简介：Whenpeoplesay,“Memphisbluesain’twhatitusedtobe,”theyhaven’theardtheDaddyMackBluesBand.AllofitsmembersatonetimeoranotherplayedintheFieldstones,oneofthemosttalkedabouturbanbluesbandssincethe1970s.LedbyMackOffonleadguitarandvocals,thisfourpiecegroupisownhomeandfunkyandthebestbandaroundforcuttin’looseonaSaturdaynight.Theirrawapproachtobluesissomethingtoooftenmissingincontemporaryblues.In19981999,theywerethehousebandattheCenterForSouthernFolkloreonBealeStreet,wherethousandsoftouristsfromallcomersoftheworldhaveexperiencedtheirnaturalandsoulfulmusicalblend.HowardStovall,executivedirectorofTheBluesFoundation,wasaspecialguestatthe1999CDreleaseofFixItWhenICanandisn’tshyaboutexpressingwhohethinksiscarryingthetorchinMemphisblues.AtaFoundationpartyinAprilof1999,RollingStonesKeithRichardsandRonWoodsatinwiththebandand,asthestorygoes,theywereabletokeepupmusically,butnoonewasshoutingtohear“Jumpin’JackFlash”either.FrombarbecuedivesinMississippitoParis,France,DaddyMackhasbeentheredonethat.Heisn’ttooshytoplayapartyforagatheringofgovernorsfromallacrosstheUnitedStatesortowalkrightintothemiddleofacrowdwithhiswirelessandplayguitarlickswhilehissweatdripsrightontotheshoesofhollerin’bluesfans.DaddyMackisnotonlydoinghisparttokeepthebluesaliveforthe21stCentury,he’snotcompromisingwhathethinksbluesissupposedtobe–fun,andwiththerightbalanceofshowmanshipandgoodmusic. MackandthebandallhavetiestothegreatMemphisbluescombo,theFieldstonesallweremembersofthebandduringtheearly1990s.WhentheFieldstonesfinallybrokeupin1994,theycontinuedperformingtogetherasthehousebandatthelegendaryGreensLounge.Sincethen,thebandhasbeencrankingouttheirinfectiousgroovesaroundMemphisallthewaytoTheMilleniumDomeinLondon.Individually,themembersofthegrouphavedeeprootsinMemphismusictradition.BrothersJamesandHaroldBonnerformthenucleusoftheband,havingperformedtogetherforoverthirtyyears.BornandraisedinMemphis,theBonnersgrewupimmersedinthecitysR&Bandbluessounds.Thebandnevermetastrangersotakealittleandcontactusandcheckoutthegroove.