Andre Williams

In July, Andre went home to Detroit to play in a big fancy room in front of a lot of fancy people for the 210 Detroit Concert of Colors.

Check out THIS video of him doing his classic "Bacon Fat."  Included in his band are Matthew Smith (Volebeats, Outrageous Cherry, producer of Andre's last album), Don Was, and Dennis Coffey of the Funk Brothers (check out that wailing solo...)

And while we were looking, we found THIS kick ass video of the Detroit Cobras from the 2008 show doing their song from Tied and True "As Long As I Have You."

The video and audio on these are super pro.  ENJOY!

What state of our fine union comes to mind when you think of true bad ass soul?  That's right, UTAH!

Andre is hitting Utah for the first time ever and we look forward to hearing about what sort of cultural earthquakes he may set off.  Check out THIS incredible picture and article in Salt Lake City's local alt-paper the Slug.

"Andre Williams plays the kind of music that SLUG magazine is proud to get behind. Down and dirty, completely authentic & 100% original, a real soul rebel, his obscurity is almost baffling."

We swear, Andre gets more action than all of us put together.

P.S. We have absolutely NO idea why Mark Pickerel is lurking in the background.

Mr Rhythm is hitting the road in August and early September .

To help spread the word about his latest slab 'o' soul, some buddies at retail are coming through with some goodies for YOU, including chances to score free tickets to the shows.  So, if you're in any of the of cities below, considered yourself tipped off...

SALT LAKE CITY (8/16): Slowtrain Records has the record on sale, on a listening post and giving away a pair of tickets to the show

AUSTIN (8/20): End of an Ear has the record on sale, giving away posters with purchase and running a contest to win a pair of tickets.

HOUSTON (8/21): Sig's Lagoon and Cactus Records have the record on sale, are giving away posters with purchase and running a contest to win a pair of tickets.

CINCINNATI (9/9): Shake It Records has the record on sale, giving away posters with purchase and running a contest to win a pair of tickets.

Check out THIS feature in the Detroit Metro Times on Andre Williams.

It's got some swank photos of 'Dre at his South Side Chicago home, hit hat collection, and some embedded videos of "Twine Time," "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait."  Gives some context to his long, wild and weird career and its enduring impact.

Andre comes home to Detroit as part of the Don Was Detroit All-Star Revue and will perform "Bacon Fat."

Here's the skinny, and check out that powerhouse line up!

Detroit’s native son, multiple Grammy winner and co-founder of Was (Not Was), Don Was, is your master of ceremonies for a series of performances by classic and contemporary Detroit acts. Was is a master collaborator, best known for producing mega-watt musicians including Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson and Bonnie Raitt.  Was also took home the 1995 Grammy for Producer of the Year. Guaranteed to thrill!
These performances are recorded for a series of music videos on the Don Was Cavalcade of Recorded Music (2008 and 2009 Revue videos still reside there). This third edition of the Detroit All-Star Revue features:
Alberta Adams
Dennis Coffey  (the guitarist from Motown's house band and on Andre's recent album That's All I Need
Marshall Crenshaw
Doop & The Inside Outlaws
Electric Lion Sound Wave Experiment
Ingray
Motor City Horns
Mayaeni
Andre Williams
Outrageous Cherry
The Satin Peaches
SRC Gary Quackenbush
Jere Stormer
Sun Messengers (30th anniversary this year!)
Kim Weston

All-Star Revue House Band:
Don Was, bass
Luis Resto, keyboard
Terry” Thunder” Hughley, drums
Brian “Roscoe” White, guitar

Usually the glossy industry rags are full of ladder-climbing execs posing with Grammy winning artists, or some hard-hitting "newsy" pieces about some rap-rocker saving some puppies or something.  Lots of insider back-slapping that the regular Joe never sees (nor would want to).

Imagine our surprise when we saw a story on King of Some of the Media Andre Williams showed up in an article in Variety!  Read it HERE.

Nommmmm, bacon. The salty, smokey cured strips of swine has gained somewhat of hipster devotion amongst foodies. Even our own radio guy, Joe Swank, has a pro-pork proclamation hanging above his desk ("Praise the Lard," it says). So it comes as no surprise that one of the States' most famous delis, Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, hosts a weekend party that bows before bacon. And who else to invite to perform at Camp Bacon but no other than the man who penned the R&B hit "Bacon Fat," Mr Rhythm himself, Andre Williams? The organizers of Camp Bacon recently rang up Andre to chat a bit—you can read the interview here. And if you're in the Ann Arbor area next weekend, be sure to check out 'Dre's performance on June 18.

We love us the independent record shops around the country.

Here are a few that are giving away the fancy pants silk-screened Andre Williams POSTER with a purchase of his new CD/LP That's All I Need.  Get 'em while the getting is good.

-Albums on the Hill (Boulder CO)

-CD Cellar (Anniston, AL)

-Criminal (Atlanta)

-Dusty Groove (Chicago)

-Flat Black & Circular (Lansing MI)
-Grimey's (Nashville)

-Horizon Records (Greenville SC)

-Shake It (Cincinnati)
-Laurie's Planet of Sound (Chicago)
-Rainbow (Newark, DE)
-Vintage Vinyl (STL)
-Strictly Discs (Madison)
-Reckless (Chicago- all 3 stores)
-Rock-A-Billy's (Utica, MI)
-Ramalama (Toledo)

Andre Williams recently hit Cleveland and, by all accounts, tore the joint up.  Check out the blog Trash You Up for a review and some photos.  Read it HERE