It's always a treat to catch up with Poppa E. Not only a talented interpreter of various blues styles and an excellent songwriter, the Miami-based bluesman also happens to be one helluva decent cat and a captivating storyteller. All of this will be in evidence Friday, when WLRN airs my conversation with Poppa on Ed Bell's South Florida Arts Beat sometime between 1 and 2 p.m.
The New York-born musician talks about his grandfather's and his uncles' influence on his life and music — his granddad fled Cairo, Ill., with the law on his trail after shooting some white men who harrassed his wife; his uncles ran a pool hall and record shop, respectively — as well as his return from Nam, life in Chicago and session work with Bill Withers on some of the pop soul singer's biggest hits ("Lean on Me," "Use Me"). Poppa also unpacked his guitar and loaded up his rack harmonica for a couple of tunes, one of which was an amazing, Delta-fied rendition of "Folsom Prison Blues," the other a pretty blues ballad called "Melonera's Blues."
You can find Poppa at Tobacco Road 10 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19 and 10 p.m. Aug. 31. Check out Poppae.com or Blackowlmusicmiami.com for more.
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