Review: Greg Phillips. Photos: Jason Rosewarne.
The fifth annual Blues Music Victoria Hall of Fame Awards took place at Memo Music Hall last night in front of an enthusiastic crowd of blues music devotees, who had braved the deluge outside to honour some industry legends and experience some wonderful live music.
Blues Music Victoria Inc. is a peak industry body representing blues clubs, venues, festivals, media, industry services and suppliers in Victoria, Australia.
Hosted by BMV President Dennis ‘Salty’ Trevarthen, the night opened with BMV Youth Ambassador Aaron Pollock. Aaron is an accomplished guitarist, possessing a sweet but powerful voice and a vibrant personality to round out the total package. He performed tracks from his 2023 self-produced album Delta Hotel, including “I Don’t Deserve to Feel So Blue”, which highlighted his fingerpicking skills. You can catch Aaron next at Wesley Anne on December 15.
Next up BMV Disability Ambassador ‘Fast Eddy’ Boyle rocked the house with his swinging blues harp riffs, featuring Mark ‘Harpo’ Greenway on guitar, Peter ‘Boom Boom’ Beulke on bass and Pete Hodges on drums.
BMV Vice President Barry Maxwell then announced that for the first time, Blues Music Victoria had introduced a Hall of Fame Honour Roll, to recognise special contributions to the blues industry in Victoria. These are citations presented to those who had worked tirelessly for blues music behind the scenes. Recipients in 2024 were Billy Kavanagh (RIP), musician most known for his band Tin Pan Alley, Noel Goodwin (RIP), the driving force of the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society and finally, drummer Winston Galea (Kevin Buckingham band, Peter Cuples / Dutch Tilders and the Blues Club / Phil Manning / Tommy and Phil Emmanuel / Albert Collins / Hubert Sumlin and more).
A video presentation, showcasing the achievements of guitarist Paulie Bignell’s career was shown next before the man was inducted into the Hall of Fame as the publicly voted People’s Choice Blues Legend for 2024. Melbourne industry identity Elly Mantzaris introduced Paulie, who has had a stellar career, delivering unique and passionate performances, whether it be in the genres of rockabilly, country, soulful R&B or flat-out rock n roll.
Paulie donned a guitar and was joined by the Thornbury Two, Peter Boom Boom Beulke and Damien Singh to rock out on “Drive it Home” featuring some sublime slide playing. A couple of tunes later, Bignell invited The Detonators to the stage, saying “Without these fellas, I’m not sure where I’d be … sittin’ in a van with some other fellas probably!” Paulie then told the audience and his band, Rockbottom James on vocals and electric harmonica, Doghouse Dave on double bass and Eddie Fury on drums, “It’s time to make some noise!”
https://pauliebignell.com/
After a short break, Matt Frederick from 3PBS’ blues show The Juke Joint introduced music producer, musician, MBAS president and label owner John Durr to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. John has been a mainstay of Blues and Roots music in Australia for over 35 years, with a long and varied musical journey, highlighted by the establishment of local record label Black Market Music in 1991. He was at the forefront of developing Blues acts, guiding the early careers and distributing award-winning releases of a multitude of highly successful local artists including Collard Greens and Gravy, Lloyd Speigel, Jimi Hocking, Fiona Boyes, Phil Manning, Nick Charles, The Detonators, Ash Grunwald, Dan Dinnen, Matt Corcoran, Jan Preston, Dreamboogie and many more. John thanked those who had helped him along the way and praised Melbourne’s unique and loyal blues music community.
Dennis ‘Salty’ Trevarthen followed, explaining that the Industry icon recipient is selected primarily for a person’s longevity in the music industry, recognising the great things they have achieved along the way. This year’s Industry icon was the great singer, songwriter, guitarist Kerri Simpson.
Inducting Kerri into the Hall of Fame was Helen Jennings OAM, from PBS’ long running program Roots of Rhythms. Helen started by saying that “few musicians have so successfully traversed musical genres like Kerri Simpson,” before reeling off the long list of Kerri’s accomplishments including; numerous band and solo recordings, The Swinging Sidewalks as the house band on the ABC’s Big Gig, recorded for Razor, a Mushroom records label, toured nationally with Kylie Minogue, was nominated for an ARIA Award, supported Dr John and Keb Mo, and was the first Australian female to perform at New Orleans JazzFest. Blind Boys of Alabama’s Clarence Fountain, after feeling her face told her that “you got the dirt”. More recently Kerri has been part of many acclaimed recording and performing projects, including the alt country Bluebirds album with fellow singer-songwriters Barb Waters, Suzannah Espie and Allison Ferrier. In late-2018, Simpson – together with Allison Ferrier and Anthony ‘Shorty’ Shortte – formed her current musical love, the band Opelousas. In 2019 the trio’s debut album “Opelousified” won the Music Victoria Best Blues Album of the year award. In 2024 “Opelousafried won Music Victoria’s Best Blues Album of the year award. Kerri also co-wrote and performed on the title track of Jeff Langs ‘ More Life” album.
Kerri took to the stage and spoke of a young girl in the Melbourne suburb of Epping, who didn’t fit in but was saved by music and set upon a career in the arts, beginning with busking in Bourke Street. She went on to thank everyone who was involved in her blues music journey including the musicians, venues, media, fans, family and more.
In celebration of the honour, Kerri then slung on a guitar and was joined first by Dean Addison, Kenny Framer, Ron Tabuteau and Mark Grunden for some quality tunes, then soon after by her rowdy Opelousas family Allison Ferrier and Anthony Shortte. With the venue’s curfew time quickly approaching local guitar legends Shannon Bourne and Jeff Lang joined her for a rousing rendition of Chris Wilson’s ‘Shootout at the 7-11’, featuring some spirited audience participation.
Kerri Simpson www.kerrisimpson.com
Congratulations to all recipients of awards and also to Dennis ‘Salty’ Trevarthen and his team of passionate volunteers at Blues Music Victoria, who ensure that the blues flame is ‘still alive and well’.
https://www.bluesmusicvictoria.com.au/
