When Hot Club of Cowtown coalesced as a trio in 1996, fiddler/vocalist Elana James and guitarist/vocalist/avid 78 collector Whit Smith had already worked together in two other big Swing bands doing '20s/'30s Hot Jazz, Western Swing and Tin Pan Alley classics. After breaking up to pursue solo careers, they reformed HCOC in 2006 and continue to display a broad range of tastes.  

Six degrees of Kevin Bacon? The boy's got nothing on Delbert McClinton. The Texas native got his chops in a Blues house band that played behind Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson and Jimmy Reed, then played harmonica in the early '60s for Bruce Channel and gave harp lessons to John Lennon backstage during Channel's UK tour.