George Kilby Jr and Pinetop Perkins have collaborated for over 15 years. Their relationship has been a deep and enduring comraderie. Pinetop Perkins and Friends was the first record to establish Pinetop as a touring act after the demise of the Legendary Blues Band, which was Pinetop's band after Muddy died.  Later, Kilby produced Pinetop's seminal Portrait of a Delta Bluesman (Omega) which won a W.C. Handy Award - Blues Album of the Year '93. Kilby's third effort with Pinetop, Live at 85(Shanachie), features his band, the Coolerators in an exciting live setting.



Pinetop Perkins and Friends


This collection of legends and upstarts features both traditional blues and other classic American tunes. However, the style of the album is anything but "traditional". The independent production received a wonderfully controversial reception in 1991, enraging traditionalists and peaking the interest of the "alternative" roots music crowd. In fact, some of the record's musical "devices", such as the mixing of New Orleans and Chicago Styles, have become trendy today.

The CD featues Pinetop Perkins, Rosco Gordon, and George Kilby Jr. with Charles "Honeyboy" Otis, Jerome Jumonville, and Howie Wyeth

Live at 85


This release was recorded live on Pinetop's 85th birthday, in a honky tonk bar, on a steamy night in July,  when Pine and Coolerators were red hot!  It is the only CD in existence that features Pinetop with a horn section. While the ledgendary pianist has recorded several albums with his favorite tunes, this outing showcases the ensemble's particular take on the set, where the band often uses a funky New Orleans groove instead of a straight-ahead Chicago groove, and where bold horn lines take the place of the bluesharp more commonly heard on PInetop's records.


Portrait of a Delta Bluesman

The W.C. Hand Award winning CD, produced by George is now out of print. Please email us for alternative sources to find the disc. There are some out there.