The Blues Hotel

From the muddy waters of the Delta to the neon-lit grit of South Michigan Avenue, this episode of The Blues Hotel traces the electrified heartbeat of Chicago Blues—a sound born of migration, survival, and raw amplification. We dig deep into the genre’s genesis, where the Great Migration carried acoustic blues northward, only to be re-forged in the noisy crucible of Chicago’s South Side clubs.

Featuring the thunderous voices of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Koko Taylor, and the invisible hand of Willie Dixon, we explore how Chess Records bottled lightning and laid the blueprint for rock and roll. Through signature segments like Backstory Blues (Howlin’ Wolf’s “Back Door Man”), Then and Now (Elmore James vs. Dave Hole), and Buried in the Blues (Luther “Snake Boy” Johnson), we spotlight the legends, the lost, and the living echoes of a genre that refuses to fade.

Plus, we go global with Live at the MBAS, where Melbourne’s Phil Coyne and the Wayward Aces channel the Chicago groove with a rockabilly twist. This isn’t just a history lesson—it’s a declaration: Chicago Blues isn’t gone. It’s louder than ever.

The Blues Hotel, hosted by Kelvin Huggins (with regular contributions from Rufus “Old Man” Tate), is a fortnightly audio journey into the heart of the blues. Each episode mixes deep-dive storytelling, musical analysis, and live performances across four signature segments: Backstory Blues (the history and myth behind iconic songs), Then & Now(originals vs. transformative covers), Buried in the Blues (obscure, heartrending recordings born of hardship), and Live at the MBAS (vibrant performances from today’s Melbourne scene). Expect Robert Johnson’s mythology, prison-born music from Robert Pete Williams, gritty reinterpretations from Koko Taylor, and a spotlight on local bands like Catch 23. New episodes every two weeks. Also check out our companion podcast, Blues Moments in Time.

Step inside The Blues Hotel, where Kelvin Huggins and the irrepressible Rufus check your ticket at the door and send you straight into the heart of the blues. Each episode stitches together history, raw emotion and live performance through recurring segments that dig under the skin of the music: Backstory Blues (the heartbreak, the late-night deals and whiskey-soaked confessions behind the songs), Buried in the Blues (blues archaeology that exhumes brilliant, overlooked tracks), Then and Now (originals vs. modern covers that show how great songs live on), and Live at the MBAS (the best live performances from the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society).

We argue — often loudly — that the blues is the bedrock of modern music. From Muddy Waters’ hoodoo-steeped swagger to Skip James’ hollowed falsetto, from BB King’s Lucille to new Australian acts cutting their own lines, The Blues Hotel treats songs as living stories. Expect quickfire history, close listening, a celebration of raw authenticity over polish, and coverage of the vibrant Australian blues scene — including highlights from the 2025 MBAS Blues Challenge final (winners Damon Smith and The Cam Walter Blues Band).

If you like your music with backstory, bite and a front-row seat to the live scene, check in — the house band’s tuning up and Rufus is storytelling.

"At The Blues Hotel... There ain't nothin' but the blues."

© 2025. The Blues Hotel Collective

Mentioned in this episode:

The Blues Hotel Collective Presents - The Blues Hotel.

Welcome to The Blues Hotel, where the music never stops and every song tells a story that matters.

Hosted by Kelvin Huggins with Rufus "Old Man" Tate, The Blues Hotel takes you on an unforgettable journey through the heart and soul of blues music. From the timeless classics of the Delta, Chicago, and Texas blues to hidden gems of a bygone era and today's independent rising stars, we open our doors to the full spectrum of this foundational American art form.

What Makes Us Different

The blues isn't just a playlist—it's a scar, a reflection of lived experience that spans generations. As Big Bill Broonzy said, "Blues is a natural fact. Is something that a fellow lives." At The Blues Hotel, we dig deep into these stories, exploring the raw authenticity and unpolished power that makes blues music so enduring.

What You'll Discover

• Backstory Blues: Uncover the fascinating stories behind legendary tracks and the artists who created them
• Buried in the Blues: Spotlight on forgotten, overlooked, and criminally underrated gems
• From Past to Present: How blues shaped modern music and continues to evolve with today's artists
• Australian Blues: Celebrating homegrown talent and "real Aussie Blues"
• Cross-Generational Impact: Explore how blues "infected" rock, grunge, punk, and pop

Featured Content

Each episode weaves together classic legends like BB King, Lead Belly, Willie Dixon, and Howlin' Wolf with contemporary artists who carry the torch forward. We celebrate labels like Alligator Records that keep the "raw, raucous electric blues" alive with "no polish, just power."

Whether it's the working man's anthem of Fats Domino's "Blue Monday," the cross-generational influence of Willie Dixon's "Backdoor Man," or the modern troubles of "She's on Facebook All the Time," we connect the dots between yesterday's pain and today's struggles.

Join the Community

The Blues Hotel isn't just a show—it's a community. Connect with fellow blues lovers in The Blues Hotel Listeners Lounge on Facebook, where stories get deeper and legends live on. Because the blues ain't just music, it's memory, and memory deserves a mic.

At The Blues Hotel, there ain't nothin' but the blues.

Available on all major podcast platforms

Stream at: www.theblueshotel.com.au

Email: admin@theblueshotel.com.au

YouTube: Exclusive interviews with guest artists

Mentioned in this episode:

The Blues Hotel Collective Presents - The Blues Hotel.

Step inside The Blues Hotel, where the music never sleeps and the stories run deep. In this episode, host Kelvin Huggins and introducing resident truth-teller Rufus “Old Man” Tate take you on a soul-stirring journey through the living, breathing world of blues—past, present, and far beyond the front porch.

Then & Now

From Howlin’ Wolf’s primal growl to The Dead Daisies’ gritty 2025 reimagining of “Little Red Rooster,” this episode proves the blues ain’t stuck in time—it’s always moving, always morphing. Hear how today’s rising stars like Cold Snap and Zevon Lee carry the torch, lit long ago in the Delta and now burning bright in Melbourne’s underground.

Global Grooves & Forgotten Legends

We travel from Mississippi juke joints to Sunbury ’74, Australia’s answer to Woodstock, spotlighting swamp rhythms, Piedmont slide masters, and gospel-blues hybrids. Rufus dusts off the legacy of Barbecue Bob and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, reminding us that the blues walks many roads—some holy, some haunted.

Raw Truths & Rufus Riffs

Rufus lays down “scraps of truth stitched with heartbreak and a harmonica,” with Rufus Riffs, while Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” and Bessie Smith’s bone-deep math lessons echo the blues’ power to protest, endure, and testify. Whether it’s the grind of nightwork or the grin behind Beth Hart’s storm, this episode doesn’t flinch—it feels.

Preservation & Protest

With shoutouts to the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society and tales of chicken wire stages and spiritual awakenings, this episode honors the grit, groove, and ghosts of blues history. WC Handy didn’t invent the blues—he just listened. And so do we.

Welcome to the Blues Hotel

The doors are open. The floorboards hum. And Rufus is waiting in the lobby with a riff and a story. Come on in—there ain’t nothing but the blues.

© 2025 The Blues Hotel Collective.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Blues Hotel Collective Presents - The Blues Hotel.