fionaboyes.com - Blog

On stage with Hubert Sumlin at the East Coast Blues & Roots Festival, Byron Bay , Australia. Increasingly FaceBook is taking the place of the traditional Blog. Whether you are a FaceBook fan or not, the format certainly allows very immediate sharing of news, musings and photos. So, for the moment, I've decided not to update this page. There's still lots of great stories archived here - including linked photo albums - they are well worth a good browse! I wrote this final piece - a personal reflection on my friendship with the legendary blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin - not long after he passed away in early 2012. Long-time guitarist for Howlin' Wolf, Hubert was an incredibly influencial blues musician - and a real gentleman.
A tribute to legendary blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin Hubert Sumlin smiles down on me everyday. I’ve lived in 8 different houses since I first met Hubert in 2004. All of them have had a music space of some sort, with guitars and gear spread about. At the centre of this – my special place in any house – is a writing desk where I sit Hubert’s photo, bedecked with Mardi Gras beads, and he beams and shakes his finger at me. Everybody says it, but Hubert really did have an uncanny knack of making you feel special. When he smiled at you, … Read the full post Feb 28, 2012 Add comment Share Out of Africa + Debbie Davies Aussie tour Another action-packed few months for me! With blog activity LONG overdue, I’ll give you a quick catch up…from a South African blues festival to touring Aussie gigs with Deb Davies, while moving house (again!) and LOTS of traveling across the Hay Plains… Plans for a delightful song-writing hiatus from the road disappeared swiftly upon my return to Australia in the middle of the year. With The Preacher on the move again much time, energy and road-miles were expended in the search for … Read the full post Dec 4, 2010 Add comment Share 'Bigger Than Texas' - USA touring May/June 2010 This blogging thing has got out of hand, dear reader… In my last blog, I was looking forward to the fabulous 2010 Blues Music Awards ceremony. (That was held in MAY, folks.) So we start in Memphis… The Preacher and I arrived one day early for the Blues Hall of Fame Dinner. Imagine the thrill of looking for my seat, only to find Howlin’ Wolf guitarist, Hubert Sumlin, already sitting at ‘our’ table?! With Hall of Fame inductees Bonnie Raitt, Charlie … Read the full post Jul 16, 2010 Add comment Share March 2010 The South Australian desert of my last blog seems so long ago… There’s been a lot of traveling, gigging, jamming and making new friends since then! (Click here for photos) It’s been a time of huge contrasts. The long hot Aussie Summer giving way to minus 9 degrees Celsius in Saskatoon, Canada, for example. In mid-February, I flew back to America. As luck would have it, I arrived in Portland, OR, the day that Blues Music Award Entertainer of the Year Janiva Magness was playing at … Read the full post Apr 3, 2010 2 comments Share Long Hot Aussie Summer 5,500 miles. That’s 8,800 kilometers, folks, for those of us who are metric. And that’s how far I have driven over the last 6 weeks, rambling between festivals and gigs during this long hot Aussie Summer. I’ve traversed an amazing range of country: from the humid semi-tropical north, the high mountain country and deep outback desert… My latest adventures started somewhat tentatively at Sydney International airport, while I waited for my GPS to work out that it was no longer in … Read the full post Feb 9, 2010 1 comment Share
Add Your Message BIGRED Melbourne AUST Sep 2, 2009 @ 10:52 PM desperate to see you,(have all your Albums) when are you doing something in Melbourne Don Handel Stone Mountain Georgia Jul 31, 2009 @ 7:34 PM Greeting from just outside Atlanta Georgia. I'm back from NYC and my evening wathcing Fiona at Terra Blues. My wife was in Chicago in 2003 and I first saw Fiona at the 2003 Chicago Blues festival. I was living in NJ my whole life always wishing Fiona would play NYC. I moved in January to work in Atlanta and finaly sold my house June 30. When I heard Fiona was in NYC, I flew back just to see her. It was so worth the $$ I had to pay. In the intimate club on a very rainy Wednesday night, she didn't disappoint. Over two full hours of fingerpicking acoustic guitar. With her witty intros through her thick Aussie accent and husky voice sounding as bluesy as ever, her repertoire consisted of some of my favorite Fiona songs. There's something about hearing her bark throughout her Two Legged Dog from Blues in My Heart that makes you know that she's a true throwback of a blues woman guitarist. Her Ode to Memphis Minnie on She Could Play that Thing was anther classic from that same album. Drink to your Health and Young Rider Blues from Sweet Jelly Roll actually go hand in hand according to Fiona's introduction as she decribes her lost 5 year love and her attempt to keep up with with a young stud as she searched for comfort after her lost love. The hauntingly sad Stranger in Your Eyes was an acoustic version of her electric ballad from Lucky 13. The cover of her friend from Down Under, Lil Fi's funny Celebrate the Curves was a resounding ode to every big boned woman. She pulled off Smokestack lightling as if she was taught by Howling wolf and Hubert Sumlin. I'm just thrilled to have seen her in this intimate setting after waiting 6 years. Thanks again Fiona for playing at Terra Blues. Colin Radio 2SER-107.3FM Jul 29, 2009 @ 8:37 PM Hi Fiona Best wishes on your USA tour - hurry back to OZ soon Stratslinger89 Springfield, Oregon, United States of America Oct 12, 2008 @ 12:14 AM Hi Fiona!! Nice website!! Just wanted to say Hi and that I enjoyed chatting with you at the Wine and Blues Fest at Secret House in Aug.I played the Eugene Celebration as part of Rooster's Blues review opening the show for the Strangetones and Sonny Rhodes. Great Fun!! I look forward to seeing you again next year, until then---be safe and keep playin' that guitar!!! yours in the blues, Terry oh yeah, almost forgot, my band has a web site www.broh-taylorblues.com Cheers!!! Shaun Brisbane Oct 11, 2008 @ 10:08 PM Gday Fiona Just cruisin the net and dropped in to check out your new site Great reports on the gigs at Narooma. All I spoke to said they loved the shows and Diunna Greenleaf just completely blew people away cheers Shaun dawn lithgow nsw Oct 6, 2008 @ 1:06 PM Hi Fiona, Was great to catch up with you at Narooma again, thanks for the wonderful hug, I really enjoyed you and your ladies heaps and heaps, and what a close for the weekend. Hope I can catch up to another aussie concert of yours sometime and take 2 of my kids along, hope you will be playing in nsw in the next year or so. Your bubbly personality and great singing and guitar playing really inspires me to inspire my eldest boy. My opinion was............you were the hit of the show. Maybe we will both have more time to have a chat next time we meet. Take Care till we catch up, Cheers, Dawn Owen Adelaide Sth Aust Sep 24, 2008 @ 5:23 AM Fiona looking forward to seeing you in adelade Lil Fi Melbourne Australia Aug 11, 2008 @ 3:41 PM This is my latest silly escapade. Women in Voice 17. Its that show in Brisbane where you get six women to do something they wouldn't normally do. I did Glam Rock. haha. Ballroom Blitz, coocachoo, spirit in the sky, nutbush city limits and devilgate drive, and that was the first song as a medley. VERY FUNNY. I wrote a song about having my mouth washed out with soap for swearing that I did too and then EGO the old skyhooks number and then finished off with KISS, I was made for loving you baby. There goes all my credability. I've just finished an album of classic womens blues with Margret RoadKnight. It's a beauty, where can I send one to? Love ya and keep on rockin. xxxx Lil' Fi Lil' Fi Melbourne Australia Aug 11, 2008 @ 3:29 PM Hey there lovely, your new site looks great! Glad to hear you're coming home for the summer. We love you too much. Have fun recording the new album. I never did get that new song to you...haha. It's too much! Love and hugs sweetie. Cheers Lil' Fi Suzanne Panama City Beach Jul 4, 2008 @ 11:28 PM I just love the new site!!! Add your message: To have your photo appear beside your message: log-in or register. Name: Location: Message: Please type the text that appears in the picture below: