Unique Holiday Gifts for your Blues Lovin' Baby

Join us at Keep On Truckin Apparel in celebrating R. Crumb's "Heroes of the Blues" and get 10% off store wide this Black Friday, 11-25-11. No coupon code required you'll receive the discount automatically at check-out.

Choose from plush cozy heavy cotton hoodies, in two compilation designs:

The Fan which includes Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, Skip James, Memphis Minnie, Roosevelt Sykes, Reverend Gary Davis and Bill Bill Broonzy.

Or The Poster which includes all of the above as well as Blind Willie McTell, Clifford Gibson, Barbecue Bob, Buddy Boy Hawkins, Peg Leg Howell, Tommy Johnson, Jaybird Coleman, Sleepy John Estes, Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell.

We also carry both short and long sleeve t-shirts imprinted with one of the 36 Heroes of the Blues color portraits done by Robert Crumb for Yazoo Records. You choose your favorite blues artist, tee style, color and size.


Heroes of the Blues tees and hoodies are available exclusively at www.kotapparel.com.

A portion of the proceeds from each Heroes tee or hoody is donated to the Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Wear the blues while supporting those who make the music!

Heroes of the Blues featured artist of the week Blind Blake

Blind Blake (1893-1933)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #4

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

Jacksonville, Florida's Arthur (Blind) Blake ranks among the most accomplished rag and blues guitarists of all time. In the 1920's he based his career in Chicago. Between 1926 and 1932 he recorded nearly eighty sides for Paramount, afterwards fading into obscurity. Unlike many blind blues preformers, Blake played up-tempo dance-oriented music. His polished technique and effortless-sounding improvisations attracted many imitators, but admitted no equals. Blind Blake was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1990.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corporation.

A Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive design.

Heroes of the Blues featured artist this week: Roosevelt Sykes

Roosevelt Sykes (1906-1983)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #23

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

Roosevelt Sykes, known as The Honeydripper, was born in 1906 and learned piano around 1918 in Helena, Arkansas. His main influence was Lee Green, from whom he derived his 1929 hit, "44 Blues." He began his recording career while living in St.Louis and produced nearly 125 sides between 1929 and 1942, some under pseudonyms Willie Kelly and Dobby Boggs. Sykes continued as a post-war attraction and his career was enhanced during the 1960's blues revival.Sykes was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1999.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Heroes of the Blues: Blind Willie Johnson

Blind Willie Johnson (c.1900-c.1947)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tee Card #7

Art by R. Crumb, Text by Stephen Calt

A native of Martin, Texas, Blind Willie Johnson worked as a gospel singer. Between 1927-1930 he recorded thirty sides, including several vocal duets with his wife. Although religious in orientation, Johnson's music was as percussive as any dance blues, and he attained the most rhythmically fluid and tonally vibrant sound of any bottleneck guitarist of his time. His best-known piece is probably "Dark Was the Night", (Columbia, 1927),which was recognized by the Blues Foundation, Classics of Blues Recordings, 1999. He died in 1947 in Beaumont, Texas.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep on Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to the Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

Win a FREE "Heroes of the Blues" T-Shirt

We are so excited about our new compilation "Heroes of the Blues" Tees with Art by R. Crumb that we are giving them away.

Just go to our new "Heroes of the Blues" Facebook page here: LINK

Then "Like" us, and you'll be automatically entered to win this cool t-shirt which features these early great musicians who where among the first to record the blues: Blind Blake, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, Skip James, Memphis Minnie, Roosevelt Sykes, Reverend Gary Davis and Big Bill Broonzy.

We will randomly draw 3 winners on May 13th--so be sure to check back to see who won!!

New Heroes of the Blues Poster Tee

New from Keep On Truckin' Apparel this Heroes of the Blues Poster t-shirt. If it's just too hard to pick just one blues "Hero" from our t-shirt collection of 36 this compilation shirt is for you.

Included are 20 color portraits, of the early great men and women who where among the first to record blues music, all drawn by R. Crumb. Starting at the top from right to left you'll find: Charley Patton, Son House, Blind Willie McTell, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind (Reverend) Gary Davis, Roosevelt Sykes, Skip James, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Memphis Minnie, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Blake, Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell, Sleepy John Estes, Jaybird Coleman, Peg Leg Howell, Tommy Johnson, Buddy Boy Hawkins, Barbecue Bob, Blind Willie Johnson, and Clifford Gibson.

Available in both Men's and Women's sizes Small to X-Large, and colors white, black, chestnut, and indigo exclusively at www.kotapparel.com.

Heroes of the Blues: Big Bill Broonzy

Big Bill (1898-1958)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #22

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

Born in 1898, Bill Broonzy played violin in the vicinity of Little Rock, Arkansas, before moving to Chicago where he took up guitar in the early 1920's. He first recorded in 1927 and became a hit-maker during the next decade, enjoying a continuous recording career up to his death in 1958. He was associated with a sound rather than a signature song and his warm voice, facile touch, and strong beat earned him popularity as both a city and country blues stylist. Big Bill was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Image copyright of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

On Sale this month Big Bill Broonzy T-Shirt

To celebrate the release of the new biography "I Feel so Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy" Keep On Truckin' Apparel is offering 20% off our Big Bill T-Shirt for the entire month of April. Available in both short and long sleeve 100% cotton tees, chose for black, white, indigo or chestnut in Sizes S-3X.

This color portrait of Broonzy was drawn by underground comic icon and musician Robert Crumb. Crumb was commissioned in the 1980's by Nick Perls of Yazoo Records to create 36 color portraits of the early great men and women who where among the first to record the blues. The portraits where then incorporated into the "Heroes of the Blues" boxed Trading Card set. Stephen Calt, well known blues historian, provided the historical text on the back of each card.

Big Bill sings, "I Feel So Good."

Heroes of the Blues Featured Artist: Blind Willie McTell

Blind Willie McTell (1901-1959)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #30

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

Born in Thompson, Georgia, in 1901, Willie McTell learned guitar from his mother around 1914 and made his recording debut in 1927 after working as a street singer and medicine show minstrel. Over the next nine years he recorded forty-eight sides for four companies under four different names, sometimes teamed with his wife, Kate McTell. A deft guitarist with a sweet voice, McTell made Library of Congress blues field recordings and postwar records for the R&B market as well. He died in 1959. Blind Willie McTell was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1981.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.


Blind Willie McTell, Searching the Desert for the Blues

Heroes of the Blues Featured Musician: Tommy Johnson

Tommy Johnson (1896-1956)
Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #34

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

An outstanding vocalist whose trademark falsetto was widely copied, Tommy Johnson was born around 1896 near Terry, Mississippi. He took up music around 1914 and was influenced by Delta performer Charley Patton, although his guitar playing was far more ragged than his mentor's. Johnson's travels made him a familiar figure throughout the Mississippi Delta. Between 1928 and 1930, he recorded eleven sides, including the popular "Big Road Blues." He died in 1956. Tommy Johnson was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1986.


A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Heroes of the Blues Featured Artist: Blind Lemon Jefferson

Blind Lemon Jefferson (1893-1929)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #9

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

A native of Wortham, Texas, the legendary Blind Lemon Jefferson worked as a street singer and visited several state in the course of his travels. His successful recording debut in 1926 launched the vogue for country blues. Before his mysterious death in 1929, Jefferson recorded eighty-five sides and established himself as the most popular blues guitarist of his era. An off-beat guitarist known for his free phrasing patterns, he was one of the most inspired singers found in blues. Blind Lemon Jefferson was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Heroes of the Blue's Weekly Featured Artist: Reverend Gary Davis

Blind Gary Davis (1896-1972)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #24

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

A native of Laurens, South Carolina, Reverend Gary Davis, learned to play the guitar around 1903, at the age of seven. As a street singer, he specialized in gospel songs. When first recorded in 1935, he lived in Durham, North Carolina, and counted the popular Blind Boy Fuller as a protege. Davis magnificent guitar playing earned him an avid following among northern audiences after he moved to New York in the 1940's, and he toured and made numerous records before his 1972 death. Reverend Gary Davis was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 2009.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Reverend Gary Davis - "Death Don't Have No Mercy"
This song was later covered by The Greatful Dead, Dave Von Ronk & Bob Dylan, I think Reverend Davis did it best.

Grateful Dead covers "Death Don't Have No Mercy"

Memphis Minnie's "Kissing in the Dark"

Memphis Minnie's final commercial release from 1953.

Led Zeppelin with Neil Young cover "When the Levee Breaks" original by Memphis Minnie

The Original: When the Levee Breaks by Memphis Minnie and Joe McCoys

Heroes of the Blues Weekly Featured Artist: Memphis Minnie

Memphis Minnie (1897-1973)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #32

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

Lizzie Douglas, born in Algiers, Louisiana, was raised in Memphis, and learned guitar at the age of eleven. As Kid Douglas, she toured the South from 1916 onward, returning to Memphis in the late 1920's under the name Memphis Minnie. An accomplished guitarist and gifted song-writer, she recorded over 150 sides between 1929-1941. Most were solo blues, but she also teamed for duets with her second husband, guitarist Kansas Joe McCoy, and her third husband, guitarist Little Son Joe Lawlar. Memphis Minnie was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.

Heroes of the Blues Featured Artist: Mississippi John Hurt

Mississippi John Hurt (1893-1966)

Heroes of the Blues Trading Tees Card #33

Art by R. Crumb Text by Stephen Calt

John Hurt was born in 1893 at Teoc, Mississippi, and raised in nearby Avalon. He took up guitar in 1903, developing a soft singing style and a unique three-finger picking technique. Never a professional musician, Hurt rarely traveled before or after recording twelve sides for Okeh in 1928, but his 1960's rediscovery helped launch a blues revival, and he performed and re-recorded songs such as "Coffee Blues" and "Richland Woman" to great acclaim before his death in 1966. Mississippi John Hurt was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1988.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Keep On Truckin' Apparel exclusive t-shirt will be donated to Music Maker Relief Foundation.