Blues is the Truth Podcast By Ian McHugh cover art

Blues is the Truth

Blues is the Truth

By: Ian McHugh
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Blues is the Truth is a weekly 2 hour radio show, featuring some of the very best new Blues Music alongside some classic tracks that define the genre. Presented for a decade by Ian McHugh, frontman and guitarist with the band Blues is Truth and compere of the Ealing Blues Festival main stage, The show is informative, entertaining and sometimes a little different.... Music
Episodes
  • Blues is the Truth 794

    Blues is the Truth 794
    Mar 21 2026
    The new episode of Blues is the Truth is out now. Ian McHugh back in the chair, and as ever it is supported by the Tuesday night Blues Jam at the Rising Sun in Isleworth.

    This one feels like a proper wander through the blues. You dip into one corner, then another, and before long you are somewhere completely different but it all still hangs together. That is the joy of it.

    There is real pedigree running through the show this week. Bob Margolin brings that deep connection to the Muddy Waters sound, and you will hear Muddy himself in the mix too, along with a nod to the Muddy Waters 100 celebrations. Albert Collins turns up with that sharp, stinging guitar, and Buddy Guy reminds you why he is still one of the greats.

    There is plenty of character elsewhere. Rick Estrin and the Nightcats doing what they do so well, Joanna Connor bringing serious fire, and Matt Schofield alongside Will Johns showing just how strong the modern scene is. You will also hear Marco Pandolfi, Papa George, Junior Watson and Tail Dragger, each bringing their own flavour.

    Closer to home there is some really nice stuff in there too. Leoni Jane Kennedy, Andrew Duncanson, Tim Staffell and Paul Stuart all make an appearance, along with Mark Harrison and Slim Butler. There is also music from Anderson East, Devon Allman, Chris Duarte, Vanessa Collier, Ton O Blues and Doc Stenson and the Amazing Hot Shots.

    It is one of those shows you can just stick on and let it roll. Plenty of groove, a few surprises, and more than a couple of moments that make you stop and listen properly.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 793

    Blues is the Truth 793
    Mar 14 2026
    The new episode of Blues is the Truth is up now. Ian McHugh is back at the helm and, as always, the show is supported by the Tuesday night Blues Jam at the Rising Sun in Isleworth.

    It is one of those weeks where the playlist just seemed to fall into place. You start with a couple of tracks and before long the whole thing takes on a life of its own. There is some proper heavyweight blues in the mix too. Stevie Ray Vaughan turns up in fine form, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers take things right back to the British blues boom, and there is early Fleetwood Mac reminding everyone just how good they were when the blues was front and centre.

    This week’s show also includes a couple of respectful nods to people who meant a great deal to the music. There is a tribute to Mike Vernon, whose work helped shape the British blues scene, and another to John Hammond, a true keeper of the tradition who left an enormous mark on the blues world.

    You will also hear the great Freddie King, Albert Collins, Junior Wells and Otis Rush. That alone would make for a decent show, but there is plenty more going on. Selwyn Birchwood brings a modern edge, Duke Robillard is on terrific form as always, and John Hammond appears twice with a couple of tracks that are well worth the space.

    Elsewhere there is music from Nick Curran, Jordan Officer and Laura Chavez, plus a welcome appearance from Connie Lush. Terry Marshall and Friends keep things moving nicely, the Paul Michael Band are in there again, and you will also hear Mike Vernon and the Mighty Combo, Doc Stenson and the Amazing Hot Shots, Richard Carr, Boogie Beasts, Jerry Portnoy and the Streamliners, and Studebaker John.

    It is a cracking mix this week. Old school blues, newer sounds, a few surprises along the way. Give it a spin and see what you think.
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    2 hrs
  • Blues is the Truth 792

    Blues is the Truth 792
    Feb 28 2026
    A new episode of Blues is the Truth is ready to go, and this one carries a real sense of connection, past and present. Hosted by Ian McHugh and supported by the Tuesday Night Blues Jam at the Rising Sun in Isleworth, the show brings together legends, rising stars and some very special tributes.

    There is beautiful, heartfelt music from the album With a Little Help from my Friends, a Tribute to Matt Long, celebrating a musician who meant so much to so many. Alongside that, you will hear the unmistakable voices and guitars of John Lee Hooker, The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Albert King, sitting naturally alongside the contemporary brilliance of Sunjay, Alice Armstrong, The Paul Michael Band, Omar Coleman and Igor Prado, Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps, Crystal Shawanda and Duke Robillard.

    There is space too for the deep roots and storytelling that make this music what it is, with sounds from Andy Cohen, Eleanor Ellis and William Lee Ellis, Studebaker John, Hurricane Howl, Theo Sieben, Brother Ray Lemellin and the Matinee Kings, and a moment featuring Matt Long alongside Joe Bonamassa that feels especially meaningful.

    This is what the show has always been about. Keeping the music alive, respecting where it came from, and sharing where it is going next.
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    2 hrs
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