Action Harmonica
For my first post I thought it was only natural that I combine harmonica with my first love; Action Movies! And when Action Movies come to mind, Bruce Willis comes to mind, which is why today I will be talking about Bruce Willis and the blues harp.
Before his action days, Bruce began playing harmonica in a band called Loose Goose in the local bars in New Jersey. After a few years and his acting break starring across famed actress Cybil Sheppard in the TV series "Moonlighting", Motown released the 1987 Bruce Willis album, "The Return of Bruno". (Bruno Radolini being Bruce's alter-ego.) The album peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The single "Respect Yourself" became a hit. He wrote the song "Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)" on the album which showcases his harp playing and blues influences. He then turned "The Return of Bruno" into a Mock/Rockumentary which starred the likes of Elton John, Michael J Fox, Ringo Starr, Grace Slick, Brian Wilson and others.
Bruce Willis performing Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)
Bruce went on to play a number of great action and comedy roles in movies such as the Die Hard trilogy and Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, as well as owning a piece of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain along side Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. When the chain later filed for bankrupcy reorganisation, Willis returned to music and began touring Europe to promote interest in the restaurant. His love for the blues harp and singing became his first priority and he turned down the Andy Garcia role in Ocean's Eleven to concentrate on recording a new EP. He also set up a record label, the Uptop Music Corporation.
Bruce Willis and Robben Ford
Amoungst all this, the last 15 years were spent fronting the blues band "The Accelerators". The band has performed for troops in Kenya, Iraq and Korea. You can also hear Bruce's harmonica on the Brian Setzer (from the Stray Cats) album "Live Nude Guitars". Bruce has also performed at B.B. King's restaurant and nightclub, the "Official All-Star Cafe" and at "A Night For Ray Charles". He's jammed with Joe Walsh and Robben Ford. Bruce Willis as well as delivering some witty one liners while things explode around him has played the blues harp along side some of the finest blues has to offer. He does this with respect, confidence and a genuine love for the music.
Bruce Willis, BB King and Billy Preston at A Night For Ray
That's all for today. I hope you enjoyed learning about action blues harp. Yippee ki-ay mother f#$^er's!
Before his action days, Bruce began playing harmonica in a band called Loose Goose in the local bars in New Jersey. After a few years and his acting break starring across famed actress Cybil Sheppard in the TV series "Moonlighting", Motown released the 1987 Bruce Willis album, "The Return of Bruno". (Bruno Radolini being Bruce's alter-ego.) The album peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The single "Respect Yourself" became a hit. He wrote the song "Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)" on the album which showcases his harp playing and blues influences. He then turned "The Return of Bruno" into a Mock/Rockumentary which starred the likes of Elton John, Michael J Fox, Ringo Starr, Grace Slick, Brian Wilson and others.
Bruce Willis performing Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)
Bruce went on to play a number of great action and comedy roles in movies such as the Die Hard trilogy and Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, as well as owning a piece of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain along side Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. When the chain later filed for bankrupcy reorganisation, Willis returned to music and began touring Europe to promote interest in the restaurant. His love for the blues harp and singing became his first priority and he turned down the Andy Garcia role in Ocean's Eleven to concentrate on recording a new EP. He also set up a record label, the Uptop Music Corporation.
Bruce Willis and Robben Ford
Amoungst all this, the last 15 years were spent fronting the blues band "The Accelerators". The band has performed for troops in Kenya, Iraq and Korea. You can also hear Bruce's harmonica on the Brian Setzer (from the Stray Cats) album "Live Nude Guitars". Bruce has also performed at B.B. King's restaurant and nightclub, the "Official All-Star Cafe" and at "A Night For Ray Charles". He's jammed with Joe Walsh and Robben Ford. Bruce Willis as well as delivering some witty one liners while things explode around him has played the blues harp along side some of the finest blues has to offer. He does this with respect, confidence and a genuine love for the music.
Bruce Willis, BB King and Billy Preston at A Night For Ray
That's all for today. I hope you enjoyed learning about action blues harp. Yippee ki-ay mother f#$^er's!
Labels: blues, blues harp, Chicago blues, harmonica
posted by RockaTasha at
1:54 PM
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