Lil’ Jimmy Reed with Bob Hall and Hilary Blythe
From shot-gun shack and cotton-field to festival main stage, the prodigious talents of Lil’ Jimmy Reed have taken him a long way from the Mississippi river.
One of the last surviving performers of classic Louisiana down-home blues, Lil’ Jimmy’s stinging guitar work, gritty vocals and haunting harmonica have been taking Europe and America by storm.
His music has won him many awards, a Grammy nomination, and induction into the Blues Hall of Fame. He is accompanied by pianist Bob Hall, widely regarded as the UK’s finest blues and boogie exponent, and diminutive dynamo Hilary Blythe on bass.
Dave Kelly and Bob Hall with Hilary Blythe
Dave Kelly, singer, guitarist and songwriter, is a multi-award winner and founder member of The Blues Band, with Paul Jones.
Dave cut his teeth in the backing bands of Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker, and has played with Buddy Guy, Son House & Muddy Waters.
Dave has recorded fifteen albums either solo or with his own Dave Kelly Band, featuring his inimitable slide guitar on blues, country, and his own original compositions.
Bob Hall, singer, pianist, mandolinist and songwriter, is a founder member of several British blues groups, including The Groundhogs and The Sunflower Blues Band, and band leader of Rocket 88 (with Charlie Watts) and The British Blues All Stars (with Long John Baldry and Peter Green).
Bob has accompanied a host of blues and rock stars, including Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Little Walter, and played on well over a hundred albums, including four solo piano albums and dozens more as band leader or co-leader.
Friends since they were neighbours in the sixties, Dave and Bob have had many critically acclaimed joint projects, have played in each other’s bands and on each other’s recordings.
Complimenting the duo is Hilary Blythe on bass and guitar, an emotive singer of classic blues and a well-known performer on the folk scene. Hilary’s rock-solid bass is also the engine room behind the Lil’ Jimmy Reed Band.
Bob Hall resume
1964 – 1965 Founder member The Groundhogs – backed John Lee Hooker
1964 – 74 Began playing piano and mandolin in folk clubs with Jo Ann Kelly. First BBC radio shows with Alexis Korner
1965 – 69 Founder member Savoy Brown
1966 – 69 Played in John Dummer Band with Dave Kelly – backed Howlin’ Wolf
1968 – 72 Founder member Sunflower Blues Band with Bob Brunning bass – recorded with Peter Green – began songwriting
1969 – 74 Formed the band Tramp with Bob Brunning, Jo Ann & Dave Kelly, Danny Kirwan and Mick Fleetwood (of Fleetwood Mac) drums – all original songs
1972 – 79 Became house pianist for Big Bear Music – backed Lightnin’ Slim, Whispering Smith, Homesick James, Snooky Pryor, Eddie Burns and many other visiting American bluesmen
1974 – 75 Gave piano lessons to Linda McCartney
1974 – 77 Toured Germany with George Green playing boogie woogie on two pianos. First solo gigs
1974 – 76 Published articles on blues piano in Blues Unlimited magazine
1977 – 2017 Formed duo partnership with Dave Peabody
1977 – 79 Formed The Bob Hall/George Green Boogie Woogie Big Band with Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones) and horn section
1978 Fifty Years of Boogie Woogie celebrations. South Bank and other TV shows. Solo boogie woogie albums. Boogie woogie album with strings
1979 – 84 The Bob Hall / George Green Boogie Woogie Big Band re-named Rocket 88 – with rhythm section Charlie Watts, Jack Bruce (Cream) bass and Alexis Korner guitar
1979 Began playing with The Blues Band, with Paul Jones, Dave Kelly and Tom McGuinness
1981 – 88 Founder member De Luxe Blues Band with Bob Brunning, Danny Adler vocal/guitar, Dick Heckstall-Smith tenor and Micky Waller (Rod Stewart, Small Faces) drums – backed Lowell Fulsom
1989 – 2010 Became regular guest at The Blues Band gigs
1991 First solo album
1991 European tour with Chuck Berry
1991 – 2005 Played a wide number of Rural Touring Schemes in home counties and Scotland with Hilary Blythe (vocal/bass) performing themed shows
2000 Second solo album
2004 – 2008 Formed The British Blues All Stars with Long John Baldry, Peter Green, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown)
2010 – to present date. Started working with Lil’ Jimmy Reed in UK, Europe and Canada
2012 Third solo album
2012 – 21 Presenter of weekly Keynote Club radio blues programme on Sheffield Live!
2020 – to present date. Formed trio with Dave Kelly and Hilary Blythe. Hoping to record live album next year (2024)
