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THE BiTS INTERVIEW: MARK HUMMEL

Mark Hummel (born December 15, 1955) is an American blues harmonica player, vocalist,
songwriter, and long-time bandleader of the Blues Survivors. Since 1991, Hummel has

produced the Blues Harmonica Blowout tour, of which he is also a featured performer.
The shows have featured blues harmonica players such as James Cotton, Carey Bell, John
Mayall and Charlie Musselwhite.

Hummel wrote a book about his musical travels for Mountain Top Publishing called Big
Road Blues: 12 Bars On I-80 in 2012.

Ian McKenzie spoke to him on the telephone at his home in California, about the book and

his life.

MH: Hey, Ian.

BiTS: Hello, Mark. How nice to speak to you. Thanks for agreeing to speak to me.

MH: Yeah, no problem,
man.

BiTS: Good. Good. What I
want to do, of course, is
talk to you about your
career and also about the
fabulous book you wrote
and maybe even the future
as well. You happy with
that?

MH: Sure. That sounds
great.

BiTS: Okay, let’s talk first
of all about the immediate
future. You've got another
one of your harmonica gigs
coming up. Is that all

complete?
MH: I do. That is all booked, yes, but we haven't played it yet.

BiTS: Of course, no. That's in February, isn't it?

MH: Yeah, it’s February. Where are you calling from, by the way?

BiTS: From England, the South Coast.

MH: Oh, okay, all right. I was just there last year.

BiTS: Were you now. I didn't know that. Did you do a tour over here?

MH: Yeah, I did a tour over there, and what did I play near you? I think it was Brighton.