1986 – 2021: The Baltimore Blues Society Turns 35

The Baltimore Blues Society is excited to announce that 2021 is the 35th Anniversary of our organization! 1986 was the year that die-hard blues fans in the Baltimore Region decided to join together and create one of the early blues societies in the country. We want you to join in the celebration with year-long fun activities looking back over the last 35 years and looking forward to a bluesy future!

Check us out on our Facebook page and our newly revamped BBS website to join in the festivities starting with sharing a brief story about your First Baltimore Blues Society Concert or Your Most Memorable BBS Show. Please send your remembrances to BBS35th@gmail.com. Stories may be shared on our Facebook page and the website. We reserve the right to edit or shorten submitted memories.

Donna Misiak

Life is a Masquerade….was what first connected me to the Baltimore Blues Society – Members Night Out. Years ago when I was in charge of Membership, I would plan these Members Night Out at the Haven Lounge in Northwood Shopping Center. We would have a great turnout and people and musicians would join our Membership. In turn, a group of us became fast and great friends. Keith Covington, along with his father, would bring in name acts from all over the country. Big Jesse Yawn would perform regularly. A very gracious man. It was a pleasure to watch him perform. Carey Bell w/ Tough Luck was one of my favorites. I liked his Blues Style and could he ever sing the blues. You could always catch Steve Jacobs with his fine lead guitar licks performing with many of the groups.  We always had so much fun together, and this is what inspired me, along with Dale Patton, to get more involved with the Blues Society thus becoming Secretary and being on the Board of Directors. We would later have Member Nights Out at Racers on Harford Rd. and Harry’s on Charles Street. I have so many favorites through the years, I wish I could name them all. But it would run into pages and pages to numerous to list.  Blues with a Feeling!  Keep it alive.

Cameo Lounge, Harry’s, Cafe Tattoo for Choo Charlie and Larry Dennis
Bayou Blues Cafe in White Marsh for Mark Hummel and on and on.

Tony Benicewicz

Meeting with Otis Rush at the K of C in Hamilton and him signing to Cobra records (Double Trouble and I Can’t Quit You) in 1992 or 93. Getting on board Johnny Winter’s tour bus with him and a group of BBS members, including, Donna Misiak, Bradley Alston, after his show at the Recher theater in Towson in 2001.

Bradley Alston

So many memories! My first show was on June 16, 1990 at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 5543 Harford Rd. in Hamilton. The lineup was billed as “Black Top Blues Artists” which for one who was not familiar with the New Orleans record label, “Black Top Records” found rather confusing.

Opening the show was Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone who blasted the crowd with pyrotechnics from his harmonica artistry and topped that off with walking on top of our tables, while playing.

He was followed by Bobby Radcliff. His guitar mastery was exceptional, and he had the distinction of walking out, plugging in without saying a word, and exploding into a set that never paused for a slow or even mid-tempo selection.

The headliner was New Orleans guitarist and vocalist Earl King who penned such songs as “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Trick Bag.” His set was rather subdued after the two openers, but a good journey into Nawlins blues and R&B.

I was impressed by the cabaret style table set up and coolers were welcomed. The BBS crowd was friendly and lively. The first members I met were Ray Smith and Donna Andrews.

A wonderful welcome to a wonderful group of music fans.

Sam Cohen

When I first joined, the first show I attended was Jumpin’ Johnny and his Blues Party at the Bel Air Assembly Hall on or around Halloween. We (my wife Joyce and I would go to the shows).

Next, I believe was the show at the VFW Hall on Harford Road. Sugar Ray and The Blues Tones, featuring Ron Levy Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Struck a short relationship with Ron Levy talking music and baseball. At the time Ron was a Red Sox fan and me The Orioles! Then he told me that he was producing some music for some artists. He actually played some cuts of the music he was producing. The one sticks out to me was Nappy Brown. I told him I remember Nappy from the 50’s “Little By Little”, “Don’t Be Angry” he asked if I would like a finished copy and of course said yes. About a month he gave the cassette to Dale to give to me. After that we had shows at another Harford Road Hall where we had Lonnie Mack, Tom Prinicpato. Later Bruce Ewing, Bobby Radcliff and I think Deanna Bogart, great show. That was another pre -Thanksgiving show. That night we had about a 6 inch snow storm, but the place was sold out.

Jake Slagle

Until 1989, living in Federal Hill and frequenting 8 x 10,  I had been more active around different music scenes—reggae, world beat, zydeco—than the blues.  In late April 1989, the BBS  rented out a lodge/inn, the Frenchman,  between the French Quarter and the Marigny for JazzFest. Lured by David Katz, I went. That’s when my musical interests gravitated more toward the  blues and when I started to get to know members of the BBS. Catching Buddy Guy and Junior Wells sharing the stage  at the racetrack was a highlight as well as catching Walter Wolfman Washington play guitar with his eye teeth at one of the Clubs on Carrollton(?). Another fond memory was the New Year’s Eve Party at Rosedale to ring in 1991 with both Ronnie Earl, also Sugar Ray and the Broadcasters.

In October 1991, Donna Andrews, David Katz, and I went with a sizeable BBS group to Clarksdale, MS and  from there across the river to the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena Arkansas. Then we went to Memphis, and stayed at the Peabody Hotel, and had a table at the Handy Awards taking place there. Sam Phillips emceed a lot of it.  Two years earlier, the BBS and Dale had  been honored at that event with the award for Keeping the Blues Alive.  By 1992, Blues was happening everywhere in Baltimore. Too many shows to pick favorites.  Just about everyone came through, and BBS brought in the most.  In addition to all the shows at Rosedale and Alonzo’s Picnic every year, Hot August Blues at the Selko’s estate across from the Manor Tavern was a major BBS event in the 90’s. I may have joined the Board in 1992 but can’t remember for sure.

I became secretary of the BBS board in the Summer of 1994. Nina and I had recently bought our house.  Before that, I recall attending meetings at Joanne Lutz’s house.  By 1995, most meetings as well as newsletter stuffing—but not much else— were  happening at Nina’s and my house.  They continued there for a couple of years through the period when Marcia and Bob kind of took over as Dale’s health began to fail. Because of too many other commitments, I resigned as Secretary and from the Board early in the year 2000. I consider the years when I was very active with BBS to have been some of the best years of my life.