It’s an extremely cold Valentine’s Day and who calls me on the phone but Millie Jackson.

“Roger,” she says, “Do you remember me?
“Yes, of course, how could I forget you?” I ask, as EVERYONE remembers Millie.
“Do you remember the last time you saw me?” she asks a little less aggressively, and Millie is not shy.
“The January 2006 Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise,” I emphatically reply.
“No,” says Millie. “Where else have you seen me?”
“Oh, the Reno Blues Festival last summer.” I quickly recall.
“I didn’t know you’d remember that” she retorts, knowing quite well in her mind she had given me (Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise) a big shout out from the stage…
“See that Blues Cruise Bus in the back? That’s Roger out there from the Blues Cruise and I want to go on that again…I’ve still got my SEALEGS.” She wasn’t obligated to do that because she wasn’t booked for the following cruise.
“That was too early for me to be drinking Millie,” I replied, and changed the subject to Kansas City.

Millie was doing her taxes on Valentine’s Day and she said the blues cruise was her first event in January 2006. We talked about her routing in for the Thanksgiving Breakfast Dance in Kansas City. She said that agents never talk about routing anymore, they just think about flying you in. Thanksgiving is a big weekend and I suggested that she get out on the road and do a show in Dallas, Kansas City, St. Louis and Memphis. She thinks it’s a good idea, and frankly, I think Millie misses the road from her years of touring as a headliner in theatres across America.

The thing about musicians who’ve been around a long time in this business like Bobby Blue Bland or Buddy Guy, is that they get on the road and take their music to the people. They get in front of people in the venues. They understand that they must get on the road and support the backbone of the blues, the clubs, theatres and festivals that appreciate them as artists, and not just ticket sales.

Tommy Castro also has this vision and has undertaken our road tour, the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue with 3 additional acts who not only are front and center stars in their own right, but supportive team players who share the stage—just like a Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise set and jam session!

The LRBR Tour was a Smashing Success in January coming off of the cruise and there is talk of it coming out just before summer, so look for it in or near your city sometime soon. It will feature:

Tommy Castro Band
Currently #3 on Billboard’s Blues Chart with Blind Pig Release, “Painkiller”
Ronnie Baker Brooks
Chicago’s Crown Prince Of The Blues. Current self released CD, “The Torch”
Deanna Bogart
Piano whipping Sax blowin Triple Threat..Current Blind Pig CD, “Real Time”
Magic Dick
Famed Harmonica Ace of J. Geils Band