I'm pleased to introduced another artist whose dedication to his music is certainly well documented. R&B and Jazz has been a lifelong love affair. Musician producer arranger every facets of music is of interest to him. And this man is Michael Dollins. Welcome to the ezine, How are you doing?

Getting over an ear infection, but doing fine otherwise. I am legally 50% deaf in both ears, and with the use of computerized hearing aids, I can again record, mix and master music.

I listen to your music with a sense that makes me want to drive again. I should mentionded that I have not own or driven a vehicle in 21 years. So beleive me it's a compliment!:-) Is this indicative of your style?

Well, not really. It was a flash point when I put this first solo CD together. I do bounce around between Blues, Jazz, R&B, Gospel and what I call Roots music. My good friend Ricardo Williams heard the first master to give me some feedback on how it was. He listened to it on the way to Las Vegas. It was actually Ricardo that gave me the inspiration as he loves listening to music while he is driving on the open road.

You are an all time fan of the late blues legend Big Daddy Rucker! Can you tell us about your passion for the great Man?

I was fortunate to play with him in from 1969 to 1970. I actually have some reel to reel tapes of some songs we wrote. He was a great inspiration to me in my earlier music growth patterns. His powerful singing can still run shivers up my spine. He liked the way I played, and gave me a lot of encouragement. He is missed.

Now here is the question everyone has come to expect.:-) What is for you the most difficult part of creating?

Time. I've got forty years worth of music built up in me to get out, and now that I have access to digitized music, and a full 32 track recording studio with all the trimming’s in my computer, I could do this endlessly without food or water. However, I do have a family, and I have to come out of the studio for air once in awhile. I did produce a new CD this year already called; Blues, Boogies, Shuffles & Stomps.

You also write articles (maybe you could send one our way;-) And you also wrote a guitar manual, tell us about the book and where to get it?

Writing was my second passion to music. I produced a little blues magazinette called “Strictly Nothing But The Blues” back in the late eighties. I was a staff writer for “Jazz Link” magazine during this period too. I could send you some reprints on the blues artists I covered, but writing is dormant currently with the music being so dominant. The guitar manual is still available, and is titled “Blues Chords.” It basically shows intermediate players how to get off block bar chords, and into omitted tonic jazz / blues chords that have more voicing.

Who is your favorite guitar player for R&B, What is it about it that prompted that choice?

Chris Cain, from Blind Pig Records out of San Jose, California, without a doubt, hands down is the best guitar picker going these days. He is a generation plus some behind me, and has the sounds of a real deal player. He is gifted, educated and probably could play classical music if he wanted to. His parents raised him on listening to Ray Charles, and BB King. He is a graduate of Berkley, and can write, arrange music plus play tenor saxophone with chops near “Fathead Newman or Junior Walker.” If you get a chance, check him out – He can play.

If you were to assemble a band from musicians that have past away what would be the line up, and what song would they play?

Willie Dixon on Bass, Freddie King on Guitar, Little Walter on harp, Junior Walker on Tenor, and Big Daddy Rucker singing. Other sidemen as needed. The compassion would be so intense it would make you shake all over.They would play Stormy Monday.

Is there one musician you would love an opportunity to jam with?

I've met BB King in his dressing room, in between sets, at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hilton in 1977. He was an Icon of mine since 1960, and I've got all his records including his first 78’s on the RPM label. Yeah, that would be it. I wouldn't call it a jam, and would be only humbled to play a few chords behind the man.

Is there an aspect of the music scene today that fills you with optimism? I was playing blues before it became a cool thing to do. In the pre-everything era, you had to hunt and peck to find anything related to blues. We didn't call it blues, we called it R&B. Today, it is everywhere, and widely accepted. There must be at least two zillion blues bands in the world now.

I thank you for taking the time to have this interview.

Quite the contrary, I feel privileged, and humbled that you invited me to participate. My gratitude to you sir.

Any parting words for our readers?

For pickers: Don't overplay, give some space in your solos. Like Big Daddy use to tell me, “Take Your Time.” For the listeners: Listen to all the history, especially the R&B from the fifties and sixties. Remember the ones that laid the groundwork for the contemporaries. Be open to Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Folk and related styles that has that earthy, root common bond in music which is built on the 12 bar blues. I listen to everything from Hank Williams, to John Coltrane. And believe me, that is about the widest spread you can accomplish. Be open and flexible in your listening.

Please visit his website (it's worth a looksee)http://mikedollins.homested.com/mikedollins.html

Or email him for comments at mikedollinsguitar@juno.com

You can order his CD at; Mike Dollins
POB 191207
San Diego, CA 92159

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