Blind Pig recording artist Robin Rogers, who was admitted to the hospital on August 18th with serious liver problems, has now been diagnosed with liver cancer. She was hospitalized for complications caused by Hepatitis C, and a CT scan prior to surgery revealed an untreatable cancerous tumor on her liver. She is not a candidate for a liver transplant so she has been sent home for hospice care.

Louisiana gem Dr. John is coming to the Austin Music Hall on Saturday, August 21, and DJ Smokehouse Brown has two pairs of tickets for YOU! Tune in to Blues at Sunrise this Wednesday, August 18 from 7-9 a.m. for your chance to see the great New Orleans pianist. For more information about his upcoming performance, go to www.austinmusichall.com.

Muddy Waters band alum and famed Chicago blues bassist Calvin "Fuzz" Jones passed away yesterday due to complications from lung cancer. Fans of the Blues Brothers film may have noticed him as the bassist backing up John Lee Hooker when the Brothers visit Maxwell Street in Chicago. I was fortunate to see Jones perform at Antone's on various occasions over the past five years, playing behind fellow greats like Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, and Hubert Sumlin.

Bob Margolin, who played alongside Jones for years, offered some thoughts on his old friend after his passing:

CR Humphrey, one-half of gritty local blues duo Old Gray Mule, will be appearing live on Blues at Sunrise this Wednesday, August 4 from 7-9 AM. Tune in to hear Humphrey's stories about his recent gig with David and Kinny Kimbrough of the famous Mississippi Hill Country Kimbrough family, as well as hear cuts off his new CD, "Sound Like Somethin' Fell Off the House."

Texas-reared blues guitarist and singer Phillip Walker passed away early this morning due to heart failure at the age of 73. Walker, who was born in Welsh, Louisiana, was raised in Port Arthur and got his start playing professionally with Zydeco king Clifton Chenier. Like many Texas blues artists, Walker moved to California in the 1950s after making his mark on the Texas scene. During his long career he recorded for Specialty, Chess, Alligator, and Black Top, among others, and released his final studio album on the Delta Groove Music label in 2007. I had the privilege of interviewing Walker for Austin Sound when his new album came out, which you can access here: http://www.austinsound.net/2007/02/14/interview-ph....