2003 W.C. Handy Awards
May 2003, Rosebud News

Rosebud Artists were once again a significant presence at the W.C. Handy Blues Awards held May 22, 2003 in Memphis, Tennessee. Duke Robillard won "Best Instrumentalist - Guitar" for the third time in the last four years. Charlie Musselwhite won two awards including one for "Male Contemporary Artist of the Year" along with his perennial award for "Best Instrumentalist - Harmonica". John Hammond won once again for "Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year". Marcia Ball (last year's "Album of the Year" winner and a nominee for both "Female Contemporary Artist of the Year" and "Blues Instrumentalist - Keyboards" this year) served as co-host for the ceremony and Ruth Brown stole the show in her role as presenter for the "Entertainer of the Year" award to B.B. King. Congratulations to all the W.C. Handy Award winners and nominees and be sure to catch Duke Robillard, Charlie Musselwhite, John Hammond, Marcia Ball, Ruth Brown and The W.C. Handy All-Stars on tour throughout 2003 - see tour dates.

The 24th W.C. Handy Awards >>


John Hammond’s "Ready For Love" Released On February 11, 2003
February 2003, Rosebud News


John Hammond
’s, new CD Ready For Love was released on February 11, 2003. The CD includes an eclectic collection of songs produced by David Hidalgo of Los Lobos and is the follow-up to Hammond’s Wicked Grin – the acclaimed collection of Tom Waits songs produced by Waits. Billboard Magazine, in reviewing the new CD states that "Hammond’s voice only gets more seductively potent with age." Look for John Hammond on tour throughout the year performing solo and occasionally with the band that backed him on record including Marty Ballou, Augie Meyers, Frank Carillo and Stephen Hodgessee tour dates.


Rosebud Artists Featured In Radio City "Salute To The Blues" Concert
January 2003, Rosebud News

Rosebud artists Robert Cray, Mavis Staples, Ruth Brown and John Hammond join Bonnie Raitt, B. B. King, Aerosmith and many more in a "Salute to the Blues" concert February 7 at Radio City Music Hall. The concert will be filmed for theatrical distribution, and will be directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Segments of the concert will also be a part of Martin Scorsese’s "The Blues", a seven-part series of personal and impressionistic films viewed through the lens of seven world-famous directors who share a passion for blues music. "The Blues" airs nationally on PBS in Fall 2003.

YearOfTheBlues.org: Salute to the Blues >>


Rosebud Artists Chalk Up 8 W.C. Handy Blues Award Nominations - Charlie Musselwhite, Marcia Ball, John Hammond and Duke Robillard named
Rosebud News Januaray 2003

Rosebud artists once again made an impressive showing in the 2003 W. C. Handy Blues Award nominations.

Charlie Musselwhite scored four nominations for this year's awards as his latest CD, One Night In America, was picked in nominations for Blues Album of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album of the Year. Charlie was also acknowledged with nominations for Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year and his perennial nomination for Blues Instrumentalist - Harmonica.

Marcia Ball, last year’s most nominated artist and 2002 winner for Blues Album of the year, had no new CD this year but she is nominated for Contemporary Blues - Female Artist of the Year as well as Blues Instrumentalist - Keyboards.

John Hammond is once again nominated for Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year - the category he won again last year.

And guitar virtuoso, Duke Robillard is nominated once again for Blues Instrumentalist - Guitar. Duke won this award in 2000 and 2001 and was nominated last year as well.

In addition to the above, Otis Taylor, who joins Rosebud artists John Hammond and Charlie Musselwhite (as well as Eric Bibb) on this year's W.C. Handy All Stars tour, snagged nominations for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year and Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year.

The W.C. Handy award ceremonies will take place in Memphis on May 22, 2003.


Staples / Hammond Songs In the Films "Barber Shop" and "The Last Castle"
Rosebud News October 2002

Mavis Staples can be heard singing lead on the Staple Singers’ "I’ll Take You There", which closes the current hit film "Barber Shop". John Hammond’s "Get Behind The Mule" is also in the film "The Last Castle" starring Robert Redford and James Gandolfini.


Rosebud Artists Score Big at W.C. Handy Awards
Rosebud News May 2002

Rosebud Artists were a significant presence at the W.C. Handy Awards held May 23, 2002 in Memphis, Tennessee. Ruth Brown was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and also presented the Entertainer of the Year award to long-time friend B.B. King. Marcia Ball, the artist with most overall nominations this year, came home with the coveted Best Blues Album. Charlie Musselwhite was a winner in two categories – Best Blues Instrumentalist (Harmonica) and Blues Song of the Year for "Charlie's Old Highway 51 Blues". John Hammond took home the award for Best Acoustic Album for his Tom Waits produced "Wicked Grin". Duke Robillard, winner of the previous two years' Best Blues Guitarist awards, was once again nominated and was a featured presenter at the Awards. Former Rosebud client, the late Muddy Waters won for Best Historical CD for "Fathers & Sons", which also included former Rosebud artist, the late Michael Bloomfield. Charlie Musselwhite performed live at the show in a band which also featured Keb ‘Mo. And Marcia Ball & her band turned in a great set of their own. John Lee Hooker, who passed away last June, was also honored at the event with a video tribute.


Rosebud Congratulates our 2002 W. C. Handy Award Nominees. Marcia Ball tops all contenders with 5 W. C. Handy Awards Nominations. John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite and Duke Robillard also score Handy nominations
January 2002, Rosebud News

Marcia Ball's Handy nominations include nods for Blues Entertainer of the Year Contemporary Blues-Female Artist of the Year, and Blues Instrumentalist-Keyboards as well as Contemporary Blues Album of the Year and Blues Album of the Year for her Presumed Innocent CD.

John Hammond, whose Tom Waits produced Wicked Grin CD has been collecting accolades all year, hauls in three nominations including Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, Blues Album of the Year, and Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year.

Duke Robillard who was named #1 Blues Guitarist in 2000 and 2001 returns once again as a nominee in the same category in 2002.

Charlie Musselwhite, already a ten time W. C. Handy Award winner, brings in yet another nomination for Blues Instrumentalist-Harmonica. Charlie's song, "Charlie's Old Highway 51 Blues", also got a nod for Blues Song of the Year.

Rosebud Artist, the late Muddy Waters, was also honored in the Historical Blues Album of the Year category for his Fathers and Sons album.


Loudon Wainwright III and John Hammond on Grammy Nominated Washington Square Memoirs
January 2002, Rosebud News

Loudon Wainwright III and John Hammond are both featured on the Grammy Nominated Washington Square Memoirs Box Set in the Best Historical Album Category. John Hammond is featured performing "Drop Down Mama". Loudon Wainwright III is featured performing his original song, "School Days".



John Hammond's Wicked Grin named #1 Blues CD on Amazon, Loudon Wainwright III's Last Man On Earth named #2 Folk CD
November 2001, Rosebud News

Amazon named their picks for best CDs of 2001 and John Hammond's Wicked Grin was named #1 Blues CD. Loudon Wainwright III's Last Man On Earth was named #2 Folk CD behind only Bob Dylan and directly ahead of John Hammond's Wicked Grin. Loudon scored #13, John Hammond #14, and The Blind Boys of Alabama's Spirit of The Century #73 on Amazon's overall list of the best CDs of the year.

amazon.com - The 10 Best Blues CDs of 2001 >>
amazon.com - Best of 2001 Top 100 Editors' Picks >>


John Hammond's Wicked Grin Scores Accolades and Radio Play
April 2001, Rosebud News

John Hammond's Wicked Grin, produced by Tom Waits and featuring Waits' songs and performances, has had a tremendous reception at press and radio. Wicked Grin was the #1 Most Added CD at AAA radio in it's first two weeks out and rose to #1 on CMJ's AAA chart. Rolling Stone gave Wicked Grin a 4 Star review while Billboard featured the CD as a Spotlight selection. John is touring North America and Europe in support of the CD. See Tour Dates.


John Hammond's, Wicked Grin, Produced by Tom Waits Out March 13
February 2000, Rosebud News

Tom Waits and John Hammond have collaborated on Hammond's new CD, Wicked Grin. With the exception of one traditional gospel tune, Wicked Grin is a CD full of Tom Waits songs as performed by Hammond with Waits handling production.


John Hammond joins Tom Waits for New York finale
October 1999, Rosebud News

John Hammond joined Tom Waits onstage for the last of Waits' four nights of performances at the Beacon Theater in New York. Hammond sat in on guitar and harmonica for a total of four songs. Old friends and mutual admirers, Waits had written the song, "No One Can Forgive Me But My Baby," for Hammond's 1992 album, Got Love If You Want It.


Rosebud Artists Featured on Fish, Tree, Water Blues - Environmental Project to benefit Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund
April 1999, Rosebud News

Rosebud artists J J Cale, The Robert Cray Band, John Hammond & John Lee Hooker, Charlie Musselwhite (with Bob Weir), Mavis Staples and Loudon Wainwright III join Ani DiFranco, Etta James, Ruth Brown (with Duke Robillard on guitar), Tracy Nelson, Branford Marsalis & Joe Louis Walker, Keb Mo, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Roomful of Blues in contributing to Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund's "Fish, Tree, Water" Blues CD to raise awareness and funds for their campaign of the same name. Watch for a national print media campaign featuring Robert Cray to highlight the cause.


John Hammond, Luther Allison, Charles Brown, Charlie Musselwhite, Duke Robillard Score W.C. Handy Nominations
January 1999, Rosebud News

Congratulations to our W.C. Handy Blues Awards nominees, Duke Robillard for Best Blues Instrumentalist - Guitar, Charlie Musselwhite for Best Blues Instrumentalist - Harp, Charles Brown for Best Blues Instrumentalist - Keyboards, Luther Allison for Reissue Blues CD of The Year - Hand Me Down My Moonshine, and to John Hammond who scores nominations for both Best Traditional Blues CD of The Year and Acoustic Blues Artist Of The Year.


John Hammond honored with 4th consecutive Grammy nomination
January 1999, Rosebud News

John Hammond's Long As I Have You CD earned him his 4th consecutive Grammy nomination for the awards to be held February 24, 1999. John won a Grammy in 1985 for his performance on Blues Explosion, a compilation of performances from the Montreux Jazz Festival which also featured tracks from Stevie Ray Vaughan, Koko Taylor and others. Hammond's last three CDs for Virgin / pointblank Records, Got Love If You Want It, Trouble No More, and Found True Love all earned Grammy nominations.


Highway 61 Tour features Rosebud Artists, The Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Clarence Fountain, Booker T. Jones and John Hammond
October 1998, Rosebud News

The Blind Boys of Alabama featuring Clarence Fountain, Booker T. Jones and John Hammond make up three fourths of the bill (Billy Boy Arnold rounds out the bill) for the Highway 61 Tour heading to Fine Arts Centers across the country. The Blind Boys will play on the entire tour while Hammond and Jones will perform only through October 26 after which Buddy Guy joins the bill. See Itineraries for specific dates, cities and venues.


John Hammond featured on House of Blues Tour October 10-24
June/July 1998, Rosebud News

John Hammond is featured on the House of Blues Tour October 10-24. Others performing during this segment include The Blind Boys of Alabama, Booker T. Jones and Billy Boy Arnold. The tour is a "musical journey" that follows the progression of the Blues along Highway 61 from it's origins in the South - with gospel and Delta blues - through Memphis Soul and ending in Chicago with it's rockin' style of electric blues.


John Hammond featured on B.B. King Tour November 3-12
June/July 1998, Rosebud News

John Hammond and B.B. King, who have shared bills scores of times over the years, play one of their longest runs together in November as Hammond supports nine dates from the Southeast through the Midwest. John is touring in support of his new Virgin / Pointblank CD, Long As I Have You. Seetour dates for more information.


1997 - W. C. Handy Awards Nominations for Luther Allison, John Hammond and Charlie Musselwhite
February 1997, Rosebud News

Luther Allison, who dominated last year's W.C. Handy Blues Awards with five wins, has been nominated in five categories once again this year. Other Rosebud artists nominated this year include John Hammond, in the Acoustic Blues Artist category (he won the award in 1994, 1995, and 1996), and Charlie Musselwhite for Harmonica (a perennial winner since 1991). The awards are sponsored by The Blues Foundation and winners are announced at a ceremony in Memphis on May 1.


Rosebud artists once again made an impressive showing in this year's Grammy Awards nominations.
February 1997, Rosebud News

John Hammond's Found True Love (co-produced by John and Duke Robillard) was selected in the Best Traditional Blues category marking John's third consecutive Grammy nominated release.

Robert Cray's midas touch also continues. After eight consecutive nominations including one for each of his last six Mercury releases, Robert picks up a shared nomination for Best Rock Instrumental for his participation on the "SRV Shuffle," from the Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan CD. Other artists on the track include Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Art Neville and Jimmie Vaughan.

Newly-signed Rosebud artist Booker T. Jones was recognized along with the MGs in the same category for the classic "Green Onions."

And Brazilian jazz / pop artistIvan Lins received a nomination in the Best Latin Jazz Performance category for his collaboration with trumpeter Terence Blanchard "The Heart Speaks."


John Hammond and Duke Robillard Down Under
February 1997, Rosebud News

The blues touring package featuring John Hammond and Duke Robillard recently completed a successful two-week tour of Australia and New Zealand, performing in Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington and Auckland. Watch for Duke's new pointblank / Virgin CD, Dangerous Place this Spring.


New John Lee Hooker & John Hammond re-releases
October 1996, Rosebud News

On October 1, pointblank classics / Virgin re-released John Lee Hooker's Jealous, a 1986 Handy Award winner and Grammy nominee, with an all-new cover and CD art.

The company simultaneously re-released John Hammond's Nobody But You.


John Hammond and Duke Robillard new CD's & package tour - Luther Allison's #1 blues airplay and commanding 6 Handy nominations
March 1996, Rosebud News

John Hammond and Duke Robillard have been trading the #1 and #2 positions on the blues airplay charts with both records selling in the top 10 in Billboard's Blues charts. They will tour together and separately throughout the year. Luther Allison, who had held the #1 blues airplay spot for several months stops in the US in early May for the W.C. Handy Awards where he leads all other artists with six nominations. Also touring behind new albums are Loudon Wainwright III, Geno Delafose, whose new Rounder album is released in May, and JJ Cale in his first US dates in two years behind his new CD, Guitar Man.