“It is important that we preserve and grow the Blues, because of its musical and cultural importance. Compared to other genres of music the legacy of Blues outweighs all of them by leaps and bounds. This is not to say that other genres don’t have importance, because they do. But Blues is in a class by itself! This music has influenced people all over the world. In every corner of the planet people know the Blues.”

Russ Green: Stone Cold, Windy Blues

Musically Russ’ career has continued to grow. Not only has he been tremendously influenced by Sugar Blue, but also from Chicago’s other living legendary harmonica player, Billy Branch. He playfully describes his relationship with his two mentors as like two little devils standing on each shoulder whispering in his ear of how he should play. He has also played, recorded and toured with John Primer and Lurrie Bell. His producing credits include a CD for Big Llou Johnson of B.B King’s Bluesville onSirius/XM satellite radio. That CD won a Blues Music Award for Best New Artist. He is also one of the harmonica players featured on a CD that has received rave reviews and has been played on radio stations around the world, the Chicago Blues Harmonica Project. This recording has been credited with proving that the harmonica is still alive and vibrant in Chicago. Russ has played in a number of Blues festivals in Europe and USA.

(Russ Green / Photo by Howard D. Simmons)

Green’s new album titled “Stone Cold” (Release Day: MAY 29, 2026), the follow-up to his acclaimed 2018 debut, City Soul, named by DownBeat as one of the best blues albums of that year. His latest album displays Green's maturity as a songwriter, his expressive vocals and the raw power of his harp work. Backing Green on the album are Giles Corey and Vince Agwada on guitar, Vic Jackson on bass, Felix “D Kat” Pollard on drums and Joe Munroe on keys. Stone Cold is tightly coiled around Green's razor-sharp harp, delivered with soul-rich vocals filled with inventive lyrical imagery. Russ Green may have taken a while to travel that long and winding path to the blues highway, but once he got there, the results are perfectly stone cold!

Interview by Michael Limnios                         Archive: Russ Green, 2018 Interview

Special Thanks: Betsie Brown (Blind Raccoon)

What keeps a musician passionate over the years? How does your hometown that affect your music?

I think the thing that keeps the passion is the desire to say something. Whether that be lyrically or instrumentally. Musicians are just like everyone else in that they have thoughts, feelings and ideas about the world we live in. The difference from most people is that musicians have a platform through which they can communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas. Not all make the choice to take on serious topics but some do and that’s just fine. Because not everything has to have a message or be serious. Music is and should be fun and enjoyable for all. For my latest album, “Stone Cold”, I chose to have a mix of topics. And that works for me. Instrumentally speaking, I think the passion remains with continued growth in the mastery of your instrument. You have to keep learning new things and trying new stuff because that keeps your interest. It will come across in your recordings as well as live performances. And will be seen in the listeners and audiences appreciation of your efforts.

Chicago is my hometown. The Blues scene is absolutely legendary and deserves all the glorification it gets and much, much more. Historically there have been so many great bands and great musicians there. In order to get jobs in those bands the musicians competed with each other. Sometimes you have to be better than the next guy to get the job. The result of this competition is not only beneficial to the individual but it also set a standard for the entire Blues scene. This standard pushed and pushes all involved to up their game. Once upon a time and for my own reasons, I did not always adhere to this standard. But it is where I am now and will always be. In the music I create I am not always straight Chicago Blues. That’s because I have had a different life, different circumstances and different experiences than the previous generations of Blues folks. But I still hold on to the standard and quality of music that makes Chicago Blues what it is.

How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process?

I have grown in comfort, confidence and maturity. In the past I had many different voices telling me what I should be doing. I listened even when it wasn’t who I knew I was and who I wanted to be. The result was me not being true to who I am. And it reflected in my music both in the music I create and how I approached my instrument. Now, I just don’t give a damn how anyone thinks I should play or create music. Because when I did so I did myself no favors and my dedication to my craft was just not there. I am true to me and I will never be any other way. I can’t please everyone so I will please myself. So if someone enjoys what I do then I am truly grateful for that. If someone doesn’t appreciate my music that’s ok. Move on and find what works for you. Because that is what is what I’m going to do.

In light of my growth in comfort, confidence and maturity, nothing is the same for me. My music making process is who I am and I will never be anything that doesn’t work for me.

“I think the thing that keeps the passion is the desire to say something. Whether that be lyrically or instrumentally. Musicians are just like everyone else in that they have thoughts, feelings and ideas about the world we live in.” (Russ Green / Photo by Howard D. Simmons)

What drew you into the blues scene? Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album ‘Stone Cold’?

I didn’t come into the Blues scene in Chicago like many have. I did not have a family lineage that connected me to the music. I really didn’t plan on being in Blues until I found myself there. Harmonica wasn’t even my first choice of instrument. I wanted to be Jimi Hendrix and play guitar. When I started playing I was a film student at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. All of my money went to my student films so I couldn’t afford a guitar. But I had a harmonica that I bought at a shop on the west side of Chicago some years before. So I started messing around with it. Someone told me to check out Sugar Blue when I got back to Chicago and I did. I spent a few months in Chicago before moving to Seattle. That’s where I really started playing and going to jams and sitting in with bands. I eventually moved back to Chicago and started hanging out with Sugar Blue and Billy Branch. And from there it was just a matter of time before I started playing with bands in around town. So the thing that drew me into the Blues scene was just the music and the beauty of it. I experienced the Blues scene and the music from watching it and hanging around all the musicians. But I didn’t really experience the power of the music until I played with John Primer. That was when I was able to feel the beauty and power of Blues. And when I say beauty and power I mean every bit of that!

My new album “Stone Cold” took me a bit longer to get done than I wanted. But this is just how these things go sometimes. In making it I wanted to make sure that I included a variety of songs. Meaning that stylistically each song is a bit different. Which is what I like and is what works for me. There’s a lot that I would do different with it but that’s always the case I suppose. We are our own worst critics. But overall I like it and I am happy with it.  

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

You know when you play a festival, particularly in the U.S., and you look out at the audience. Most of the folks there are older. There are younger folks but the numbers are not as great. Outside of the U.S. it doesn’t matter as much because oftentimes there is a mix of younger and older folks. But still the majority is older. Now this does not mean that younger people are disinterested in Blues. If you go to clubs you see a lot more younger people in the audience. For me it’s a matter of understanding how people found themselves as fans of the Blues. A lot of the older listeners are those who discovered the Blues because they were fans of The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and many other rock bands. Who introduced them to the Blues and those who were making the music. They became fans and are still listening. And there are those who spent years listening to many types of music but were to necessarily Blues fans. But found their way to it and are now solidly involved in the music. Then there are the younger folks who are fans for a number of reasons. They are musicians themselves, they were influenced by their parents or they live in a city with a vibrant Blues scene and it’s just a natural thing for them to be fans of. So for me this is an added benefit of my desire for variety in my music. I’m not Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells or Buddy Guy. I love their music but I have my own life experiences that share similarities but are also very different. I stand on their shoulders so naturally my music will reflect this. But I will never try to be them. Just by my life experience and how I see the world is reflected in my music. And I’m sure that it appeals to younger listeners. At least those who are inclined to be Blues fans. I think of my song “12 Feet of Water”on “Stone Cold”. It’s a Blues song but you can hear the influence of other genres in it. And that is just reflective of my life experiences. There are other songs on the album that have the same vibe that I think appeal to a wide audience. It’s the same on my previous album “City Soul”. I believe in variety, being grounded in Blues, telling stories in an interesting way and presenting the music a bit different than it has been in the past. I feel that this is an appeal to both older and younger listeners. And it keeps the music relevant to the world today.

“Chicago is my hometown. The Blues scene is absolutely legendary and deserves all the glorification it gets and much, much more. Historically there have been so many great bands and great musicians there. In order to get jobs in those bands the musicians competed with each other. Sometimes you have to be better than the next guy to get the job.” (Russ Green / Photo by Howard D. Simmons)

What's the balance in blues music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?

There is no balance and you can’t separate the two. Blues is a music about life! Those who are getting it right understand that. Proficiency with your instrument allows you to then express the music. So you can’t have one without the other. Those African-Americans that created Blues were not all the most proficient at their instruments. And that in itself is a part of the beauty of the music. But so many were absolutely incredible. Think Little Walter, Big Walter, Lowell Fulsom, T-Bone Walker and so many more. For many of them Blues was the best and only way for them to make a living. So I think you can probably surmise that they did their best to hone their craft and be the best they could. And the result was absolute greatness that we still celebrate today.

It is important that we preserve and grow the Blues, because of it’s musical and cultural importance. Compared to other genres of music the legacy of Blues outweighs all of them by leaps and bounds. This is not to say that other genres don’t have importance, because they do. But Blues is in a class by itself! This music has influenced people all over the world. In every corner of the planet people know the Blues. So from fans to musicians to booking agents to promoters and even governments. We must do what we can to help grow this music that we love. It is far too important to the global human experience.

You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and bars to open air festivals around the US. How do you navigate between these different worlds and local scenes?

Well the biggest difference between playing clubs or bars and festivals is the size of the crowds. It’s also the size of the room you’re playing. In either place you try your best to engage the audience and bring them in to the music with you. It’s a bit more challenging in a festival because you’re a bit further away from the crowd in comparison to a club. In a smaller space like a club you’re much closer to each other and it feels a lot more intimate. That intimacy creates its own energy that feeds the band and the audience. But in both settings you must engage the crowd. You do that with song selection but also by talking to them and bringing them in to the song along with you. If you tell people what the song is about or tell them why you like it, it gives them a greater perspective in the music and why you play. I think it gives the audience a greater stake in the nature of the performance. You also have to read your audience and choose songs that will appeal to them.

Why do you think that Chicago Blues legacy continues to generate such a devoted following?                                                    (Russ Green / Photo by Howard D. Simmons)

I think the legacy of Chicago Blues endures because of the legends that brought it to the world. From Muddy Water, Howlin’ Wolf, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor and so many more. Blues is powerful and it can touch your soul unlike any other genre of music. The greatness of the storytelling, the musical prowess and the unique sound of Blues voices makes this happen. Other areas in the U.S. had a great Blues musicians, but I think Chicago is unique in the large numbers of them in the city. There were popular record labels like Chess, Alligator and Delmark that helped push the music out to the world. There were also a large number of clubs in the city that made it possible for even more musicians to be involved in the Chicago scene. This is what made Chicago the Blues Capital of the world and created it’s legendary status. The legends of other genres like rock, told the world about their heroes from Chicago. All of this solidified Chicago’s Blues legacy. I remember a time when aspiring musicians would come from all over the world to spend time in Chicago and learn the music. Now, the vast majority of the older musicians are no longer with us. But there are still some around and there are still a large number of musicians who played with the legends. There aren’t as many clubs as there used to be, but there is still a lot of great Blues being played in Chicago. All this plus the Chicago Blues Festival has allowed the Blues legacy to continue to thrive in the city. And I think it will continue to do so for a long time.

Russ Green - Home