On July 10th, 1997, 105.5 Triple M radio celebrated its 6th anniversary by hosting a sold-out Luther Allison concert at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin. For Luther, this was to be a homecoming party. Since his first Madison concert at the Nitty Gritty in 1969, Luther often returned to the city whenever he had a few days off from touring. He loved this city: the people, its lakes, the fishing, and especially the Music Scene.
He jammed frequently with the local musicians and bands, and he enthusiastically welcomed them to his stage in turn; he believed with all his heart that music was meant to be shared and that the tradition of the jam must be preserved. Madison was home. Unbeknownst to anyone except a few friends, Luther had been diagnosed with terminal lung and brain cancer the day of the Barrymore show. In true Luther Allison style, he performed an intense set, pouring out his love for the Madison audience.
We present you with a few excerpts from that concert. These pieces are not perfect but we feel they are memorable because of the place and time. We have also included "Hometown", a duet performed by Luther and his son, Bernard, taken from the 1995 acoustic CD Hand Me Down My Moonshine. With this cut, Luther celebrates the importance of a "Hometown". Please listen with your heart; follow Luther's lead and live life to the fullest each day. The proceeds from the sale of this CD, Love The People, will help establish a permanent memorial to Luther in Madison. You will also help put Madison on the Blues map.
- From Love The People liner notes
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