2023 OK Blues Hall of Fame Inductees

John Ford, band director, developed a highly successful, decade long tour called the ‘Motown Revue’ traveled the state of Oklahoma. Traveling with tours is nothing new to the native Oklahoman, John Ford. He learned to play the drums at 13 and by age 16 started his own band called the ‘Soul Sonics’ at Douglass High School. At age 17 he formed his second band, The Funky Bunch in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In 1976, John merged with California Malibu’s and began touring. Traveling with the Chi-lites, SOS band, Denise LaSalle, Chocolate Milk and Johnny Taylor. While still in his teenaged years John performed in Chicago, Atlanta, Montgomery, Denver, Jackson MS, Kansas City, MO and Dallas Texas perfecting their sound. After living in Dallas for several years and armed with his format, he moved back to Oklahoma City and formed one of the greatest sounds and well known “THE FUNKY MUSIC MACHINE.”

The Funky Music Machine was the top premier band in Oklahoma City and enjoyed the success of national celebrity status. Always performing to sold out crowd locally and while traveling to surrounding states.

John Ford formed the ‘411 Band in 2004 a very successful band touring with Percy Sledge, Chubby Checker, 3 Dog night and performing in all the top casino’s in Oklahoma. In 2006 he also pulled together the ‘Motown Soul Revue’ consisting of 12 musicians and singers. As they performed at Windstar World Casino and other grand casinos in Oklahoma.

The 411 band still performs under the direction of the master musician John Ford, who will now be inducted into the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame!

‘Smiling’ Paul Huskins grew up in Texas and began playing drums at the age of 11. By the time he was 14 he was playing professionally across the Dallas/Fort Worth area and later in the Houston area. In his formative years, Paul studied many styles of music including Jazz, Rock, County, and of course the Blues. Fred Below, Sam Lay and Sam Carr were very influential blues drummers that helped shape Paul’s playing style. Paul says ‘it’s all about keeping it between the lanes and making the music swing and feel good’!

Paul has had the opportunity to play, write and record with several artists and bands over the course of his 45 plus years of drumming. After countless gigs, blues festivals, and TV appearances, Paul relocated to Oklahoma. For the past several years he’s been providing the backbeat with his band mates David Berntson, Steve Kilman, and Bob Wallace, also known as The Hydramatics.

BBQ Bob Wallace is a veteran of the Oklahoma and California blues scene with over 40 years experience.

The only music available growing up as a child in the Central California town of Atwater was a Top 40 local AM station KYOS in Merced, until he discovered Rhythm & Blues on a high-powered late night Mexican radio station XERB which featured Wolfman Jack. 50 years later the music he heard as a child still is a driving force. After attending a B B King and Elvin Bishop concert in Fresno, CA around 1971 listening and playing the blues has been a life long quest. He studied guitar and bass under Big Band multi-instrumentalist Tommy Galindo. He was founding member of The Hydramatics in 1990 and still is a member. When The Hydramatics took a pause, he formed the popular Tulsa, OK blues band The Bluehemians in 2003.

Bob Wallace has worked in many areas of the music business, including bassist/vocalist, band leader, soundman, graphics designer, stage security, retail music sales and owner of Wallace Sound a successful guitar and amp repair business. Over the last 4 decades he has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in blues music.

“I grew west of Sand Springs and started learning accordion (!) when I was eight and took up guitar at 13. I was teaching guitar and gigging a couple of nights a week by the time I turned 16 and hit the road full time at 19. The early part of the ’70’s was spent touring the Midwest with The Hoffman Brothers and Red Dogs.

“In 1975, I joined up with Wayne Cochran and the CC Riders and toured nationally and in Canada, as well as recording and making tv appearances. Upon returning to Tulsa in 1979 I played with a variety of groups, including Donna Williams & Fat Tuesday, Ronnie Dunn & the Screaming Ranch Band, finally ending up with a 15 year run with regional favorite Big Kid. Since then, I’ve played and recorded with a variety of acts. I’m currently working with Ronnie Pyle & the Drivers.”

I was born in Tulsa , Ok in 1960
Moved to California at the age of 6
In 1970 at the age of 10 an uncle introduced me to the harmonica
I discovered the blues at the age of 20 and fell in love with the blues
At 23 I started sitting in with blues bands at a local music venue in Niles , Ca
Later in life I met a lifelong bluesman named Nat Bolden at a jam. He heard me play and he asked me to join his band “The State of Mind band”
We played all over the SF bay area and Central California
In 2016 I moved back to Tulsa where I played with several bands before being asked to be the front man for The 29th Street band for 5 years until I retired
Now I sit in with blues bands as requested to get my blues

More info coming soon.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.

Please be patient – this bio will be coming as soon as possible.