March 23, 2020

On March 8, 2020 a very nice memorial tribute was held at Anodyne Coffee in Milwaukee to honor the Mighty Stokes who passed away several weeks earlier. Stokes was a major blues man in Milwaukee who influenced many people.

The last time I saw Stokes was at The Up and Under club on Brady Street about 25 years ago! Sad to say I never photographed him.

He influenced all the performers at this tribute for sure.

We stayed for a good portion of the night and got to see and hear some great music.

My good old high school mates Leroy Airmaster performed with Steve Cohen, Bill Stone, Marc Wilson and Dave Kasik doing some great music as usual.

Jim Liban and his blues combo played some rockin' blues with Perry Weber and Kurt Koenig. Milwaukee Slim even joined them for a while!

Stokes was smiling upstairs for sure.

Enjoy a look at the evening.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

July 8, 2019

On Monday, July 1, 2019, at Kochanski's Bar in Milwaukee, we celebrated Junior Brantley Day! Proclamation was even given to Junior from the city as the photos show.

A lot of musicians showed up to celebrate the night with Junior Brantley and it was fun.

Shortstuff, Leroy Airmaster and more came to celebrate!!! Some of these guys I grew up with and went to high school with!! They were a huge influence on my music tastes.

I will let the photos do the talking now. Enjoy

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Jammin' with Junior! An evening with Junior Brantley and a lot of friends on July 1, 2019 at Kochanski's.

September 3, 2018

The Wilson Center here in Brookfield, Wisconsin has an annual guitar festival. There is a lot happenig both outside and inside the Wilson Center. The photo of this little girl having fun is cute I think! She was listening to the band outside and having fun.

This year for the main act, the Elvin Bishop Big Fun Trio performed to a full house.

I've photographed and met Elvin a few times since 1977.  Always a great show and an amazing guitar player. Could listen to his stories and slide guitar forever!

The Big Fun Trio consists of Elvin, Bob Welsh and Willy Jordan.

Bob Welsh played both keyboards and guitar. Not sure which he is better at but his guitar playing is awesome!

Willy Jordan hand played a Peruvian drumbox and it was a great sound to hear. Who needs a drum set with this talented guy!

Enjoy some photos of a great night at a beautiful festival just a couple of miles from my home!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Elvin Bishop and his Big Fun Trio at the Wilson Center Guitar Festival on August 17,2018.

November 13, 2013

On a cold December night in Milwaukee, Luther Allison warmed up the house with his blues.

It was December 2, 1972 at the basement club ,Humpin Hanna's.

This show is still one of my favorites at that club!

Enjoy a look at Luther.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Luther Allison in Milwaukee at Humpin Hanna's December 2, 1972.

April 10, 2017

On Sunday night April 9th here in Milwaukee, the Elvin Bishop Group and Marshall Tucker bands were doing a show. Wish I could have made it because they are both awesome bands! Too much going on right now.

So, we look back at a show that Elvin Bishop did at Summerfest in 1977. This was when Mickey Thomas was in his band before he went on to Jefferson Starship.

Elvin at this time had two great hits, Travelin' Shoes and Fooled Around and Fell In Love. Mickey Thomas who did the vocals on Fooled Around and Feel In Love that made him famous.

I just heard a story about Elvin's Gibson ES-345 that he has played for years. During his days in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Louis Meyer traded this Gibson for a Fender Telecaster that Elvin was playing. Elvin has played the Gibson ever since!

Enjoy a look at Elvin doing a daytime show and a few beer barrels from Summerfest! I like the photos of Elvin getting out of the limo with a Schlitz and the one of him sleeping backstage. They had just flown in from Hawaii and were a bit tired.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

The Elvin Bishop group in 1977 at Summerfest! With a few beer barrels!

January 17, 2017

Wow!! Blog #1 was on February 26, 2012, with an effort to scan my rock'n' roll and racing photography. Here we are at blog #250 and still scanning negatives and slides of mine for you.

Hope you all enjoy it.  Something interesting things have happened along the way. Just this past year, photos of mine were published in Jeff Beck's book, "Beck01"!

Today's blog is on Bryan Lee at UW Oshkosh on September 4, 1972, when he opened a show for REO Speedwagon. No stage was made other than getting a flatbed trailer from someone's truck. It was primitive and small, but it worked.

Bryan Lee is called "The Braille Blues Daddy", because he has been legally blind since age eight. He is a Wisconsin boy born in Two Rivers, Wisconsin on March 16, 1943. In the 1980's he made New Orleans his home and continues playing and touring today from there.

A little bit B.B. King, Buddy Guy, a touch of Luther Allison and you have Bryan Lee.  He's a great musician who I'd like to see again sometime soon.

Enjoy a look at some old photos of young blues man, Bryan Lee.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann