Strong Like That

"I've always wanted my music to stand up to my heroes' music," reflects co-founder and harmonica great, Kim Wilson. On The Fabulous Thunderbirds' new album Strong Like That, Wilson pairs his own compositions alongside his heroes: Clarence Coulter, Eddie Floyd, Eddie Holland and Cornelius Grant. The album balances the mournfulness of blues with all the joy of soul music.

Over thirty years ago, The Fabulous Thunderbirds were the first band to come out with a rock 'n' roll beat that was basically the blues. "You can't really push the envelope unless you're versed in the blues," Wilson says. "I am what I am. I started playing harmonica with all the old guys when I was a kid, 18 or 19 years old."

"Nobody enhances what I do like the band on this album," says Wilson, who is joined by guitarist Johnny Moeller, bassist Steve Gomes, Kevin Anker on keyboards, with Wes Watkins and Robb Stupka on drums. "You want to be really good if you've been doing it as long as I have."

Wilson counts Little Walter, George "Harmonica" Smith, and Lazy Lester as influences, but when he "heard that first record of James Cotton's on Verve," he realized he could play a lot of different music and legitimize it. By the time he was 18, he was playing with Albert Collins and Eddie Taylor. He moved to Minneapolis for about a year and a half before heading back down to Austin, Texas, to a vibrant music scene that was evolving energetically, and founded The Fabulous Thunderbirds. "Back then is when I really started playing with the old guys like Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters and I got to see up close how good they were and the high standards they set for themselves and their music."