Biography: Al Wilson, Alabama Sacred Harp Singers, Alabama Sheiks, A.C. Forehand, A.C. Reed, Alan Balfour, Alan Gorrie, Alan King, Alanda Williams, Albert Castiglia,

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Best remembered for the soul classic “Show and Tell,” singer Al Wilson was born June 19, 1939 in Meridian, Mississippi From childhood forward he was singing professionally, and by the age of 12 was leading his own spiritual quartet and singing in the church choir, even performing covers of country and western hits as circumstances dictated

Alabama Sacred Harp Singers Biography, Photos, Pictures

A rural Alabama choir of “sacred harp” (or shape-note) singing, the Alabama Sacred Harp Singers recorded for Columbia during the late ’20s and the Library of Congress in the early ’40s

Alabama Sheiks Biography, Photos, Pictures

The duo of fiddler Eddie West and guitarist Ad Fox, called the Alabama Sheiks, was a less successful take on the blues/country string band the Mississippi Sheiks They traveled to New Jersey in early 1931 to record four songs for the Victor label, including “Travelin’ Railroad Man Blues,” and the Mississippi Sheiks’ all-time hit of the previous year, “Sittin’ On Top of the World

A.C. Forehand Biography, Photos, Pictures

Far from being a cryptic note scribbled by a tarot card reader, AC Forehand was the husband and musical partner of Blind Mamie Forehand She certainly surpasses him in both the weird-name department and musical fervor, sometimes drowning the poor man’s anxious guitar strumming out completely with the sound of her hard banging antique cymbals

To hear tenor saxist AC Reed bemoan his fate onstage, one might glean the impression that he truly detests his job But it’s a tongue-in-cheek complaint — Reed’s raspy, gutbucket blowing and laidback vocals bely any sense of boredom

Alan Balfour Biography, Photos, Pictures

A London born fan who discovered the blues in 1962 via the Alan Lomax documentary record, Blues In The Mississippi Night (Pye-Nixa, 1957), Paul Oliver’s Blues Fell This Morning (1960) and the writings of Derrick Stewart-Baxter (Jazz Journal) and Albert McCarthy (Jazz Monthly)

Vocalist, guitarist, bassist, and keyboardist Alan Gorrie was a founding member of The Average White Band He was with them through the glory days of the mid-’70s and also during the less productive ’80s

While he should not be confused with guitarist and singer Alan “Bam” King of groups such as Ace and the Action, the Alan King known primarily as a saxophonist on the European blues scene also learned his trade in sweaty British pubs, dodging stray darts and competing with the shouts of “way past last call!” Also contributing some vocals, the saxophonist performs on a series of ’80s and ’90s releases from Andy J

Alanda Williams Biography, Photos, Pictures

Alanda Williams is one of the young lions on the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas blues scene The vocalist continues the tradition of beer joint blues set down by people like Robert Ealey and U

Albert Castiglia Biography, Photos, Pictures

Blues guitarist Albert Castiglia was born in New York on August 12, 1969 Five years later his parents moved to Miami, where Castiglia began learning guitar By the age of 12, he began playing local gigs and did so consistently throughout high school