The Shadows (7)

(From AllMusic.com) Known best for their longtime residence at Blind Willie's, a popular blues club in Atlanta, the Shadows released several albums during the '90s before the untimely death of singer/guitarist Mike Lorenz. Shadows bassist Roger Gregory opened Blind Willie's in 1986 with Eric King. The club, which is located in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, hosted many local blues artists such as Billy Wright, Grady "Fats" Jackson, Sandra Hall, and Chicago Bob. In 1988, Chicago Bob, who was also a Blind Willie's resident, recorded an album called Just Your Fool that featured the Shadows as his backing band. A few years later, in 1992, the Shadows -- comprised of Gregory, Lorenz, harp/saxman Albey Scholl, and drummer Tom Chavers -- released an album of their own, Party Tuff or Stay Home!, that Ichiban released. Several successive albums followed: It Ain't Easy Bein' Sleazy (1993), Steppin' to the Shadows (1994), Dreamtime (1994), Dark Side of the Shadows (1995), Pale Interpretators (1997), and One Night of Sin (2000). Unfortunately, Lorenz died an accidental death on July 3, 2001, when his car caught on fire behind his home after he'd fallen asleep with the car running. (From Creative Loafing) Catch a night spotlighting The Shadows where they break loose and dig deeper into their own music. As Blind Willie's Blues Club's house band, The Shadows have backed both national acts and local talent for decades. The musical chops needed to back visiting artists across genres is extreme, and you clearly hear the skill honed across thousands of nights playing all styles of blues along with jazz, R&B, and soul as headline musicians have taken a turn on stage with The Shadows. The Shadows have been with the club since the very beginning in 1986 - Blind Willie's co-founder and Shadows bassist Roger Gregory literally helped build the club with his own hands. From hammer to strings, Roger strikes a perfect rhythm while Albey Scholl (harmonica, sax, vocals), Kenny Kilgore (guitar), and Bill Stewart (drums) send it solid.