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Remembering Hubert Sumlin

The first time I met Hubert Sumlin he made me laugh and cry.You couldn't help but laugh when he'd solo. His guitar screamed then mumbled then stuttered then slurped. Often he'd remove his hands from the instrument and shrug as if it caught him by surprise, too.Backstage at Grant Park, I told him some of the real heavy stuff I was feeling as a 16 year old kid. And he listened. He didn't tell me I was crazy. Or stupid. He just listened. And that made me cry.We ran into each other several times…See More

Blog post by The Billy Bats Dec 22, 2011

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KING OF THE ROOTS interview by special permission from author Aarik Danielsen and The Columbia Tribune

http://www.columbiatribune.com/weblogs/art-axis/2011/sep/06/king-of-the-roots-ready-to-rock-roots-n-blues/ There seems to have been some confusion from my first posting of this but Mr. Danielsen has granted permission as long as we credit his authorship and acknowledge its original appearance in The Columbia Tribune. Thanks. 'King of the Roots' ready to rock Roots 'N Blues By…See More

Blog post by The Billy Bats Sep 8, 2011

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Billy Bats update

It's been a fun, weird year. I wasn't sure 12 months ago if there would be a Billy Bats anymore. Since 2006, I'd been playing with a drummer all over the Midwest. It was fun. My guitar and vocal chops were pushed all the time. Being a two piece is hard though. I refer to it sometimes as my second marriage. A lot of things come up for discussion that may not if there's more people. I developed a side project with a group of musician friends. We learned songs I wrote but never played out. Then…See More

Blog post by The Billy Bats Aug 18, 2011

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PAULA CRAWFORD and the BILLY BATS. New CD release this month. KC Singer/Songwriter accompanied by acclaimed blues duo.

Photo posted by The Billy Bats Aug 5, 2010

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The Billy Bats accompany singer/songwriter Paula Crawford at Kansas City

August 14, 2010 at 7pm to August 28, 2010 at 9pm

Kansas City singer/songwriter Paula Crawford debuts her cd PRETTY PRETEND. Accompanying Ms. Crawford will be two man blues team The Billy Bats, Zach McCall and Jason Vivone.It's a potent combination of Paula's reflective folk ballads supported by the scattershot stylings of the Bats.2 cd release parties will be held in the Kansas City area.Saturday August 14th MAIN ST COFFEE HOUSE 107 S. Main Independence MO This is an all ages show.Saturday August 28th CODA 1744 Broadway KCMO. Adults only.…See More

Event posted by The Billy Bats Aug 2, 2010

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ABOUT THE NEW TUNES

These are a pack of tunes I wrote in the 90's. After a stint playing in a Vegasy Elvis type show in Branson I quit music. These songs were stuck in a trunk. Friends of mine from those days would remind me of them every so often-- quoting lyrics, etc.The Billy Bats gives me a chance to explore all sources of American party music - blues, soul, country. These tunes give me a chance to explore who I was and what I've become.See More

Blog post by The Billy Bats Apr 16, 2010

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Jason Vivone Talks a Blue Streak with MIKE STOLLER of Leiber and Stoller

JASON VIVONE TALKS A BLUE STREAK with MIKE STOLLER of LEIBER and STOLLERJerry Leiber and Mike Stoller are legendary songwriters and producers.Their catalog is as vast as it is brilliant. “Hound Dog” for Big Mama Thornton, “Stand By Me” for Ben E. King, “Jailhouse Rock” for Elvis and all of those classic Coasters gems. Our focus today -- “Kansas City (KC Lovin’)”When we play out of town, the following happens.PATRON: Hey Billy Bat! You’re from Kansas City? (sings) ‘Goin’ to Kansas…See More

Blog post by The Billy Bats Feb 24, 2010

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Kansas City Blues Society column. JASON VIVONE talks a BLUE STREAK with QUEEN BEY

Queen Bey began gigging at age 12 and is still going. From 18th and Vine to Vegas, New York City to London, Germany to France, Costa Rica to Ethopia. She's shared stages with the likes of Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald and Dean Martin taking the sound of Kansas City with her. You may have seen her in one of Kevin Wilmott's movies, NINTH STREET and C.S.A.I worked with Queen Bey during a run of AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ at the American Heartland Theatre. Not only did she bring in record-setting…See More

A blog post by The Billy Bats was featured Jan 9, 2010

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Kansas City Blues Society column. JASON VIVONE talks a BLUE STREAK with QUEEN BEY

Blog post by The Billy Bats Jan 9, 2010

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Interview with Jason Vivone of The Billy Bats from BLUES MATTERS #52 As a teenager, I’d wait backstage for the old blues guys in ..Chicago.. and ....Kansas City.... to show me something on guitar.…

Interview with Jason Vivone of The Billy Bats from BLUES MATTERS #52As a teenager, I’d wait backstage for the old blues guys in ..Chicago.. and ....Kansas City.... to show me something on guitar. Hubert Sumlin, Son Seals, Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis, Jessie Mae Hemphill and a woman I don't think is known outside of Kansas City too much, Rosemary Robinson. In my mid-20's, I was in Branson playing for an Elvis impersonator and I put my guitar away for years. It made me sick to be without my blues.…See More

Blog post by The Billy Bats Jan 6, 2010

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from BLUES MATTERS, #52 pg 108 Interview with the BILLY BATS's Jason Vivone

As a teenager, I’d wait backstage for the old blues guys in Chicago and Kansas City to show me something on guitar. Hubert Sumlin, Son Seals, Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis, Jessie Mae Hemphill and a woman I don't think is known outside of Kansas City too much, Rosemary Robinson. In my mid-20's, I was in Branson playing for an Elvis impersonator and I put my guitar away for years. It made me sick to be without my blues. About three years ago, I was directing a production of THE COLORED MUSEUM and…See More

Blog post by The Billy Bats Dec 21, 2009

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Photos posted by The Billy Bats Dec 4, 2009

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bat sightings here too

www.myspace.com/thebillybats

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"Pretty wild stuff. Hill country blues on acid." Chuck Haddix, Co-author of Kansas City Jazz: From Ragtime to BeBop- a History”

“The Billy Bats are a two-piece from Kansas, consisting of Jason Vivone on guitar and vocals, and Zach McCall on drums and vocals. As such, comparisons to the White Stripes seem inevitable. Indeed, a song like ‘Tangled’ could in fact be the Stripes. However, what stops them becoming mere copyists is that their Blues influences appear genuine. There’s an Elmore James feel to ‘Crash and Burn’, a Wolf vocal married to a Hooker boogie on ‘Subtle Nuance’, and a Robert Plant lustiness to ‘Kung Pow Chicken’. It’s fat, bassy music with plenty of space in it. They’ve retained the rhythm of the Blues form but dispensed with the histrionic guitar parts. What the Billy Bats have in their arsenal that gives them their own identity is a deadpan sense of humor, such as the ‘MSG is good for you’ chant in ‘Kung Pow Chicken’; the furtive development of a fledgling relationship in ‘Bed or Sofa’; or in the kookiness of love song ‘Sweet Pea’. It’s too adult and knowing to capture the teenage market the Stripes have, but for those with a taste for irony and off kilter Blues then you should find something to sink your teeth into here.”
Duncan Jamieson, BLUES MATTERS #51

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The Billy Bats's Blog

Remembering Hubert Sumlin

The first time I met Hubert Sumlin he made me laugh and cry.

You couldn't help but laugh when he'd solo. His guitar screamed then mumbled then stuttered then slurped. Often he'd remove his hands from the instrument and shrug as if it caught him by surprise, too.

Backstage at Grant Park, I told him some of the real heavy stuff I was feeling as a 16 year old kid. And he listened. He didn't tell me I was crazy. Or stupid. He just listened. And that made me cry.

We ran into…

Continue

Posted on December 22, 2011 at 2:26pm

KING OF THE ROOTS interview by special permission from author Aarik Danielsen and The Columbia Tribune

http://www.columbiatribune.com/weblogs/art-axis/2011/sep/06/king-of-the-roots-ready-to-rock-roots-n-blues/

There seems to have been some confusion from my first posting of this but Mr. Danielsen has granted permission as long as we credit his authorship and acknowledge its original appearance in The Columbia Tribune. Thanks.

'King of the…

Continue

Posted on September 8, 2011 at 2:00pm

Billy Bats update

It's been a fun, weird year.

I wasn't sure 12 months ago if there would be a Billy Bats anymore. Since 2006, I'd been playing with a drummer all over the Midwest. It was fun. My guitar and vocal chops were pushed all the time.

Being a two piece is hard though. I refer to it sometimes as my second marriage. A lot of things come up for discussion that may not if there's more people.

I developed a side project with a group of musician friends. We…

Continue

Posted on August 18, 2011 at 1:00pm

ABOUT THE NEW TUNES

These are a pack of tunes I wrote in the 90's. After a stint playing in a Vegasy Elvis type show in Branson I quit music. These songs were stuck in a trunk. Friends of mine from those days would remind me of them every so often-- quoting lyrics, etc.

The Billy Bats gives me a chance to explore all sources of American party music - blues, soul, country. These tunes give me a chance to explore who I was and what I've become.

Posted on April 16, 2010 at 3:23pm

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