Kim Wilson

[KPGraham@xxxxxxx]

>Ahemm.. This is a bit embarrassing. Could someone please tell me more about
>Kim Wilson. What bands has/is he playing in?  Does he pucker or
>tounge-block? etc.?

The Fabulous Thunderbirds features Kim Wilson as lead singer and Harp Player.
Jimmy Lee Vaugn, Stevie Ray's brother plays lead guitar. This is my favorite
group. As far as Blues Harp, there are other players and other bands that do
it better, but I keep coming back to the Thunderbirds. Other Harp-L members
will have other opinions about Kim Wilson, but I saw him in person at the
Beacon Theater. He pulled out one of those 'little ladies' or whatever 4 hole
craker jack harmonicas and played without a mike to full house for fifteen
minutes. You could hear a pin drop. It was the most amazing thing I've ever
seen, and it made me want to play harmonica. Their best album is called 'The
Fabulous Thunderbirds' in the catalogs, but says 'Girls Go Wild' on the
cover. Kim does Little Walter better than Little Walter in 'Pocket Rocket'
and his cover of Slim Harpo's "Chicken Scratch' is much better than the
original.

Kim is definitely playing octaves using tounge blocking, but I don't know if
he blocks all of the time. I don't block well, but my experience is that it
is hard to do some of the jumps across several notes with speed and accuracy
unless you block. Pucker is too hit and miss for the cleaner style that Kim
has.

I also like the Harp player in Little Charlie and the Nighcats. Harp-L
members feel free to flame my taste, but I can't help it, this is what I call
blues.

      Keith