A Short History of One Man Blues Bands and
“The Last Concert” ~ Dr. Isaiah Ross ~ “The Harmonica Boss”
On Monday, April 11 at 7:00pm, at the San Carlos Yacht Club, David Boyd will present a short history of one man blues bands, and show an 87 minute, Award winning musical performance by the last, great, one man blues band, Dr. Isaiah Ross.
Isaiah Ross was born in Tunica, Mississippi in 1925, and he started playing the harmonica at age 5. By age 16 he had learned to play guitar, during a stint in the U.S. Army, in Korea, he added a bass drum and cymbals to his act. He claimed it was easier than trying to keep teaching new drummers his songs. In the early 50’s he was recording for Sam Phillip’s “Sun Records” in Memphis, and he moved to Flint, Michigan in 1954 and started working for General Motors, while continuing his musical career. He toured Europe in 1965 with American Folk Blues Festival, (with Buddy Guy, Big Momma Thornton, and others), and in 1981 received a Grammy Award for “Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording”. For more information visit this website.
David Boyd is a San Carlos resident, a member of the Blues Foundation, an amateur ethnomusicologist, and he hosted a weekly, public radio blues Program at WFBE in Flint, Michigan, and had met Ross in the late 60’s and semi-managed Ross until the musician’s death in 1993. “The Last Concert” was filmed professionally by Comcast, and after Ross’ death, the Ross family and Comcast transferred all rights of the performance to endow a scholarship fund in Ross’ name at Mott Community College. The doors open at 6:30pm and all proceeds from the 50 pesos donation at the door and all DVD sales will be added to the Castaway Kids`scholarship fund.
