The Fabulous Thunderbirds Celebrate Antone’s 50th Anniversary - And The Community Behind “Austin’s Most Iconic Music Venue” (American Statesman) - On “Talkin’ Bout My Friends”

http://newwst.com/kimwilson

2025 Grammy Nominees’ Fresh Interpretation Of The A.C. Reed Deep Cut Previews Upcoming Double Lp ‘The Last Real Texas Blues Album’ As Well As Five-Disc ‘Antone’s: 50 Years Of The Blues’ Box Set, Both Out August 22 Via New West Records: http://newwst.com/antones50 

Antone’s, the legendary music venue hailed as “pointing the way toward the future of the blues” (Rolling Stone), continues to celebrate its 50th year with a new preview from the five-disc, 41-track box set Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues - arriving August 22 on New West Records. Out today is a new single from The Fabulous Thunderbirds - an interpretation of Chicago blues legend A.C. Reed’s “Talkin’ Bout My Friends,” featuring nods to Slim Harpo, Junior Wells and James Cotton in Kim Wilson’s masterful closing harp solo. The Fabulous Thunderbirds are of course synonymous with the history of Antone’s, widely cited as the first homegrown musicians from the club to rise to national and international prominence. In 1979, they played the final show at the original location of Antone’s - closing out an epic four-year run which saw the venue become ‘home away from home’ for blues legends like Muddy Waters, Albert King, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon and B.B. King.

“Clifford Antone was a true patron of the arts,” reflects Wilson. “Guys like Eddie Taylor and Big Walter would come down here…the first thing that would happen was they would go to the doctor and get a checkup. He sent 'em there. We both had a love for the music, and he put The Fabulous Thunderbirds on a stage. No one else would. And because of that, we met all these amazing people. Can you imagine seeing B.B. King on that stage on Sixth Street in 1975? Fats Domino, come on…it's Fats Domino with the original band!”

Listen to The Fabulous Thunderbirds’ “Talkin’ Bout My Friends” here: http://newwst.com/kimwilson

Pre-order ‘The Last Real Texas Blues Album’ here: http://newwst.com/texasblues

Pre-order ‘Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues’ here: http://newwst.com/antones50 

‘The Last Real Texas Blues Album’ has also been previewed with the release of Kam Franklin’s homage to Texas trailblazer Barbara Lynn on "You'll Lose A Good Thing,” and Antone's staple Doyle Bramhall II’s tribute to the great Eddie Taylor with "Bad Boy.” The double album, which also includes the new Thunderbirds track and 15 more all-new recordings, is available as a standalone release and also within the overarching box set. 

Previous advance tracks from the box set have included an unearthed board recording of Gary Clark Jr.’s “Catfish Blues” from 2004 (when Clark was 20 years old and unsigned) and a brand-new studio recording from Los Lobos - of the Chicago blues staple “Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy,” written by Willie Dixon and made famous by Howlin’ Wolf (read more via Rolling Stone). 

Pre-order the upcoming ‘Antone’s 50 Years Of The Blues’ box set here, which will also include rare and unseen photographs, an updated hardcover edition of Picture the Bluesby Susan Antone and a new, definitive Antone’s history - written by revered Texas music historian Joe Nick Patoski with fresh interviews: http://newwst.com/antones50

‘Antone’s 50 Years Of The Blues’ is part of Antone’s year-long 50th anniversary celebrations, which have included a series of landmark releases and historic performances. The club was also the subject of an extensive front page profile in the Austin American Statesman last week, who declared Antone’s as “Austin’s most iconic music venue.” Before they travel across the country for special performances in Nashville and Los Angeles this September, the venue will host local album release events at Big Henry’s on August 18 and Antone’s Record Shop on August 19. Later this year, a special episode of Austin City Limits will air on PBS nationally celebrating Antone’s 50th anniversary. For more information visit: https://antonesnightclub.com/

Antone’s: 50 Years of the Blues Tracklist

The Last Real Texas Blues Album

1. Going Down – Bobby Rush & Jimmie Vaughan
2. Reconsider Baby – Benny Turner feat. Derek O'Brien
3. Flip, Flop And Fly – Jivin' Gene feat. Charlie Sexton
4. You’ll Lose A Good Thing – Kam Franklin
5. If You Change Your Mind – Lil' Ed Williams
6. Talkin’ ‘Bout My Friends – Kim Wilson & The Fabulous Thunderbirds
7. Those Lonely, Lonely Nights – McKinley James
8. The Sky Is Crying – Lurrie Bell feat. Joe Sublett
9. Lead Me On – Ruthie Foster
10. Bad Boy – Doyle Bramhall II
11. Just Like A Bird Without A Feather – Big Bill Morganfield
12. Honest I Do – John Primer
13. Lookin’ Good – Eve Monsees feat. Lurrie Bell & Billy Gibbons
14. The Things That I Used To Do – Lynn August feat. Marcia Ball
15. Willie The Wimp – C.J. Chenier
16. You Got Me Where You Want Me – Sue Foley
17. If (I Could Be With You) – Kam Franklin
18. Message From Miss Lavelle – Lavelle White feat. Derek O'Brien & Marcia Ball

Bonus 45 

1. Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy – Los Lobos

Tell Me One More Time

1. Sugar Coated Love – Lou Ann Barton
2. I’m So Glad – Snooky Pryor
3. It Hurts Me, Too – Angela Strehli Band
4. No Special Rider – Lazy Lester
5. You’re Gonna Make Me Cry – Lavelle White
6. I Won’t Cry – Doug Sahm
7. A Fool in Love – Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton, Angela Strehli
8. Too Sorry – Doyle Bramhall
9. Gone Blind – Sue Foley
10. Hear From My Daddy – Barbara Lynn
11. Don’t Touch Me – Kim Wilson
12. Going Down Slow – Pinetop Perkins

We Went Live In ‘75

1. Chicken Shack / Sugar Bear Intro (Live) – Pinetop Perkins
2. Walking By Myself (Live) – Jimmy Rogers
3. Built Up From The Ground (Live) – Sunnyland Slim
4. Double Trouble (Live) – Otis Rush
5. Bigtown Playboy (Live) – Eddie Taylor
6. Look On Yonder’s Wall (Live) – Buddy Guy
7. What It Takes To Get A Good Woman (Live) – Angela Strehli
8. Cold Cold Feeling (Live) – Albert Collins
9. Catfish Blues (Live) – Gary Clark Jr.
10. Midnight Creeper (Live) – James Cotton



Upcoming 50th Anniversary Events

August 18 - ‘Antone’s: 50 Years Of The Blues’ Record Release Party - Big Henry’s (Austin)

August 19 - ‘Antone’s: 50 Years Of The Blues’ Record Release Party - Antone’s Record Shop (Austin)

September 10 - Antone's 50th Allstars' Super Blues Party - The '58 at Eastside Bowl (Nashville)

September 11 - Antone's "50 Years of the Blues" Brunch - Third Mand Records (Nashville)

September 22 - Antone's 50th Allstars Live - The Troubadour (Los Angeles) 

For more information please contact:

Matt Hanks - mhanks@shorefire.com 

Max Lefkowitz - mlefkowitz@shorefire.com

Anna DeNelsky - adenelsky@shorefire.com