Shelton Powe’s album available now – and don’t miss out on Capitol Blues!

MMRF artist Shelton Powe has released his first album, Carolina Blues and Gospel, and it’s now available for purchase! The album melds together the fresh and the traditional, combining intricate melodies with a feel of spontaneity.

Born in 1957 in Charlotte, N.C., Powe grew up on the tent revival circuit, surrounded by a family of Gospel musicians. The music he learned from his family still heavily inspires him, but his style and delivery are all his own.

Check out tracks from the album on Shelton’s page – or go to the Music Maker store to order!

Robert “Wolfman” Belfour haunts me. It couldn’t have been more than two years ago that I drove up Western Mississippi’s Highway 61 into Clarksdale. I had never heard of Wolfman or listened to his style of Hill Country finger-picking before, but after a couple of hours with the guys at Cat Head Folk Art & Blues I had Wolfman’s rhythmic, mournful “Black Mattie” stuck in my head and developed a permanent fascination with North Mississippi Hill Country blues.

Robert “Wolfman” Belfour was born in the town of Red Banks, Mississippi, in 1940. His style of acoustic picking centers around repetitive, driving bass lines, open tunings, minimal chord changes, and deep, clear vocal refrains. He’s percussive without using percussion. And as a drummer, that really hooked me.

Check out Wolfman’s version of “Black Mattie” above. Just see how long it takes for your foot to start stomping.

— Matt

Matt Dailey, a Music Maker intern, hails from N.J. and is a graduate student of Library Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.