About his first album for Blind Pig, Hold Me To It, Bob relates, "I've been particularly inspired lately by the sound of my own band, Tad Walters and Wes Johnson. I play guitar and sing most of the time, though occasionally I pick up the Supro pocket bass and walk it or slap it. We keep Tad jumping from bass to harp to guitar and singing a bit each set, which breaks things up from that standard guitar-led "power trio" trip. Sometimes we work with guitar-harp-drums and sometimes two guitars and drums. When we don't use bass, I'm playing guitar in an early Chicago blues style that thumps bass notes and picks lead lines at the same time. It's more primitive and "down home", and it's kept together by Wes Johnson's powerful, swinging drum beats and answering fills.

"Whatever style of music we play, we listen to each other and respond to each other and frame each other. We don't just play our instruments' standard parts, and we don't sound like bands who do. This is a combination of Muddy Waters' influence, more what he used to do with Little Walter and Jimmy Rogers than when I was in the band, and what I've learned and developed over thousands of gigs. My band's sound is the main musical focus of Hold Me To It."

This album features a wide range of blues-based songs, from the delta slide guitar lament "No Consolation" to the redeeming gospel-style slide-piano duet with Bob's sister, "Consolation." There is the dark funk of "Hard Feelings" and the soul of "Ice Or Fire" and the party swing song "Stick Out Your Can." Another highlight of the recording is Margolin's adaptation of the personal blues of Bob Dylan's recent "It's Not Dark Yet".

Bob Margolin was born in Boston in 1949 and was brought up in nearby Brookline, Massachusetts. Inspired by Chuck Berry, he began playing guitar in 1964 and playing in bands right away. He soon followed the path of Chuck Berry's inspiration back to the blues.

His association with Muddy Waters was part being in the right place at the right time and part being very ready. Bob recalls, "In August, 1973, I went to see Muddy at Paul's Mall in Boston. He had seen me in opening bands and had been very encouraging to me because I was trying to play his style of Chicago blues. He had just lost long-time guitarist Sammy Lawhorn and he hired me to play in his band. While most musicians in modern times learn from listening to recordings, Muddy put me on his right side on the bandstand so I could watch him play guitar. I sure appreciated that opportunity while it was happening, and tried to use it to learn to give Muddy what he wanted on the bandstand-and for myself."

Bob's seven years with Muddy's band took him all over the world and he played guitar on many of Muddy's recordings from that era. Muddy also brought Bob with him on shows that didn't use his whole band, but when he wanted to have Bob's familiar backing. Margolin left Muddy's band in 1980 and has been leading his own band ever since. He remembers: "All through the '80s I ran up and down the highways, and played Blues in bars for folks having fun. Those years of playing many styles of blues, as well as some rock and roll, rockabilly, funk, and favorite oldies were important to my musical development, just as my Chicago blues experience was."

Bob released the first of his two recordings for the Powerhouse label in 1989. He was later signed to Alligator Records and recorded three stellar albums for them beginning in 1993.

In October, 1997, Bob was invited to play on a Tribute to Muddy Waters at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. He told the producers that Muddy's son, Big Bill Morganfield had inherited some of Muddy's charisma and talent and would be a fine addition to the show. Bob and Bill played together, just the two of them, for the first time that night on Muddy's version of "Walkin' Blues." Bob says, "It felt like one person with four hands. There is a real magic when we play guitars together."

Big Bill returned the favor by recommending Bob as a producer and guitar player when he was signed by Blind Pig the next year. The result is Bill's critically acclaimed recording "Rising Son."

Bob enjoyed working and playing in the "Pig pen" and they were receptive to the new material that he was developing. Bob signed with Blind Pig and bringing the whole story around, Big Bill Morganfield closes Hold Me To It with Bob, trading vocals and guitar solos on "Wee Baby Blues," a song that Muddy used to do when he jammed with other musicians.

Currently, Bob's touring with his band and Big Bill Morganfield . On many of the dates, they are also blessed with the addition of the legendary Pinetop Perkins on piano. These collaborations provide some of the deepest yet freshest live Chicago blues out there today.

Bob Margolin has been performing much of the material on Hold Me To It on the bandstand since long before he recorded it, and you can hear his intimacy with the songs on the album. Bob digs seeing his songs touch his audience: "I love how blues brings soulful people together."