Benny Turner BT Audio CD: Blues Tributes and Three Original Songs

Some listeners want a broad survey of blues, others prefer a release shaped by one musician’s history and musical connections. BT takes the more personal route. Benny Turner celebrates his 85th birthday with a spirited salute to artists and traditions represented throughout his career. This Audio CD runs 37 minutes and features eight tracks, including three original songs.

Quick overview

Turner’s musical story reaches across blues, gospel, and R&B, and the album brings several of those connections into focus. Its tributes include Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Dee Clark, Hank Ballard, and Big Chief Bo Dollis. The track list moves from familiar blues titles such as “Going Down Slow” to “Finger Poppin’ Time” and “Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It Right),” also identified as a tribute to Big Chief Bo Dollis. Three original tunes add Turner’s own material to the set, so the release pairs musical homages with songs of his own.

Turner began performing with his brother, blues guitarist Freddie King, and went on to work with artists including Mighty Joe Young and Marva Wright. His career also included time with gospel group The Kindly Shepherds and a tour with R&B singer Dee Clark. That range gives the album a personal point of view: it reflects the connections of a working musician with more than six decades in music, rather than presenting a general overview of blues history. Vocal harmonizing recalls Turner’s gospel background, adding another thread to the tribute.

Tips for day-to-day use

At 37 minutes, BT suits a focused listening break or a compact addition to a blues playlist. Playing the tracks in order lets the tributes and original songs unfold as one birthday salute, selecting individual tracks makes it easy to bring a particular title into a listening session. For a playlist centered on musical influences, “Going Down Slow” and the Big Chief Bo Dollis tribute offer clear starting points, while the original songs bring Turner’s own writing into the mix.

Usage tips

This release is a strong match for listeners exploring blues through the musicians who played, toured, and recorded across its traditions. It also gives longtime blues fans a way to hear Benny Turner in the spotlight, after years as a career sideman. Consider it alongside a broad genre sampler when choosing what to play: a sampler offers wider coverage, while BT keeps the focus on one artist’s musical relationships, vocal harmonies, and original tunes.

The track list includes “Bump Miss Susie,” “Going Down Slow,” “That’s When I Call On You,” “Born in This Time,” “Finger Poppin’ Time,” “Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It Right),” “Sleepy Time in the Barnyard,” and “Who Sang It First.” These titles make it simple to choose a familiar entry point or follow the album from beginning to end. Its short running time also makes a complete listen easy to fit into a dedicated music break.

Should you buy it?

Choose BT if you want a Benny Turner release grounded in his blues and gospel background, with tributes to artists tied to his musical life and three original songs in the same set. It works especially well for listeners building a blues collection around individual artists and their influences, and for anyone curious to hear a veteran musician take center stage on a concise, personal salute.