♪♪♪ male announcer: From beautiful Solana Beach, this is San Diego's musical showcase "Live at the Belly Up."

In tonight's episode, The Fabulous Thunderbirds take the stage.

Their energetic performances and unique fusion of Texas blues and rock make them a key figure in the American blues genre.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Kim Wilson: How y'all doing?

♪♪♪ ♪ I've been watching you for days now, baby.

♪ ♪ I just love your sexy ways now, baby.

♪ ♪ You know my love will never stop now, baby.

♪ ♪ Just put your loving in my box now, baby.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Well, no more will I shop around now, baby.

♪ ♪ I know I got the best thing in town now, baby.

♪ ♪ I've seen all I want to see now, baby.

♪ ♪ Bring your loving straight to me now, baby.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Well, I'm going to treat you like the queen you are, ♪ ♪ bring you sweet things from my candy jar.

♪ ♪ You've got tricks you ain't never used.

♪ ♪ Give it, give it to me.

♪ ♪ It won't be abused.

♪ ♪ I've been watching you days now, baby.

♪ ♪ I just love your sexy ways now, baby.

♪ ♪ You know my love will never stop now, baby.

♪ ♪ Just put your loving in my box now, baby.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪ Wrap it up.

♪ ♪ I'll take it.

♪ ♪♪♪ Kim: In 1968 I had been listening to a lot of blues with my friends in high school.

I've been going to the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, and I just wanted to do it.

So I picked up a harmonica, I started playing, and in a month or 2 I was in a band.

In a year I was backing up people like--my heroes like Eddie Taylor, George "Harmonica" Smith, Pee Wee Crayton, Will Folsom.

They all lived out in--out here in California at that time, LA.

It was kind of a whirlwind thing.

I mean, you had to just almost be a pest, you know, to get in there and play with these guys, and then after you got in they would have you back hopefully.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ You got me walking in circles with my head in my hand, ♪ ♪ feeling like a stranger in a strange, strange land.

♪ ♪ I'm so uptight and intense.

♪ ♪ It don't make no sense.

♪ ♪ You got me running at a gallop.

♪ ♪ I don't stand a chance when you pull up short ♪ ♪ and throw me over the fence.

♪ ♪ I'm a thoroughbred, baby.

♪ ♪ It don't make no sense.

♪ ♪ Honey, I love you.

Put no one above you.

♪ ♪ Tell me who could love you more.

♪ ♪ Every time I kiss you know I'm going to miss you.

♪ ♪ You the one I'm looking for.

♪ ♪ You know I tried so hard to get next to you.

♪ ♪ Now give me my reward.

♪ ♪ I'll show you what I can do.

♪ ♪ You're straddling the fence.

♪ ♪ It don't make no sense.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Honey, I love you.

♪ ♪ Put no one above you.

♪ ♪ Tell me who could love you more.

♪ ♪ Every time I kiss you know I'm going to miss you.

♪ ♪ You the one I'm looking for.

♪ ♪ You know I tried so hard to get next to you.

♪ ♪ Now give me my reward.

♪ ♪ I'll show you what I can do.

♪ ♪ You're straddling the fence.

♪ ♪ It don't make no sense.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [audience cheering] ♪♪♪ ♪ It was early in the morning ♪ ♪ I heard the rooster crow for day.

♪ ♪ It was early in the morning ♪ ♪ I heard the rooster crow for day.

♪ ♪ Well, I looked out my window, ♪ ♪ saw my baby walk away.

♪ ♪ I cried to Lord, "Please stop her.

♪ ♪ Ain't going to get drunk no more."

♪ ♪ I cried to Lord, "Please stop her.

♪ ♪ Ain't going to get drunk no more."

♪ ♪ Well, I hollered out my window, "Come back, baby.

♪ ♪ Please don't go."

♪ ♪ I know she heard me calling.

♪ ♪ She turned back and waved her hand.

♪ ♪ I know she heard me calling.

♪ ♪ She turned back and waved her hand.

♪ ♪ Well, I heard her tell her mother, ♪ ♪ "That's one no good man."

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Well, I saw my baby leaving ♪ ♪ Her mother had her by the hand.

♪ ♪ Yes, I saw my baby leaving ♪ ♪ Her mother had her by the hand.

♪ ♪ I'd give up anything I've got, just to see that love again.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Kim: How I got started playing music.

Well, I was a horn player when I was a kid, a very young kid like 8, 9 years old; and I was a trombone player.

One day the music teacher came in and he picked me and another kid out of the class and said, "Okay."

And he hands me a baritone horn and he said, "Play it."

So I played it.

And then I switched to trombone.

I was immediately in the band.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ I'm a good man if you give me a chance.

♪ ♪ Well, I'm a good man, baby, if you give me a chance.

♪ ♪ You don't know what you're missing ♪ ♪ when it come to love and romance.

♪ ♪ Yeah, I said I'm a good man if you give me a chance.

♪ ♪ Well, I'm a good man, baby, if you give me a chance.

♪ ♪ You don't know what you're missing ♪ ♪ when it come to love and romance.

♪ ♪ I'll treat you right, baby, treat you like a queen.

♪ ♪ Buy you a car, baby.

Give you everything.

♪ ♪ I'm a good man, baby, if you give me a chance.

♪ ♪ You don't know what you're missing ♪ ♪ when it come to love and romance.

♪ ♪ Yeah.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Well, just try it, baby.

♪ ♪ You'll like it if you try.

♪ ♪ Hold on me, baby, when you get tired of that other guy.

♪ ♪ I said I'm a good man, baby, if you give me a chance.

♪ ♪ Well, you don't know what you're missing, baby, ♪ ♪ when it come to love and romance.

♪ ♪ Yeah, said I'm a good man.

♪ ♪ I'm a good man, baby.

Ooh, yeah.

♪ ♪ Said I'm a good man.

♪ ♪ I'm a good man.

♪ ♪ Now you got to give me a chance.

♪ ♪ I'm a good man, baby.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ I'm in the mood to tear it up.

♪ ♪ I'm in my prime for tearing it up.

♪ ♪ I dig tearing up that stuff.

♪ ♪ I just can't tear it up enough.

♪ ♪ Don't want no full-time love.

♪ ♪ Baby, let me be.

♪ ♪ I need a whole lot of part-time love to satisfy me.

♪ ♪ Don't want no hand-me-downs.

♪ ♪ Got the best rags on my back.

♪ ♪ I don't need no used car.

♪ ♪ I got a brand new Cadillac.

♪ ♪ I'm dying to tear it up.

♪ ♪ I ain't lying.

I'm going to tear it up.

♪ ♪ I dig tearing up that stuff.

♪ ♪ I just can't tear it up enough.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ I've got the finest women living in this town.

♪ ♪ I'm sitting on top of the world.

♪ ♪ Nobody going to get me down.

♪ ♪ I got the diamond ring with gold bracelet to match.

♪ ♪ Baby, I got everything with no strings attached.

♪ ♪ Now maybe go out there having a party I can't be beat.

♪ ♪ Baby, just stay out of my kitchen ♪ ♪ if you can't stand the heat.

♪ ♪ You got to move fast.

♪ ♪ Girl, I ain't going to wait for you.

♪ ♪ I got lots of places to go and a whole lot of things to do.

♪ ♪ I'm in the mood to tear it up.

♪ ♪ We're in our prime for tearing it up.

♪ ♪ I dig tearing up that stuff.

♪ ♪ I just can't tear it up enough.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Aww, I'm itchy and I don't know where to scratch.

♪ ♪ Come on, baby.

♪ ♪ Baby, scratch my back.

♪ ♪ I know you can do it.

♪ ♪ So, baby, get to it.

♪ ♪ Oooh, you looking good, baby.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Now we're doing the chicken scratch.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Yeah, I said I'm itchy ♪ ♪ and I don't know where to scratch.

♪ ♪ Yeah, come on, baby.

♪ ♪ Baby, scratch my back.

♪ ♪ Now I know you can do it.

♪ ♪ So, baby, get to it.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ [audience cheering] Kim: Well, I have many musical influences.

I have blues people.

I have jazz people.

I have people in soul and R&B.

I mean, I love Gene Ammons on the tenor saxophone.

He's an incredible jazz musician.

I like Illinois Jacquet with the blues people, harmonica players.

I really love Little Walter; but I also love James Cotton, George "Harmonica" Smith, Sonny Boy Williamson II Rice Miller, and just a bunch of them.

I mean, there's so many.

Kim: Everybody feeling all right?

We want to bring up a couple of friends of ours.

How about it for the great Laura Chavez who is in Chickenbone Slim, huh?

And my good friend, brother from another mother, I think I'm one of those brothers from the Delgado Brothers, Joey Delgado.

Let's give him a big round of applause.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Well, I don't live like a king.

♪ ♪ I don't drive a big car.

♪ ♪ The gypsy woman was right when she said I would go far.

♪ ♪ Just wait on time, baby.

♪ ♪ I'll be there one day.

♪ ♪ And until I get there, all I can do is hope and pray.

♪ ♪ Well, you said you'll stick with me.

♪ ♪ Stick with me through thick and thin.

♪ ♪ I know someday, baby, my bad luck has got to end.

♪ ♪ You got to wait on time 'cause I'll be there one day.

♪ ♪ Yes, and until I get there, all I can do is hope and pray.

♪ Kim: Come on, Joey.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Well, you know, I live the life I love, ♪ ♪ I love the life I live.

♪ ♪ The life I live, baby, all I have to give.

♪ ♪ So wait on me 'cause I'll be there one day.

♪ ♪ Yes, and until I get there, all I can do is hope and pray.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ You just got to wait on time, baby.

♪ ♪ Yeah, just wait on time now, baby.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Be good to me, baby.

♪ ♪ 'Cause until I get there, all I can do is hope and pray.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Well, you'll just have to wait on time now, baby.

♪ ♪ Just wait on time now, baby.

♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ ♪ 'Cause you've been good to me, baby.

♪ ♪ Because until I get there, all I can do is hope and pray.

♪ ♪♪♪ Kim: Singers, I listen to people like B.B.

King.

I listen to Otis Rush, and I love people like Otis Redding.

I love people like James Brown, James Carr.

You know, those are the R&B people, but there are so many different ones.

I mean, you know, you got people like Wilson Pickett.

It's just incredible.

George Jones in country music who is--has maybe--or had maybe the purest voice I've ever heard.

I actually saw him live once and it was--it blew my mind.

I was crying, literally crying.

♪♪♪ ♪ Give me, give me all your loving.

♪ ♪ Give me all your kissing and hugging.

♪ ♪ Let me know that you are mine.

♪ ♪ Feel me, feel me all the time.

♪ ♪ Baby, never do me wrong and we will always get along.

♪ ♪ We could live so happily, baby, baby, just you and me.

♪ ♪ A piece of paper and a diamond ring, ♪ ♪ baby, that don't mean a thing.

♪ ♪ A little loving tenderness.

♪ ♪ I'm the one who love the best.

♪ ♪ Hold me, baby, and squeeze me tight ♪ ♪ morning, noon, and at night.

♪ ♪ We could live so happily, baby, baby, just you and me.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ A piece of paper and a diamond ring, ♪ ♪ baby, that don't mean a thing.

♪ ♪ A little loving tenderness, I'm the one who love the best.

♪ ♪ Hold me, baby, and squeeze me tight ♪ ♪ morning, noon, and at night.

♪ ♪ We could live so happily, baby, baby, just you and me.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Kim: Well, "Tuff Enuff" was something that I had--that I wrote on an airplane between Dallas and Austin on a barf bag, literally.

And so by the time I got to Austin I pretty much had it done.

That's about a half-an-hour flight, an hour flight.

The ones that come quickly are the--usually the best ones.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ I would walk 10 miles on my hand and knees.

♪ ♪ Ain't no doubt about it, baby.

♪ ♪ It's you I aim to please.

♪ ♪ I'd wrestle with a lion and a grizzly bear.

♪ ♪ It's my life, baby, but I don't care.

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ For you, baby, I would swim the sea.

♪ ♪ Nothing I'd do for you that's too tough for me.

♪ ♪ I'd put out a burning building with a shovel and dirt ♪ ♪ and not even worry about getting hurt.

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ I'd work 24 hours, 7 days a week ♪ ♪ just so I could come home and kiss your cheek.

♪ ♪ I'll love you in the morning, and I'll love you at noon.

♪ ♪ I'll love you in the night, take you to the moon.

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ I'd lay in a pile of burning money that I've earned, ♪ ♪ not even worry about getting burned.

♪ ♪ I'd climb the Empire State, fight Muhammad Ali ♪ ♪ just to have you, baby, close to me.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪ Ain't that tough enough?

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Kim: Thank y'all so much.

♪ Oh, yeah.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪ Put your hands together.

♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Kim: Thank you, thank you.

Thank you so much.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ announcer: "Live at the Belly Up" is brought to you by Pacific Coast Grill with an oceanfront venue featuring Pacific Coast cuisine, including an oyster bar, sushi rolls, and a variety of seafood.

Since 1995, PCG has used fresh, local free-range ingredients to inspire singular-menu creations, hosting seaside special events for groups of 12 to 220.

For reservations and event information, visit pacificcoastgrill.com.

announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explore Local Content fund, supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.