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Hugh Laurie looks at how the blues influenced the world of rock 'n' roll, with music from Elvis, Springsteen and more. Plus he plays his own version of the classic 'Mystery Train'.

Actor, comedian and musician Hugh Laurie presents this new series in which he examines the ways in which the blues has influenced all the types of popular music that we listen to today.

Each week he'll be playing a song with his acclaimed Copper Bottom Band and using that as a starting point from which to explore the permutations and permeations of the music that he loves.

This week, Hugh plays and sings "Mystery Train" and traces its roots back to an Elizabethan folk ballad and an early 20th century country song before looking at how its influenced the world of rock'n'roll, with music from Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Lonnie Donegan, Led Zeppelin and more.

Hugh Laurie is an English actor, comedian, writer, musician and director. He first became known as one half of the Fry and Laurie double act, along with his friend and comedy partner Stephen Fry, whom he joined in the cast of A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Blackadder and Jeeves and Wooster from 1985 to 1999.

From 2004 to 2012, he played Dr. Gregory House, the protagonist of House, for which he received two Golden Globe awards, two Screen Actors Guild awards, and six Emmy nominations. He has been listed in the 2011 Guinness Book of World Records as the highest paid actor ever in a television drama, earning £250,000 ($409,000) per episode in House, and for being the most watched leading man on television.

Acting aside, he is an accomplished pianist, leading the Copper Bottom Band in a smorgasbord of traditional jazz and blues which has so far resulted in two critically acclaimed albums and a series of sell-out world tours.

This is his first series for Radio 2.

57 minutes

Last on

Mon 12 Jan 2015 22:00
BBC Radio 2

More episodes

Previous

The Blues

Next

R&B and Soul

See all episodes from Hugh Laurie's Blues Changes

Music Played

  • Hugh Laurie & The Copper Bottom Band

    Mystery Train

  • The Carter Family

    WORRIED MAN BLUES

    • Wildwood Flower.
    • Not Now Music.
    • NOT2CD 280.

  • Sister Rosetta Tharpe

    This Train

    • The Gospel Truth.
    • Verve.
    • VLP-900B.

  • JUNIOR PARKER

    MYSTERY TRAIN

    • THE SUN STORY.
    • RHINO.
    • RNCD-75884.

  • Elvis Presley

    MYSTERY TRAIN

    • ELVIS AT SUN.
    • RCA/BMG.
    • 82876-613082.

  • Big Maybelle

    Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On

    • Maybelle Blues.
    • Sony.
    • n/a.

  • Jerry Lee Lewis

    Great Balls of Fire

    • American Bandstand.
    • Disky.
    • BX999482.

  • LONNIE DONEGAN

    Rock Island Line

    • Rediscover The 50's-Rock With The C.
    • Old Gold.
    • OG-3202.

  • The Rolling Stones

    LITTLE RED ROOSTER

    • THE ROLLING STONES NOW.
    • LONDON.
    • 820-1332.

  • The Yardbirds

    THE TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN'

  • Led Zeppelin

    Rock And Roll

    • Led Zeppelin - Early Days.
    • Atlantic.
    • 7567--831619-2.

  • THE BAND

    MYSTERY TRAIN

    • THE LAST WALTZ.
    • WARNER BROS.
    • N/A-01.

  • BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

    DOWNBOUND TRAIN

    • BORN IN THE USA.
    • MUSIC PLUS.
    • CDCBS-86304.

  • BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

    Land Of Hope And Dreams

    • WRECKING BALL.
    • COLUMBIA.
    • 88691948362.

  • Jerry Lee Lewis

    Great Balls of Fire

    • The Essential One & Only Jerry Lee Le.
    • Trax Records.

  • Jerry Lee Lewis

    Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On

    • The Essential One & Only Jerry Lee Le.
    • Trax Records.

  • Lonnie Donegan

    Rock Island Line

    • Rediscover The 50's-Rock With The Cav.
    • Old Gold.

  • The Rolling Stones

    Little Red Rooster

  • The Yardbirds

    Train Kept A Rollin' - BBC Session 00/12/1965

  • Led Zeppelin

    Whole Lotta Love

    • Early Days.
    • Atlantic.
    • 13.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 30 Sep 2013 22:00
    BBC Radio 2
  • Mon 12 Jan 2015 22:00
    BBC Radio 2

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