Delbert McClinton

Listen while you read.

Go here to purchase his CD's

For years one of my favorite musician has been Delbert McClinton. Though he is not a bass guitar player, I love the songs he writes and the fact that he always surrounds himself with outstanding musicians.

Born in  Lubbock Texas and growing up in Fort Worth, Delbert discovered the blues and quickly became an accomplished harmonica player. As I did, and I am sure a lot of you did, he found plenty of work on the local club scene. Delbert mastered the craft of keeping the hard-drinking cowboy and rednecks entertained all night long. Sounds real familiar to me, how about you? I just mastered the craft in Montana (read Growing up Bass Player – Jordan Montana).

During this time Delbert and his band had the opportunity to be the backup band for great blues  legends as Jimmy Reed, Howlin’ Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson.   In 1962 Delbert played the harmonica on Bruce Channel’s now classic “Hey! Baby”. Later in 1962 Bruce Channel and Delbert went on tour to England and played on the same bill as an up and coming English group called the Beatles. It is rumored that Delbert taught John Lennon how to play the harmonica part on “Love me Do” but watch the video (you'll have to pause the audio), Delbert tells the real story.

In the early 1970 Delbert went out to Los Angeles with his friend Glen Clark and cut two albums with Atlantic Records as Delbert & Glen before retuning to Texas and landing a deal with ABC Records. In 1975 Delbert released his first solo Album Victim of Life’s Circumstances. A succession of critically acclaimed albums followed, along with an appearance on “Saturday Night Live”.

In the early Eights Delbert took a long hiatus (I know about them) from recording and concentration instead on live performance. He kept his loyal following with his relentless touring and his annual Delbert McClinton & Friends Sandy Beaches Cruse held every January in the Caribbean

In 1989 Delbert recorded the comeback album Live From Austin which gained him a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album.   In 1990 Delbert signed with Curb Records and moved to Nashville were he became a much sought-after songwriter in the contemporary country field. Over the next few years Delbert had covers of his songs performed by Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, The Blues Brothers, Wynonna, Lee Roy Parnell, Martina McBride Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Then in 1991 Delbert won a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal, Duo or Group with Bonnie Raitt for their “Good Man/Good Woman” duet.

In 1992 Delbert released the album Never Been Rocked Enough, which featured his duet with Bonnie Raitt and has guest appearances from Tom Petty and Melissa Etheridge. It also includes his biggest single hit since the 1980’s “Every time I Roll the Dice. Later in the same year he hit the country charts with another duet, this time with Tanya Tucker on “Tell Me About It”.

Things slowed down for Delbert during the middle 90’s but he came back in 1997 with his album The Fortunate Few that featured an array of guests stars, including Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, B.B. king, John Prine. And Mavis Staples. It received complimentary reviews and sold more than 250,000 copies

Returning to Austin in 2001 Delbert released another album Nothing Personal. It proved to be the recordings of his career and ending up one of the year’s biggest his on Billboard’s blues chart. It won Delbert another Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Delbert followed this up with Room to Breath in 2002 and Cost of Living in 2005. Delbert collected his 3rd Grammy in the category Best Contemporary Blues Album for Cost of Living.

Today Delbert is still doing live shows (go here for his tour schedule.), Sandy Beaches Cruise 17 will take place on January 7-14, 2011 on the Holland America vessel ms Westerdam out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Ports of call will be Kralendijk, Bonaire and Willemstad, Curaçao.

Go here to purchase Delberts CD's