Finally, the time had come. Singer Pieter Althuizen (aka Long Tall Peter) turned 80 last year. His wish: to perform one more time with Long Tall Peter’s Blues Band.
Pieter approached De Bosuil in Weert. They were up for a party. Bassist Hub Heijnen and guitarist Ley van den Beuken, from the band that had been building a reputation in the Peel region in the early 1970s and had Panningen as their base, were keen on a reunion.
So, they got to work. They rehearsed in the same farmhouse as over fifty years ago, now owned by one of Ley van den Beuken’s children.
Eventually, the base was expanded with: Hans van der Voort on keyboards, Geert Wijnands on Hammond organ, and Frans Verdonschot on drums.
And as is tradition for this band, the original date at the end of April had to be canceled due to health problems of one of the band members.
Something similar cost them a performance at the very first Pinkpop festival, so don’t blame the musicians’ ages. Now, on September 21, 2025, around 150 people had turned out for Pieter’s birthday. The fact that he’s now 81 certainly didn’t spoil the fun.
The kickoff was with Them’s “Just A Little Bit.” Then came a few Willie Dixon classics (Spoonfull, Bring It On Home To Me, Little Red Rooster), and before the break, a beautiful Cuby-esque rendition of “Checkin Up On My Baby.”
It was a real treat. Hub Heijnen was back to playing bass stoically, as in his prime, and Ley van den Beuken conjured up beautiful solos from his Charlee guitar (he builds his own and has provided numerous guitarists with Charlees).
Pieter was still in decent voice and blew the fire out of his harmonica. The keyboardists complemented the set perfectly, both as accompaniment and with boogie-woogie solos. Frans Verdonschot ensured the rhythm was perfect.
After the break, among other things, there was a John Bonamassa/Beth Hart rendition of Sinner’s Prayer and a killer slide in Dust My Blues.
Pieter had brought along his old friend saxophonist Peter from Brussels as a surprise, and he really let loose, alternating solos with Van den Beuken.
They couldn’t leave without an encore, and just as they started with Them, they ended with Gloria, which the audience sang along to loudly.
They couldn’t confirm whether the band will be back. They’re not lacking enthusiasm; it’s more a matter of finding the time.
The individual members are partly busy with other bands; for example, an evening for Van den Beuken and Heijnen is planned for this Saturday at DOK 6 in Panningen.
The duo PELE (Peter Peeters and Ley van den Beuken) along with guests like guitarist Ger Hoeijmakers (Frank Boeyen Band), steel guitarist André Houtappels (Normaal), Hub Heijnen, and others will provide a full evening’s entertainment.
These musicians were once part of The Typhos Blues Band, which was the successor to Long Tall Peter’s Blues Band.
