The Blues Hotel

Kelvin Huggins unlocks the doors to The Blues Hotel for 2026. We turn the lights down low and the stories up loud. Each episode walks the hallway between Chicago and the Mississippi Delta, then takes a sharp turn into Melbourne bars and Australian backroads—tracing how the blues became a declaration of identity, swagger, and survival.

From Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley’s duelling “I’m a Man” anthems to Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s gospel fire, from Lead Belly calling out Washington D.C. in “Bourgeois Blues” to the raw evolution of “Death Letter” from Son House to The White Stripes, this show treats the blues as a living, breathing force—not a museum piece.

The Blues Hotel also throws a spotlight on the women who shaped the genre, the activists who weaponised it, and the Australian artists who keep its flame burning with local stories and independent grit. Segments like “Then and Now” and “Buried in the Blues” unearth forgotten voices such as Bumblebee Slim, while celebrating contemporary creators from Nathan Cavaleri to Kaliopi and the Blues Messengers.

From dusty Delta roads to neon city nights, The Blues Hotel is where every soul—restless, resilient, or just curious—can check in, listen close, and find themselves somewhere in the song.

©2026 The Blues Hotel Collective.

In this episode of The Blues Hotel, host Kelvin Huggins sits down with Australian music icon Mark “Diesel” Lizotte for an intimate, wide‑ranging conversation. Diesel retraces his journey from Little Compton, Rhode Island to the Aussie bush and finally Perth, sharing how a house full of jazz, soul, and funk records – and a sudden switch from cello to guitar – set him on his path. He then takes us inside Short Cool Ones, his landmark collaboration with the late Chris Wilson, recalling farmhouse recording sessions, Wilson’s deep, commanding presence, and their shared mission to honour the giants of the blues.

Diesel also unpacks the radical fan-powered design of his By Request tour, where audiences shape the setlist in advance and their stories forge a deeper connection from the moment he steps on stage. From there, we head to a live recording from the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society, with the Women in Blues and MBAS All Stars tearing through a rocking “Run, Run, Rudolph” and a fired-up “Shake Your Money Maker,” complete with tributes to Dutch Tilders and Chris Wilson and a reminder to “find your bloody money maker and shake it.”

Rounding out the show, The Blues Hotel digs into two cornerstone songs in blues history. In “Then and Now,” we trace “Piece of My Heart” from Erma Franklin’s quiet storm of endurance, through Janis Joplin’s explosive detonation into the rock canon, to Jimmy Barnes and Tina Harrod’s modern duet of resilience. In “Backstory Blues,” we follow Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “Matchbox Blues” from its 1927 recordings through Lead Belly, Big Bill Broonzy, Carl Perkins, and The Beatles, exploring how a single matchbox became a symbol of poverty, travel, and the miles still ahead.

From backroom legends to modern Australian stages, this episode celebrates the roots of the blues and the living, breathing scene keeping it alive today.

Broadcast & Availability

1. Podcast Platforms: Stream on all major apps except Spotify, with extended interviews on the Blues Hotel Collective YouTube channel.
2. Radio Partners:
3. MITE Radio: Alternate Sundays at 7:00 p.m. AWST
4. Indigo FM: Alternate Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. AEDT

Hosted by: Kelvin Huggins

Presented by: The Blues Hotel Collective

Next Episode: January 4, 2026

Keep the blues alive.

© 2025 The Blues Hotel Collective.

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Step inside The Blues Hotel with host Kelvin Huggins for a journey that bridges the raw roots of American blues with the vibrant pulse of Australia’s contemporary scene. This episode blends interviews, live performances, and historical deep‑dives into a soulful narrative of lineage, lived experience, and timeless artistry.

Highlights

• Featured Artist Interview: Guitar powerhouse Christina Crofts opens up about her career, influences, and her latest album Best of Bottleneck. From her early lessons with family to her evolution as a slide guitar virtuoso, Crofts shares stories of grit, soul, and sass.
• Live at the MBAS: The Greenhatch Blues Band delivers an electrifying set recorded with the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society. Frontman Luke Greenhatch channels gospel‑infused vocals and Mississippi‑to‑Chicago authenticity, backed by Peter “Boom Boom” Balking (bass) and Peter “Bam Bam” Hodgers (drums).
• Then & Now: A comparative spin on Bo Diddley’s Who Do You Love?—from the stripped‑down 1956 Chess Records original to the cinematic 1987 La Bamba soundtrack version.
• Backstory Blues: The story behind Big Mama Thornton’s Ball and Chain, a testament to how personal pain becomes timeless art, and how Janis Joplin carried Thornton’s phrasing into Monterey Pop Festival history.
• Curated Playlist: From Big Bill Broonzy and Aretha Franklin to Dutch Tilders and Kerry B. Ryan, the episode stitches together classics and contemporary gems that frame the features with atmosphere and authenticity.

Broadcast & Availability

• Podcast Platforms: Stream on all major apps except Spotify, with extended interviews on the Blues Hotel Collective YouTube channel.
• Radio Partners:
• Mite Radio: Alternate Sundays at 7:00 p.m. AWST
• Indigo FM: Alternate Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. AEDT

In this installment of The Blues Hotel, host Kelvin Huggins takes listeners on a soulful journey through the enduring power of the blues, weaving together obscure pioneers like James “Stump” Johnson (aka Snitcher Roberts), rare 78 RPM treasures from Alex Moore, and iconic classics from John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, and Memphis Minnie, alongside the fiery grit of Australia’s pub rock scene with Carson, Dutch Tilders, and Cold Chisel. From Dave Hole’s electrifying slide guitar at the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society to the poignant contrast between Creedence Clearwater Revival’s tender Long As I Can See the Light and Cold Chisel’s raw reimagining, the episode celebrates the blues as both survival and storytelling, connecting Chicago streets to Melbourne bars.

Hosted by: Kelvin Huggins

Presented by: The Blues Hotel Collective

Next Episode: December 7, 2025

Keep the blues alive.

© 2025 The Blues Hotel Collective.

From the muddy waters of the Delta to the neon-lit grit of South Michigan Avenue, this episode of The Blues Hotel traces the electrified heartbeat of Chicago Blues—a sound born of migration, survival, and raw amplification. We dig deep into the genre’s genesis, where the Great Migration carried acoustic blues northward, only to be re-forged in the noisy crucible of Chicago’s South Side clubs.

Featuring the thunderous voices of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Koko Taylor, and the invisible hand of Willie Dixon, we explore how Chess Records bottled lightning and laid the blueprint for rock and roll. Through signature segments like Backstory Blues (Howlin’ Wolf’s “Back Door Man”), Then and Now (Elmore James vs. Dave Hole), and Buried in the Blues (Luther “Snake Boy” Johnson), we spotlight the legends, the lost, and the living echoes of a genre that refuses to fade.

Plus, we go global with Live at the MBAS, where Melbourne’s Phil Coyne and the Wayward Aces channel the Chicago groove with a rockabilly twist. This isn’t just a history lesson—it’s a declaration: Chicago Blues isn’t gone. It’s louder than ever.