Bobby Davis Xmas Special Features Maxwell St. Music

For immediate release 12/13/2000

Contact: Bobby Davis, 773-651-7628; 773-738-1037; and Mr. H, ph: 312-813-1051

The Bobby Davis Blues Christmas Special will air on Channel 19, Chicago’s Public Access channel, on Christmas eve Sunday December 24, 2000 at 6:30PM, and again on Christmas Day at 1PM. Featured on the show are famed Maxwell Street veterans, Blues harpist Mr. H Baron of the Blues and Saxophonist Mike Lipsey as well as Bobby Davis himself. They were regulars at the outdoor Johnny Dollar Blues Stage on Maxwell Street, just east of Halsted.

Says Blues Fan Steve Balkin, "This show is wow! Besides the great music conducted by Bobby Davis, Mr. H does a dance as a cat that is the greatest piece of choreography I have ever seen. He is so cat-like, crawling over people just like Cricket, Mr. Davis’s cat that travels with him. And then I cried when I heard Bobby Davis sing his emotional My Daddy Brought Me Down to Maxwell Street. It is really memorable."

Bobby "Top Hat" Davis was born in Dallas Texas in 1932. His mother, Jannie Mae was a singer. She sang a wide range of music, in church, on the streets, and at the Empire Club on Hall Street in Dallas. Bobby Davis says, " She sang anything that came to her mind, even Opera."

At nine years old, Bobby Davis was shining shoes and tap dancing on Thomas Street in front of Dallas's State Movie Theater. He later became a self-taught drummer and organist. His first band job was playing drums with the Zuzu Bolden/Adolph Sneed Band in Dallas. Then he worked with Little Son Jackson in 1947. Jackson wrote the song, "Rock Me Baby".

Davis came to Chicago in 1957 with Roscoe Garden and Baby Face Willette, playing at the Crown Propeller Club on 63^rd Street. He played on songs with lyrics such as " I don’t want much but a teenie weenie bit of your love." Mr. Davis played in the Maxwell Street area starting in in 1959. He played organ by the service station at 14^th and Halsted for 7 years with Rosie Davis on Drums and Eris Davis on Guitar.

Bobby Davis played drums off and on with Muddy Waters but mostly performed with Otis Rush, Eddie Boyd, and Jimmy Rogers, another Maxwell Street resident and veteran. He and Rogers were fishing buddies. Davis also played with Matt Murphy’s band and was in the Blues Brother’s film in the band (not on screen) backing up Ray Charles in the pawn shop scene.

Mr. H and Bobby Davis have played outside on Maxwell Street almost every weekend this year, even in some very cold weather. Says Davis, "It’s authentic. So many Blues musicians with the merchants have worked to make Maxwell Street a great place and historical site. We don’t want to lose it. I’m still playing there to keep the tradition alive. If we can get rid of some of the politicians, we might be able to save it. Why destroy such an important historical site. You have to be out of your mind."

Mr. H. comments, "Maxwell Street is a free and public franchise for all. That’s where I first felt the blues. There is a lot still left there. It should be saved. I’m down there with Bobby Davis and lots of others to try to save it."

For more information about Maxwell Street visit these websites <http://www.openair.org/maxwell/preserve.html> and <http://www.maxwellstreet.org>.

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