Davis: Coming up on "Studio 3 LIVE," it's John Primer and the Real Deal Blues Band.

♪ Baby, you know I got to go ♪ A lot of people think the blues is sad music.

Blues is not sad music.

Blues will make you feel good.

If you're feeling sad when you come to hear some blues, you leave, you feel better.

♪ Gotta take you with me, baby ♪ ♪ I will be knocking at your door ♪ Announcer: Musco Lighting is honored to support Iowa PBS.

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While our reach is global, our commitment is local.

The Pella Rolscreen Foundation is a proud supporter of Iowa PBS.

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Announcer: Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.

Good evening and thanks for tuning in to "Studio 3 LIVE."

I'm your host, Mickey Davis.

Tonight, we are joined by Chicago blues legend John Primer and his Real Deal Blues Band.

Since forming his first band in 1964, John has spent more than half a century defining the Chicago blues sound as a bandleader, rhythm guitarist, and house musician at some of Chicago's most important blues clubs.

John has shared the stage with Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, and his idol, Muddy Waters, among others, and he has brought the Chicago blues sound to audiences across the United States and the world.

He is a three-time Grammy nominee, a member of the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame, and a winner of two lifetime achievement awards in the Blues.

These accolades reflect his countless contributions to the history of Chicago blues.

Please help me welcome to the stage John Primer and the Real Deal Blues Band.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You got what I want ♪ ♪ And you know what I need ♪ ♪ You got what I want ♪ ♪ You know what I need ♪ ♪ Don't hold back, baby ♪ ♪ Come on, give it all to me ♪ ♪ You got the love ♪ ♪ You got me spinnin' in a twirl ♪ ♪ You got the love ♪ ♪ You got me spinnin' in a twirl ♪ ♪ Come on, baby ♪ ♪ And let me rock your world ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You got the love ♪ ♪ You got me spinnin' in a twirl ♪ ♪ You got the love ♪ ♪ You got me spinnin' in a twirl ♪ ♪ Come on, baby ♪ ♪ Let me rock your world ♪ ♪ You got the love ♪ ♪ I ain't never had ♪ ♪ You got the love ♪ ♪ I ain't never had ♪ ♪ Don't leave me, baby ♪ ♪ It would make me feel so sad ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Can I rock your world?

♪ ♪ Let me rock your world ♪ ♪ Can I rock your world?

♪ ♪ Let me rock your world ♪ ♪ You've got the love ♪ ♪ I ain't never had ♪ ♪ Don't leave me, baby ♪ ♪ It would make me feel so sad ♪ ♪ Don't leave me, baby ♪ ♪ It would make me feel so bad ♪ ♪ Please don't leave me, baby ♪ ♪ It would make me feel so sad ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Well, I'm goin to Mississippi ♪ ♪ Mississippi, here I come ♪ ♪ I'm goin' back down home ♪ ♪ Mississippi, that's where I was born ♪ ♪ I was born in Mississippi ♪ ♪ Mississippi is my home ♪ ♪ I'm leavin' soon, in the morning ♪ ♪ Baby, you know I got to go ♪ ♪ Leavin' soon in the morning ♪ ♪ And you know I got to go ♪ ♪ I gotta take you with me, baby ♪ ♪ Soon, I will be knocking at your door ♪ ♪ I'm going to Mississippi ♪ ♪ Mississippi, here I come ♪ ♪ I'm going back down ♪ ♪ Mississippi, that's where I'm born ♪ ♪ I was born in Mississippi ♪ ♪ Mississippi is my home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I'm leaving soon, in the morning ♪ ♪ Baby, you know I got to go ♪ ♪ I'm leaving soon, in the morning ♪ ♪ And you know I gotta go ♪ ♪ Gotta take you with me, baby ♪ ♪ Soon, I will be knocking at your door ♪ ♪ They got some women down there ♪ ♪ They really know how to have some fun ♪ ♪ They got some women down there ♪ ♪ Really know how to have some fun ♪ ♪ I'm going back to Mississippi ♪ ♪ Mississippi, here I come ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ They got some women down there ♪ ♪ Really know how to have a ball ♪ ♪ They got some womens down there ♪ ♪ Really know how to have a ball ♪ ♪ And when we start to partyin' ♪ ♪ Oh, we just might break the law ♪ ♪ Hey, I'm goin to Mississippi ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm goin' to Mississippi ♪ ♪ I'm goin' back down home ♪ ♪ Mississippi, that's where I was born ♪ ♪ I was born in Mississippi ♪ ♪ Mississippi is my home ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you!

Yeah!

John, thank you so much for being here.

There's so much about your career and your legacy in the blues, and I'd like to start at the beginning.

What are some of your early experiences with blues music?

And when did you really feel like this was -- this was kind of where you saw yourself going?

Well, it started when I was an early age, but I didn't -- when I was learning to play music, guitars and stuff, I didn't think it would accomplish anything, just something that I wanted to do as a kid.

But after I migrated to Chicago from Mississippi, and that's when I really start seeing all the blues artists that are still alive which I thought was up in blues heaven.

So that's when I said, "Oh, yeah, they're still here, so..." But I've always been a blues lover.

So, Chicago's got the real Mississippi sound, Arkansas and Memphis.

It's got all the sounds.

That, to me, has made Chicago, like, the king of -- the city of the blues.

That gave me a whole lot of hope to know all these guys was alive, Muddy Waters and all these -- I knew B.B.

King was alive.

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

When I was about 14 years old and I was down in Mississippi and I had this dream that I played with Muddy Waters.

My dream came true, and that was my biggest highlight of my life and that was really what started it for me.

I played with all these great guys, but Muddy Waters really put me on the map and got get me started.

So, I want the younger generation to just keep on following the footsteps of the blues.

Don't get away from it.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I call my baby ♪ ♪ I call on the telephone ♪ ♪ Well, I call my baby ♪ ♪ Call on the telephone ♪ ♪ She told me, "Baby, don't worry ♪ ♪ There ain't nothin' goin' on" ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I felt so good ♪ ♪ I almost broke down and cried ♪ ♪ Well, I felt so good ♪ ♪ And I almost broke down and cried ♪ ♪ She left me soon this morning ♪ ♪ She didn't even say goodbye ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I talked to my baby ♪ ♪ Said she was on her way back home ♪ ♪ Yes, I talked to my baby ♪ ♪ She said she was on her way back home ♪ ♪ Well, she left me soon this morning ♪ ♪ My baby been gone too long ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I said, "Baby, please hurry ♪ ♪ Honey, please don't take too long" ♪ ♪ I said, "Baby, please hurry ♪ ♪ Honey, please don't take too long" ♪ ♪ If she don't come back to me ♪ ♪ My whole life will go to ruin ♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Yeah!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ You gotta pay the price ♪ ♪ No matter what you do ♪ ♪ You got to pay the price ♪ ♪ No matter what you do ♪ ♪ If you want some good lovin' ♪ ♪ You got it all right at home with you ♪ ♪ You got to pay the price ♪ ♪ If there's something that you want ♪ ♪ You got to pay the price ♪ ♪ If there's something that you want ♪ ♪ All those things that you want ♪ ♪ You got it all right at home ♪ ♪ If you want some good kissin' ♪ ♪ And you know you want it right ♪ ♪ When you want some good kissin' ♪ ♪ And you know you want it right ♪ ♪ All the those things that you want ♪ ♪ You got to pay the price ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ When you want some good lovin' ♪ ♪ And you know you want it right ♪ ♪ If you want some good lovin' ♪ ♪ And you know you want it right ♪ ♪ All those things that you want ♪ ♪ You got to pay the price ♪ ♪ If you want some good kissin' ♪ ♪ And you know you want it right ♪ ♪ When you want some good lovin' ♪ ♪ And you know you want it right ♪ ♪ All those things that you want ♪ ♪ You got to pay the price ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ All those things that you want ♪ ♪ You got it all right at home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Blues is something that people don't understand.

And a lot of people think the blues is -- They always call it sad music, but it's not sad.

Blues is not sad music.

Blues will make you feel good.

If you're feeling sad when you come to a place to hear some blues, and when you leave, you feel better.

See, so it's not the blues that's sad.

It's the person that comes to hear the blues that's sad.

Those are the ones that's sad, not the music.

The music makes you feel better.

Because I've been told that a lot of times -- "Man, when I was at home and I was feeling bad, I had a bad time, but I came out tonight and I hear the blues and I heard you play the blues, now I can go back home and sleep good, because, hey, you made me feel good about it."

Yeah.

Yeah.

So it's not sad at all.

It heals you.

Y'all feel alright?

[ Crowd cheers ] Y'all feel good?

[ Crowd cheers ]d That's good, that's good, that's good.

That makes me feel good.

[ Laughs ] And the whole band.

Woman: Y'all are smokin'!

One time for the Real Deal Blues Band.

Longtime bass player for the late, great Koko Taylor.

Melvin Smith on the bass.

[ Cheers and applause ] Young man on the harmonica been doing this about 35 years.

I knew him since he was 6 years old.

And he come from a blues family.

That's Steve Bell.

How about Steve Bell?

Lenny Media on the drums, y'all.

[ Cheers and applause ] All these guys is from Chicago.

I live in Chicago, but I'm from Mississippi.

But I've been in Chicago a long time, since 1963.

I'm gonna do a song that's based on the hard time, when we was having a hard time during the pandemic.

Alright.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hard time ♪ ♪ Hard time here once again ♪ ♪ Hard time and troubles ♪ ♪ Hard-time trouble here once again ♪ ♪ Somebody tell me ♪ ♪ When will this hard time ever end?

♪ ♪ I ain't got no job ♪ ♪ My job's done closed down ♪ ♪ I ain't got no job ♪ ♪ My job's done closed down ♪ ♪ The landlord said, can't pay my rent, I got to ♪ ♪ Find somewhere to lay my body down ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Come on.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hard time ♪ ♪ About to get the best of me ♪ ♪ Hard time and trouble ♪ ♪ About to get the best of me ♪ ♪ Hard time and trouble, yeah ♪ ♪ Just won't let me be ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hard time ♪ ♪ Please leave me alone ♪ ♪ Hard time and trouble ♪ ♪ Won't you leave me alone?

♪ ♪ Hard time and trouble ♪ ♪ Make me lose my happy home ♪ ♪ Hard time and trouble ♪ ♪ Make me lose my happy home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Thank you, thank you.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I think I love you too much ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I think I love you too much ♪ ♪ Every time I see you, baby ♪ ♪ I want to add a little to it ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ Why am I treated so bad?

♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ Why am I treated so bad?

♪ ♪ Girl, you know you're the best thing ♪ ♪ That I ever had ♪ ♪ I want to love you in the morn' ♪ ♪ Love you in the evening ♪ ♪ Love you late at night ♪ ♪ When the moon is shining bright ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ Make everything alright ♪ ♪ Well, I need your lovin', baby ♪ ♪ Your love is out of sight ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I think I love you too much ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I think I love you too much ♪ ♪ Every time I see you, baby ♪ ♪ I want to add a little to it ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I wanna love you in the mornin' ♪ ♪ Love you in the evening ♪ ♪ Love you late at night ♪ ♪ When the moon is shining bright ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ Honey, make everything alright ♪ ♪ Well, I need your lovin', baby ♪ ♪ Your love is out of sight ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I think I love you too much ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I think I love you too much ♪ ♪ Every time I see you, baby ♪ ♪ I want to add a little to it ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ Why am I treated so bad?

♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ Why am I treated so bad?

♪ ♪ Yeah, you're the worst of the best things ♪ ♪ The girls that I ever had ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I think I love you too much ♪ ♪ Every time I see you, baby ♪ ♪ I wanna add a little to it ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Yeah!

What was the experience like the night that the Rolling Stones came to see Muddy Waters play with you guys?

That was a great night, because I knew about the Rolling Stones.

I listen to their music, but, you know, I never thought they would show up.

Yeah.

And, all of a sudden, we're up there playing.

All of a sudden, called Muddy up, and they come through the door.

All of them -- Keith Richards, Mick Jagger.

They all came through there.

When Muddy called them all up to the stage, the guitar player named Rick Kreher, us two -- we thought we had to leave the stage, but only Rick left the stage.

But when I got ready to give my guitar, Muddy told them, said, "No, no, no, no.

You stay.

You stay there."

And I was up there all night long.

I stayed up there all night long in that video.

What an amazing experience.

And listened to all them guys, and everybody was feeling good.

And I think that goes to show, too, you know, you think of the Rolling Stones, they talk a lot about blues being such an important part of their musical kind of inspiration, too.

You know, I think the blues, as a genre, has influenced so much music even that you hear today, you know, from rock music to hip-hop and everything.

There's so much of the blues kind of built into all of that.

Well, I tell you, you know, the Rolling Stones, when they came from England, they came to Chess Records, see, and they would come there to see what was going on in the beginning.

And they wanted to play the blues, and that's how they got their big name, the Rolling Stones, from Muddy Waters singing the song "Rolling Stone."

But when the Rolling Stones came there and they start singing that blues and stuff, it really made the blues.

That boosted the blues way up high.

It start -- From then or ever since then, since they did that, the blues -- it's never stopped.

It always kept -- Keep going now.

Yeah, they really had a big influence on the blues.

I love them guys, man.

Yeah, yeah.

Although, the night at Checkerboard, when they came in there, that's the only time I met them and the last time I saw them in person.

I haven't seen them since in person, yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Woman was made to be loved ♪ ♪ Not to be beat on ♪ ♪ A woman is made to be loved ♪ ♪ Not to be beat on ♪ ♪ She will give you good lovin' ♪ ♪ Every time you get home ♪ ♪ A woman, she will feed you ♪ ♪ And she will wash your dirty clothes ♪ ♪ A woman, she will feed you ♪ ♪ And wash your dirty clothes ♪ ♪ Hey, baby ♪ ♪ I ain't gonna do it no more ♪ ♪ Woman was made to be loved ♪ ♪ Not to be beat on ♪ ♪ Woman was made to be loved ♪ ♪ Not to be beat on ♪ ♪ She will give you good lovin' ♪ ♪ Every time you get home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Woman was made to be loved ♪ ♪ Not to be beat on ♪ ♪ Woman was made to be loved ♪ ♪ Not to be beat on ♪ ♪ She will give you good lovin' ♪ ♪ Every time you get home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ She will give you good lovin' ♪ ♪ Every time you get home ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Yeah!

Can you talk a little bit about the story behind your song "Poor Man Blues"?

That song -- you know, back in the days in Ethiopia, when all the people were starving over there, and I start thinking about it.

So I said, "Man, these people starving every day.

I'm gonna write a song."

And I was sitting in the motel room and I just got my pencil and started writing, and I wrote the song "Poor Man Blues."

Peoples in the world starving everywhere, who need food, water and clothing and shelter.

It's still relevant.

It's still relevant, yeah.

Yeah.

♪♪ ♪ I'm a poor man ♪ ♪ Living the best way that I can ♪ ♪ Whoa, I'm a poor man ♪ ♪ Living the best way that I can ♪ ♪ Well, I need me some money ♪ ♪ So I can loan a helping hand ♪ ♪ There are some peoples in the world today ♪ ♪ That don't have no food or drink ♪ ♪ There are some peoples in the world today ♪ ♪ That don't have no food or drink ♪ ♪ But if we all get together, lend a helping hand ♪ ♪ So they can have a place to sleep ♪ ♪ They need food, clothes, water, and shelter to ♪ ♪ Help them through the day and night ♪ ♪ They need food, clothes, water, and shelter ♪ ♪ Help them through the day and night ♪ ♪ And everyone will be so happy ♪ ♪ Everything will be alright ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm a poor man ♪ ♪ Living the best way that I can ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm a poor man ♪ ♪ Living the best way that I can ♪ ♪ Well, I need me some money ♪ ♪ So I can lend a helping hand ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ They need food, clothes, water, shelter ♪ ♪ Help them through the day and night ♪ ♪ They need food, clothing, water, and shelter ♪ ♪ Help them through the day and night ♪ ♪ And everyone would be so happy ♪ ♪ Every little thing will be alright ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm a poor man ♪ ♪ Living the best way that I can ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm a poor man ♪ ♪ Living the best way that I can ♪ ♪ Yes, I need me some money ♪ ♪ So I can loan a helping hand ♪ Help the people, y'all.

People starving all over the world today.

Everywhere.

[ Cheers and applause ] Okay, okay, we'll do one more.

This song is on me, right?

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I got love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I got love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I wanna put my arms around you and be close to you ♪ ♪ I got love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I got love, oh, love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I wanna put my arms around you and be close to you ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I got love, oh, love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I got love, oh, love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I wanna put my arms around you and be close to you ♪ ♪ I got love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I got love, oh, love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I wanna put my arms around you and be close to you ♪ ♪ I wanna hold your body, I wanna hold it next to mine ♪ ♪ I wanna hold your body, baby, I wanna hold it next to mine ♪ ♪ I want to bring out that love, can I just get some time?

♪ I got love, oh, love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I got love, oh, love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I wanna put my arms around you and be close to you ♪ Thank you once again, ladies and gentlemen.

[ Cheers and applause ] Thank you for coming out to PBS, y'all, the studio, to check out the blues.

My name is John Primer and the Real Deal Blues Band.

♪ We got love in my heart for you ♪ ♪ I wanna put my arms around you and be close to you ♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Davis: "Studio 3 LIVE" is also available as a podcast.

Get it wherever you get your podcasts.

Announcer: Musco Lighting is honored to support Iowa PBS.

We're an Iowa company that lights local schools, community fields, and stadiums, arenas and venues in more than 125 countries.

While our reach is global, our commitment is local.

The Pella Rolscreen Foundation is a proud supporter of Iowa PBS.

Pella Windows & Doors strives to better our communities and build a better tomorrow.

Announcer: Funding for this program was provided by Friends, the Iowa PBS Foundation, as well as generations of families and friends who feel passionate about the programs they watch on Iowa PBS.