The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Celebrate 50th Anniversary!
with the Release of First Studio Album
in Eight Years
'Struck Down'
Coming June 28th on Stony Plain Records
Listen to the first single
“Payback Time”
(featuring Billy Gibbons)
Struck Down features special guests
Billy
Gibbons, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo,’
Mick Fleetwood, Elvin Bishop, Terrance
Simien,
and Canadian blues guitar ace Steve
Strongman.
Struck Down also
features special guests Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’ and Mick Fleetwood on
the album’s lone cover song, a scintillating take on Memphis Minnie’s “Nothing
in Rambling.” Additional contributions on the new disc come from Elvin Bishop,
Terrance Simien and Canadian blues guitar ace Steve Strongman, who co-wrote
with Kim Wilson nine of the album’s 10 tracks.
The catalyst for the
recording sessions happened when blues guitarist Steve Strongman hooked up with
Kim Wilson on a trial basis to write some songs. Thunderbirds manager Glen
Parrish had convinced an at-first hesitant Kim Wilson to give it a try by co-writing
with Strongman, who flew down to California from Canada. As a songwriting team,
they clicked immediately. For the recording sessions, Wilson called a few
friends. The first single, “Payback
Time,” features Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top on guitar and backing vocals. “Billy is
someone I talk to on a pretty regular basis,” said Wilson. “He is a dear
friend, a great musician, and he knows how to make a record.” Regarding the
great interplay on the track between Gibbons’ guitar and Wilson’s harmonica,
Wilson said, “It was really all him. Being the great musician that he is, he
created that conversation.”
The cover of Memphis Minnie’s “Nothing in Rambling” is overflowing with talent. “All of these people I have the utmost respect for,” said Wilson. “Taj Mahal was one of my very first influences. He is one of the reasons I started playing the harmonica. Bonnie Raitt and I have always been very close. I love what she does. I love her voice. I love Keb’s voice. And Mick was kind enough to put his performance on that track as well.” “I love the material, the performances, and the sound of the album. It was mixed by Shelly Yakus and mastered by Greg Calbi and Steve Fallone. They are the very best there is.”
When talking about the
full-time members of the Thunderbirds, Wilson proclaimed, “The strength of this
band has inspired me to be more creative. This band really allows me to do
anything I want to do: modern, traditional, anything in between. They are masters
of it all. And as for what’s next…“I’m far from finished.”
Formed in 1974, The
Fabulous Thunderbirds is a familiar name for anyone into contemporary blues and
blues rock. This is the band that
created classic albums like T-Bird Rhythm and Tuff Enuff. Powered by hits like
the title track and “Wrap It Up,” Tuff Enuff went platinum, selling more than
one million copies. Led by founding member Kim Wilson, The Fabulous
Thunderbirds have been nominated for Grammy Awards six times and for Blues
Music Awards more than 20 times. The
Fabulous Thunderbirds continue to tour internationally, selling out venues and
headlining festivals with the current line-up of Kim Wilson on vocals and
harmonica, Johnny Moeller on guitar, Bob Welsh on keyboards and guitar, Rudy
Albin on drums and Steve Kirsty on bass.
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PREORDER
THE NEW ALBUM
BY
THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS
Entitled
‘STRUCK DOWN’
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Celebrate
50th Anniversary with the Release of First Studio Album in Eight Years, Struck
Down, Coming June 28th on Stony Plain Records
Listen to the first single “Payback
Time.”
(featuring Billy Gibbons)
Pre-Order/Pre-Save the Album
https://stonyplainrecords.com/fabulousthunderbirds/
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT
KIM WILSON
AND
THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS
VISIT
https://fabulousthunderbirds.com/
Official website
https://www.facebook.com/fabulousthunderbirds/
Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/fabuloustbirds/
Instagram
https://twitter.com/ThunderFabulous
Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfAXkyD5vxFXypN4ZqcF-kQ/featured
YouTube
THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS
IN CONCERT
JUL
3 Healdsburg, CA Raven Performing Arts Theater 8:00 PM
JUL
5 Nicasio, CA Rancho Nicasio 4:00 PM
JUL 6 Napa, CA Blue Note Napa 6:30 PM
JUL
6 Napa, CA Blue Note Napa 9:00 PM
JUL 12 Mequon, WI Gathering on the Green 6:30 PM
JUL 12 Mequon, WI Gathering on the
Green 8:30 PM
JUL 30 Cologne Luxor 8:00 PM
JUL 29 Nuremberg Hirsch 8:00 PM
Discography
With The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Albums
The Fabulous Thunderbirds (1979)
What's the Word (1980)
Butt Rockin' (1981)
T-Bird Rhythm (1982)
Tuff Enuff (1986)
Hot Number (1987)
Powerful Stuff (1989)
Walk That Walk, Talk That Talk (1991)
Roll of the Dice (1995)
High Water (1997)
Painted On (2005)
Thunderbirds! (2009, sold only at
shows)
On the Verge (2013)
Strong Like That (2016)
Struck Down (2024)
Compilation albums
Portfolio (1987)
The Essential... (1991)
Hot Stuff: The Greatest Hits (1992)
Wrap It Up (1993)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds/What's the
Word (1993)
Butt Rockin'/T-Bird Rhythm (1993)
Different Tacos (1996)
The Best of the Fabulous Thunderbirds
(1997)
Tuff Enuff/Powerful Stuff (1999)
Thunderbirds Tacos Deluxe (2003)
The Best of the Fabulous Thunderbirds:
Early Birds Special (2011)
The Bad and Best of... (2013)
Live albums
Live from London (1985)
Live [AKA Invitation Only] (2001)
Singles
"Tuff Enuff" (1986) No. 10
US, No. 83 AUS[13]
"Wrap It Up" (1986) No. 50 US
"Why Get Up" (1986)
"Stand Back" (1987) No. 76 US
"How Do You Spell Love"
(1987)
"Wasted Tears" (1988)
"Powerful Stuff" (1988) No.
65 US
"Knock Yourself Out" (1989)
Solo
1993: Tigerman (Antone's)
1994: That's Life (Antone's)
1997: My Blues (Blue Collar)
2001: Smokin' Joint (M.C. Records)
2003: Looking for Trouble (M.C.
Records)
2006: My Blues Sessions: Kim's Mix,
Volume I (Bluebeat)
2017: Blues and Boogie, Vol. 1 (Severn)
2020: Take Me Back - The Bigtone
Sessions (M.C. Records)
Guest
Ronnie Earl, Smokin' (1983)
Roomful of Blues, Dressed Up To Get
Messed Up (1984)
Ronnie Earl, They Call Me Mr. Earl
(1984)
Ron Levy's Wild Kingdon, Ron Levy's
Wild Kingdom (1988)
People Get Ready – A Tribute to Curtis
Mayfield (1993)
Snuff Johnson, Will The Circle Be
Unbroken (Black Magic Records, 1994)
Bonnie Raitt, Road Tested (1995)
Kid Ramos, Kid Ramos (1999)
James Cotton, 35th Anniversary Jam of
the James Cotton Blues Band (Telarc, 2001)
Big Jack Johnson, The Memphis Barbecue
Sessions (2002)
JW-Jones, Bogart's Bounce (guest, 2002)
JW-Jones, My Kind of Evil (producer and
guest, 2004)
Wentus Blues Band, Family Album
(Bluelight Records, 2004)
Barrelhouse Chuck, Got My Eyes on You
(2007)
Omar Kent Dykes & Jimmie Vaughan,
Jimmy Reed Highway (2007)
Louisiana Red, Back to the Black Bayou
(Ruf Records, 2008)
Elvin Bishop, The Blues Rolls On (2008)
Eric Clapton, Clapton (Reprise, 2010)
Mark Knopfler, Privateering (2012)
Smokin' Joe Kubek & Bnois King,
Road Dog's Life (Delta Groove Productions, 2013)
Barrelhouse Chuck, Driftin' From Town
To Town (2013)
The Robert Cray Band, 4 Nights of 40
Years (2015)
Buddy Guy, Born to Play Guitar (2015)
Thornetta Davis, Honest Woman (2016)
Peter Karp, Blue Flame (2018)
Ash Grunwald, Mojo (2019)
THE ROCK STAR CHRONICLES
BOOK TRAILER
BOOK REVIEW
-By Literary Titan (5) STARS
The Rock Star Chronicles by Ray Shasho, is a splendid book written by a music enthusiast who has poured their heart and soul into it. It’s a story of a boy who loved rock music, and his obsessive passion of it earned himself the name Rock Raymond. He went to school but instead was schooled in all matters of music while his peers were buried chin-deep in coursework. He then became a radio DJ and has now compiled a book on all interviews he held with Rock gods who raided the airwaves back in the 70s and 80s. It’s a compilation of interviews with outstanding vocalists, legendary guitarists and crazy drummers in the rock music scene. Each interview gives a reader an in-depth view into their personal lives and the philosophies that guide their lives which all serve to humanize these great icons. For readers who are old enough to call themselves baby boomers this book will bring old memories back to life. Millennials, on the other hand, may think of this book as a literal work of the Carpool Karaoke show.
The Rock Star Chronicles is a book I didn’t know I was waiting for. To come across a book that will talk me into trying something new. One brave enough to incite me to venture into new frontiers. This book made me a believer- I am now a bona fide Rock and Roll music fan.
Ray Shasho masterfully gets the interviewees talking. He smartly coaxes answers from them with crafty questions designed to get a story rolling out of them. The artists talk about diverse issues ranging from music, politics, and their social engagements. Having been on the music seen all his life, Ray Shasho knows the buttons to press, how to get them comfortable about talking about their lives.
The book’s cover is befitting of its subject matter with the leather look offering a royal background to the golden letter print. It speaks to how high a level rock music holds in the pecking order- arguably, modern music as we know it has originated from blues and rock music. The second noteworthy thing is the use of high-definition pictures to reference the musician being interviewed in every sub-chapter. This ensures that the book is for both original rock and roll lovers and aspiring new ones. Together is makes for a refreshing and consistently enjoyable read.
I recommend this book to rock music enthusiasts, aspiring musicians wondering what it takes and all readers curious to learn new things by going back in time.
https://literarytitan.com/2020/05/03/literary-titan-book-awards-may-2020/
Gold Award Winner
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