Robert Cray - Smoking Gun

This is the music video to the song "Smoking Gun" by Robert Cray. It was first released in 1986 on Cray's album "Strong Persuader". The album was Cray's fifth album and it became his breakthrough album into mainstream recognition. On it's release as a single in 1987 "Smoking Gun" reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The music video show clips of Cray performing at various shows throughout the beginning of his career. The year and place of the performance clips are displayed at the beginning of each clip which is quite nice in my opinion.
The song also appeared on Cray's 2010 release "Cookin' in Mobile" which was a live CD/DVD release.
It's a great crossover song, and Cray's solo towards the end is amazing.

Enjoy ; )

ZZ Top - Breakaway

This is a music video from ZZ Top for their song "Breakaway" from their 1994 album "Antenna". The song is a slow blues, and has some very tasty licks and guitar playing from Gibbons. The album was very popular, and the first single "Pincushion" reached no. 1 at mainstream rock charts. "Breakaway" only reached 7th place on the mainstream rock charts and wasn't as successful.
Frank Beard once said something like "blues is a guitar player's game" meaning that the guitar sound is very important in making a good blues song, and that the bass and drums are there to accompany Billy and not the other way around.
This is also heard on the tasty two guitar sound of "Breakaway", it's two guitars and drums, also performed this way live. This sound is also inspired by Billy's love of Jimmy Reed's dual guitar sound.
A great song.

Enjoy ; )

B.B. King - The Thrill Is Gone

This is a performance from "Late Night with Conan O'Brien", it features B.B. King performing his classic "The Thrill Is Gone". The song was written by Rick Darnell and Roy Hawkins in 1951, but popularized by B.B. King in the 70's.
B.B. tells the story that he had been jamming on the tune for some time, and tried to work it out. When he finally recorded it he didn't know it would be one of the songs that helped to plunge him into mainstream music and cross over. The original studio recording from B.B. had an added string section that also helped with mainstream audiences.
A great tune!

Enjoy ; )