ALBUM REVIEW

Antone's 50th presents Chicago Bound

"Antone’s 50th" refers to the milestone celebration of Austin’s legendary blues club, Antone's Nightclub, marking half a century as "Austin's Home of the Blues." Founded by Clifford Antone in July 1975, the venue became globally famous for nurturing blues prodigies like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmie Vaughan, while hosting icons like Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy. 

Rather than just a calendar date, the 50th-anniversary campaign manifested as a massive multimedia project and an overarching musical collective known as the Antone’s 50th Allstars.

 1. The Historical Foundation

Clifford Antone started the venue with a singular ethos: “The Blues is so big that no one person could ever learn it in a lifetime.” Over its 50-year history, the club operated as a cross-generational classroom. It wasn't just a place to watch music; it was a sanctuary where Chicago blues masters routinely played alongside and mentored younger, local Texas players. The 50th-anniversary banner was constructed to preserve and advance this exact spirit.

 2. The 50th Allstars Anniversary Releases

To commemorate the golden jubilee, a series of archival and newly produced projects were coordinated by New West Records and Blues Till 2 Recording Co.:
• Antone's: 50 Years of the Blues (Box Set): A definitive 5-disc, 41-track comprehensive box set. It compiled unreleased live archive tapes dating back to the club's 1975 inception alongside classic tracks from the venue's house label, Antone's Records. The box set was packaged with a 200-page historical hardcover photo book titled Picture the Blues by Susan Antone and deep-dive historical liner notes written by iconic Texas music journalist Joe Nick Patoski.
• The Last Real Texas Blues Album: A new studio double-LP centerpiece featured inside the box set. It paired legendary older standard-bearers with contemporary roots musicians, including collaborations featuring Bobby Rush, Jimmie Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr., Ruthie Foster, Sue Foley, and Charlie Sexton.
• Antone's 50th Presents: Chicago Bound: Co-produced by Zach Ernst and Jacob Sciba, this standalone road-trip-themed project capped off the formal 50th-anniversary calendar. It followed a spiritual blues map tracking from Louisiana and Texas straight up to Chicago. The record featured an elite cast of roots masters cutting live-to-tape sessions—including Billy F Gibbons (ZZ Top), Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones), Doyle Bramhall II, John Primer, Ivan Neville, and Kam Franklin.

 3. The Ongoing Legacy

Today, "Antone's 50th" serves as a working testament to a venue that survived shifting musical trends, location moves, and the passing of its founder in 2006. By standardizing the archives and bringing living masters back into the studio under the Antone's 50th Allstars moniker, the project successfully bridges the historical memory of 1970s Austin with the next generation of live roots and blues music. 

Opening with a stripped down Chicago Bound, a hot boogie,  featuring John Primer on vocals and lead guitar, and Steve Bell on harmonica. Primer delivers traditional, clean finger work and Bell winds it out. Great opener. On R&B infused, I Wouldn't Treat a Dog The Way You Treated Me  Kam Franklin really digs on on lead vocal backed by Zack Ernst and Brad Stivers on guitar and Marc Franklin on trumpet, Alex Schuefrumpf on trumpet, Art Edmaiston on sax and Tom Link on sax. Really strong. On Houng Dog Taylor's, Give Me Back My Wig, Doyle Bramhall II has lead vocal and guitar really catching a surprisingly great take on the dog. With JJ Johnson and Jay Moeller on drums and Derek O'Brien on guitar, this is terrific.

Anson Funderburgh strolls on with Albert Collins' Backstroke and he really lays it out there. Loved this guy since I saw him on David Sanborn's show back in the late 80's. He has such great style and Mark Kazanoff really cooks on sax. Great track. Billy Gibbons is game too with low slung, Hangin' On A Cliff joined by Mike Flanigin and Chris Layton. Gibbons has a special lope to his style that just drags you into a groove. Super! 

Lurrie Bell does a really nice guitar stroll on Act Like You Love Me trading riffs with Funderburgh and Derek O’Brien,and Nick Connolly on barrelhouse piano. With Moeller on drums, Scott Nelson on bass and sassy sax work by Kaz and Joe Sublett another great addition. Wrapping the release is John Primer and Lil Ed on Morganfield's, Got My Mojo Working.  Steve Bell has the harp and winds it out pretty good and Lil' Ed  on trademark slide guitar spars with Primer on single line lead. This is a strong closer with Rodrigo Mantovani on bass, Sumito Ariyoshi on piano and Kenny Beedy Eyes Smith on drums.  

📋 Album Credits & Production Info
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• Album Title Antone's 50th Presents Chicago Bound: Honoring Muddy, Cliff & Blue
• Artist Antone's 50th Allstars
• Record Label Antone's Records / New West Records
• Release Date 2026
• Personnel Antone's 50th Allstars
• Studio Production Live anniversary sessions celebrating 50 years of Antone's home of the blues, honoring the historic legacies of Muddy Waters, Clifford Antone, and Blue Heaven.

🎼 Track Listing & Personnel
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Featured Personnel & Masters: Live-to-tape sessions recorded across Austin, Memphis, and Chicago, featuring the core backing unit of the Antone's 50th Allstars.

1. Chicago Bound – John Primer
2. One Step at a Time – Ivan Neville & CC Adcock (feat. Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood & Jimmie Vaughan)
3. I Wouldn't Treat a Dog (The Way You Treated Me) – Kam Franklin with Rodd Bland & the Dreamers
4. Give Me Back My Wig – Doyle Bramhall II
5. I'm Not Ashamed – Kim Wilson & the Fabulous Thunderbirds
6. Backstroke – Anson Funderburgh
7. The Blues Is So Big (Interlude) – Clifford Antone
8. Hangin' on a Cliff – Billy F Gibbons & the BFGs
9. Act Like You Love Me – Lurrie Bell
10. Baby What's Wrong – Lavelle White
11. Got My Mojo Working – John Primer & Lil' Ed Williams (feat. Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith)

📺 Session Video Performance
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Watch: Antone's 50th Allstars perform live sessions celebrating Chicago Bound

🎵 Discography & Purchase Options
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Album Title	Record Label	Accreditation	Year
Antone's 50th Presents Chicago Bound: Honoring Muddy, Cliff & Blue	Antone's Records / New West Records	Live Historic Blues Anniversary Celebration	2026