Ken Whiteley just celebrated his 75th birthday with a big bash at Hugh’s Room Live in Toronto, and now he’s released this video for “Aberdeen.”
It’s a one take performance of the Bukka White blues classic.
“I learned this decades ago watching Bukka White up close and later sitting beside him at folk festival blues workshops,” Ken said in an email to Roots Music Canada.
“This track, from my album Keep Going, was recorded as a single take singing and playing National guitar and then I added the washboard, string bass and Hammond organ.
“It fits the project’s theme of perseverance; from the town of Aberdeen, Mississippi the singer has his sights set on New Orleans. Bukka (Booker T. Washington White) first recorded this in Chicago in the 1940’s with Washboard Sam on washboard and it was a mainstay of his live shows.”
See Ken live:
- June 7 – Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival
- June 12 – House concert, Toronto, ON
- June 23 – Detweiler Meeting House Concert, Roseville, ON
- July 1 – Canada Day Family event at Parkside Live
