about our music

Jug Band music originated on the streets of Louisville and Memphis and quickly spread through the South by the 1920's and early 1930's. It was an eclectic musical style originally performed by African Americans and incorporated early country blues, early jazz, ragtime, pop tunes and minstrel songs. Jug Band music was especially popular with “race” music record buyers in many regions of America. It was performed on conventional musical instruments such as guitar, piano and horns as well as homemade items like jug, washtub bass, washboard and kazoos. These instruments are what give the music its unique flavor.

The Great Depression of the 1930's ended commercial Jug Band recording. However in the early 1960's urban Jug Band musicians in New York, Boston and Berkley such as the Jim Kweskin Jug Band and Mother McCree's Jug Champions (which included most of the members of the original Grateful Dead) revived the Jug Band sound. Two jug band songs were top forty hits and the Vanguard recordings of the Kweskin band were commercially successful.

Today W.S.B.L. answer the musical question: “ what is jug band music” by saying “Jug Band is any music played near the vicinity of a jug.” They have expanded the traditional. Jug Band repertoire by adding their own versions of polka, gospel, New Orleans rock'n'roll, bluegrass and their own unique blend of rockabilly and Jug Band called “Jugabilly."

REPERTOIRE

Washboard Slim and the Blue Lights performs traditional jug band music by first generation groups such as the Memphis Jug Band, Cannon's Jug Stompers, Whistler and his Jug Band, and the Dixieland Jug Blowers.  In addition, they feature songs by the two great revival jug bands; Jim Kweskin and The Jug Band and Dave Von Ronk and his Ragtime Jug Stompers.

The Blue Lights also present their own interpretations of the songs of blues artists such as Washboard Sam, Elmore James, Bessie Smith, Big Maybelle, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell., Willie Dixon, Tampa Red and Georgia Tom.  Early jazz artists included are Billie Holliday, Ida Cox, Fats Waller, Charlie Christian, Louis Armstrong, McKinney's cotton Pickers, and Bing Crosby.  Country and rockabilly artists include Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Wanda Jackson, Elvis Presley and Milton Brown and  His Musical Brownies.

Washboard Slim and the Blue Lights are bringing jug band music into the 21st century by performing original music.  These songs are written both by group members and by some of the Northeast's finest contemporary singer/songwriters.  Demo tapes of this material are available upon request.

 Back to Washboard Slim and the Blue Lights' Home Page