The Ultimate Blues & Barbecue Playlist

I just ran across this, thought it was worth passing along.

� �Blues for the Barbecue� performed by Count Basie, from the recording �Farmer's Market Barbecue� (1982). Composed by Sonny Cohn. This is a more-than-10-minute-long tour de force of Kansas City style jump blues. A great song and a fitting tribute to Count Basie's legendary love of barbecue.

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Struttin' With Some Barbecue� performed by Louis Armstrong, from the recording �The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings� (2000). Composed by Lil Hardin and Don Raye. This song is the inspiration for Kansas City's own Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q �Struttin' Man� logo. However, at the time that Armstrong recorded this tune, �barbecue� was a slang expression for a sexy woman (of rather questionable moral character), so ol' Satchmo was probably not thinking about a slab of ribs.

Hickory Wind� performed by The Byrds, from the recording �Sweetheart of the Rodeo� (1968). Composed by Gram Parsons and Bob Buchanan. Not strictly about barbecue either, but the prettiest song on this list.

�Smoke House Blues� performed by Jelly Roll Morton, from the recording �Birth of the Hot� (1926-27). Composed by Charles Luke.

Bar-B-Q� performed by ZZ Top, from the recording �Rio Grande Mud� (1972). Composed by Billy Gibbons and Bill Ham.

� �Barbecue Blues� performed by Robert �Barbecue Bob� Hicks, from the recording �Barbecue Bob: Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 1, 1927-28� (1991). Composed by Robert Hicks.

� �Boogie Woogie Barbecue� performed by Lloyd �Tiny� Grimes, from the recording �Electric Guitar Master� (1999). Composed by Lloyd Hines.

� �Barbecue Any Old Time� performed by Brownie McGhee, from the recording �Born for Bad Luck� (1940). Composed by Brownie McGhee.

� �Bar-B-Q� performed by Floyd Taylor, from the recording �Honkers & Bar Walkers, Vol. 3� (2002). Composer unknown.

And, finally,

� �Somebody to Love You� performed by Delbert McClinton, from the recording �One of the Fortunate Few� (1997). Composed by Delbert McClinton and Gary Nicholson. Awesome song. Listen to it and you'll know why it's on the list.

(By DOUG WORGUL, The Kansas City Star)

Donna