I wrote an analysis of each song and a biography of each artist. The compilation won in the categories of "Best Liner Notes" and "Best Historical Compilation." My goal was to point out the differences and contributions of both the white and black artists.

Double-Grammy winner /

Grammy Nominee

Living Blues MagazineCritics Awards:

Best Liner Notes /

Producer - Compiler of the Year/

Historical Recordings

As an internationally published music journalist, I have written essays, as well as festival, concert and CD reviews, artist bios, CD liner notes (accompanying booklets), artist interviews, historical essays, and technical features concerning aspects of musical history and performance.

I have been a feature-writer, columnist, and reviewer for America's first great blues magazine: Living Blues , in addition to the King Biscuit Times, Blues Revue, Blues Access, and The Baltimore Blues Society Rag. Some of my works have been reprinted in acclaimed blues compendiums such as Write Me A Few Of Your Lines (Massachusetts Press), edited by Dr. Steven Tracy, Rollin and Tumblin', (Miller Freeman Books) edited by Jas Obrecht, Blues and Soul Records (Japanese).

I have also freelanced for The Baltimore Sun, The Baltimore City Paper, Guitar Player Magazine, and The All-Music Guide.

In addition, I have written companion booklets (liner-notes) for the following labels: Polygram, House of Blues, Wolf (Vienna), Malaco, Evidence, Flyright (UK), Goldwax , JSP (UK), Rooster Records, Adelphi, and others. These are some of the CD's that I have had the privilege of annotating:

I wrote the booklets that accompanied both of these major, cross-label collections, creating historical context to the music and biographical sketches of the artists:

Grammy-nominated notes Smithsonian Institution Press

I compiled, co-produced, and annotated this set. My goal was to educate and inspire those with a new-found interest in the blues, emphasizing the emergence and development of the music within the black community.

Sony / Universal