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River City Roots



CHARTED #3 IN THE WORLD-WIDE ACOUSTIC BLUES TOP 50 ALBUM CHART (ROOTS MUSIC REPORTS - Week of April 8, 2023)

River City Roots is Mad Dog Blues’ sixth album. Performed by the guitar-harmonica-duo version of Mad Dog Blues, this live-in-the-studio album captures the feel of St. Louis front-porch-blues.

Where to Listen

• Stream for free on Spotify.
• You may also listen on Tidal, YouTube Music or Apple Music.
• Download high-quality audio files, cover art and bonus track from BandCamp.
• Listen now to a live radio interview and performance about the inspiration for the Mad Dog Blues Duo's new album, River City Roots, recorded on KGNU's Blues Legacy Show with host Dan "Big Daddy" Willging on January 6, 2023.
• "Shining Through" off of River City Roots was just premiered John Lamp's "Tempo" radio show on 94.7 FM on the Pulse in Geelong, Australia. This World Premier is followed by an excellent audio review of the song by John Lamp. You can listen now to the 9 minute excerpt with both the song and the review as played on Monday, March 6, 2023. Enjoy and feel free to share.


Tempo at the Pulse · Review - Mad Dog Blues - Shining Through
• Here's some of the text from John Lamp's review:

  Now when you're playing as a duo rather than your usual band combination, the challenges are much greater.  There's no place to hide. You have to be precise. You have to work together. You almost have to be psychic to make it work. In this case there's guitar, vocal and harmonica. You can hear the guitar carrying the tempo and laying down a tune to follow. Over this is the vocal, timed to perfection with the guitar and then the harmonica adding embellishments between the vocals. Now that's all before you look at the song itself. The song is a classic blues theme of loss and persistence in the face of disappointment. I think they've absolutely succeeded in creating their front porch context, with a simple, effective piece you can see being sung in a relaxing evening. This one's going straight to the pool room. ~  John Lamp, DJ at 94.7 FM on the Pulse in Geelong, Australia, posted March 6, 2023.


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Mad Dog Blues’ seventh album, The Mad Dog Blues Duo LIVE AT THE END, is an inspired performance of entire River City Roots (2023) album in front of a live audience at their River City Roots CD release concert on 4/23/23 at The End in Lafayette, Colorado. All eleven songs, including the Skip James’ cover featuring Lionel Young on violin, were performed in order and were captured in 4K Video. Mad Dog Blues offers this audio as a live album on all streaming services. All ten of our original songs are also now available as a LIVE VIDEO ALBUM (on Tidal & Apple Music.) The Mad Dog Blues Duo LIVE AT THE END, is available for your enjoyment on VEVO for free viewing. The spontaneous arrangements in these versions of the songs reflect the magic of the evening.

The Mad Dog Blues Duo LIVE AT THE END (Watch the full LIVE VIDEO ALBUM on YouTube.)

"... the innovative creative sound of two talented musicians playing off of each other as they share a true love for this unique music and sound" ~ Chick Cavallero for the High Plains Blues Society (Click to read the full review of The Mad Dog Blues Duo LIVE AT THE END that Chick Cavallero wrote for the High Plains Blues Society!)

“Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” is a major work in the blues cannon. It’s a social record of the depression years in the South and has even made its way into Hollywood as part of Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. It encapsulates the melancholier of that time, a depression within the depression. Often basic blue songs end up as band pieces, but its writer, Skip James, sings it solo, just with the guitar. The minimal arrangement reflecting the minimal existence of the time. In this recording that light touch is maintained, even through the addition of harmonica and violin. The guitar is dominant and takes the main role of keeping the melody and time through the song. The harmonica is played softly and the violin blends a scratchy, almost ghostly feel to the track. The interplay feels unique. The timing and balance will never be repeated. I always say there's a world of difference between a studio recording  and a live performance, and we hear that difference again. All eleven songs were captured in 4K video and are available for your enjoyment on YouTube for free viewing. ~  John Lamp, DJ at 94.7 FM on the Pulse in Geelong, Australia, postedSeptember 4, 2023. (Listen to the full review and song as played on September 4, 2023.)

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I am not sure if you have been personally feeling any fear or stress as result of the recent rise of antisemitism, but, for me, it has been palpable. Inspired by the poetry of local poet, Eric Fishman, I wrote a new song to help me through it. It is called, “Never Again.” It is a Muddy Water’s style blues dealing with the recent rise in hate and violence around the world. All this war and hatred must end. There is nothing good that can come from conspiracy theories and hateful lies. Please people let's end all this "us against them" thinking and reach a basic understanding that all living things are a miracle, and the gift of life is sacred and there is nothing of more value. ~ Mad Dog Friedman

Check out this audio play and review of Mad Dog Blues' newest song, “Never Again.” Thank you John Lamp from Geelong, VIC, Australia, for getting to the heart of our newest song and pulsing it around the world!

Alone Is My Home -- A benefit release with 100% of all proceeds going directly to support the needs of Boulder County's homeless population through the good work of Hope for Longmont.

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BAND BOOTLEGS

And now for all those hardcore Dog Heads who made it all the way to bottom of our Mad Dog Blues' Music Page, a special little listening treat from your favorite acoustic blues jam band featuring unreleased excerpts from our 2021 Better Than Ever Tour, recorded live right off of our mixing board. Many of these tracks are our favorite extended versions of previously released songs featuring spontaneous jams and occasionally bordering on trance blues. Some are rare public debuts of original songs that we had barely, if at all, rehearsed. Pure madness for all Dog Heads! Enjoy and share as you want!

Mad Dog Blues · Band Bootleg Recordings: Best of Our 2021 Better Than Ever Tour