Short Takes: Bleu Jackson In Bristol; Trampled By Turtles In JC; Chatham County Line In Kingsport

BLEU JACKSON
Bleu offers the blues. More exactly, Johnson City’s wild-onions-raw Bleu Jackson will rev it up within a burger toss of Sonic Drive-In on Volunteer Parkway.
So grab a shake and shimmy up the hill to the TN420 Emporium on June 26 for Jackson’s electric take on the blues.
Load up a lawn chair and leave the booze at home. Make sure to park in the Big Lots parking lot. Walk through Sonic’s parking lot to the Emporium.
Then dig in for dog-eared blues. Haven’t heard Jackson? He recalls Albert King and Johnny Winter with a touch of Buddy Guy, Chicago-styled, bacon poppin’ electric blues. Brother, he sizzles.

IF YOU GO
Who: Bleu Jackson
When: June 26, 6-10 p.m.
Where: The TN420 Emporium, 1009 Volunteer Pkwy., Bristol, Tenn.
Admission: $5
Info: (423) 878-6420

DOWN HOME
Washington, D.C. has the 9:30 Club. New York City had CBGB’s. Famous clubs.
Meanwhile, Johnson City has Down Home, one of if not the finest club for live music in the Southeast. Look at this week.
June 18 features Duluth, Minn.’s Trampled By Turtles. Knoxville’s edgy Black Lillies and highly touted Hector Qirko Band appear on June 19 and June 20 respectively.
Past performers at Down Home include music legends from Doc Watson to Billy Joe Shaver.
Visit sometime. Walking inside the smoke-free venue is akin to walking inside a warm log cabin. Friends you’ve never met, music that begs for ears to hear and an altogether vibe that simply cannot be produced.

IF YOU GO
Where: Down Home, 300 W. Main St., Johnson City, Tenn.
Who: Trampled By Turtles
When: June 18, 8 p.m.
Admission: $10
Info: (423) 929-9822
Web and audio: www.trampledbyturtles.com

Who: The Black Lillies
When: June 19, 9 p.m.
Admission: $12
Web: www.myspace/theblacklillies

Who: Hector Qirko Band
When: June 20, 9 p.m.
Admission: $14
Web: www.hqband.com
Video clips of each band: www.downhome.com

CHATHAM COUNTY LINE
Chatham County Line may want to consider recording Hank Snow’s “I’ve Been Everywhere.” Yes, they have been everywhere, or so it seems.
The latest stop on the acoustic band’s whirlwind of a tour will find them in Kingsport, Tenn., on June 25 to play the Twilight Alive Summer Concert Series.
Within a month, Chatham County Line will be in Canada and then it’s off for a month of dates in Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and finally in London.
Not bad for a four-man band who first released an album six years ago. Not bad for a band often confused as bluegrass.
They are purely American. Back roads and barrooms, lonely jails and lonely lives along with wide-open hearts and highways alike fuel the tunes of Chatham County Line.
You betcha they’ve been everywhere, and you can hear it in their songs.

IF YOU GO
What: Twilight Alive Summer Concert Series featuring Chatham County Line
When: June 25, 7 p.m.
Where: Broad Street, Downtown Kingsport, Tenn.
Admission: Free
Info: www.twilightalive.com
Web: www.chathamcountyline.com
Video: www.chathamcountyline.com/media.html

MUSIC NOTES
-- Perk up Creedence Clearwater Revival and classic rock fans. Recorded in 10 days last fall, look for CCR leader John Fogerty’s new album “John Forgery: The Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again” sometime later this year.
Recall that upon CCR’s nasty breakup in October 1972, Fogerty recorded a roots country album as the Blue Ridge Rangers in 1973. He played all the instruments on such Top 40 hits as “Hearts of Stone.”
Now Fogerty has assembled an all-star band for an album that includes a duet with Bruce Springsteen on the Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved.” Other covers include John Denver’s “Back Home Again” and Ricky Nelson’s “Garden Party.”
-- Meanwhile, Hank Williams Jr.’s excellent new album “127 Rose Avenue,” which features his new and woefully relevant single “Red, White & Pink Slip Blues,” is in stores now.
-- Also new this week, tongue-in-cheek heavy metal spoofs Spinal Tap return with “Back from the Dead,” smooth rhythm and bluesman Will Downing offers “Classique” and Rhonda Vincent continues her reign atop the bluegrass world with a stellar “Destination Life.”
-- Down the road, look for Daughtry’s “Leave This Town,” a mostly blistering rocker due on July 14 that includes a fiddle-rich duet with country’s Vince Gill.
-- This week’s free download comes from Nine Inch Nails. The hard-rocking industrial band made available their 10-track album “The Slip” last year. Well, it’s still available. Simply go to www.dl.nin.com/theslip/signup at which time you will be prompted to supply an e-mail address. Fill it in and the download link will be sent immediately.
-- And finally, dim the lights for Barry Beckett. The prolific record producer and keyboardist died on June 10 at age 66. He worked with a long list of superstars, including Aretha Franklin, Hank Williams Jr., Phish, Bob Dylan and Kenny Chesney.
“He produced my first two albums,” Chesney said. “He taught me, inspired me, made me reach for more. He was one of the first to ever believe in a kid from Knoxville, Tenn., … I loved him.”
Loaded with music to see, hear and enjoy, we pause Short Takes and Music Notes until next week. Same place, more news and more tunes. Meantime and by all means friends and neighbors, stay tuned.

TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at features@bristolnews.com.