There has always been a correlation between the blues and the animal kingdom, as illustrated by a few songs from my recent Kansas City Blues Show. Many blues artists have claimed to be animals in their songs, as did Omar & the Howlers in their song “Monkey Land.” Also, Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds) on his Tigerman CD and title cut “Tigerman.” And of course John Lee Hooker has been a “Crawlin’ King Snake” since the 1950’s.
Don’t forget the groups like the Animals, Cobras, Flamingos, Kingsnakes and Alligator Records, all named for animals you might find in the zoo. So, when B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ decided to host a benefit for the Kansas City Zoo, it made perfect sense because of the tie-in with the blues. The band that will entertain you during the fundraiser this Sunday (5/16), Platinum Express, has a history with the Zoo as they performed for nearly 5,000 people at Jazzoo last Summer. All proceeds from the afternoon’s festivities will go towards supporting the nearly 1,000 animals who call Kansas City home.
