February 2010 - Linn County Blues Society

Cool Issue 187
The Publication of the Linn County Blues Society- lcbs.org
Louis Carr
1936-2010
In this February 2010 issue —
10th Annual Chili Challenge!
Louis Carr, 1936-2010
“Dr.” Phil’s CD review
2010 Blues Music Nominations
Joe & Vicki Price at Checkers Tavern & Eatery
Local LIVE music schedules
Rock River Lounge & Marriott Blues show, Janaury 30!
Buckwheat Zydeco,
Zydeco Barnstormers
Feb. 17, 8 pm
Legion Arts - CSPS,
Cedar Rapids, IA
February 2010
Chili Challenge 2010
Sunday, February 28, Marriott Hotel. Be there!
Steve Springer
T
he Isle of Iowa Parrot Head
Club and the Linn County
Blues Society will hold their
Tenth Annual Blues ‘n’ Buffett Chili
Challenge on February 28, 2-5 PM at
the Marriott Hotel on Collins Road.
The Chili Challenge is a friendly competition between the two clubs to raise
money for charity. Proceeds from the
event will go to H.D. Youth Center
and the Free Medical Clinic of Cedar
Rapids. The Parrot Heads chose the
Free Medical Clinic to help support
costs for those who need medical assistance that is not affordable. LCBS
chose H.D. Youth Center which provides a safe place to go as well as food
to under-privileged youth. Last year,
the event raised over $5,000 for these
two fine organizations. Over $16,000
has been raised and donated to local
charities in the first nine years of the
event’s existence. You’re invited to attend to taste the various chilies and
vote for your favorite. Admission the
day of the event is $6 which includes
five vote tickets and the tasting of the
chilies. Children ages 6 and under will
be admitted free when accompanied
by an adult, and senior citizens ages
65 and older receive a $1 discount
on admission. Additional vote tickets
for the People’s Choice award will be
available for 50 cents each. The club
receiving the most votes will receive
a plaque and their club’s charity will
receive 51% of the proceeds from the
event; the runner-up club 49% of the
proceeds for their charity. Chili Challenge contestants are members of the
two clubs and each brings their own
special chili and booth decorations to
share. There will be up to 30 chilies
for tasting. Celebrity Judges will be
on hand to taste and vote on the Best
Chili. The club receiving a majority
of judge’s votes for the Best Chili will
2 / Linn County Blues Society ©2010
The Linn County Blues Society is a way
cool, non-profit organization dedicated
to the preservation of Blues music in
Eastern Iowa as well as to provide
charitable contributions to other community organizations. LCBS is an Affiliated
Organization in the Blues Foundation’s
international network. The BLUESPAPER
is a monthly publication of the LCBS.
Website: lcbs.org
LCBS Officers
President - Andy Dergo
Vice President - Evan Vulich
Secretary - Steve Springer
Treasurer - Sue Dergo
Directors at Large
Bob De Forest, Bill Meeks, Frank Wilson
Chairs
Education: Gary Gibson
PR Chair: Stephanie Heck
Entertainment - Greg West
Membership - Kevin Cutsforth
Merchandise - David Andrews
receive a traveling trophy and bragging
rights for their club. A Silent Auction
will again be featured at this year’s
event. All monies raised from the auction will be included in the donations
to charities. Thanks in advance for your
support. If you have questions or you
are interested in getting some tickets
to sell, please contact one of the following volunteers. Steve Petersen 3959520, Kate Sanders 842-2393 or Steve
Springer 395-9516.
Advance tickets are available for $5
through February 28 by calling; Steve
Springer at 395-9516, or Keith Wright
at 377-4913.
Dine & Blues!
Love and Valor
(rescheduled showing)
Collins Road Theatre
Tuesday, February 23 at 7:15pm.
For tickets, call 329-8841.
Adults $12.00, Under 12 - $4.50.
The Bluespaper & LCBS folks
Editor - Evan Vulich
Photographers - Bill Ray, see bylines
Staff Writers - Bill Ray, see bylines
Distribution - Andy Dergo, Bill Meeks
Parliamentarian - Bill Meeks
Program - Bob De Forest
Web Admin: Evan Vulich
Membership
To learn more about the Linn County
Blues Society or to join, see the membership form in this Bluespaper or the LCBS
website. Your membership includes;
• Discount admissions to many local
Blues activities.
• Monthly LCBS Bluespaper.
• Voting rights in the LCBS elections.
• Being a part of the groove!
Bluespaper Contact information
Send news, band or club live entertain
-ment listings or advertising to:
Evan Vulich at: [email protected].
Bluespaper Ad Rates
$15.00 - Business card size - 2” x 3.5”
$25.00 - Quarter page ad - 3.5” x 4.75”
$50.00 - Half page ad - 4.75” x 7.25”
$100.00 - Full page - 7.5” x 10”
Submission Requirements- All ads,
photos or scanned images, either color
or black/white, need to be 300ppi. Native
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, JPG, TIFF,
EPS, PDF, BMP accepted. Ads created in
Word may cause dimentia, severe cramping and diarrhea. Deadline for submissions is the 19th of the month.
Moving? Send your new address to;
LCBS, PO Box 2672, Cedar Rapids, IA
52406-2672 so you won’t miss a single
issue of your Bluespaper.
Louis Carr, 1936-2010
local guitar luminary succumbs to cancer
Iowa Rock n Roll Music Association
L
ouis Carr, 73, passed away
Friday, January 8, 2010.
Louis was born in Alamogordo, NM, raised in a logging
camp and started playing guitar while
serving in the U.S. Army.
Local Cedar Rapids musicians
agree that he has forgotten more about
music and entertaining than most will
ever know. They also refer to Carr as
a “Musician’s Musician.” In 1957 he
started playing for the Ozark Opry.
He then joined Del Mack and the
Vagabonds and toured the East Coast.
In 1958 he moved to Detroit and
played with the Ragin’ Storms. He
opened the Winter Dance Party show
in Green Bay, WI backing Dion and
the Belmonts and opened for Buddy
Holly, Richie Valens and the Big
Bopper.
He has also done session work with
Del Shannon and recorded with Johnny and the Hurricanes. In 1962 he settled in Cedar Rapids, IA. He taught
music at Keeney’s and Boddicker’s
music stores and entertained in many
clubs in the area.
He had a band for many years
called Louis Carr and the Highlads.
There were many members of the
band during its tenure including Iowa
Hall of Fame Inductees Michael Boddicker, Gary King, Ron DeWitte and
BillyLee Janey. He also taught many
popular Cedar Rapids musicians such
as Dennis McMurrin.
Carr formed and taught an allladies band called Strings Incorporated, which was known statewide.
According to one area musician his
guitar skills were virtually untouchable. His style was completely his
own and people sat in awe watching
him perform. He regularly could flip
from the Duane Eddy twang, into a
smooth Chet Atkins chord-loaded
Tony Spinner
“Rollin’ & Tumblin’”
by Phillip Smith
Louis Carr
piece and on to the shades of Les Paul.
His singing voice was better than
most locals and he displayed a sense
of humor. He knew as many jokes as
he did guitar licks. When he performed
the crowds always stayed because they
didn’t know if they would be hearing
rock and roll, country, standards from
the Big Band Era, show tunes or what;
but they could always count on being
entertained. Louis also for a time ran
HITRAN Recording Studio in Hiawatha, IA, that recorded for many local musicians including Hall of Fame
Inductee Dale Thomas.
Louis Carr Hall was inducted in to
the Iowa Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame
Class of 2005.
Hey, armchair blues fans! There is no better
time to join the LCBS than now! We could
use your help now. We have positions open.
Bluesmore 16 is now behind us, we are planning next year’s festival. Just fill out the application on our web site and send it in with
your 20 bucks and we’ll see that you are a
part of a really great organization! Help us
keep the blues alive!
Be a part of the groove!
This is absolutely my favorite guitar
blues CD of 2009. Tony Spinner‘s
sixth CD, Rollin‘ & Tumblin‘ is phenomenal. The band is a three piece
consisting of Michel Mulder on bass,
Han Neijenhuis on drums and Spinner who takes care of lead vocals and
guitar. “Rollin’ & Tumbling’, the title
track and a cover of a Muddy Waters
song as well, is an exceptional tribute and clocks in as the longest cut at
over eight minutes.
Spinner’s musical styling on “Count
your Blessings”, bearing influences of
Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan,
instantly pulled me into my happy
place. That being said, I stayed there
for the remainder of my listen. I got
a big smile on my face when I heard
“Walkin’ the Dawg”, originally by Stax
recording legend, Rufus Thomas. I
love the original version of this song,
but I got to say, I love Spinner’s bluesy original take on it almost as well.
While I am talking about the few covers on this CD, I also need to mention
“CC Rider”. The slide guitar on this is
simply amazing.
Bringing down the tempo a bit on
“Goldfish Bowl Blues”, Spinner demonstrates more of his exceptional guitar playing as he sings about life and
death from the perspective of a pet
goldfish. This is my favorite original
song on the CD. Following up is my
second favorite, “Luv Thang”. “Luv
Thang” is fast, funky and highly conductive to high-cardio movement, or
if you want to call it dancing, that’s ok.
I love this CD. It puts me in my happy
place.
©2010 Linn County Blues Society / 3
2010 Blues Music Awards Nominations
May 6, 2010 Memphis, TN
by Bill Ray
The Blues Foundation will present the Blues Music Awards on May
6, 2010 in Memphis, Tennessee. The
2010 nominations include some musicians who have performed in the Cedar Rapids and regional area in the past
year. Below is a list of those musicians
and the categories for which they have
been nominated.
Annie Raines
• Acoustic Album: Maria Muldaur and
her Garden of Joy,
Good Times Music for Hard Times.
• Acoustic Artist: Annie Raines and
Paul Rishell.
• Contemporary Blues Female Artist:
Janiva Magness.
• DVD: Mojo Rodeo Records,
“A Night In Woodstock”
(Paul Rishell and Annie Raines).
• Rock Blues Album: “Pearl River” (Mike Zito)
• “Tijuana Bible” (Jim Suhler and
Monkey Beat)
• Song: “Pearl River” (Cyril Neville
and Mike Zito).
• Soul Blues Album: “Ace of Spades”
(Johnny Rawls).
• Soul Blues Male Artist: Johnny
Rawls.
Paul Rishell
Jim Suhler
Janiva Magness
Fender Deluxe
1963 - 1966
blackface/combo
Mike Zito at Bluesmore 2009
4 / Linn County Blues Society ©2010
Johnny Rawls
Joe and Vicki Price
Traditional Blues at Checkers Tavern
photos and article by Bill Ray
J
oe Price and Vicki Price gave
a great traditional blues performance at Checkers in Cedar
Rapids on January 14. The opening set
mesmerized an appreciative audience
and lasted well over two hours.
No one plays and sings traditional
Joe Price
style blues better in the Midwest than
Joe Price. It is not useful to list names
of songs, whether original compositions or covers, because Joe makes
them all sound like you’ve just traveled
back in time to the 1920’s and 1930’s.
There is simply not a weak tune to be
heard in the whole repertoire of the
Price song bag.
Vicki Price has really come into her
own as a strong blues vocalist and can
moan a tender ballad with the best of
them. She plays a
black Airline guitar, while Joe plays
a red Airline as
well as a National
steel guitar. The
Prices are enthusiastic supporters of
the Airline guitars
made by the Eastwood GuitarCompany located in
Ontario, Canada.
Living in Lansing, Iowa, Joe and
Vicki have a relentless touring schedule that ranges
from the Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin
region to Nashville, St. Louis, Florida,
Kansas and Oklahoma.
Their 2009 CD, “Rain Or Shine,” has
been nominated for Best Blues Album
Vicki Price
by the Independent Music Awards
group. The best way to catch a future
performance by Joe and Vicki Price
is to check out the list of upcoming
shows on their MySpace Music web
site. Hearing some great blues will be
your reward.
©2010 Linn County Blues Society / 5
February Calendar
Tue. 2
Chrome Horse
Gibby’s Lab Jam, 8-11PM
Wed. 3
Next Door
Mike & Rob Show, 8:30-12:30
Thur. 4
J.M. O’Malley’s
The Wine Bar
Jam with Gibby & friends, 9-1
The Blue Midnight Trio, Mt. Vernon, 6-9P
Fri. 5
The Hub, Cedar Falls
Ernie’s
CR Landing
The Blue Band, 6-9PM
McMurrin & Johnson, 6-8:30PM
4Box O Rocks, 9-1
Sat. 6
Firehouse- JAM
Chrome Horse
Screaming Eagle
CSPS
Shuey’s
Various players, 4-8PM
Funk Daddies
4 Box O Rocks, 9:30P, Waterloo
Ben Schmidt, 8PM Iowa Blues
Mike & Rob Show, 9-1
Sun. 7
Parlor City Pub
Super Bowl XLIV
Mon. 8
George’s, Iowa City
CannonSaul & Kilowatt, 8-11PM
Tue. 9
Chrome Horse
Gibby’s Lab Jam, 8-11PM
Wed. 10
Next Door
McMurrin & Johnson, 7-10PM
Thur. 11
J.M. O’Malley’s
Shuey’s
Dublin City Pub
Jam with Gibby & friends, 9-1
Dan Johnson/Tom Bruner Duo, 7-10PM
Mike & Rob Show, 8-11PM
Fri. 12
CR Landing
McMurrin & Johnson Band w/ Skeeter L. 9P
Sat. 13
Electric Park Ballroom
Firehouse- JAM
Love ‘n’ Art Fundraiser
Shuey’s
IPR Blues Blowout (KUNI)
The Tornadoes open for Janiva Magness
Various players, 4-8PM
Blue Band, City Auditorium, Ames, IA
DDog & The BBits, 9-1
Sun. 14
Mahoney’s Irish Pub
Parlor City Pub
McMurrin & Johnson Band, 6-10PM
Ultraviolet Hippopatamus
Tue. 16
Chrome Horse
Gibby’s Lab Jam, 8-11PM
Wed. 17
CSPS-CR Legion Arts
Next Door
Buckwheat Zydeco 8PM - $19 advance
McMurrin & Johnson, 7-10PM
Thur. 18
J.M. O’Malley’s
Shuey’s
Next Door
Jam with Gibby & friends, 9-1
McMurrin & Johnson, 7-10PM
Mike & Rob Show, 8-11PM
Fri. 19
Chrome Horse
Tailgators
4Box O Rocks, 9-1
Electric Mule, 9-1
Sat. 20
Firehouse- JAM
Bourre Lounge
The Red Frog
5th Gear
Various Players, 4-8PM
Blue Band, 501 Sycamore, Waterloo
McMurrin & Johnson, 7-10PM
Electric Mule, 9-1
Tue. 23
Chrome Horse
Gibby’s Lab Jam, 8-11PM
Thur. 25
J.M. O’Malley’s
Dublin City
Shuey’s
Jam with Gibby & friends, 9-1
McMurrin & Johnson, 8-11PM
Mike & Rob Show, 9-1
Fri. 26
Tailgators
City Beat
McMurrin & Johnson Band w/ Skeeter, 9PM
Mike & Rob Show, 9-1
Sat. 27
Firehouse- JAM
Chrome Horse
CR Landing
Java Creek, CR
Various Players, 4-8PM
Beaker Brothers Band
Billy Janey Trio w/ Dan Johnson, 9-1
Mike Williams solo, 7-10PM
Sun. 28
Parlor City Pub
CSPS-Legion Arts
Big Funk Guarantee
The Red Stick Ramblers, 8PM- Cajun band
“Kenny Burrell; that’s the sound I’m looking for.” — Jimi Hendrix
6 / Linn County Blues Society ©2010
Be sure to tune in to Bob Dorr’s
Blue Avenue blues show on Iowa Public
Radio, Sunday evenings 5-6:30pm.
(90.9FM in Linn and surrounding counties)
EVERY
Local Music
Sat. - The Firehouse- Jam with various players 4-8PM
Sun.- Mahoney’s - Various artists-Never a Cover, 6pm
Sun.- Charlie’s, Coralville-Blues Jam
Tues. Gibby’s Lab Jam, Chrome Horse, 8-11PM
Wed.- Checkers Tavern-Kevin BF Burt solo 6-9
Thurs.-J.M.O’Malley’s-T-Bone Giblin Jam Fest
The LCBS meets the 1st Monday of each month.
See you at the Longbranch on February 1, 6:30PM
for the LCBS general meeting. Guests are welcome!
90 Twixt Town Rd., Marion • 377-6386.
Specializing in
RIBS, STEAK, PRIME RIB, LOBSTER & CRAB
Featuring our award winning
BBQ Pork Ribs!
Seafood • 30 item salad bar
Kids menus • Specialty desserts
guitars
amps
repairs
3639 1st. Ave. SE
starsguitars.com
319.362.1881
BBQ’Loo
BluesToo
&
Corner of E. 4th & Mulberry Streets
Lincoln Park in downtown Waterloo
BBQ
Kids Contes
Rib-E Activi t!
ating ties!
Cont
est!
FREE EVENT!
Ron
Construction, LLC.
319-936-6382
Licensed • Insured • References
Discounts for LCBS members!
Discounts for interior winter work
[email protected]
Tomaso’s Pizza
Friday, July 16
5:30-9:30PM
Saturday, July 17
5:30PM - 9:30PM
Official Pizza
of Bluesmore!
Avey Brothers
Mark Selby
3234 Center Point Rd.
Other activities include a KCBS Sanctioned
barbeque contest, kids activities, chili contest,
rib-eating contest and some of the best BBQ around.
364-4313
Main Street Waterloo is proud to support the LCBS
“...You can’t over-hype Sam Phillips ... think of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis,
Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King: if you were
associated with just one of those names, you’d be immortal”
— Andy McLenon
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs.
There’s also a negative side.” – Hunter S. Thompson
4651 1st Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA
319.378.1720
guitarcenter.com
Helping people
make great
music and
pursue their
dreams for over
43 years.
It may be cold outside, but the Downtown Marriott Ballrooms and Rock River Lounge will have temperatures rising Saturday, January 30th
when the Central Iowa Blues Society welcomes 9 acts on 5 different stages. This multi-band event will culminate with an After Hours Jam in the
Des Moines Ballroom in the Downtown Marriott. Wristbands for the event are only $12.00 in advance and will give you admission to all of the
Ballrooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors, as well as Rock River Lounge on the second level.
Tickets are available at Blues on Grand or online at www.cibs.org now. Price will be $15 on January 30.
Check out The Midnight Dogs, the 2009 Iowa Blues Societies Solo/Duo Challenge Winner, at Rock River Lounge from 7:00-10 p.m. The sounds
of The Avey Brothers, the 2009 IA Blues Challenge band winner, will fill the air in the Salon D Ballroom starting at 7:30 p.m., followed by Delta
Highway, the 2009 nominee for the Blues Music Awards for Best New Debut Artist at 10:30 p.m. The Salon E Ballroom will fire up with the 2009
Blues Society of Omaha’s Blues Challenge band winner, The Side Effects at 7:45 p.m., followed by the 2009 Kansas City Blues Society’s Blues
Challenge winner, Levee Town at 10:45 p.m. Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat, nominee for Best Blues/Rock Album in the 2010 Blues Music Awards,
are sure to get things heated up in the Dubuque Ballroom at 8:00 p.m., followed by the 2009 Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society’s Blues
Challenge band winner, Brandon Scott Sellner Band at 11:00 p.m. Everett Smithson Band will get things jumping in the Des Moines Ballroom
starting at 8:30 p.m.
The After Hours Jam kicks off at midnight in the Des Moines Ballroom with a set from Trouble No More, who will be this year’s host band, with
the Jam starting at 1 a.m. The Jam, which will last well into the wee hours, has the potential for some interesting combinations of musicians. All
musicians are welcome to sign up and join in. Food will be served starting at 8:00 p.m. and continue during the Jam. The Downtown Marriott is offering special Blues Fest rates for the night. For room reservations call: 1-800-514-4681 or 515-245-5500.
Be sure to mention that you are going to be there for the Blues Fest to receive your special rate. Sponsors for this event are the Central Iowa Blues Society, Budweiser, 95KGGO/98.3, Cityview and Downtown Marriott.
For more information on the Winter BluesFest, call (515) 225-6638, (515) 830-4213. Listen to KGGO (94.9) and 98.3 WOW for wristband giveaways. Do not miss this sure-fire cure for cabin fever!
©2010 Linn County Blues Society / 7
Linn County Blues Society
PO Box 2672
Cedar Rapids, IA
52406-2672
South Skunk Blues Society and Lizard King present
Lil’ Ed
$5.00 OFF
oil changes!
10% OFF
& the
BLUES
IMPERIALS
with Mojo Machine
all other services
Feb. 27, 2010 • 7pm - Midnight
Elks Lodge • 720 Third Ave. Grinnell, IA
Advance Tickets $10 • $15 at the door
3535 1st Ave SE
319-286-1111
Ask for Chris
Ron Cooper’s 50th Birthday Party!
for all LCBS members and family!
2160 Edgewood Rd. SW
319-654-8405
©2010 January-Linn County Blues Society
Tickets available at the Elks Lodge and
The Music Shop 831 Broad St., Grinnell, IA
Call 641-236-8916 for more information
or visit www.southskunkblues.org
All ages welcome-minors will receive a wristband.
Come and congratulate the old boy on one more trip around the sun!