WORLD PIANO BLUES & ORIGINAL SONGS
1970: studio recordings, "Upon Ages" (suite) & misc songs (w/James Bruckner, etc.); never released
1973: basement recordings with Boris (original band, Boston, MA) - never released)
1974: live recordings with Toby Gutwill (vocals) ; never released
1976-77 live recordings as Jimmy & Cherry (w/Alicia Zipp-Smith, vocals; never released)
1980: live recordings without various Ancestor Worship configurations
1980: studio recordings with Ancestor Worship (Baker Street Studios, Watertown, MA; finally released on the 1982 CD below) (Lott, Hlady, Berman, Perich, Nally)
1982: As Ancestor Worship: Down Under the Earth b/w A Traveller's Prayer (cassette single, Choski Int'l) (Lott, Hlady, Nally, Calobrisi)
AND ON THE ERWIN MUSIC LABEL:
1989: As Blue Light Special: Live in Colombia (cassette; covers)
AS SHRIMP CITY SLIM (Erwin Music):
1992: Gone With the Wind (14 tracks) (first released as cassette “ Lowcountry Blues” by Shrimp City Slim; timed for 1992 European tour)*
1992: original song project for "Any Natural Disaster" (Piccolo Spoleto); never released (w/Hawke Morffi, Steve Hardy, Ted Donlon, Jim Chleborad)
1994: Blues on the Beach (15 tracks)*
1995: Phosphate Woman b/w Sticky Fingers (cassette single)*
1996: Blue Palmetto (20 tracks)*
1998: I Work Nights (20 tracks)*
2000: Ancestor Worship: The Boston Sessions 1980-83 (17 tracks) (Baker Street 1980 plus more)*
2003: Highway 17: Lowcountry Blues Live (12 tracks)*
2006: Dark Road Piano (solo) (15 tracks)*
2012: Rio Angie (solo) (11 tracks)*
2013: Star Marina (14 tracks)*
2014: Qenz (solo) (6 tracks)*
2014: Transatlantic Blues Project (recorded live in Poland, the final night of a 2012 tour with local heroes Green Grass) (twelve tracks - six originals/six covers)
2016: Tidal Pool (solo) (16 tracks)*
2026: new album?
All original songs (words & music) copyright by Gary Erwin, published by Blue Chasqui Music (BMI).
Also on the Erwin Music label, Shrimp City Slim performed on, wrote songs for, and produced releases by Wanda Johnson (2003*, 2006*,2008*), Paul Dudley Kershaw & the Bayou Ramblers (1998), Big Daddy Pattman (1997), Chicago Bob Nelson (1992), Big Boy Henry (1993), Randy Crowe (1989), Shelly Waters* (2013), and Tony & Company (1992, 1994*).
Digital downloads available on most of the above. Please visit your usual Web outlets.
* Physical copies still available. Please inquire: mancotony@gmail.com
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Gary Erwin compositions have been used for various TV and film projects.
—May, 2008: selections from the album « Highway 17 » (Shrimp City Slim) used on « Off the Menu from Commanders Palace » (TV restaurant show, orchestrated by Chef Bob Waggoner, Charleston Grill).
— Erwin original “Finally Home » (Wanda Johnson, 2003) was featured in the hit television series « Army Wives » (season #3, episode #2 entitled « About Face »). Still in rotation worldwide.
—« Into Yesterday » (piano instrumental, CD “Tidal Pool”) was used as theme music for “Helene Lange and Gertrude Bäumer”, a documentary (2017) on the subject of ageing by German filmmaker Alwin Nagel.
—Other Erwin productions include 1) theme music for a North American ad campaign for Curves For Women (“I’m Through With You”, Wanda Johnson, 2003) and 2) “While We Lie Sleeping”, an award-winning short film (2009, Monica Scharf, director) dedicated to veterans of the (US) Iraq and Afghan wars (“Amazing Grace”, Juke Joint Johnny/Blue Light Special, 1992).
—-Erwin original “Good, Good Love” (from CD “I Work Nights”, 1998), version by Mike Tronco (The Sensational Epics), never released. Erwin original “Allergic to Mink” (first recorded by Wanda Johnson, 2008), covered by Rickey Godfrey on his “Dirty Man” CD.
—Gary Erwin songs/performances/productions have been included on various CD compilations: Blues-to Bop & Worldmusic Festival - Compilation 1995 (Altri Suoni, Switzerland); G.R.I.T.S. (Grooves Raised in the South (2004, S.C Education Lottery); Millenium Music: Charleston Music Sampler Vol. 2 (2008); Antologia Polskiego Bluesa cz.2 (2009, 4everMUSIC, Poland); Bring the Beat In (2012, Pattman & Robin Records), and others.
NEWS (9/16/25): « Only One Friend Left » (from the CD « Rio Angie ») included in the soundtrack of ESPN travel/food show « TrueSouth » (season 8, Charleston, SC). First aired Sept 16, 2025. Seen on ESPN and all associated platforms.
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Shrimp City Slim has guested on albums by Big Boy Henry (Hometown Records, various titles), Shelly Magee, Rev. Marv Ward, Dr. Pickup, Professor Bottleneck, Slidin' Scott Perry, Papa Wheel, John Winkler (Juke Joint Johnny), the 1995 Blues to Bop (festival) compilation CD, and various others.
Erwin also produced a 1986 Charleston concert by Mississippi bluesman RL Burnside, some of which saw the light of day on MC Records. https://www.discogs.com/release/2553480-RL-Burnside-Well-Well-Well