KRVM’s Brad Cook has been at the helm of the station’s premier “Breakfast with the Blues program” on Saturdays  for nearly eighteen years now.

We thought it high time we shared Cook’s wealth of knowledge about all things blues-related with listeners.

Here’s how he answered a few questions we recently posed!

KRVM: “Who introduced you to the blues? Who were some of your earliest favorite blues musicians growing up?”

Cook: “I was introduced to the blues indirectly at first through the British guitarists…ala Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck.”

“Then, in 1980, I was turned on to public radio. I was living in Clearwater, Florida and a friend turned me on to WMNF out of Tampa. Monday through Friday 1-4 the format was Jazz, Blues and Reggae.”

“My first blues concert was B.B. King with Bobby Blue Bland in the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. That was 1978.”

Continues Cook, “In the early 80’s, my father’s neighbor, a volunteer DJ at WMNF, couldn’t believe someone as young as me was a regular listener. He popped over to his apartment and returned with several albums; among them was Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry with Earl Hooker – an album titled ‘Couldn’t Believe my Eyes.’ This was my first blues album and I still cherish it today.”

KRVM: “Do you enjoy other music genres? Who are your favorite bands or artists?”

Cook: “Slightly Stoopid and jazzy blues with Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Also The Grateful Dead…I never get tired  of hearing Jerry play.”

Added Cook, “I listened all day today to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong…yesterday it was the Grateful Dead and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”

KRVM: “What are your favorite music venues here in Eugene?”

Cook: “Eugene is very fortunate for its variety of venues!”

“I’m the club photographer for Sessions Music Hall. My favorite venue to photograph in is the McDonald Theater; the height of their lights in relation to the stage makes for some incredible photos. And it’s hard to go wrong with the Hult Center or the Cuthbert.”

KRVM: “Do you ever host any blues musicians in the studio?”

Cook: “Rarely…it’s tough to awaken any musician at that hour of the morning but every once in a while we sucker by.”

KRVM: “Favorite piano player?”

Cook: “My favorite piano player today is Marty Sammon, and my all-time favorite is Ray Charles.”

KRVM: “Any “must-have” album recommendations for your listeners?”

Cook: “ ‘Must’ recordings to have are as follows!”

• Robert Johnson, Columbia Recordings
• Muddy Waters, Plantation Recordings
• Blind Blake Complete Recordings
• Dinah Washington, Mercury Recordings
• Louis Jordan 5 disc box set on JSP
• Chess Records box set of Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf
• Doctors Professors Kings and Queens

Other notables:

• Sonny Boy Williamson I
• Sonny Boy Williamson II
• Tampa Red
• Georgia Tom
• Big Bill Broonzy
• Charlie Patton
• Son House
• Skip James
• Jack Owen’s
• Mississippi John Hurt
• Big Joe William’s
• Tommy McClennan
• Jelly Roll Morton
• Professor Longhair
• Fats Domino

• James Booker
• Charles Brown
• Dr. John
• Louis Armstrong
• King Oliver
• Junior Wells
• James Cotton
• Little Walter
• Buddy Guy
• Mississippi Fred McDowell
• Otha Turner
• Sid Hemphill
• Asie Payton
• Jessie Mae Hemphill
• R.L. Burnside 
• Blind Willie McTell
• Curley Weaver
• Barbecue Bob
• Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry
• Etta Baker
• Elizabeth Cotton
• Tuts Washington
• Curtis Salgado
• Robert Cray
• Blind Lemon Jefferson 
• Lightnin Hopkins
• Stevie Ray Vaughn 
• Paul Delay
• Marty Sammon
• T Bone Walker

That’s a wrap!

We’ll close out with a little blues from Robert Johnson.

Come On in My Kitchen

Tune in for more than three hours of blues every Saturday, 5:30 – 9:00 a.m.