The Fabulous Thunderbirds

(US)

One of the top blues bands in the world just keeps getting better. The new album, On The Verge, came out in the spring and leans towards soul. According to critics, musically it’s more diverse than its predecessors. Some called it “their best ever”, while many noted that the leader, vocalist and master harpist Kim Wilson, is now a more mature singer than ever before.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds was born in Austin, Texas, in the mid-70’s. Their tex-mex-spiced combination of tough Texas blues, melodically rolling swamp pop and lazily funky Louisiana groove stuck out in the blues scene of the time. It helped, too, that on guitar they had the late Stevie Ray’s brilliant big brother Jimmie Vaughan. Soon big stars, like The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, booked The T-birds for support on their mega tours, making them known to a large audience. Even if the records didn’t sell heavily, despite hits Tuff Enuff and Wrap It Up in the 80’s, in the 90’s T-birds had become a role model for countless blues-based bands around the world. Constant gigging has kept the band tight, though the personnel have changed through the years. Their current staff, with guitarists Mike Keller and Johnny Moeller, came together in 2008.