Today, October 3rd, 2024, marks the birthday of a blues magician, a man who electrified the genre with a style and spirit that still echoes like thunder in the distance—Stevie Ray Vaughan. From the Texas heat rose a guitarist who didn’t just play the blues; he bled them, coaxing every emotion from six strings like a sorcerer with an ancient spellbook.

Craft Recordings is proud to announce a Deluxe Edition release of In Session, the legendary collaboration between blues icons Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This long sought-after live album will be available in its entirety for the first time ever on 3-LP, 2-CD and digital formats, including hi-res audio. Arriving October 18 and available for pre-order today, the set represents both a definitive moment in blues history and a real-time snapshot of two all-time guitar masters in reverence of each other on stage.

Hamish Anderson is a young singer/songwriter striving to keep the blues music genre alive and well. The talented guitarist produces music in the vein of some of the best 60's/70’s Blues rockers like Cream, The Rolling Stones, and even with a nod to Blues-rock legend T Rex. The Australian musician has already wracked an enviable career in the world of American blues music. We recently chatted about his bright career, the pandemic challenge to live performances, and his plans for the future.

A decade ago Jimmie Vaughan released his definitive album Blues, Ballads and Favorites. It was a stunning collection of 15 of his favorite songs, from Billy Emerson’s “The Pleasure’s All Mine” to Willie Nelson’s “Funny How Time Slips Away,” and featured guest vocals from band members Lou Ann Barton and Bill Willis. Vaughan followed the album up in 2011 with More Blues, Ballads and Favorites, digging deep into the music that had helped shape his life in the blues.

In light of the upcoming Fourth of July I would like to invite all readers to comment with your ideas of what constitutes American Music.  We could get a very nice discussion going regarding bands, styles, influences, allusions, imagery, intent, and anything else that might come up about what American Music is, was, means and does.