The Fabulous Thunderbirds

[TheShadowQueensWolf]

like this thanks for posting....did they sing a song called walk with it baby??? i been trying to find that song, it's stuck in my head an cant remember who sings it, can you help?

[travelinman617]

Thats a great sound good singing and great guitar drums and harmonica

[pretorious700]

I love this line up of the 'birds

[bayouhazard]

Gotta love the T Birds. Haven't seen them in years, but saw them with Kid Ramos and they killed. Kim Wilson is one of the best harmonica players ever as well as singers/band leaders. His tone and time are just impeccable and sexy as hell. Fran Cristina on drums is awesome, too. Huge pocket.

[wes1220]

That was some greasy shit

[dkitty8124]

um where does a flying v guitar fit into a rockabillyblues band.....this band died when stevie ray vaughan died.....respect too kim wilson,amazing musician,but the heart of his career was with the vaughan brothers.....it's kinda sad too kim without jimmie lee

[harpace]

Love the Flying V in Blues. Check Albert King.

SRV only made guest appearances with the T Birds. It was Jimmie Vaughan on guitar in the original line up from 1980

[francinecalo]

you guys don't recognise Duke Robillard on the "V' ?

[LeesJams]

@francinecalo shame on any fans of blues music who can't recognize the great Duke Robillard! he's an amazing guitarist

[guitarandharp]

Hello dkitty8124

I am a Stevie Ray & Jimmie fan too but, with respect, I can't agree with you.

I've seen the T'Birds several times since Stevie's passing - and that's what it is, a passing to another place, just as 'real' as this place, no more, no less - and Jimmie's band and they still sound great. They are keeping on keeping on and nothing is 'sad'. Just like Stevie would want it!

Best wishes from the U.K.

[clean3]

Flying V + Blues = Albert King.

[TheSanityInspector]

Sure do wish that the video of "How Do You Spell Love" would be reposted.

[carmendiode]

It simply does not get better than this. I just posted this song on my MySpaceprofile.

I recently stumbled on to Andy Walo, in LA, and his music is as good as this.

[grant373]

great stuff!

are there any recordings of this line up?

[shufflevans]

Just one album,Walk That Walk Talk That Talk from 1991

[b2c095]

Kim could play but your right Gary Primich was frigging awesome. God rest his soul.

[stljerry]

Your absolutely right about Gary. R.I.P.

[TEXASSURFDONKEY]

Kim Wilson is top notch but he is personally a self centered jackoff....artistically Gary Primich kicks his ass.

[noyna9]

anyone heard of charlie sayles.he can blow a bit.

[Lorenzferus]

Kim Wilson is one of the best harp players i have ever heard. made me love the blues

[lilronnigd]

Sounds like he's playing a Just tuned A harp,

awesome player. It took 2 great guitarist to replace Jimmie!

RO

[tjjtaylor]

The greatest harp players past or modern have there own sound, I think Kim and James both qualify. There are millions of imitators, including me. I've robbed em all

[cnevitt]

Those two guitarists are Duke Robillard on the left, Kid Bangham on the right.

[allweneedofhell]

I love the Thunderbirds and rate Kim but "The best harmonica playing in the entire world" Come on let's be serious. Kims heavy and is a wicked singer, good harp player but not one of the best.

[AbuChowdah]

Well, that comment is either a troll or you really don't know shit.

[allweneedofhell]

I don't know shit? what the fuck do you know about the blues? I can't be bothered to list all players who are obviously better than Kim, but the one name I will drop is James Harman. Don't start with me, I rate Kim like I said, but he is not the best harp player in the world.

[AbuChowdah]

I only know enough to have played amplified harp in gigging blues bands for over 20 years.

Harman is a great harp player, with excellent, distinctive tone. But technically he's not up there with cats like Wilson and Estrin. Or even guys like Oscher who smokes Harman as a harp player. He's not even as technically gifted as Steve Guyger, another excellent, raw Chicago player.

Man, you don't know shit if you come on here and say Wilson isn't up there with the best.

[allweneedofhell]

What are you involed with the blues for if technical abiltiy is all your worried about? Stevie Ray Vaughan was technically better then say Junior Kimbrough does that make him better? Kim is an excellent singer he is a good maybe technically adept player but not even close to the fire and passion of James Harman.

[AbuChowdah]

You're the one turning music into a sport. You wrote: "Kims heavy and is a wicked singer, good harp player but not one of the best."

If you're gonna start a pissing contest and declare who's "best" and who's not... Well, in my view James is one of the best and so is Kim. I would say that all of the top guys play with passion and invest emotion into their playing - but technique is a part of it. Otherwise we wouldn't have cats who swung their asses off.

[AbuChowdah]

"Kim is an excellent singer he is a good maybe technically adept player but not even close to the fire and passion of James Harman."

I can't believe you wrote that. There must be a hole in your soul if you can't hear the passion in Wilson's playing on "Smokin' Joint" or when he backed up Pinetop on "Sunny Road Blues" or "Ida B'.

[allweneedofhell]

Look. I guess we shouldn't be arguing like this when were both blues fans. I like Kim so do you I personally don't think that he's "the best in the entire world" like it says above. You started the mud flinging by saying I don't know shit. I'll ignore the part about there being a hole in my soul.I guess this ain't the way that music lovers should be conversing. I apologise.

[AbuChowdah]

You're right. I apologise for jumping on you.

[blopper68]

Thank you for this wonderful post.Yeah must agree nobody bites off those notes like Kim plus his singing is superb,laconic and soulful.A fu&*ing master gotta love this man,a modern master.

[lyricessence]

Yeah, he recently recorded two live sets at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix with Clarke Rigsby recording. Killer with his newer members. Rock solid. Keep an eye out for its release.

[AmandaMayorMaynot]

what is with the ponytail

[lyricessence]

LOL...yeah, he's way sexier since he shaved it all off. Damn.

[freddieph]

great groove

[extrajimmies]

i miss jimmie.

i miss keith

and i miss mike buck

what the hell is this?

[jonrickly]

kim wilson....best living harp player hands down!

duke and kid are great.....but love jimmie a tad more..

[asilve3]

this is 2nd position, no?

[outlawbe]

No, 1st. Major 3ds, horn-like low riffs and squeaking in the high register, 1st position no mistake.

[guitarandharp]

Hi outlawbe.

You're right, of course, re the first position. I sure never heard it played so well.

But the stuff on these pages about who's best and who ain't is unnecessary. They all have something to say: Wilson, Harman, Piazza, Estrin, Salgado, Primich, Sugar Blue, Gussow, Oscher, Guyger...all distinctive, all great.

Best wishes

[Vernuft]

It's first position, just hear the bending on low notes and on high ones as well. Kim is playng in key of A using, of course, an harp on the same tuning. Try it and you'll find it.

[DangerousBastard]

Your brother Prez is awesome dude! Pure rock n' rollitude. Kim Wilson is awesome too. Cant play like that if you're half-assed about it!

[quundar]

the best T Birds is with Keith Ferguson & Jillie Vaughan. Never said that Preston Hubbard is a common bassist. He sure is one of the very best today. But Keith had that kind of rythm and that huge sound, oh my, that huge sound. For me the best bass player just after Calvin Fuzz jones.

[rickosports]

tight

[knaffie]

MAGIC HARP GOOD Ol KIM!

[jayscott49]

What is Fran Christina doing these days?

[chelliegirl]

Ahh, Kim! Still the sweetest harp around!

[Kroqueta]

Damn! This guy is just like Lucas Grijander! I dont matter if you told me that i make so few dirty things than Tarzan´s monkey!!

[Bluefinger]

Yeah man! If you ever come across another clip with that lineup, please post it. I'm with PHubb here ... Duke and Kid were truly fabulous ...

[PHubb]

This is arguably the best T-Bird band with Duke Robillard and Kid Bangham on guitars and my brother Preston Hubbard on bass.

[chelliegirl]

Hey Hubbard bro ask him if he knew Jeff Sarli died last week?