Fascinating read, all.

I've just heard Sally Traffic's bulletin and my mind wandered to Sonny Black and I ended up here! The power of the internet, eh?
I can't believe it was more than ten years ago that I was actually inside Roundel Studios in Kent watching Bill (and the band) recording what I always remember as the "Kelly's Blues" session, which became the bulk of Heart & Soul.
We were not there in any technical or musical capacity but, and this is typically Bill, had been invited along purely because, and much to the chagrin of Roger, the owner of Roundel, we were fans of the music.
Janet had been following Sonny Black for some time when I met her and, as well as being a groupie "par excellence", was a CD-pusher without equal- give her a foyer, or just a trestle table, a glass of orange juice and a box of your unsold recordings and you could be confident the tenners would roll in. Besides, those that have met Bill will realise that he isn't exactly money-obsessed and needed some encouragement in that particular direction. Indeed, he sometimes had to be reminded to bring his box of CD's in from the car boot!
I first saw The Dukes at The Station Tavern, next to Latimer Road tube, circa late 99, with Bill, Dan Smith (keyboards), George Pearson (bass) and Sam Kelly on drums. Four GREAT players in one place at the same time. Although the punters were enjoying the music and the mix of bluesy guitar and boogie-woogie, one had the feeling that something, or someone, had to give........

Bob