Erin’s new BOOGIE, BLUES & BEYOND Blog!
ME & MEMPHIS MINNIE | I could almost say Memphis Minnie was the reason I took up the guitar, she was such a big influence on me (though I had plenty of living inspirations as well). I grew up surrounded by vintage 1930’s acoustic blues. My dad (Neil Harpe) did his own versions of many amazing blues artists, from Mississippi John Hurt to Tommy Johnson, and Geeshie Wiley to Memphis Minnie. I soaked it all in. I tagged along with my dad at events around the Washington DC area, where local luminaries like John Cephas and Phil Wiggins, Warner Williams, John Jackson, Eleanor Ellis, and my dad’s band Franklin, Harpe & Usilton would perform. The songs that stood out to me the most were those of Memphis Minnie, and I immediately fell in love with the “Queen of the Delta Blues”, with her cool delivery, songs of a different era (but from a feminine perspective!), and her obvious talent on the guitar. When I was a teenager, sometimes when I was alone I would try to sing like her, and I would also try to learn her guitar parts (usually simpler versions!). Her songs were so interesting, about life in the 1920’s and 30’s in the south, with great attitude and a sense of humor. Some of my favorites were What’s the Matter with the Mill (Done Broke Down), When the Levee Breaks, Nothin’ in Ramblin, Can I Do It For You, In My Girlish Days, and her classic Me and My Chauffeur Blues – which was one of the earliest songs in my repertoire. In fact, we still play that one as well as Girlish Days in our set today!
CLICK TO READ THE FULL STORY with details about Minnie’s life and music!
May 31 2018
I recently travelled down to the mountains of North Carolina for my first performance at Merlefest – “America's top roots-based festival”! I was invited to play at a special blues showcase – “The Greatest Acoustic Blues Show on Earth”…
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May 31 2018
Photo by Dan Busler Photography.
Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers recently taped an episode of The Extended Play Sessions, which is a great weekly American Roots music television program. It features some of the top acts…
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May 17 2018
The June issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine includes a review of our new album Big Road, as well as a video that I recorded especially for VGM! Their description of the video:
“Erin Harpe plays classic blues stylings with…
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Apr 4 2018
The official music video for Erin Harpe and the Delta Swingers' song Big Road takes you on the road and backstage with the band. The slide-guitar-fueled song evokes the feeling of the road, with real video footage from our…
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Feb 2 2018
Hey there, Delta Swingers friends, fans and family!
We're so excited to announce that for the FIRST time we have made an actual RECORD! Our new album, Big Road, is now available on VINYL -- for all you audiophiles and record…
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Dec 6 2017
Thanks to all of you who came out to one (or more!) of our album release shows over the weekend at the Bull Run, City Winery Boston, and Pitman's Freight Room! I would also like to thank our special guests…
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Nov 26 2017
Hey there, Cyber Swingers!
Since it's Cyber Monday, we decided to do a 72-hour sale – to celebrate the new BIG ROAD MERCH! For the next 72 hours, you can get 20% off all Delta Swingers music and gear…
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Nov 3 2017
“a guitar slinger for modern times. Easily Bonnie Raitt on modern performance enhancing drugs, Harpe is blues mama for our times.”
-Chris Spector, Midwest Record
“Listening to your new cd – just knocked something over because I am boogying…
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Sep 28 2017
Sep 13 2017
We have a very special announcement – our new album "Big Road" will be coming out as a VINYL LP!!! (...as well as a CD and download!) Available for pre-sale right now at our PledgeMusic…
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Sep 1 2017
Aug 17 2017
Aug 9 2017
Jul 26 2017
Our sophomore album is now in the works! We've got a great new collection of songs for you, coming out on VizzTone. Stay tuned for a very exciting news announcement, coming soon!
Feb 13 2017
Jan 17 2017
Jan 9 2017
Our “Memphis Or Bust!” fundraising campaign has ended, and was a BIG SUCCESS! We have raised enough to get ourselves down to Memphis this January 31st - February 4th for the International Blues Challenge! A shout-out also goes out to…
Jan 3 2017
This is the FINAL WEEK of our “Memphis Or Bust!” Campaign! That means this Friday January 6th is your last chance to get in on our new Bootleg EP's, as well as signed DVD's, limited edition “Delta Swingers in Memphis”…
Dec 20 2016
Wow, we made it to our initial “Memphis Or Bust!” goal! You guys are the BEST!!! BIG THANKS going out to John Doherty, mkurgans, ferdnann, Neil Harpe, Chris & Todd Williams, Ashley Songco, Stephen Sireci, Richard Zajaczkowski, Rick Bayko, Mark…
Dec 15 2016
Click to check out all the great rewards you can get at our “Memphis Or Bust!” campaign!
Thank you from all of us!
xoxo,
Erin, Jim, Matt & Kendall
Dec 3 2016
WATCH THE VIDEO AND GET EXCLUSIVE PERKS!
Hey Swingers,
You may have heard, this January we're headed down to Memphis Tennessee for the International Blues Challenge! We're proud to be representing the Granite State Blues Society, who put on…
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Nov 28 2016
Last week we launched “Memphis Or Bust!”, an exciting fundraising campaign through Indiegogo that will help us get down to Memphis for the International Blues Challenge! Check it out here. Get all kinds of cool exclusive rewards – including new music, signed memorabilia like…
Nov 23 2016
Happy Thanksgiving, Swingers!
2017 has been a great year for Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers – we’ve toured all over the country spreading good feelings through our music, and we've made lots of friends along the way…
Augusta Blues & Swing Week in West Virginia this July!
Join me July 23-29, 2018, in the mountains of West Virginia on the campus of Davis and Elkins College for a week of Blues and Swing workshops! Learn to play your favorite delta blues/roots instruments – from guitar, piano, bass and harmonica to ukelele, string band and more (and who knows, maybe some kazoo?). Students stay on campus, and enjoy nightly jams in the lovely mountain air! I'll be teaching two week-long workshops, and there are plenty of other great teachers – like Phil Wiggins, Miss Tess, Eleanor Ellis, Jontavious Willis, Del Rey and many more – see the full line-up here and more info here! I would love to see you!! And HEADS UP: there's a discount if you register NOW!
