Charlie Musselwhite is an American icon. His story is entangled in the story of America, and he’s been tracing its highways and entertaining its audiences, and those abroad, for nearly six decades. So, it’s fitting that his new record, out May 16th on Forty Below Records, is entitled Look Out Highway (PRE-SAVE: https://fortybelow.ffm.to/loh-album), and it’s remarkable that a man who has spent more days on the road than off still brings such spirit and passion to the music and the lifestyle.
With its signature blend of Delta and Chicago blues mixed with Memphis soul, Look Out Highway is pure Charlie Musselwhite. Recorded at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studio in San Jose California, it’s the first time Charlie has recorded with his long-time touring band, comprised of guitarist Matt Stubbs (GA-20), drummer June Core (Robert Lockwood Jr.) and bassist Randy Bermudes (James Cotton), along with Andersen who has been in and out of the band for many years. Their chemistry and command is abundantly clear from the opening notes. “We finished a gig at The Iridium in New York City and flew straight to California to record.”, Charlie effuses.
More than any other harmonica player of his generation, Charlie Musselwhite can rightfully lay claim to inheriting the mantle of many of the great harp players that came before him with music as dark as Mississippi mud and as uplifting as the blue skies of California. In an era when the term legendary gets applied to auto-tuned pop stars, this singular blues harp player, singer, songwriter, and guitarist has earned and deserves to be honored as a true master of American classic vernacular music.
Today, Glide is excited to premiere the standout tune “Sad Eyes,” which captures the real emotional depth at the core of Musselwhite’s songs. This deeply soulful tune finds the band laying down an effortlessly cool blues groove with a memorable guitar lick perfectly punctuated by Core’s drumming. The tinkling keys offer a perfect complement to Musselwhite’s supremely cool harmonica playing that is accentuated by the organ and sharp guitar. To make it all happen, Stubbs and Bermudes brought in the music, and Charlie again flipped through his book of words and stories until he “found the scent”, casually painting the picture of two people filling a void for each other, pretending to love, knowing it’s not going to last. The result is a song that balances modern retro soul with a wisened blues edge, ultimately reminding us that Musselwhite is as sharp as ever.
Musselwhite describes the inspiration behind the tune:
“Sad Eyes” is about a lonely single guy in a club that sees a girl that looks lonely with sad eyes. They might not be all that attracted to each other, but why not enjoy each others company for awhile anyway? It’s not love, but it’s not bad.
LISTEN:
