Musician’s Corner Feature – R. L. Griffin

R. L. GRIFFIN  

Musician R. L. Griffin, often called “the Right Reverend of the Blues”, is, and has been a major musical force in the South Dallas music scene since his arrival from Kilgore, Texas in 1967. He started out playing drums in his home town in the high school band. When he arrived in Dallas, he sat in with Big Bo & The Arrows, who had a number of records on Duchess and Gay-Shel. He recorded his own album, I’ll follow you, on this label with this band.  

He then left the band to pursue a singing career and often worked with Freddie King, and took Bobby Bland and Z.Z. Hill as early role models. R.L. recorded many songs with Al “TNT’ Braggs producing and had Braggs’ brother James, Andrew “Jr. Boy” Jones, and Smokin’ Joe Kubek playing guitar on his recordings. These were released on the Classic label.  

After playing in many Dallas honky tonks like Louann’s, The Red Jacket, and the Climax Club which was owned by Jack Ruby, Griffin opened his own club in 1987 called Blues Alley changing the name six years later to Blues Palace.  

Griffin is still a major figure on the Dallas music scene, showcasing local and national talent at his 2nd Blues Palace location at 3100 Grand Ave., in Dallas.