Antone's 50th Allstars - Antone's 50th Presents: Chicago Bound - Honoring Muddy, Cliff And Blue

So, when Antone's called upon their family of blues legends to put together a four-disc set to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Antone's Nightclub, Antone's: 50 Years of the Blues boxed set (New West Records, 2025) - of course they came up with more blues than they could possibly fit into one glorious collection. It soon became clear that this embarrassment of blues riches was the start of their next project. Set for release on August 28, 2026, Antones 50th Presents Chicago Bound: Honoring Muddy, Cliff & Blue (Blues Till 2 Recording Co. / Select-O-Hits) caps the club's 50th anniversary celebration while pointing toward it's future. The album cover shows a lively, Chicago-bound tour bus packed with musicians racing to the next gig, illustrated by longtime club illustrator Diana Ray. Fittingly, album co-producer Zach Ernst conceived the project the night John Primer recorded a duo version of Jimmy Rogers's classic "Chicago Bound. " As Ernst explains: "Beyond the song's deeper meaning-the journey through music cities by African-American artists seeking a better life and better pay than they could find in the South at the time-a 'road trip record' or 'truck stop cassette' felt like a creative way for Antone's to honor the great musicians who live on the road. It also traces a spiritual route from central Louisiana, home of Clifton Chenier's music, through Houston, Austin, Memphis, and on to Chicago. " Live-to-tape recordings produced by Jacob Sciba and Zach Ernst include tracks by blues heavyweights John Primer, Doyle Bramhall II, Kim Wilson & the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Anson Funderburgh, Lurrie Bell, and Lavelle White. Other highlights feature a Bobby Bland classic cut in Memphis by powerhouse Houston vocalist Kam Franklin and backed by Bobby's son and drummer Rodd Bland, and a Clifton Chenier deep cut led by Louisiana torchbearers Ivan Neville and CC Adcock with Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, featuring Jimmie Vaughan on harmonica. A walloping shuffle in the works since the Rolling Stones contributed to the LP A Tribute to the King of Zydeco last year, the song was made complete by Jimmie Vaughan's ace harmonica playing, a secret weapon that Austin's reigning king of the Stratocaster has kept close to the vest for most of his professional career.