2012 - The Blues Foundation

Transcription

The Blues Foundation
421 South Main
Memphis, TN 38103-4464
01.527.2583 | www.blues.org
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Contents
IBC Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Blues Foundation is Memphis-based, but
world-renown as THE organization dedicated to
preserving our blues music history, celebrating
recording and performance excellence,
supporting blues education and ensuring the
future of this uniquely American art form.
Founded in 1980, The Blues Foundation has
4500 individual members and 200 affiliated
local blues societies representing another
50,000 fans and professionals around the
world. Its signature honors and events–the
Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame,
International Blues Challenge and Keeping the
Blues Alive Awards–make it the international
center of blues music. Its HART Fund provides
the blues community with medical assistance
while its Sound Healthcare program offers
musicians health insurance access. Blues in
the Schools programs and Generation Blues
scholarships expose new generations to blues
music. Throughout the year, the Foundation staff
serves the worldwide Blues community with
answers, information and news.
Support The Blues Foundation by becoming an
affiliated organization, corporate or individual
member or simply making a charitable donation.
The Blues Foundation Staff
Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
What’s happening when and where
Quarterfinals Wednesday. . . . . . . . . . . 14
Quarterfinals Thursday. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Semi-finals, Finals
& Youth Showcase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Board, Charter Members
& Affiliates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
IBC Prize Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
IBC Participant Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
IBC Solo/Duo Artists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Solo/Duo Directory - Bios and Photos
Georg Schroeter
& Marc Breitfelder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2011 IBC Solo/Duo Winner
The Campaign for the
Blues Music Hall of Fame . . . . . . . . . . 55
Keeping the Blues Alive . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
J ay Sieleman, Executive Director
Joe Whitmer, Deputy Director
Cindi James, Membership
Glenda Mace, Financial
Priscilla Hernandez, Blues Liaison
2012 Award Recipients
IBC Program Production
Youth Showcase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Writing Contributions: Brandon Bailey, Jeff
DeLuca, Julian Harris, Callie Hines, Aaron Holder,
Taylor Marvin, Carlton and Peyton, McDowell,
David Morris, Alex and Glenn Peterson, Georg
Schroeter and Marc Breitfelder, Jay Sieleman,
Art Tipaldi and Lionel Young
Editing: George Newman and Ann Rabson
Ad Sales: Scott Allen
Cover Comic Illustration: Jason Norcera. Other
graphics created throughout are based on
Jason’s comic illustrations.
Best Self-Produced CD. . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Blues Campers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Generation Blues Scholarship Recipients
Youth Act Directory - Bios and Photos
Blues Foundation
2011 Year in Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
IBC Bands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Band Directory - Bios and Photos
Lionel Young Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
2011 IBC Band Winner
Blues Music Awards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
2012 Nominee Ballot
Design: Jen Taylor, Vividpix & Design
8•
I n te r na t ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
I n te r n a ti o n a l B l ue s C h a l l e n g e
•9
COU
RT A
VE
Sleep Inn
Spring Hill
Suites
LN
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COU
RT A
VE
MAD
Walgreens
AVE
ST
APE
MON
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AVE
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AIN
ALLE
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ND S
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Rendezvous
TH 3
SOU
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IBC STORE
BEA
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Tap
Room
TRE
ET
A.Schwab’s
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4
421 S. MAIN STREET
LT G
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Gibson
Showcase
ORG
Bl u es Ch alle n gE
EW
Orpheum Juke
B.B. King’s
Blues City Cafe
Club 152
Club Superior
King’s Palace
Pig On Beale
Handy Blues Hall
Rum Boogie Cafe
Silky O’Sullivan’s
Alfred’s
Wet Willie’s
Hard Rock Cafe
Historic Daisy Theater
New Daisy Theater
Westin Lobby Bar
Flying Saucer
Silly Goose
IBC
organization is based in Memphis. When one calls
the office, e-mails us, or goes to the website, one
is making a virtual trip to Memphis. And each year
The Blues Foundation produces the International
Blues Challenge and the Blues Music Awards -the two most important blues music events in the
world. Pick your words -- biggest, best, funnest,
most prestigious, or whatever works for you. Yes,
the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise is big
and long and fun, and there are many incredible
festivals out there, but year in and year out since
1980, The Blues Foundation has been on the job.
And now we are tackling a new job. As you
may know, we have been inducting individuals
and recordings into the Blues Hall of Fame since
1980, but there has never been a physical Blues
Hall of Fame. The honorees are inducted the night
before the Blues Music Awards, and you can read
all about them on our website, but coming soon
will be the physical manifestation, a true Blues
Hall of Fame that will celebrate and preserve,
educate and entertain. We are now in the process
of raising the funds necessary to make this dream
a reality. Help us spread the word about this longoverdue tribute to bluesmen and blueswomen.
Please find a minute this week to visit our office
at 421 South Main and see what is in the works
-- one more reason to call Memphis the “Home of
the Blues.”
SOUTH 4
PLAC
E
Hampton
Inn
2 3
in the historic South Main
Art District this way
just 4 blocks...
Welcome to Memphis, “Home of the Blues and
Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” That is the marketing slogan of the Memphis Convention and
Visitors Bureau, longtime supporter of The Blues
Foundation and a sponsor of the International
Blues Challenge. We like to think the first part
of the tag line is true. Slogans, by their nature,
summarize and generalize. A slogan that hit on all
aspects of Memphis’ musical heritage could reference the gateway to the Delta--the birthplace of
the blues, W.C. Handy, Beale Street, Sam Phillips
and Sun Studios, Elvis and Graceland, Stax and
Soulsville, American Sound Studios, Sam the
Sham, the Box Tops, Big Star, Justin Timberlake,
and on and on. That would be a bit more accurate,
perhaps, but it would also be a mouthful. Save the
mouthful for some barbecue, but while you are
here, please do take in all the musical history that
makes Memphis so special to music fans.
Strictly speaking, however, promoting Memphis
is not our business; celebrating blues music is.
The Blues Foundation is based in Memphis, but
its focus is not Memphis. Our focus is blues music, all things blues, in all places around the world,
so we are primarily interested in the first half of
the slogan, the “Home of the Blues” part. We do
believe Memphis is the home of the blues, and we
think The Blues Foundation is the main reason for
that. Think about it. The international blues music
Wed - Fri 12-10pm
GAY
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The
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Park IBC
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THE ORPHEUM
Welcome
MAP
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Majestic
BOD
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ACE
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Peabody
ST
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SOU
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PEA
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Kooky
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GAYO
Center for
Southern
Folklore
Holiday Inn
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SOUTH 3RD
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TH 2
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AVE
UNIO
DOUBLETREE HOTEL
IBC VENUES
MON
Cotton
Museum
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(Ugly Juanita’s-Handy Park Bar)
D ST
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BEA
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Blue Plate
Café
TH ST
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SOUTH 4TH
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The Blues Foundation Staff—Joe Whitmer, Priscilla Hernandez, Glenda Mace, Jay Sieleman and Cindi James
• 11
Events
Tuesday, January 31
5:30pm�
International Showcase hosted by
Beale Street Merchants Association
(New Daisy)
5:30 Bleu Rascals (Philippines)
5:50 Damir Branilovicch Acoustic Balls (Croatia)
6:10 John F. Klaver Band (Netherlands) 6:30 The Mudbirds (Netherlands) 6:50 The Mojo Webb Band (Australia) 7:10 Breezy Brian Gregg (Canada) 7:30Pristine (Norway) 7:50 Big Daddy Wilson Duo (Germany) 8:10 Marco Marchi & Mojo Workers Blues (Switzerland) 8:30BSBE (Italy) 8:50 Fred Chapellier (France) 9:10 Dawn Tyler Watson & Paul Deslauriers (Canada)
9:30 Micke & Lefty featuring Chef (Finland) 9:50 Tony & the Trailer Cats (South Africa) 10:10 Travellin’ Brothers (Spain) 10:30 The 24th Street Wailers (Canada)
Wednesday, February 1
11:00am� 2:30pm IBC Act Registration (Club 152)
2:00pm� Barbara Blue (Silky O’Sullivans)
2:30pm� IBC Act Orientation Meeting (Club 152)
4/5:00pm� Quarterfinals-Round ONE
(Beale St-schedule on pg 14) $10
11:00pm� International Blues Jam hosted by the
Dutch Blues Foundation (Alfred’s)
Thursday, February 2
10:00am� BF Board of Directors Meeting
(Double tree-Crump)
10:30am� Blues Stories with Michael “Hawkeye”
Herman (Blues City Cafe)
11:00am� Hammond Organ Workshop with Robert
“Nighthawk” Tooms (Club 152)
11:00am� Stringed Instrument Workshop with
2012 BMA nominee Rich Del Grosso &
Jonn Del Toro Richardson (Hard Rock)
12 •
11:30am� Nashville Blues Society Showcase
(B.B. King’s)
11:45am� Blind Raccoon Roots & Blues
Showcase (Superior Bar)
12:00pm� Canadian Polar Bear Blues
Showcase (Kooky Canuck)
1:00pm� Education Seminar with 2012
KBA recipient Dan Treanor
(Doubletree-Chelsea)
1:00pm� Drum Workshop - Shuffles workshop
with Daniel Glass (Alfred’s)
1:00pm� Beyond the Music: You are the CEO!
with Bonnie Tallman (Blues City Cafe)
3:00pm� Beale Street Note Unveiling for
Fred McDowell (King’s Palace)
4/5:00pm� Quarterfinals-Round TWO
(Beale St-schedule on pg 16) $10
When the scores have been tabulated,
the semi-finalists will be announced
at various Beale Street clubs.
1:30pm� Blues Society Workshop with 2012 KBA
Recipient Blues Society of Western
New York (Doubletree-Gayoso Room)
1:30pm� Memphis Music Foundation’s Booking
Workshop with Hugh Southard, Blue
Mountain Artists & Gina Hughes,
Galaxie Agency (Wet Willies)
Saturday, February 4
9:00am� KBA Awards Brunch/10:00am KBA
Ceremony (Doubletree-Tenn Ballroom)
1:00pm� IBC Silent Auction Auction Saturday
afternoon only (Orpheum Theatre)
2:00pm� Band Finals & Best SelfProduced CD Doors Open @ 1:00pm
2:00pm� Youth Blues Knowledge Bowl
sponsored by Jonathan Russo
with host Art Tipaldi (B.B. King’s)
(Orpheum Theatre) $32.50
7:30pm� Solo/Duo Finals Doors Open @
6:30pm (Orpheum Theatre) $22.50
3:00pm� Beale Street Note Unveiling for
Otha Turner (King’s Palace)
Sunday, February 6
4:00pm� Youth Showcases (Beale St
11:00am� Blues Brunch (The Majestic Grille)
Clubs-Schedule on pg 19)
$15 includes Semi-finals
6:00pm� Semi-Finals (Beale St Clubs) $15
When the scores have been tabulated,
the finalists will be announced
at various Beale Street clubs.
HALL OF FAME
Blues Hall of Fame
Open House
@ 421 S. Main
Wed-Fri 11am-2pm
hosted by Thigh High Jeans
11:00pm� Youth Jam (Hard Rock Cafe)
11:00pm� Youth Jam (Hard Rock Cafe)
HALL OF FAME
Friday, February 3
9:00am� Blues in the Schools with 2012
KBA recipient Dan Treanor
(Downtown Elementary)
10:30am� Photo Exhibit and Q&A with
Blues Hall of Fame member
Dick Waterman (B.B. King’s)
11:00am� Stringed Instrument Workshop for
YOUTH with 2012 BMA nominee
Rich Del Grosso & Jonn Del Toro
Richardson (Hard Rock)
11:00am� Hammond Organ Workshop for
YOUTH with Robert “Nighthawk”
Tooms (Club 152)
11:00am� Drum Workshop for YOUTH - Shuffles
workshop with Daniel Glass (Alfred’s)
11:30am� IBC Luncheon The Blues Foundation’s
Plans for the Blues Hall of Fame
(Doubletree-Tenn Ballroom)
11:45am� Blind Raccoon Roots & Blues
Showcase (Superior Bar)
• 13
Solo/Duo
Round One
4:00
4:35
Club 152 3rd floor
Orpheum Juke
Pig On Beale
Each set is 25 minutes long with a 10 minute set-up break in between
Please Note: Times are subject to change! Check at venues to stay informed.
Silly Goose
Westin Lobby Bar
Johnny O.
Cannibal
Ramblers
Blueshine Duo
Shawn "Dirty"
Strickland
Leo Clarke
T.A. James
Ron Tanski
Norman Taylor
Joel Zoss
6:20
Sean Apple &
Martin Grant
Randy Norris
& Jeff Nicely
David "Boxcar"
Gates
Ben "Swamp
Donkey" Brenner
Ross Neilsen
Tbone & Mr. Bill
The Bottoms Up
Blues Gang
C.Y. Butcher
6:55
Owen Poteat
2blu
The Mudbirds
Cole Prior
Stevens
Cisco Herzhaft
Stevie Paige &
Anthony Norris
Doug Warner
The Mighty ORQ
7:30
Dr. Don's
Double Dose
Kelly Prescott &
Anders Drerup
The Hellbusters
JoE Fingas
Kenny Acosta
Dawn Tyler Watson
& Paul Deslauriers
8:05
Gregg "GC" Clark
& Brian Lee
John Stano
Tom & Alex
Clawson
Robert Sampson
Lucious Spiller
Austin "Walkin'
Cane"
8:40
BSBE
Lascivious
Deacons
Tyrannosaurus
Chicken
Madman Sam
Andy Wilson
& Johnny D
J.P. Reali
Christopher
Bryant
Annie Mack
9:15
Jumpin' Josh
& Felicia
Craig Twister
Steward
The Delta Boys
JImmy Davis
Arthur James
Randy McQuay
Paul Borger
Johnny Barbato
& Luther Wamble
9:50
Spoons & Abel
Kevin Marcus
Dillon
Jake Briscoe
D'Mar & Gill
Damir
Branilovicch
Maddog & Blue
Brian Keith
Wallen
Vinnie C.
The Roper Show
James Groves
Two Blue
Big Daddy
Wilson Duo
Breezy Brian Gregg
Round One
Mandeville &
Root Redemption Liz
Donna Herula
The Used
Blues Duo
RB Stone
Kajetan Drozd & John "The Doctor"
Piotr Rozankowski & "Magic" Frank
Danny Brooks
Chris Yakopcic
Franc Robert
Shirley Lewis & Jeff "Baby" Grand
Bob Camacho
Ray Bonneville
Chad Altenbaumer
Bill "Swamp"
& Chris Lancaster Shaka with Tony C
Alfred’s
Blues City Cafe
5:00
Johnny Rieger
Band
5:35
Lawyers Guns
& Money
The Rusted Rails
Ed Wills &
Blues 4 $ale
Wanda Watson
Band
Hurricane Ruth
The Hoopties
Dreamboogie
The Robbie
Laws Band
The Delta Sonics Three On A Wire
Jill West &
Blues Attack
Dexter Allen
John Hart &
Fatty Waters
Petey Hop & the
JackRabbits
The Mark
Albertson Trio
Little T & A
6:10
Club 152
Flying Saucer
The Official IBC Store
UGly Juanita’s
(Handy Park Bar)
Corner of Beale St and Rufus Thomas Rd
y o u r
s o u r c e
f o r
ill Call
W
Ticket Sales
IBC Merchandise
IBC Participant CDs
open 12:00-10:00pm
Wed, Thu & Fri
Rachelle
Coba Band
Nathan A. &
Max R.P.M.
Quarterfinals
Bryce Janey
Roosterfoot
B.B. Kings
Wednesday, February 1
Jake Hill
5:45
11:35
Trimmed &
Burning
Silky O’Sullivans
Wendy DeWitt f/
Kirk Harwood
11:00
Hard Rock
Historic Daisy
New Daisy
Rum Boogie
Superior Bar
The Fraser Melvin
Blues Band
Stacy Brooks
Wet Willies
Pistol Pete
Blues Band
Johnson
Poke Chop &
Leaf River Blues Jeremiah
& the Sliders
Other White Meat
Micke & Lefty
feat. Chef
The Holland K.
Smith Band
Tony & the
Trailer Cats
The Blues
Expressions
The 24th Street
Wailers
6:45
Young Guns
Johnny No
The Hitman
Blues Band
Blues Dragon
The Steve
Johnson Band
The Sugar
Prophets
Noah
Wotherspoon
7:20
Lightnin' Willie
& the Poorboys
The Alonzo
Pennington Band
The Travellin'
Brothers
House of Dues
RJ Harmon & Co.
Fast Lane
Blues Band
The RBK Project
The Porkroll
Project
Common
Ground Blues
The Kim
Pollard Band
Midnight Shift
7:55
Miss Lissa &
Company
The Mojo
Webb Band
Garrett "Big
G" Jacobson
Linda Shell & the
Blues Thang
The Bill Miller
Band
Rev. Robert
Sexton
The Willie J.
Laws Band
Little Jake & the
Soul Searchers
Ellie Lee &
Blues Fury
Jenna & Her
Cool Friends
Bobby BlackHat
Band
8:30
Blue Cat
Blues Band
Daddy Mack
Blues Band
Ray Fuller & the
Blues Rockers
Tony Vega Band
The Bush League
Doghouse
Daddies
The WIRED! Band
Gary Sellers
Band
Blues Boy Willie
44 Blues
Nick Hern Band
9:05
Mikey Junior
Terry Gillespie
Trio
Skinny Velvet
Bacon & Eggs
Blues Band
Chris Canas Band
Jimmy & the
Sleepers
Conor Gains
Band
The
Candymakers
Paula Harris
Lil' Slim Blues
Band
Robbie Antone's
Blues Machine
9:40
Fred Chapellier
Sherry Pruitt
Blues Project
Crossroads
Resurrection
Vince Johnson
Marco Marchi &
the Mojo Workers
The Shaun
Booker Band
The Pitbull of
Blues Band
The Good the
Bad & the Blues
David
Kimbrough Jr.
145th Street
The Lefty
Collins Band
10:15
Tweed Funk
Blue Max Band
Soul Satyr
Ron Yarosz &
the Vehicle
Buddy Knox
Blues Band
Miss Julia &
the Cruzers
Solar Porch
The Bart
Walker Band
Dicky James &
the Blue Flames
Clover Blue
Javier & the
Innocent Sons
10:50
A Ton of Blues
Nate Myers
& the Aces
Red Hot Blues
Sisters
Pristine
Memphis Cradle
Selwyn
Birchwood Band
Willie Haddath
Band
Jason King Band
Taylor Scott &
Tombstone Bullet
11:25
14 •
King’s Palace
5:10
10.25
Bands
Blues Hall
I nt e r na t iona l Bl u es Ch alle n gE
John F. Klaver
Band
Noa Golan Barel
Clarence "The
Blues Band
Blues Man" Turner
J Edwards Band
Another Kind Magick
Mike Bourne
Band
• 15
Solo/Duo
Round TWO
4:00
4:35
Blues Hall
Club 152 3rd floor
Orpheum Juke
Pig On Beale
Each set is 25 minutes long with a 10 minute set-up break in between
Please Note: Times are subject to change! Check at venues to stay informed.
5:10
Jumpin' Josh
& Felicia
5:45
Danny Brooks
Lascivious
Deacons
Maddog & Blue
JImmy Davis
6:20
Spoons & Abel
John "The Doctor"
& "Magic" Frank
Tyrannosaurus
Chicken
6:55
Sean Apple &
Martin Grant
Craig Twister
Steward
7:30
RB Stone
8:05
BSBE
Chad Altenbaumer
& Chris Lancaster
Silky O’Sullivans
Silly Goose
Westin Lobby Bar
Robert Sampson
J.P. Reali
Doug Warner
Arthur James
Jake Hill
Kenny Acosta
Annie Mack
Madman Sam
Jake Briscoe
JoE Fingas
D'Mar & Gill
Johnny Barbato
& Luther Wamble
The Delta Boys
Kevin Marcus
Dillon
Andy Wilson
& Johnny D
Stevie Paige &
Anthony Norris
Christopher
Bryant
Damir
Branilovicch
The Used
Blues Duo
Tom & Alex
Clawson
Big Daddy
Wilson Duo
T.A. James
Tbone & Mr. Bill
Paul Borger
James Groves
Chris Yakopcic
Liz Mandeville &
Donna Herula
Brian Keith
Wallen
Vinnie C.
Johnny O.
The Roper Show
The Mighty ORQ
Two Blue
Trimmed &
Burning
Roosterfoot
Ron Tanski
Norman Taylor
C.Y. Butcher
Shirley Lewis &
Bob Camacho
Lucious Spiller
Bryce Janey
Jeff "Baby" Grand
Joel Zoss
Kajetan Drozd &
Piotr Rozankowski Root Redemption
9:15
Gregg "GC" Clark
& Brian Lee
Blueshine Duo
David "Boxcar"
Gates
Leo Clarke
Cisco Herzhaft
9:50
Wendy DeWitt f/
Kirk Harwood
2blu
The Hellbusters
Franc Robert
Ross Neilsen
10.25
Dr. Don's
Double Dose
John Stano
Shawn "Dirty"
Strickland
11:00
Cannibal
Ramblers
Randy Norris
& Jeff Nicely
The Mudbirds
11:35
Owen Poteat
Kelly Prescott &
Anders Drerup
Alfred’s
Blues City Cafe
Ben "Swamp
Donkey" Brenner Breezy Brian Gregg
Cole Prior
Stevens
Thursday, February 2
Quarterfinals
The semi-finalists will be announced at these
*clubs
when the scores have been tabulated.
Randy McQuay
Austin "Walkin'
Cane"
8:40
Round Two
The semi-finalist schedule will be available at
blues.org and at Ugly Juanita’s (Handy
Park Bar) by NOON on Friday.
The Bottoms Up Dawn Tyler Watson
Blues Gang
& Paul Deslauriers
Ray Bonneville
Bill "Swamp"
Shaka with Tony C
B.B. Kings
Club 152
Flying Saucer
Hard Rock
Historic Daisy
New Daisy
Superior Bar
5:35
Mikey Junior
Terry Gillespie
Trio
Garrett "Big
G" Jacobson
Bacon & Eggs
Blues Band
The Bush League
Selwyn
Birchwood Band
The Pitbull of
Blues Band
Little Jake & the
Soul Searchers
David
Kimbrough Jr.
Jenna & Her
Cool Friends
Nick Hern Band
6:10
Blue Cat
Blues Band
Daddy Mack
Blues Band
Crossroads
Resurrection
Linda Shell & the
Blues Thang
Memphis Cradle
Doghouse
Daddies
Willie Haddath
Band
The Good
The Bad And
Taylor Scott
Another Kind Magick
145th Street
Midnight Shift
6:45
Fred Chapellier
The Mojo
Webb Band
Ray Fuller & the
Blues Rockers
Vince Johnson
Marco Marchi &
the Mojo Workers
Miss Julia &
the Cruzers
The WIRED! Band
The Porkroll
Project
Paula Harris
44 Blues
The Lefty
Collins Band
7:20
A Ton of Blues
Sherry Pruitt
Blues Project
Red Hot Blues
Sisters
Pristine
Chris Canas Band
Jimmy & the
Sleepers
Conor Gains
Band
The
Candymakers
Blues Boy Willie
Lil' Slim Blues
Band
Robbie Antone's
Blues Machine
7:55
Tweed Funk
Nate Myers
& the Aces
Skinny Velvet
Ron Yarosz &
the Vehicle
The Steve
Johnson Band
The Shaun
Booker Band
Dreamboogie
Jason King Band
Dicky James &
the Blue Flames
Tombstone Bullet
Javier & the
Innocent Sons
8:30
Rachelle
Coba Band
Three On A Wire
Soul Satyr
Nathan A. &
Max R.P.M.
Buddy Knox
Blues Band
Fast Lane
Blues Band
Solar Porch
The Bart
Walker Band
Micke & Lefty
feat. Chef
Clover Blue
Poke Chop &
Other White Meat
9:05
Lawyers Guns
& Money
The Alonzo
Pennington Band
John F. Klaver
Band
Dexter Allen
The Bill Miller
Band
Petey Hop & the
JackRabbits
The Willie J.
Laws Band
Mike Bourne
Band
The 24th Street
Wailers
9:40
Lightnin' Willie
& the Poorboys
Johnny Rieger
Band
Ed Wills &
Blues 4 $ale
Blues Dragon
Hurricane Ruth
Stacy Brooks
The Mark
Albertson Trio
Little T & A
Common
Ground Blues
The Blues
Expressions
Pistol Pete
Blues Band
10:15
The Delta Sonics
Johnny No
Travellin'
Brothers
Wanda Watson
Band
RJ Harmon & Co.
The Sugar
Prophets
The RBK Project
Gary Sellers
Band
Leaf River Blues
The Kim
Pollard Band
Tony & the
Trailer Cats
10:50
Young Guns
The Rusted Rails
Jill West &
Blues Attack
House of Dues
John Hart &
Fatty Waters
The Hoopties
Noah
Wotherspoon
The Robbie
Laws Band
Bands
Blue Max Band
Tony Vega Band
The Hitman
Blues Band
Ellie Lee &
Blues Fury
Wet Willies
5:00
I nt e r na t iona l Bl u es Ch a lle n gE
Rev. Robert
Sexton
Rum Boogie
Miss Lissa &
Company
11:25
16 •
King’s Palace
Bobby BlackHat
Band
Fraser Melvin
J Edwards Band TheBlues
Band
Noa Golan Barel
Blues Band
Clarence "The Jeremiah Johnson
Blues Man" Turner
& the Sliders
The Holland K.
Smith Band
• 17
mANY
thanks
to the
following
entities
and
individuals
who have
helped to
make the
28th IBC a
success:
18 •
++ ArtsMemphis
++ Beale Street Caravan
++ Beale Street Merchants
Association and
Member Clubs
++ Big City Rhythm & Blues
++ Blues Festival Guide
++ Blues Revue
++ Budweiser of Memphis
++ Cathead Vodka
++ Comfort Inn
++ Consulate General
of Canada
++ Crowne Plaza Hotel
++ Courtyard by Marriott
++ Denker Awards
++ Doubletree Memphis
Downtown
++ Downtowner
++ FedEx
++ First Tennessee Foundation
++ Flying Saucer
++ Garner Printing
++ Gibson Guitar
++ Jonathan Russo
++ Holiday Inn Select
++ House of Blues Radio Hour
++ Israel Culture Attache
++ Keyboards in Black
and White
++ Leading Edge Wireless
++ Lee Oskar Harmonicas
++ Legendary Rhythm
& Blues Cruise
++ Living Blues
++ Majestic Grille
++ Memphis Blues Society
++ Memphis Convention
& Visitors Bureau
++ Memphis Marriott
Downtown
++ Memphis Flyer
++ Memphis Music Foundation
++ Music On The Couch
++ Orpheum Theatre
++ Peabody Hotel
++ Profound Sound
++ Residence Inn by Marriott
++ River City Productions
++ Robinson & Maites
++ Silly Goose
++ Sirius XM Satellite Radio
++ Sleep Inn
++ Spring Hill Suites
++ Tennessee Arts
Commission
++ Thigh High Jeans
++ Vista Inn
++ VividPix & Design
++ Westin Beale
++ Yarbrough’s Music
Int e r na t ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
And of course, all the judges,
volunteers and silent auction
donors and bidders...
++ Tom Anderson
++ Steve Auterman
++ Paul Averwater
++ Chuck Barber
++ Matt Berichon
++ Mike Berichon
++ Ed Bosch
++ Mike Bounds
++ Bill Bowers
++ Kay Brockwell
++ Sandra Chide
++ Tom Claypool
++ Melodie Collins
++ David Cook
++ Aaron Crowder
++ Nick Dahl
++ Tammy Davis
++ Kyle Deibler
++ Penny Diersing
++ Tim Diersing
++ Carla Douberly
++ Nicki Early
++ Anthony
Frederickson
++ Gil Garza
++ Joanne Gikas
++ Cathi Gilman
++ Steve Grushkin
++ Megan Hanna
++ Marty Hawkins
++ Linda Henry
++ David Hughes
++ Sherree Hughes
++ Bobbie
Hullermann
++ Anthony Intas
++ Lee Jackson
++ Monica Jackson
++ Yvette Jackson
++ Greg Johnson
++ Michael Kinsman
++ Tracy Kirby
++ Caffi Kirk
++ Kristine Kozar
++ Eric Lamb
++ Joel Laybourn
++ Barbara Lavoie
++ Steve Mack
++ See’Trail Mackey
++ Bill MacSorley
++ John Mazzello
++ Jack McArdle
++ Roy McCann
++ Sandy McCann
++ Connie Meyer
++ Debra Monroe
++ Guy Nirelli
++ Patti Nirelli
++ Mark Novak
++ Susan Novak
++ Terry O’Halloran
++ Brian M Paris
++ Tom Perry
++ Roger Plourde
++ Chuck Porter
++ Joe Powell
++ Tracey Powell
++ Rob Pratt
++ Donna Price
++ Mark Puskarich
++ Arleen
Reifschneider
++ Karl
Reifschneider
++ Jack Rice
++ Melanie Rice
++ Chris Sabie
++ Richard Schaefer
++ Dennis Schaibly
++ Carol Shrein
++ Marcus Sparks
++ Christian
Stanfield
++ Vera Stanfield
++ Paul Stegman
++ Ken Stewart
++ Paul Strohm
++ Larry Swain
++ Judy Sweeney
++ Mark Suplicki
++ Marc Taylor
++ Kathie Titzler
++ Roger UpChurch
++ John Vaught
++ Carmen Weaver
++ Jennifer Weaver
++ Joey Weaver
++ Mollie Whitman
++ Sara Whitmer
++ Connie Willis
++ Rick Wills
++ John Wilson
++ Laura Wolf
Friday, February 3
Saturday, February 4
Beale Street Clubs
The semi-finalist schedule will be available at
blues.org and at Ugly Juanita’s by NOON on Friday.
The finalists will be announced at the venues when
the scores have been tabulated. The Semi-Finals
begin immediately following the Youth Showcase.
Orpheum Theatre
Semi-finals
finals
The order of finalists will be alphabetical
by first name, including the word “The”.
Use the blanks below to list the finalists.
Band Finals
Youth Showcase
Alfred’s
4:00Pett Crow
4:40The Uptown Music Collective’s
Young Blood Blues Band
B.B. King’s
4:00 Frets on Fire
4:40Southern Halo
Blues City Cafe
2:00pm
2:30pm
3:00pm
3:30pm
4:00Reed Smith & Cody Sparkman
4:40 Bad Brad & the Fat Cats
4:00pm
Blues Hall
4:30pm
4:00 Bleu Rascals
4:40Aaron, Trey & Ian
5:00pm
Club 152 4:00Crimson Dawn
4:40 Benny & the Bricks
5:30pm
Hard Rock Cafe
6:00pm
4:00Carson & the Spike Drivers
4:40The Peterson Brothers
& Rebecca Laird
Kings Palace
Solo/Duo Finals
4:00 Jumpin’ to the Westside
4:40NOMAD
7:30pm
New Daisy Theater
8:00pm
4:00Alabama Blues ProjectAdvanced Band
8:30pm
Pig On Beale
4:00Austin Scott & Triple
Threat Blues Band
4:40Rolling Rivers Blues Band
Rum Boogie
4:00Austin Scott & Triple
Threat Blues Band
4:40Rolling Rivers Blues Band
Silky O’Sullivans
4:00Trent Romens
4:40 Bear Hutchinson
9:00pm
9:30pm
10:00pm
10:30pm
11:00pm
• 19
affiliates
Board of Directors
Bill Wax, President
SiriusXM B.B. King’s Bluesville
Eric Simonsen, Vice-President
Blues Fan
Clay Purdom, Treasurer
Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, P.C.
Gary Anton
Bradfordville Blues Club
Phillip Barkett III
EnTrust Capital
Kathy Bolmer
KB Consultation
Thomas Cain
BMI
Jostein Forsberg
Notodden Blues Festival
Zac Harmon
Performer
Kevin Kane
Memphis Convention
& Visitors Bureau
Stefan Levy
Big Cat Search
Alan Maites
Robinson & Maites
Jerry Mason
Mason Media Services
Dorothy Moore
Performer
Ron Partain
The Bogdahn Group
Thomas Ruf
Ruf Records
Joey Sichting
FedEx Services
Hugh Southard
Blue Mountain Artists
Eric Steiner
Washington Blues Society
Ricky Stevens
Blues Fan
Cassie Taylor
Performer
Bob Trenchard
Catfood Records
Laurie Tucker
FedEx Services
Les Walgreen
Peaux Deaux Productions
Olga Wilhelmine
Performer
20 •
Alabama Blues Project
Arkansas River Blues Society
Ashland Blues Society
Asociación Musical
Blues Hondarribia
Association of Blues & Rock ‘70
Associazione Roots ‘n’ Blues
Atlanta Blues Society
Auckland Blues Club
Austin Blues Society
Baltic Blues
Baltimore Blues Society
Baton Rouge Blues Society
Billtown Blues Association
Black Hills Blues Society
Black Swamp Blues Society
Blue Ridge Blues Society
Blues Alliance of the
Treasure Coast
Blues Association of Geneva
Blues Association of South
East Queensland
Blues Blowtorch Society
Blues Club Luxembourg
Blues Lovers United of San Diego
Blues Oan Daa Stoazze
Blues Society of Central
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Blues Society of
Northwest Florida
Blues Society of the Ozarks
Blues Society of Tulsa
Blues Society of
Western New York
Blues Society of Western
Pennsylvania
Blues Society on Taiwan
Blues Sur Seine
Boise Blues Society
Boston Blues Society
Bruce County Blues Society
Bucks County Blues Society
Buffalo River Blues Society
Canada South Blues Society
Canal Bank Shuffle
Cape Fear Blues Society
Capital Area Blues Society
Capital Region Blues Network
Cascade Blues Association
Central Iowa Blues Society
Central Mississippi Blues Society
Charlotte Blues Society
Cincy Blues Society
I n te r na t iona l Bl u es Ch alle n gE
Cleveland Blues Society
Collingwood Jazz and
Blues Society
Colorado Blues Society
Columbus Blues Alliance
Connecticut Blues Society
Croatian Blues Forces
Crossroads Blues Society
Crossroads Blues
Society of Illinois
Danish Blues Union
Dayton Blues Society
DC Blues Society
Decatur Blues Society
Detroit Blues Society
DFW Blues Society
Diamond State Blues Society
Dutch Blues Foundation
East Coast Blues Society
Edmonton Blues Society
El Paso Blues Society
European Blues Union
Finnish Blues Society
Fort Smith Riverfront
Blues Society
France Blues
Frederick Blues Soceity
German Blues Network
Golden Gate Blues Society
Grafton Blues Association
Grand River Blues Society
Granite State Blues Society
Great Lakes Blues Society
Great Northern Blues Society
Greater Twin Cities
Blues Music Society
Gulf Coast Blues Society
Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival
Houston Blues Society
Illinois Blues Coalition
Illinois Central Blues Club
Indiana Blues Society
Inland Empire Blues Society
Israel Blues Society
Jersey Shore Jazz and
Blues Foundation
Kalamazoo Valley
Blues Association
Kansas City Blues Society
Kentuckiana Blues Society
Kentucky Blues Society
Klamath Blues Society
Lake of the Ozarks Blues Society
Las Vegas Blues Society
Lebanese Blues Foundation
Lehigh Valley Blues Network
Lizard Creek Blues Society
Long Island Blues Society
Los Angeles Blues Society
Lowcountry Blues Club
Loyal Blues Fellowship
Madison Blues Society
Magic City Blues Society
Maine Blues Society
Marquette Area Blues Society
Massachusetts Blues Society
Melbourne Blues
Appreciation Society
Memphis Blues Society
Mid North Michigan Blues Society
Mississippi Delta Blues
Society of Indianola
Mississippi Valley Blues Society
MO Blues Association
Mohawk Valley Blues Society
Mojo Station
Montreal Blues Society
Nashville Blues Society
Natchel Blues Network
Nature Coast Friends of Blues
New Mexico Blues Society
New York Blues & Jazz Society
Norsk Blues Union
North Central Florida
Blues Society
North East Ohio
Blues Association
Oklahoma Blues Society
Omaha Blues Society
Orange Blossom Blues Society
Oslo Bluesklubb
Ottawa Blues Society
Outback Blues Society
Ozark Blues Society
of NW Arkansas
Pacific Northwest
Blues in Schools
Panama Blues
Paris Blues Society
Phillipine Blues Society
Phoenix Blues Society
Piedmont Blues
Preservation Society
Pikes Peak Blues Community
Polish Blues Association
Pomeroy Blues + Jazz Society
Prairie Crossroads Blues Society
Rainy Day Blues Society
Raising the Blues
Reno Blues Society
Reykjavik Blues Festival
Rhode Island Rhythm and
Blues Preservation Society
River Basin Blues Society
River City Blues Society (IL)
River City Blues Society (VA)
Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame and Museum
Rowan Blues and Jazz Society
Russellville Blues Society
Sacramento Blues Society
San Angelo Blues Society
San Antonio Blues Society
San Luis Obispo Blues Society
Santa Barbara Blues Society
Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society
Saskatoon Blues Society
Scandanavian Blues Association
Sedalia Blues Society
Sierra Blues Society
Sierre Blues Association
Slovakblues
Smoky Mountain Blues Society
Sonny Boy Blues Society
South Africa Blues Sosiety
South Florida Blues Society
South Skunk Blues Society
South Sound Blues Association
Southeast Iowa Blues Society
Southern Arizona Blues
Heritage Foundation
Southern California Blues Society
Spa City Blues Society
Space Coast Blues Society
St. Louis Blues Society
Steel City Blues Society
Suncoast Blues Society
Sydney Blues Society
T.B. King Blues Club
The Blues, Jazz and
Folk Music Society
Thunder Bay Blues Society
Topeka Blues Society
Toronto Blues Society
Triangle Blues Society
Ventura County Blues Society
Vicksburg Blues Society
Victoria Blues Society
Voodoo Blues Krewe New
Orleans Blues Society
Walla Walla Blues Society
West Michigan Blues Society
West Virginia Blues Society
White Rock Blues Society
Wichita Blues Society
Windy City Blues Society
Women’s Blues Alliance
Wyoming Blues & Jazz Society
Charter Members
Shirley Adams
Lula, GA
Jim Allchin
Seattle, WA
Donovan Allen
Houston, TX
Robert Blake
Garden City, NY
Blue Waters Foundation
Annapolis, MD
Kathy Bolmer
Franklin, TN
Noah Bolmer
Occidental, CA
Steve Bryson
Cypress, CA
Bob Corritore
Scottsdale, AZ
Z. David DeLoach
Port Allen, LA
Elizabeth Drewry
Landrum, SC
Roger & Joey Finck
South Deerfield, MA
Jesse Finkelstein
Hillsboro Beach, FL
Peter Fleming
Nashville, TN
Mark Goodman
Hudson, FL
Michael Kisber
Memphis, TN
Moira Kneeshaw
Nanaimo, BC
Lori Leo
Oelwein, IA
Calvin & Amy McKenzie
Rayville, LA
Clint Morgan
Olympia, WA
Dr. Chris Patterson
Inman, SC
Barbara Peikin
Franklin, TN
Charles & Lori Ragsdell
Eureka Springs, AR
Pat Robertson
Coolidge, AZ
James Robertson
Keller, TX
Chris Sabie
Bartlett, TN
Fran Scott
Memphis, TN
Charles Shipp
Memphis, TN
Steve & Jeff Simon Presents
Charleston, SC
Eric Simonsen
Ivins, UT
Andy Talamantez
Franklin, TN
Shonda Warner
Clarksdale, MS
Peggy Whalley
Austin, TX
• 21
IBC Prize Packages
The winners receive cash and prizes such as professional consultations and assistance, gigs
at some of the country’s best festivals, as well as a slot on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise.
1st Place Band
++ First Place International Blues Challenge plaque
++ $2000 cash
++ Interview in BluesWax
++ One-year subscription to Blues Revue.
++ Ad in Blues Festival Guide and
banner ad on its website
++ Professional press kit from
Groovedaddy Graphics
G r eat gigs , i n clu di n g :
++ Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, 2013
++ Heritage Blues Festival, Wheeling, WV
++ St. John Blues Festival, St John, US Virgin Islands
++ Telluride Blues and Brews Festival, Telluride, CO
++ King Biscuit Blues Festival , Helena, AR
++ Hot Springs Blues Festival, Hot Springs, AR
++ River City Blues Society of VA ,
Richmond, VA Blues and Brews.
++ Eureka Springs Blues Weekend,
Eureka Springs, AR
++ Greater Ozark Blues Festival, Springfield, MO
++ Gladstone SummerTime
BluesFest, Gladstone, MO
++ Charlie West Blues Festival, Charleston, WV
++ Tremblant International Blues Festival,
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec Canada
2nd Place Band
++ 2nd Place International Blues Challenge plaque
++ $1000 cash
++ One-year subscription to Blues Revue
G r eat G igs , i n cl u di n g :
++ Canal Bank Shuffle, Thorold, Ontario, Canada
3rd Place Band
++ 3rd Place International Blues Challenge Plaque
++ $750 cash
22 •
Best Guitarist Award
I n B a n d F i n als
++ Gibson Custom ES-335 guitar
with Blues Foundation logo
++ Category 5 Amp
Best Harmonica Player
S ponso r e d by L e e O s k a r H a r monicas
++ Autographed Lee Oskar gold plated
limited edition Lee Oskar harmonica
++ Complete set of Lee Oskar harmonicas
++ Additional set of Lee Oskar reed
plates & accessories
++ An opportunity to perform with Lee Oskar
& friends in Seattle, WA at the famous
Highway 99 Blues Club & Restaurant.
1st Place Solo/Duo
++ 1st place International Blues Challenge plaque
++ $1500 cash
++ Interview in BluesWax
++ Ad in Blues Festival Guide and
banner ad on its website
G r eat gigs , i n clu di n g :
++ International Folk Alliance
Conference Memphis, TN
++ Traditional Acoustic Blues Festival Columbus, OH
++ Rootsway Roots ‘n’ Blues & Food
Festival Parma, Italy
++ Heritage Blues Festival Wheeling, WV
++ Alonzo’s Memorial Day Picnic, Baltimore, MD
++ Hot Springs Blues Festival, Hot Springs, AR
++ Blues Sur Seine France
++ 2013 Legendary Rhythm and
Blues Caribbean Cruise
2nd Place Solo/Duo
++ 2nd Place International Blues Challenge plaque
++ $750 cash
IBC Particpant index
145th Street. . . . . . . . 115
2blu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
44 Blues. . . . . . . . . . . 119
Andy Wilson & Johnny D.26
Annie Mack. . . . . . . . . . 30
Arthur James . . . . . . . . 30
A Ton of Blues. . . . . . . 116
Austin Walkin’ Cane. . . 27
Bacon & Eggs
Blues Band. . . . . . . . 127
Ben “Swamp Donkey”
Brenner . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Big Daddy Wilson Duo. 24
Bill “Swamp” Shaka
with Tony C. . . . . . . . . 28
Blue Cat Blues Band . 120
Blue Max Band. . . . . . 127
Blues Boy Willie & Texas
Blues Runners. . . . . 131
Blues Dragon. . . . . . . 132
Blueshine Dou. . . . . . . 33
Bobby BlackHat Band.131
Breezy Brian Gregg . . . 29
Brian Keith Wallen. . . . 27
Bryce Janey. . . . . . . . . . 32
BSBE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Buddy Knox
Blues Band. . . . . . . . 134
Cannibal Ramblers. . . .40
Chad Altenbaumer
& Chris Lancaster . . . 36
Chris Canas Band. . . . 120
Christopher Bryant. . . . 34
Chris Yakopcic . . . . . . . 26
Cisco Herzhaft . . . . . . . 30
Clarence Turner . . . . . 120
Clover Blue. . . . . . . . . 133
Cole Prior Stevens . . . . 31
Common Ground
Blues. . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Conor Gains Band . . . 122
Craig Twister Steward. . 40
Crossroads
Resurrection. . . . . . .124
C.Y. Butcher . . . . . . . . . 34
Daddy Mack
Blues Band. . . . . . . . 119
Damir Branilovicch
Acoustic Balls. . . . . . . 28
Danny Brooks. . . . . . . . 37
David “Boxcar” Gates. . 40
David Kimbrough Jr.. . 113
Dawn Tyler Watson
& Paul Deslauriers. . . 34
Dexter Allen . . . . . . . . 117
Dicky James & the
Blue Flames. . . . . . . 123
D’Mar & Gill . . . . . . . . . 27
Doghouse Daddies. . . 125
Doug Warner. . . . . . . . . 24
Dr. Don’s Double Dose. 38
Dreamboogie. . . . . . . 126
Ed Wills & Blues
4 $ale. . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Ellie Lee & Blues Fury.130
Fast Lane Blues Band.121
Franc Robert. . . . . . . . . 38
Fred Chapellier. . . . . . 121
Garrett “Big G”
Jacobson . . . . . . . . . 129
Gary Sellers Band . . . 125
Gregg “GC” Clark
& Brian Lee . . . . . . . . 28
House of Dues. . . . . . 130
Hurricane Ruth. . . . . . 130
Jake Briscoe. . . . . . . . . 32
Jake Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
James Groves. . . . . . . . 26
Jason King Band . . . . 131
Javier & the Innocent
Sons. . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
J Edwards Band. . . . . 125
Jeff “Baby” Grand. . . . . 29
Jenna & Her Cool
Friends. . . . . . . . . . . 132
Jeremiah Johnson & the
Sliders . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Jill West & Blues
Attack. . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Jimmy Davis. . . . . . . . . 32
Jimmy & the Sleepers.121
JoE Fingas. . . . . . . . . . . 25
Joel Zoss. . . . . . . . . . . . 25
John F. Klaver Band. . 120
John Hart & Fatty
Waters . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Johnny Barbato & Luther
Wamble . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Johnny No. . . . . . . . . . 123
Johnny O. . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Johnny Rieger Band . 113
John Stano. . . . . . . . . . 30
John “The Doctor” &
“Magic” Frank . . . . . . 29
J.P. Reali. . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Jumpin’ Josh & Felicia. 38
Kajetan Drozd &
Piotr Rozankowski. . . 39
Kelly Prescott &
Anders Drerup. . . . . . 35
Kenny Acosta. . . . . . . . 39
Kevin Marcus Dillon. . . 27
Lascivious Deacons. . . 37
Lawyers Guns &
Money. . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Leaf River Blues. . . . . 135
Leo Clarke. . . . . . . . . . . 36
Lightnin’ Willie &
the Poorboys . . . . . . 133
Lil’ Slim Blues Band. . 129
Linda Shell & the
Blues Thang. . . . . . . 124
Little Jake & the
Soul Searchers. . . . .128
Little T&A . . . . . . . . . . 124
Liz Mandeville &
Donna Herula. . . . . . . 40
Lucious Spiller . . . . . . . 24
Maddog & Blue. . . . . . . 25
Madman Sam. . . . . . . . 27
Marco Marchi &
the Mojo Workers . . 114
Memphis Cradle. . . . . 128
Micke & Lefty
featuring Chef . . . . . 121
Midnight Shift. . . . . . . 125
Mike Bourne Band. . . 113
Mikey Junior & the
Stone Cold Blues. . . 124
Miss Julia &
the Cruzers. . . . . . . . 113
Miss Lissa & Co. . . . . 118
Nate Myers & the Aces.115
Nathan A. &
Max R.P.M.. . . . . . . . 129
Nick Hern Band . . . . . 134
Noa Golan Barel
Blues Band. . . . . . . . 124
Noah Wotherspoon . . 119
Norman Taylor . . . . . . . 32
Owen Poteat. . . . . . . . . 25
Paula Harris. . . . . . . . 134
Paul Borger. . . . . . . . . . 35
Petey Hop & the
JackRabbits. . . . . . . 119
Pistol Pete Blues . . . . 136
Poke Chop & the
Other White Meats. .126
Pristine. . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Rachelle Coba Band . 136
Randy McQuay. . . . . . . 26
Randy Norris &
Jeff Nicely. . . . . . . . . . 40
Ray Bonneville. . . . . . . 36
Ray Fuller & the
Bluesrockers . . . . . . 134
RB Stone. . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Red Hot Blues Sisters.133
Reverend Robert
Sexton. . . . . . . . . . . . 116
RJ Harmon & Co. . . . . 129
Robbie Antone’s
Blues Machine. . . . . 122
Robert Sampson . . . . . 31
Ron Tanski . . . . . . . . . . 37
Ron Yarosz &
the Vehicle. . . . . . . . 118
Roosterfoot. . . . . . . . . . 35
Root Redemption. . . . . 35
Ross Neilsen. . . . . . . . . 31
Sean Apple &
Martin Grant . . . . . . . 34
Selwyn Birchwood
Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Shawn “Dirty”
Strickland. . . . . . . . . . 24
Sherry Pruitt
Blues Project. . . . . . 131
Shirley Lewis &
Bob Camacho . . . . . . 26
Skinny Velvet . . . . . . . 114
Solar Porch. . . . . . . . . 127
Soul Satyr. . . . . . . . . . 119
Spoons & Abel . . . . . . . 38
Stacy Brooks. . . . . . . . 132
Stevie Paige & Anthony
“Tok” Norris. . . . . . . . 35
T.A. James. . . . . . . . . . . 36
Taylor Scott & Another
Kind of Magick. . . . . 136
Tbone & Mr. Bill . . . . . . 33
Terry Gillespie Trio . . . 129
The 24th Street
Wailers. . . . . . . . . . . 134
The Alonzo Pennington
Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
The Bart Walker Band.127
The Bill Miller Band. . 118
The Blues Expressions.120
The Bottoms Up
Blues Gang. . . . . . . . . 33
The Bush League. . . . 128
The Candymakers . . . 123
The Delta Boys. . . . . . . 39
The Delta Sonics . . . . 118
The Fraser Melvin
Blues Band. . . . . . . . 118
The Good The Bad &
The Blues. . . . . . . . . 114
The Hellbusters . . . . . . 37
The Hitman
Blues Band. . . . . . . . 117
The Holland K. Smith
Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
The Hoopties . . . . . . . 117
The Kim Pollard Band.126
The Lefty Collins Band.126
The Mark Albertson
Trio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
The Mighty ORQ. . . . . . 31
The Mojo Webb Band. 115
The Mudbirds. . . . . . . . 29
The Pitbull of Blues
Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
The Porkroll Project . . 114
The RBK Project. . . . . 122
The Robbie Laws Band.117
The Roper Show. . . . . . 33
The Rusted Rails . . . . 135
The Shaun Booker
Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
The Steve Johnson
Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
The Sugar Prophets. . 131
The Used Blues Duo. . . 37
The Willie J. Laws
Band. . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
The WIRED! Band. . . . 135
Three On A Wire. . . . . 115
Tom & Alex Clawson. . . 25
Tombstone Bullet. . . . 123
Tony & the Trailer Cats.132
Tony Vega Band . . . . . 123
Travellin’ Brothers . . . 113
Trimmed & Burning . . . 24
Tweed Funk. . . . . . . . . 122
Two Blue. . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Tyrannosaurus Chicken.30
Vince Johnson & the
Plantation Allstars. . 127
Vinnie C.. . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Wanda Watson Band. 116
Wendy DeWitt . . . . . . . 39
Willie Haddath Band . 116
Young Guns. . . . . . . . . 132
• 23
Lucious Spiller
Solo/Duo
Lucious Spiller was born to sing
the blues. His music was
inspired by his father and many
family blues musicians. The
Delta’s soon-to-be legend,
Lucious is an intense,
flamboyant blues showman.
Between his signature guitar
work, his room-filling, powerful
vocals, and his self-defined
blues style, Lucious is among
the finest blues musicians
today. His music is an
energized mix of new blues and
old school injected with a
contemporary edge. His songs
are brought to vivid life by his
unlimited energy. His original
songs display his deep,
heartfelt passion for the blues.
Through his music, Lucious
takes his listeners on an
inspired trip to the crossroads
of the blues.
Ashland Blues Society
Doug Warner
Oregon singer-songwriter Doug
Warner has embodied fifty
years of playing, singing, and
writing blues music in his new
CD, Fading Gracefully. Doug
has developed an exciting new
voice in the blues. He
composes and performs songs
with a master bluesman’s
touch, rich with metaphor,
24 •
infused with his unique wit. His
stories, images, and rhythms
roll out blues as if they were
longtime standards. Audiences
are struck by Doug’s ability to
create blues relevant to the
present day, while echoing all
the great masters of the craft
who came before him. The last
line of Fading Gracefully is,
“The years just seem to roll on
by when you’re havin’ a good
time,” and Doug and his
listeners are truly havin’ a ball!
Trimmed & Burning
Trimmed and Burning: [devil’s
music] -noun. Listen and you
shall be saved . . . maybe. Ben
Stevens is a revivalist of
traditional blues. He delves
deep to bring traditional styles
into the present. Ben soulfully
summons the spirit of the blues
and makes it his own. His
picking is clean and he has a
tremendous talent for slide and
ragtime picking guitar styles.
Stevens can do it all. Skye
Downing has been labeled a
tour de force on stage. Skye is
a vocalist best known for
refined, gutsy vocals capable of
subtlety, passion, and power.
She has the rare gift of
believability in her vocal
delivery. That’s something that
can’t be taught.
Baltic Blues
Big Daddy Wilson Duo
Big Daddy Wilson was born in a
small town called Edenton,
North Carolina. They were very
poor, but he had a beautiful
childhood. As a child, he
worked in the tobacco and
cotton fields. He was a real
country boy. He quit school at
• S o l o / du o
Al p h a b et ic a l by a f f il iat e - s ee pag e 2 3 fo r in d ex by ac t na m e
Tom & Alex Clawson
the age of sixteen, and later
joined the U.S. Army. He met
the blues in Germany, where he
still lives. He began writing
poems and songs long before
he started singing the blues. He
didn’t know what it was, but it
was mixed in his blood. He was
born with the blues. So he
started back to the roots,
acoustic blues, just him and
another guitar player. Big
Daddy Wilson’s music is all
heart and natural soul, with a
fabulous warm baritone voice.
He draws from a wide stylistic
spectrum of blues, folk, soul,
and gospel.
Shawn “Dirty”
Strickland
A father and son acoustic duo
mixing traditional and modern
blues to create a distinct
contemporary blues sound. In
2002 Tom (singer-songwriterguitar) along with his oldest son
Alex (singer-songwriter-guitar)
started playing as an acoustic
duo, playing originals and
covers in and around the local
Toledo, Ohio, area. In June
2004 they formed the
contemporary blues band
BUCK69. Tom and Alex
released their first album with
BUCK69 in 2007, When She
Whispers Your Name. The
father and son team continue
to perform their acoustic duo
act as well as their work with
the band, and are currently in
the studio working on their
second album, No Medicine
Like the Blues.
Owen Poteat, The
One Man Boogie Band
Growing up in a musical family,
“Dirty” picked up a few
instruments and a love for the
blues. He has a vast repertoire of
old blues songs and many
originals, and never plays a song
the same way twice, giving you a
different show every time. He
has been influenced by a vast
number of diverse styles,
guitarists, piano players,
harmonica players, and even
soul singers. With this love for
blues and blues-based music,
Shawn took the best of each
influence and created a style all
his own that can be described as
a blend of blues -- raw and dirty.
Owen is honored to be
representing Virginia’s Blue
Ridge Blues Society after
making history by winning their
band competition as a solo. He
was born in a small town in
North Carolina and has been a
happy, struggling, working
musician most of his life. Call
him crazy, but he’s always tried
to put out more music than one
person should be able to. He
strives to create a rich full
sound, which includes deep
bass, drums, and a versatile
lead instrument. Life’s journey
to create this full band sound
has him where he is now
-- singing originals and covers
of great new and old blues
songs while stomping real
drums with his feet, playing
alternating lead, rhythm, and
bass lines on the guitar, and
trying to push the soloing limits
of a harp in a neck rack.
Treasure Coast
Joel Zoss
grand, JoE can tickle the ivories
until they scream for mercy!
Mister Fingas is a mainstay on
the Northwest Florida Gulf
Coast, having been on the
music scene since 1993. He is
considered by many to be a
local legend. Last year JoE was
a member of the Pat Prichard
Group at the 2011 IBC. Be
prepared, as JoE plans on
rockin’ the house! His motto is
“I come to play and I will play all
night and all day.”
Maddog & Blue
The richness of Joel Zoss’s
acoustic guitar fingerpicking
style and moving vocals
captivate audiences with
renditions of his gold-record
originals and classics by
American blues masters. From
2007 to 2009 Zoss opened
shows solo for B.B. King in
theaters across the country. He
has enjoyed wide recognition
as a composer and performer
since Bonnie Raitt recorded his
“Too Long at the Fair” and “I
Gave My Love a Candle.” His
songs have been covered by
many artists and licensed by
institutions as diverse as
MUZAK and the Smithsonian
Institution. New York’s Village
Voice wrote, “His melodies will
haunt you. His lyrics are
first-rate poetry.”
Blues Society of
Northwest Florida
JoE Fingas
JoE Fingas is a piano playin’
man. His specialties are
houserockin’ boogie and deep
“explosive” blues. Whether a
Hammond organ or a baby
Sol o/duo •
Solo/duo
Alp h ab et ic al by affiliate - s ee page 23 for index by act na m e
With a voice and story
resonating from a thunderous
soul and a drive to change the
world, Stella Blue carries with
her a talent not to be ignored.
Having come from a humble
farm in the hills of Missouri,
Stella Blue got her first guitar at
the age of eighteen and taught
herself to play. Songwriting
came naturally, and hundreds
of songs were born. In 2007
Stella met Steve “Maddog” Call
and hope was a little closer.
Steve hails from the Tulsa,
Oklahoma’s, music scene,
where he cut his teeth during
the ‘60s and ‘70s infiltrating
the shadows of rock history. He
is a vital part of the band that is
Maddog & Blue. Steve and
Stella began to play as a duo in
2008 and married in November
of 2011.
• 25
James Groves
Solo/Duo
James Groves has been making
a name for himself performing
his own brand of acoustic blues
in and around his hometown of
Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at
festivals and venues throughout the state. Influenced by all
the great Delta bluesmen,
James keeps with the traditions
of the past while injecting his
own style and energy into the
music, making it all his own. His
evocative slide guitar playing,
soulful vocals and the
seemingly effortless way that
the music flows from him will
grab your attention and leave
you wanting more.
Blues Society of
Western Pennsylvania
Chris Yakopcic
Chris Yakopcic was born in
1986 in Pittsburgh. He first
became interested in acoustic
blues music a few years later
when he happened upon
Fruteland Jackson performing
in Chicago. Since this introduction to the world of finger-style
guitar, Chris has been
influenced by the music of the
great Delta and Piedmont
players. As a guitarist, vocalist,
harmonica player, and
songwriter, he provides an
26 •
original take on acoustic blues
that builds on the picking
patterns of Blind Blake, as well
as the alternating bass rhythm
of Mississippi Fred McDowell.
In 2011, Chris released his
debut album, Done Found My
Freedom ‘Fore My Technique,
and he plans on playing and
composing blues music for
many years to come.
Shirley Lewis &
Bob Camacho
Described as Boston’s “Regal
Queen of the Blues,” singersongwriter Shirley Lewis is an
institution in New England.
Performing since the age of 4,
the New Jersey native came up
in the church, and has been
gracing stages with blues,
gospel, jazz and soul ever
since. She performs with
various ensembles, always
delivering songs with her
assured and unique vocal style.
That superb voice, along with a
sense of humor, warmth, and
grace, makes the charismatic
Ms. Lewis a consummate
performer who knows how to
entertain and impress her
audience. She is accompanied
at the IBC by seasoned
keyboardist Bob Camacho.
Randy McQuay
Life in North Carolina and
passion for music, culture, and
art led Randy to be a roots
musician and songwriter.
Traveling solo or with his band
around the Southeast region of
the U.S. since the age of
sixteen, he has gained chops,
experience, and notoriety. He
I nt e r na t ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
• S o l o / du o
of Cincy MetroMix, in CityBeat
magazine, and on TV and radio
stations around the world.
accolades for his guitar playing.
Together they pose a formidable combo, at once able to
touch listeners’ souls and also
to smack them upside the
head. Pull up an old orange
crate and listen to some
low-down, dirty blues.
has an aggressive, soulful, and
sultry voice that lures the
listener into original, heartfelt
lyrics. His acoustic guitar
playing style is derived from
clawhammer and Travis picking
styles with added percussion.
Like an original troubadour, he
harnesses the harmonica
around his neck. Adding fast
and sweeping single-note lines
over rhythm guitar, he creates a
full band sound. His idea is to
push the boundaries of
coordination, playing all the
parts with no compromise.
Andy Wilson
& Johnny D
Andy Wilson and Johnny D
Davidson are a duo born of
years of friendship and
collaboration in Those Delta
Rhythm Kings and Bad Gravy,
two of mid-Michigan’s most
noteworthy blues bands. Andy
Wilson sings and plays
chromatic and diatonic
harmonica. He also performs
as a founding member of the
acclaimed Americana group
Steppin’ In It. Johnny D collects
vintage tube amps, all manner
of guitars, cool clothes from
second-hand outlets, and
Madman Sam
Madman Sam is what happens
when you forget to tell a man
that he’s just one guy playing
an acoustic guitar. Best
described as “hard acoustic
blues,” his guitar playing is
heavy and rhythmic, his vocals
loud and powerful, and his
intense songwriting brings true
excitement to acoustic blues.
While heavily influenced by the
Mississippi Delta and Chicago
blues styles of the 1920s to
1950s, he is no history teacher
-- these are today’s blues for
today’s people. His songs are
exaggerated reality, cynically
simmered in a pot of sarcasm,
and lightly seasoned with
humor. If a juke joint were
picked up by a tornado in
Mississippi and dropped on top
of my ex-wife in Chicago, this is
the music the munchkins would
be singing.
Central Mississippi Blues Society
D’Mar & Gill
Derrick Martin, accomplished
drummer, music educator, and
songwriter as well as an
executive producer for several
artists, has been the lead
drummer for Little Richard for
over fifteen years. Chris Gill,
one of Mississippi’s best slide
guitarists, is the other half of
this dynamic duo of blues. Gill’s
Austin Walkin’ Cane
country-boy blues stir the souls
of blues purists. With over
fifteen years of performing,
Gill’s upbeat style personifies
the HAPPY in blues music.
D’Mar and Gill combined is a
wild mix that ends up making
this blues music unique. They
have taken the best of Delta
blues guitar and the coolest of
early African drum influence
and put them together to form
a modern sound that’s pleasing
to the soul and simply fun to
witness live.
Cincy Blues Society
Brian Keith Wallen
Nineteen-year-old singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brian Keith Wallen
has released sixteen CDs and
performed 400 shows,
including appearances at
Dollywood, the Ryman
Auditorium, and the Cincy Blues
Fest. He was named the 2011
Blues Artist of the Year by the
Star Gennett Foundation. His
goal is to make people smile.
When he looks out in the crowd
and sees people getting into
the music, it’s the greatest
feeling in the world. Brian’s
rootsy, soulful blend of acoustic
and electric blues and his
dynamic performances have
earned him a loyal following
throughout the Midwest. He
has been featured on the cover
Sol o/duo •
Damn fine blues! Original blues
that features slide guitar and
soulful vocals. A blues gumbo
repertoire that conjures up the
ghosts of Highway 61 and the
Delta blues experience. Austin
“Walkin’” Cane has traveled all
over the world, to Australia,
Nepal, France, Germany,
England, Wales, and the U.S.
from New Orleans, Louisiana,
to Juneau, Alaska. A World of
Blues, an all-original, acoustic
CD, was released in 2011 as a
testament to Walkin’ Cane’s
living on the road. The CD uses
excerpts from Austin’s world
travels in addition to the show
recorded live in the heart of the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame city.
Solo/duo
Collingwood Jazz &
Blues Society
Kevin Marcus Dillon
When not performing and
recording with his band, Kevin
Marcus Dillon loves to break
away and perform solo in the
back-porch blues and roots
tradition. As an accomplished
singer-songwriter playing
multiple instruments, Dillon
has a sound that has been
described as “original rockin’
• 27
soul-driven blues.” Picking up
the guitar in his early teens, he
found his calling when exposed
to and influenced by the great
blues and R&B artists of
Chicago, Detroit, and the U.K.
His journey continued south
connecting with the music,
musicians and spirit of the
Southern Delta. Further
inspired by early American
roots, Cajun and gospel, Dillon
incorporates these various
styles of music to create his
own unique brand of the blues.
Johnny O.
Solo/Duo
Johnny O. has been a steadfast
member of the Colorado music
scene for over 25 years, and,
for a long time now, one of the
hardest-working bluesmen in
the Rocky Mountain region. He
has performed internationally
in Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and
Amsterdam, as well as all over
the United States. Johnny is no
stranger to Memphis and the
IBC, either. In 2009 The Johnny
O. Band won the Colorado
Blues Society’s IBC band
competition, came down to
Memphis and laid down
powerful performances on
Beale that definitely drew some
attention. Then in 2010 Johnny
O’s duo The Jelly Roll Bakers
represented the Grand County
Blues Society at the IBC in
Memphis, with a few more
notable performances on
Beale Street.
Bill “Swamp” Shaka
with Tony C
A healthy dose of down-home,
energy-driven blues can go a
28 •
of Rosedale, Mississippi
Vinnie C.
long way. This is what the
high-octane duo of Bill
“Swamp” Shaka and Tony C
delivers with each performance. The intense, take-noprisoners stage assault by this
dynamic duo never seems to let
up! Shaka is a hurricane
Katrina flood survivor,
tunesmith, vocalist, harp
blower, and lifelong blues
enthusiast. He also fronts the
band Shaka & the SoulShakers
with Tony C on guitar.
Spontaneity and impromptu
bits of tale weaving are also
elements in Shaka’s arsenal,
which he keenly uses to mold
his songs. One thing is for
certain, no one will ever walk
away from a performance by
Bill “Swamp” Shaka and Tony C
feeling he didn’t get his soul
filled with solid entertainment.
Damir Branilovicch
Acoustic Balls
Born Vince Cheney in the North
Mississippi hills, Vinnie C. has
dedicated his life to expression
through live music. His music
can’t be understood through
recordings or explanation
alone; you’ve just got to
experience him live! Vinnie C.
has been performing solo for
more than half his life. Most of
his shows are between
Memphis and New Orleans,
where his family has lived for
almost 100 years. Imagine a
foot tambourine, wailing
harmonica, and tasteful guitar,
along with testimonial vocals,
filling the room. This is a
spoonful of what the juke joints
sounded like 75 years ago.
Indulge in the blues today!
Gregg “GC” Clark
& Brian Lee
Gregg “GC” Clark and Brian Lee
have been jammin’ the blues
off and on since the 1980s.
Residents of southwestern
This duo formed with the
intention of playing originals
and some cover tunes. Strong
lead vocal (Damir Branilovicch),
subtle backing vocals (Zlatko
Tomasevich), two acoustic
guitars (dreadnought guitars,
resonator slide guitar), and
occasionally mouth harp are
their weapons. Damir
Branilovicch Acoustic Balls is a
simple and frank acoustic
blues duo.
• S o l o / du o
Ohio, they have been featured
performers at festivals,
concerts, and joints up and
down the Ohio River Valley and
beyond. Gregg played his first
paying gig at age ten and never
looked back! His guitar and
vocal style have been refined
over decades of live gigs,
influenced by blues and jazz
legends. Brian Lee is known far
and wide as the best bass man
in the Midwest! He has laid the
foundation for many blues stars
over the years, and remains
one of the hardest-working men
in show business. Together,
Gregg “GC” Clark and Brian Lee
make one dynamic blues duo!
DC Blues Society
J.P. Reali
A veteran of the DC music
scene for more than 25 years,
JP Reali has played in
numerous venues throughout
the city. From his days as the
lead guitar player for The Next
Step to his days as half of the
acoustic roots duo The Hudson
River Drifters through his
current solo career, JP’s playing
has electrified listeners. In July
2010, JP released his second
solo album, Bottle of Blooze,
featuring eleven original songs
in both Delta and Piedmont
style solo acoustic blues. The
album was critically acclaimed
in the DC music press and
gained JP two Washington Area
Music Association Award
nominations in blues categories. JP is thrilled to represent
the DC Blues Society at the
2012 IBC.
John “The Doctor”
& “Magic” Frank
John “The Doctor” Jochem and
“Magic” Frank Malitz have
gigged for years around
Northern Illinois in the Magic
Frank Blues Band. When
working as a duo they play both
unplugged and electric blues.
You’ll hear the Delta when
is performing solo on guitar and
slide banjo or with his band The
Grandmasters.
The Mudbirds
Frank plays slide on his
resonator guitar and then you’ll
feel the grit of Maxwell Street
when he switches to electric
and John roars on harp, also
banging out percussion. The
Doctor’s harp attack comes
right out of the Chicago blues
harp tradition. He has been
regularly featured at the
Chicago Blues Fest, and has
gigged at clubs and festivals
throughout the U.S. and in
Europe. Together, The Doctor
and Magic Frank bring new life
to blues classics and also cut
fresh ground with their original
tunes.
Jeff “Baby” Grand
Gutsweeper -- now, that’s
appropriate employment for a
bluesman. But first let’s go
back to spy on a nine-year-old
as he picks up his first guitar,
then fast-forward five years to a
Johnny Winter concert in 1969
where a wide-eyed adolescent
watches at the Palladium. That
fateful show led him to the
blues section of the record
store, where he heard the great
bluesmen of the past. Those
recordings led him down a path
that included spots playing for
years with many of the
old-school bluesmen of Detroit.
Jeff brings that Deep South
style of blues with a Detroit
edge to audiences whether he
Sol o/duo •
The Mudbirds, with their
unusual combination of Dobro
and blues harp, have created a
new sound using powerful
rhythmic blues mixed with
subtle harmonies. Inspired by
acoustic pre-war blues, they
have developed a highly original
style, expressed in their own
compositions. Alan Laws
(acoustic guitar, vocals, blues
harp) started as a busker on
the London underground in the
‘70s, and gained a reputation
as a virtuoso blues harp player.
Ren Tweehuysen (Dobro,
weissenborn, acoustic lap steel
guitar) is one of the few Dutch
players playing blues on the
Dobro By fully using the
haunting, lonesome sound of
this instrument he is able to
add his own personal and
dynamic color to the music.
Solo/duo
Breezy Brian Gregg
Blues was unheard of in his
area in the early ‘60s. Growing
up in Edmonton, Canada,
Breezy Brian Gregg had access
through new American school
friends to a stack of Chicago
Blues LPs. From them he
learned the songs by ear, and
• 29
started a blues band that
ended up opening for Led
Zeppelin in 1969. Though his
career has taken him through
many bands and many styles of
music, blues is always what he
comes back to. He still does
some local club and festival
dates, but his main gig is
playing solo electric guitar
every noon hour in the main
city square for the Edmonton
Arts Council.
Blues Society
Tyrannosaurus
Chicken
Arthur James
earliest French bluesmen, he is
without any doubt one of the
only and last genuine blues
pickers in his country. Inspired
by old American bluesmen and
folk singers who became his
teachers after he met them in
the ‘60s, Cisco mixes his
unique, most personal feelings
through acoustic folk blues with
a combination of furious
ragtime and low-down blues.
Solo/Duo
John Stano
Tyrannosaurus Chicken: The
name refers to research
awakening latent dinosaur
genes in modern chicken
embryos. (Cool, huh?)
Appropriately, their sound
blends the old with the new.
Two one-man bands generations apart sing, kick and
stomp drums while playing on
slide guitars, a dishpan diddley
bow, harmonica, fiddle,
clawhammer banjo, bass, jaw
harp, and so much more. From
the driving beat and screaming
slide guitar of ‘50s and ‘60s
electric juke-joint blues all the
way to trance-inducing Ozark
Mountain bluegrass and
historical folk, T-Chikn creates
a signature sound that can be
described only as Psychedelta.
France Blues
Cisco Herzhaft
Cisco was born in 1947 in
France of Hungarian parents.
He’s a singer-songwriter and
accomplished guitarist with an
accurate and delicate finger
style. Considered one of the
30 •
The trademark of John Stano’s
individual sound is a distinctive
blend of finger-style acoustic
guitar, rack harmonica and
expressive vocals developed
over many years of performance and study. A skillful use
of language adds spark to his
lyrics. Sing Out compared
John’s music to early Bob
Dylan, while Dirty Linen was
reminded of Country Joe
McDonald. His style could be
described as acoustic
folk-blues, but John also draws
from urban blues, rock, and
beat poetry. John Stano was a
Big Top Chautauqua Songwriter
of the Year finalist for 2010. His
song “From a Rusty Cadillac”
was recently featured on NPR’s
Car Talk.
• S o l o / du o
Arthur James became a fixture
of the New England blues
scene in the ‘80s. Between
1990 and the present he has
become the John Mayall of New
Hampshire. He has shared the
stage at festivals and clubs
with a who’s who of the New
England blues world. Some
past band mates have gone on
to play with Roomful of Blues.
James was the winner of the
last two Granite State Blues
Challenges. Playing a nouveauretro style of acoustic blues
that incorporates soulful
vocals, passionate guitar work,
and a smidgen of irreverence,
James has released numerous
CDs and albums (no eighttracks) through the years. His
music can be heard throughout
the country on various blues
programs.
Greater Twin Cities
Blues Music Society
Annie Mack
Annie Mack is a blues vocalist
born and raised in the heart of
North Minneapolis. Growing up
in one of the most musically
rich cities and being surrounded by creative energy, she
has always had a desire to
pursue music. Many years later,
after experiencing some
life-changing events, she
sought healing and found a
home in the blues. She has
combined elements of jazz,
funk, and soul to create a fresh
take on blues classics while
still paying respects to the
elders of the blues. This
self-proclaimed “Gritty Diva” is
able to belt it out with raw
intensity or with sultry
sophistication. Annie Mack Is
truly in her element onstage.
Her shows are a concoction of
high energy and humor,
sprinkled with the right amount
of sass.
Johnny Barbato &
Luther Wamble
Johnny and Luther are both
from of New Orleans. The duo
has spent many years up and
down the Gulf Coast playing
their unique blend of Southern
Louisiana blues-rock. The tunes
range from soulful, well-written
ballads to guitar-driven
Southern boogie, “garunteed”
to set a mood of good times
while grabbing you in the gut
when you least expect it. Luther
toured the entire world playing
guitar with Gatemouth Brown.
Johnny formed The Lucky
Doggs, who signed a Southern
rock deal with Rockin Camel
Records in 2006. This is an act
worth seeing!
Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival
Ross Neilsen
From Fredericton, New
Brunswick, Ross Neilsen has
built a reputation as one of the
hardest-working blues-rockers
in Canada and has established
himself among the country’s
best. Ross has released seven
bringing it down low and slow,
Robert Sampson knows the
blues through and through.
Born in raised in East Saint
albums, including 2010’s
Redemption, which was
produced by Grammynominated producer Cody
Dickinson of the North
Mississippi Allstars. Combining
clever lyrics with old-school
guitar playing, Neilsen has
proved himself as the real deal
among both peers and fans,
earning a Maple Blues Award
nomination for Best New Artist,
a Rising Star win from the
Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation, back-to-back
Blues Album of the Year
nominations from the East
Coast Music Association, and a
MusicNB Award for Best Blues
Recording.
The Mighty ORQ
Cole Prior Stevens
The Mighty ORQ, from Houston,
Texas, has been performing
solo and with a band for over
sixteen years. He has released
five albums, with three more
slated for release in 2012. ORQ
has also won two Houston
Press Music Awards for Best
Guitarist, in 2007 and 2010.
The Mighty ORQ continues to
tour the U.S. and Europe solo
and with his band.
Robert Sampson
Whether it’s pounding out some
good old juke-joint blues,
playing some boogie-woogie, or
Sol o/duo •
Louis, Illinois, Robert had
experienced the blues most of
his life. So it was no wonder
that the blues manifested itself
in the music that Robert plays.
Being visually impaired, Robert
has a keen ear for music. A
multi-instrumentalist, Robert
plays sax, harmonica, organ,
piano, guitar, drums, and bass,
and sings. His brand of blues is
exciting, energetic, and
heartfelt. The blues are a major
part of who he is, and every
time he gets on the stage to
play, he puts it all out there for
the audience.
Solo/duo
Hailing from the river city of
Louisville, Kentucky, Cole Prior
Stevens has been playing blues
in clubs, festivals, and concerts
nationwide for over 30 years.
With his distinctive vocals and
bottleneck slide style,
reminiscent of Delta-style
blues, this southpaw singersongwriter has nearly a dozen
albums to his credit. Cole has
crafted and shaped his vocal
• 31
style, songwriting, and slide
guitar playing into a unique
style that audiences and fans
have come to enjoy!
Iowa Blues Societies
Bryce Janey
music reflects both the country
blues of the past and the
sounds of contemporary
acoustic bluesmen. Taylor also
draws influence from country,
‘70s rock, soul, gospel, and a
variety of musical forms. Taylor
also competed in the 2011 IBC,
representing New Jersey in the
solo-duo category.
Jake Briscoe
Solo/Duo
Bryce Janey started performing
at the age of thirteen in his
hometown of Marion, Iowa, in a
blues trio alongside his mother
on drums and his father on
guitar. He quickly launched into
a solo career, performing in
nationally renowned venues
and festivals across the U.S.
Janey celebrates traditional
blues in his dynamic performances, while showcasing his
talents as a songwriter of
one-of-a-kind electric and
acoustic melodies. His
numerous albums have
achieved international
attention; his latest compilation, Down Home Blues,
captures the texture of his
soulful vocals and haunting
slide guitar, reminiscent of the
old Delta bluesmen but with a
Midwestern style and blend
that is distinctly his own.
Jersey Shore Jazz &
Blues Foundation
Norman Taylor
Norman Taylor is a singersongwriter-acoustic blues
performer from the South
Jersey/Philadelphia area. His
32 •
Jake is a singer-songwriter and
musician working to make a
name for himself in Kansas
City. Jake was born and raised
in the small town of Elsberry,
Missouri, and takes great pride
in his humble roots. Growing up
in a small river town led Jake to
a variety of traditional American
music styles. Jake listens to
any music that moves him,
including bluegrass, early
country, ragtime, rock ‘n’ roll,
and of course the blues.
Whatever style Jake is
performing, you can hear his
blues roots bleeding through.
Blues fans aren’t afraid to feel
what they hear, which is why he
feels he and his music are at
home on the blues scene.
Jimmy Davis
Jimmy Davis is a 34-year-old
business owner, music
instructor, and singer-songwriter from Madison, Indiana.
With 25 years of experience
and having played over 2,000
shows, Jimmy is already a
young veteran of the blues. An
artist focused on original
music, Jimmy has recorded and
released four albums independently. Jimmy’s music is deeply
• S o l o / du o
The Bottoms Up
Blues Gang
blues-rooted, combining stories
of love, pain, and life’s
tribulations while working as a
blues artist and balancing a
family and business. Jimmy’s
vocal style harkens back to the
early days of the blues, while
his guitar prowess draws from
all genres. Having sold over
12,000 albums to an entirely
self- made market, he is a
bluesman ripe and ready for a
bright musical future.
RB Stone
RB Stone spins lyrics of life’s
truths, combined with
harmonica playing that
expresses the tears and
laughter of the blues. He has
created a world in song that
instructs, enriches, and
entertains. He sings and plays
acoustic and electric guitars
and harmonica, backed by a
drummer-percussionist. His
blues debut album, Lonesome
Traveler’s Blues, reached No. 2
on Airplay Direct and No. 10 on
the Roots Music Report Blues
Chart, and was entered in the
Best Self-Produced CD
competition. He has toured 32
countries on five continents,
entertaining troops, at the
Olympics in Japan, at festivals
in Europe, and at roadhouses
everywhere. Also catch him at
the Blind Raccoon showcase
during IBC week.
The Bottoms Up Blues Gang is
a St. Louis blues duo/gang
featuring vocalist Kari Liston
and guitarist Jeremy SegelMoss. They perform a wide
range of originals and covers in
the styles of Delta blues, soul,
and jazz. The BUBG is known
for being a hardworking touring
act, performing no fewer than
200 shows a year across the
country. Currently their time is
divided, with roughly one-third
spent in St Louis, one-third in
New Orleans, and the rest
touring across the country.
Vocalist Kari Liston says, “You
don’t work music, you play
music. If you’re not having fun
doing it, you’re doing something
wrong.”
Tbone & Mr. Bill
Hailing from Long Island and a
duo since 2006, Tbone and Mr.
Bill have perfected what they
call “good time” music. Their
quirky original material is
based on trailer-park love gone
wrong and traveling down south
to find the perfect git fiddle
gumbo. The band is fronted by
guitarist Tommy Tbone,
longtime veteran of the New
York blues scene, whose
throwback vocals and ability to
work the crowd quickly create a
foot-stomping environment
filled with energy. Billy Quinn
adds his boogie-woogie piano
talents to make this duo cook
with hot sauce. Their versatile
instrumentation allows them to
explore blues genres including
country, honky-tonk, Cajun
swamp and bug music. Be
prepared to shake your tail
feather.
The Roper Show
played stages, clubs, and jukes
throughout the Southeast.
2BLUs returns for its third time
to the IBC, having been a
finalist in 2008. These dudes
bring straight-ahead, in-yourface, relevant lyrics combined
with catchy Delta grooves
stripped to the bone. George
plays acoustic guitars including
a howling lap steel made from a
cypress knee, while Bruce
brings Deep South vintage
vocals along with harmonica
cupped, amped, and slapped.
Blueshine Dou
Jesse Roper, aka “The Roper
Show,” brings to the stage a
combination of raw energy,
emotion, and authenticity that
is truly unique. His own blend of
blues, country, and pure,
unadulterated rock will take off
like a runaway train and leave
you standing in captivated
silence. Originally from
Metchosin, British Columbia,
Jesse has been touring across
Canada promoting his
self-titled debut album. Playing
for wildly appreciative
audiences, his original style
and enthusiasm have earned
him fans of all ages.
2blu
2blu is Bruce Andrews on
harmonica and vocals and
George Dudley on guitar. This
seasoned songwriting duo has
Sol o/duo •
Solo/duo
Blueshine Duo is composed of
two West Tennessee natives:
Steve Patterson from Jackson,
Tennessee (slide guitar), and
Jimmy D. Taylor from
Brownsville, Tennessee
(harmonica). They have
immersed themselves in a
mixture of acoustic country
blues. Major influences include
Sleepy John Estes and the
genre of Mississippi Delta
blues. Patterson and Taylor,
who met at a blues festival in
1993, have a unique musical
bond that shows in every
performance. After some time
off the last few years, the duo
are back with a passion to
continue to share their love of
acoustic country blues with
• 33
their original tunes and style,
and to pay homage to the
country blues icons of the past.
Mid North Michigan Blues Society
C.Y. Butcher
Gonna Stop, is most fitting of
this all-or-nothing duo! They are
regulars at Ground Zero Blues
Club, Red’s Lounge/Juke Joint,
and Tricia’s Italian Restaurant
& Pie Hole in Clarksdale,
Mississippi.
Christopher Bryant
Solo/Duo
He seems to come out of
nowhere, making everyone stop
and stare. He’s got a gruff
talking voice and a gruffer
singing voice. He sits down and
picks the guitar sweetly in a
way folks rarely get to witness.
And when he opens his mouth
to sing, that voice expresses a
life full of barrooms and broken
dreams. It is recommended you
listen, watch, and learn from
this guy.
Sean “Bad” Apple
& Martin “Big
Boy” Grant
Montreal Blues Society
Dawn Tyler Watson
& Paul Deslauriers
The same year that Muddy
released the album I’m Ready,
Christopher Bryant came into
this world ready to make blues
a way of life. Chris Bryant gets
right up in your face and tells
you about the blues: his blues,
your blues, the blues he sees
all around him, day to day. His
rough-and- tumble blues make
you shake your head because
you’ve been there too, and pat
your foot because the
aggressive rhythm and spot-on
vocals grab you by the collar
and will not let you go.
Christopher Bryant is the future
of the blues while holding the
tradition and legacy of the art
form as close as a mother
holds a child.
Mojo Station
BSBE
Sean “Bad” Apple and Martin
“Big Boy” Grant are a highenergy duo with a full, driving
act, whose audiences cannot
get enough. They capture the
Hill Country style. Sean has
been featured in Blues Revue
magazine and the book Blues,
Booze, and Barbeque, and has
appeared in several documentary films. Big Boy (also in the
book) played on Jesse Mae
Hemphill’s last recordings. The
title of their new CD, Ain’t
34 •
been playing together since
2007, when they won Italy’s
Heineken Jammin’ Festival with
their first EP, Happy. After that,
they played in New York and
Seattle. In 2009, they released
their first album, BSBE, and
they toured Italy with more than
150 gigs, including Primo
Maggio in Rome in front of
100,000 people. In 2011, they
released a live album in May
and a second studio album, Do
It, in November.
BSBE, aka Bud Spencer Blues
Explosion, are a blues-rock
alternative duo (guitar and
drum) from Rome, Italy. They’ve
• S o l o / du o
With the simple honesty of two
voices and a six-string guitar,
this award-winning duo has
been creating a buzz on both
the national and international
blues scenes, touring across
Canada, Europe, and beyond.
Together they explore a rich
palette of styles and moods,
seamlessly blending the
borders between the blues,
roots, folk, soul, and rock ‘n’
roll. Delicate and fiery, subdued
and electrifying, this talented
duo is a study in the art of
perfectly fusing these apparent
contradictions. Paul bares a
virtuosic acoustic style all his
own, complementing it with a
strong and sensual voice, while
Dawn, renowned for her
engaging stage presence,
moves with incredible vocal
ease from sultry elegance to
raw powerhouse.
Jake Hill
Jake Hill blends classically
trained mastery of voice and
piano with the gritty and simple
Blues Society
Root Redemption
tradition of American roots
music. His ability to present
rich original blues compositions
enriched by stirring improvisation stands as one of his
strongest skills as an artist.
Jake is a Nashville-based
composer, studio engineer,
vocalist, and world-class
keyboard player. By the age of
twelve, he performed in the
company of Arthur Fiedler and
Seiji Ozawa of the Boston
Symphony, Michael Tilson
Thomas of the Philadelphia
Philharmonic, and the Opera
Company of Boston, among
many. Jake received scholarships from the Boston
Archdiocese Choir School, the
New England Conservatory of
Music and the School of Hard
Knocks.
Natchel’ Blues Network
Roosterfoot
2010 Independent Music
Awards Blues Song of the Year
and 2010 IMA Vox Pop People’s
Choice Award winner Root
Redemption (formerly Used
Blues Band) plays the blues
stripped down and rebuilt for a
modern audience. Equal parts
reverent and inventive, the
band energizes audiences with
authentic, infectious performances and striking musicianship. For the last six years the
band has been fusing the
acoustic blues formula with
rock, soul, and traditional Delta
motifs to create a unique and
yet evocative sound not to be
missed. By turns raw, subtle,
heartfelt, and hell-raising, Root
Redemption is a powerful voice
in blues music that has critics
and fans alike taking notice.
North East Ohio Blues
Association
Paul Borger
Roosterfoot is a duo made up
of Seth and Keith Stainback.
Roosterfoot’s music is best
described by imagining a clump
of East Texas dirt mixed in
muddy water, poured through a
strainer into the ear of a
phonograph that’s spinning an
R&B record. If you add some
stomp and crank up the
volume, you get a Roosterfoot.
Paul Borger favors songs that
ultimately entertain. His music
ranges from ragtime to New
Sol o/duo •
Orleans-style, to driving Texas
blues and Piedmont-style
fingerpicking. Paul’s early
influences were musicians
playing the blues from the ‘20s
and ‘30s. He was drawn to the
driving bass lines with melodies
played over the top, as well as
the beauty and complexity of a
ragtime guitar instrumental and
the power of an open-tuned
resonator slamming out some
Delta blues -- different, yet
connected. Paul’s music will
bring a smile to your face and
get your feet moving.
Kelly Prescott &
Anders Drerup
Anders Drerup and Kelly
Prescott have solo releases
and an impressive list of
professional accolades.
Together they have found a
strong and versatile musical
chemistry. Anders has tackled
many musical formats and
toured Europe, Australia, and
Cuba with Elmer Ferrer’s band.
This multi-talented artist’s CD
Songs for the Common Man
showcases his vocals, gliding
from Mardi Gras revelry to a
smoky ambience. Kelly’s 2011
release, I Leave You Dreaming,
is a soulful collection that
transitions effortlessly from
ballads to high-energy blues.
Her voice can be heard on
MonkeyJunk’s latest release, To
Behold.
Solo/duo
Outback Blues Society
Stevie Paige &
Anthony “Tok” Norris
Heavily influenced by the
classic sounds of Stax and Hi
Records, Stevie Paige has
• 35
Solo/Duo
earned a reputation as one of
Australia’s greatest blues
voices. DJs and critics
worldwide have embraced
Stevie’s latest album, Welcome
to the Big Time, which has
collected awards, accolades,
and stunning, heartfelt reviews.
Alongside Stevie is a good
friend and musical director of
her band, the award-winning
Anthony “Tok” Norris. Before
joining Stevie, Tok was a
long-serving member with one
of Australia’s most successful
roots bands The Black Sorrows.
Beyond their consummate skills
as musicians is their infectious,
tangible chemistry and warmth,
which fills any room from the
smallest bar to the largest
concert stage.
Ozark Blues Society of
Northwest Arkansas
Ray Bonneville
Ray Bonneville is a Canadianborn, U.S.-raised, bluesinfluenced singer, songwriter,
guitarist, and harmonica player,
who is known for his loose,
bluesy, swampy vibe. He now
lives in Austin after having lived
many places in the U.S.,
Canada, and Europe. Ray is the
recipient of a Juno award
36 •
(Canada’s Grammy), and has
released seven recordings. His
latest, Bad Man’s Blood, came
out in August 2011. Says Ray
about his early influences: “I
remember going into the
Boston-area night clubs in the
late ‘60s and early ‘70s,
listening to Muddy Waters, John
Hurt, James Cotton, Lightnin’
Hopkins, Junior Wells, and
many more. . . . These guys
were still relatively young . . .
man, what a thrill that was!”
Paris Blues Society
Chad Altenbaumer
& Chris Lancaster
Chad Altenbaumer and Chris
Lancaster have been performing together for the past twenty
years. They first started working
together in their band, The
Triptones, which competed in
the band competition at the
2008 IBC. This duo takes you
back to the basics of the blues,
playing each song with heart
and feeling with very simple
instrumentation. Along with his
smooth vocals, Chad works his
magic with wailing slide riffs on
a small modified backpacker
guitar. Chris brings his
percussion skills to the group
with a cajon and his famous
stumph fiddle. Over the years of
singing together the duo has
developed a tight vocal sound.
This powerful duo will bring you
original music that is raw and
played from the heart.
Piedmont Blues
T.A. James
For over 20 years, bassist/
guitarist T.A. James has toured
and recorded as a sideman
• S o l o / du o
with blues harp players,
stateside and abroad. He also
performs solo or in small
combos featuring original and
cover material. His solo playing
features dynamic, no-nonsense, driving rhythm guitar
that lets the lyrics cut through.
His songs are often (but not
always) about the dynamics of
human relationships that most
blues music speaks of, but
from other perspectives. James
is influenced by the blues styles
that came from Chicago,
Memphis, Louisiana, Texas, the
U.K., and the West Coast. All is
delivered in a spirit that doesn’t
take itself too seriously, except
in the desire to always give the
best show possible.
Leo Clarke
Leo is a passionate, heartfelt
musician and singer-songwriter
who plays many styles, but
gravitates to the roots and
Delta blues. Since moving to
Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2008, Leo’s
been on a blues journey of his
own. This is the second
consecutive year that Leo has
played at the IBC. Since
starting his journey, Leo has
placed second in Cincinnati the
past two years, second in this
year’s Dayton, Ohio, blues
challenge, and first the Big
Bend Blues challenge in
Pomeroy, Ohio. Recently he was
nominated for the best blues
act in the 2011 Cincinnati
Entertainment Awards. Leo’s
raspy vocal style has been
compared to that of Taj Mahal.
Reno Blues Society
The Hellbusters
Hot damn, it’s the Hellbusters,
from Reno, Nevada. We play
pure, natural, lean, hard, raw
blues at high volume and
rocket speed. The Hellbusters
are Todd Mauldin on guitar,
vocals, and porchboard, and
Jack D. Doyle III Esq. Jr. on
harp. We play our own brand of
Mississippi-inspired blues. Our
shows are fun and funny,
soulful and sinful. Stylistically,
call it R.L. Burnside meets
George Thorogood in a dark
alley, just as Henry Rollins
walks up with Kim Wilson and
somebody starts counting off.
People all over the world are
listening to the Hellbusters and
digging our raw, mean, driving
sound. Sound like fun? Don’t be
shy. Obey the Hellbusters!
Sacramento Blues Society
The Used Blues Duo
Bluesmen Gary “Guitar”
Anthony and Sean “Harmonica
Mac” McGroarty joined blues
forces in 2008 in The Used
Blues Band. In 2010, they
started to explore the blues as
a duo act and were overwhelmed by the response and
demand from the blues
community. Gary has been a
worldwide professional touring
and studio guitarist from the
age of seventeen, and was
recently inducted into the Las
Vegas Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Gary’s authentic blues guitar
licks and musical knowledge
are unique. Sean toured with
some of the top bands of the
late ‘70s and early ‘80s, and
has performed and recorded
internationally. Sean is a clever
songwriter and was nominated
for harmonica player of the year
by the Bay Area Blues Society
in 2010 and 2011.
Danny Brooks
Danny Brooks is from Toronto,
Canada, but now resides in
Llano, Texas. Mixing blues,
country, soul, gospel, and Hill
Country, he refers to it as
“Texassippi.” He has been
recognized in Canada and the
U.S. with multiple Juno, Maple
Blues, Real Blues and GMA
nominations. Performing at the
Austin City Limits Festival in
2009 opened the door for him
in Texas. Working with famed
Capricorn Records producer
Johnny Sandlin and with David
Hood, Spooner Oldham, and
Bonnie Bramlett, Brooks
released his first U.S. CD, No
Easy Way Out, in 2008. That
same year marked publication
by John Wiley & Sons of his
book Miracles for Breakfast.
Brooks is recording Hill
Country Soul Man for a spring
2012 release.
Sol o/duo •
Santa Clarita Valley
Blues Society
Ron Tanski
Ron Tanski is a fast-rising new
voice in the blues scene, paying
homage to the past but forging
a unique new direction in the
blues with soulful tunes,
lightning-fast piano riffs, and a
voice you have to hear to
believe. With an intensity
normally seen only in guitarists,
Ron’s live performances leave
crowds breathless. His music
covers the whole blues
spectrum, from boogie to deep
blues, gospel to swing, seedy
bar booths to places of
redemption. Ron’s emotionally
charged, ragged but sensitive,
gravel-and-gin-soaked voice
has been described as Louis
Armstrong and Tom Waits’ love
child, and his piano playing as a
brand-new old-fashioned style
all his own. This is a whole new
kind of piano blues.
Solo/duo
Lascivious Deacons
Lascivious Deacons are a duo
deeply rooted in the blues.
Described as Urban Americana,
or an Acoustic Anomaly, their
music truly must be witnessed
to be understood and
appreciated. From the
Shenandoah Valley, they’ve
spent the last three years
perfecting their song craft, and
believe that their performances
• 37
should accentuate the songs
they’ve written, which run the
gamut from bawdy to heartwrenching. Scott Gray
(harmonica/guitar) and Kelly
Miller (vocals/percussion) make
up Lascivious Deacons, and
they have more fun performing
and sharing their blues than
any musicians you’ve ever
seen! Fans can see that
Lascivious Deacons are having
a ball. In turn, Lascivious
Deacons guarantee a good
time for all.
Spoons & Abel
Solo/Duo
Delta blues artist The
Mississippi Spoonman (Bob
Rowell) has been performing
for blues fans throughout the
South ever since he was given
that handle by Delta bluesman
James Son Thomas in 1989.
His style of performing pleases
both young and old, and is as
unique as Delta blues itself. Bill
Abel, from Belzoni, Mississippi,
also creates his own unique
style of Delta blues, which is a
hard-hitting groove of layered
rhythms rooted deep in the raw
textures of gut-bucket sound,
which he plays on cigar-box
guitars he makes himself. His
guitar playing has accompanied
many award-winning blues
projects. Together Spoons &
Abel play and sing music that is
a reflection of the true Delta
experience, both past and
present.
Jumpin’ Josh
& Felicia
Felicia (age fifteen) has been
playing drums since she was
eight. Despite being prominent
38 •
tonkeyhonk queens. It’s
Donkey time. You should get
Donkey, too.
Franc Robert
in the school’s band, and
despite an unwarranted
infatuation with Pink Floyd,
Felicia always knew that her
real love in drumming was of
blues and jazz. She and Josh
have been playing music
together for several years now.
Jumpin’ Josh Violette (fourteen)
has been playing guitar since
the age of eight. Josh is a true
blues entertainer at heart, and
has been performing all around
the Northwest at festivals and
shows since the age of nine.
This dynamic duo has talent
and maturity of playing that
rival those of any seasoned
entertainers!
Ben “Swamp
Donkey” Brenner
Down at the Ohio Club on
Central Avenue in Hot Springs,
Arkansas, Ben “Swamp
Donkey” Brenner slings his
National guitar. The Donkey
digs in, works his slide, plays
another song. Notes roll and
tumble and slide into the wild
American night. The blues ain’t
nothin’ but a good Donkey
totin’ too much load. Don’t
confuse him for no mule! The
juke approves, and you are
drawn to a woman you can’t
not look at, red dress, bare
back, one arm up, all hips. She
is getting Donkey. This is the
music of bluesabilly kings and
I nt e r na t ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
• S o l o / du o
Based on the north side of
Tampa Bay, Franc Robert has
been a fixture on the blues
scene there for over 20 years.
His 2011 album, Why Do I
Never Win on Mind Balm
Records, received critical
praise and extensive airplay
across the U.S., and he has
been touring throughout Florida
and the Southeast in support of
the album. His sound draws on
the raw, deep-down Mississippi
Delta blues, with a more
modern sense of arrangement,
taking the music in new
directions. There’s no frills
involved, no fancy tricks, no
gimmicks, nothing but one guy,
six strings, and the blues . . . he
calls it Original Blues for the
21st Century.
Dr. Don’s
Double Dose
Blues, boogies, spirituals, rags,
and ballads are performed by
piano player and vocalist Don
Hopkins and drummer Rob
Grosser from Sydney, Australia.
You’ll hear originals, classics,
and rarer blues songs from the
1920s to the 1960s, oozing the
good-time, barrelhouse and
boogie-woogie fun of a blues
party night, with the emphasis
on the New Orleans piano
styles. A Dr. Don’s Double Dose
performance will most likely get
you singing along, dancing, or
just having a good time to their
music. An influential part of
Sydney’s blues scene since the
1970s, Don was inducted into
the Goulburn Blues Hall Of
Fame in 2002 . Rob has played
in some of the best blues and
rock bands over the years, and
on some Australian top-ten
singles.
T.B. King Blues Club
Kajetan Drozd &
Piotr Rozankowski
Kajetan Drozd and Piotr
Rozankowski are two remarkable Polish musicians who
share a passion for blues and
rockabilly music. Kajetan
Drozd, a charismatic guitarist,
vocalist, harmonica player,
composer, and winner of many
prestigious festivals in Poland,
is accompanied by Piotr
Rozankowski, an outstanding
double bass player whose
technique of “slap” playing
deserves special attention. The
duo’s repertoire is made up of
Kajetan’s original compositions, energetic and unique.
Moreover, their dynamic live act
speaks powerfully to audiences
and has ensured their success.
The Golden Gate Blues Society
Wendy DeWitt
Feat. Kirk Harwood
Wendy DeWitt on piano and
vocals and Kirk Harwood on
drums present a sound
reminiscent of S.P. Leary and
Otis Spann, a stew of
The Delta Boys
straight-up Chicago blues and
Texas boogie-woogie shaped by
Wendy’s years working with
guitarist Steve Freund and
Hank Ballard. Kirk Harwood
developed a steady yet creative
blues style working with
harmonica master Norton
Buffalo and noted slide
guitarist Roy Rodgers. From the
first note, the duo of less than
two years hit it off and went
straight into writing the new CD
Industrial Strength and booking
shows around the West Coast.
With vocals reminiscent of
Bonnie Raitt and a powerful
left-hand groove, Wendy found
the perfect match in Kirk’s
responsive and lively style.
David Dunavent and Matthew
Wood share a great love for the
blues. David and Matthew
come from the Mississippi
Delta, were they currently live
and perform with their bands,
David Dunavent and the EVOL
LOVE Band and Amalgamation.
Based in the sounds of
traditional blues and jazz, they
have a unique sound that is
rooted deep in the Delta blues.
Kenny Acosta
Solo/duo
Two Blue
Two Blue is Josh Vowell and
Justin Shelton. Josh, playing
guitar since childhood,
inherited his love of music from
his grandparents. Justin, or “J”
to his friends, bought his first
harmonica at a local Cracker
Barrel and quickly fell in love
with the instrument. The
chemistry with these two
charismatic musicians is
evident onstage, as they feed
off each other’s natural talents.
This isn’t the duo’s first trip to
the IBC, as both have competed
in the band competition.
Sol o/duo •
Kenny Acosta’s musical
performance as a solo artist
projects his incredible
charisma, and conveys unity
between himself and his
audience. Kenny Acosta will
showcase his unique versatile
voice and his creativity as a
producer, arranger, songwriter,
and brilliant guitarist. The
recipe for Kenny Acosta’s
musical performance consists
of down-home blues mixed with
a New Orleans street beat and
Caribbean rhythms, sauteed in
a funky mixture of soulful growl.
Yes, Kenny has been lots of
places and done lots of things,
but bottom line is, he will
entertain you with professionalism and his charisma.
• 39
Solo/Duo
Randy Norris and Jeff Nicely are
an eclectic blues duo, at times
acoustic, always electric. Randy
has spent much of his life
guitar slingin’ on the road,
blending soul, rock, New
Orleans rhythm and Delta blues
with dynamic vocals, living by
the credo “If there’s no feeling,
you’re just wasting your
breath.” Randy also spent ten
years in Los Angeles doing
sessions and sideman work.
Taking his vast repertoire north,
he joined Jeff in fronting a
popular Seattle-area blues
band at the turn of the century.
Jeff is well traveled with his
harmonicas, playing everything
from loose pickin’ parties to
tight funk ‘n’ soul shows,
forever capturing the true
rhythm and soul of the blues.
Cannibal Ramblers
The Cannibal Ramblers, father
and son, focus on densely
textured, highly rhythmic music
with strong narrative content.
They have a deep reservoir of
original music as well as an
extensive knowledge and love
of pre-war blues. The Cannibal
Ramblers’ sound is ragged like
a rusty knife. Driving the car
down the winding mountain
road with the brake lines cut is
the zone they live in. No song
happens the same way twice.
40 •
No song ends the same way
twice. They never use a set list.
They are engaged at an extreme
emotional level, subconsciously
aware of each other’s next
move. Mark wields his voice
with the subtlety of a fire hose.
Harry plays drums, supplying a
driving beat that heats each
song to a roiling boil.
White Rock Blues Society
David “Boxcar” Gates
Hailing from Vancouver, British
Columbia, and heavily
influenced by the forefathers of
the genre, David “Boxcar”
Gates has evolved into one of
Canada’s most renowned
acoustic Piedmont, ragtime,
and Delta blues guitar players.
His astonishing playing styles
are drenched with bottleneck
slide and alternate-finger
picking with a ragtime twist.
David accompanies himself
with the blues harp, mounted to
a unique homemade rack
constructed out of bicycle and
lamp shade parts. Only
twenty-nine years of age,
Boxcar has been mesmerizing
audiences across Canada and
on various festival stages in
Europe.
Craig Twister
Steward
The blues is spiritual music.
The blues promotes inspiration
in the soul of music. Twister
performs blues with vocal,
harmonicas, and guitar. He
loves acoustic and electrified
blues of any genre. Although he
is at home in a band setting, he
is just as comfortable as a solo
artist. His influences range
from the first recordings of
I nt e r nat ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
• S o l o / du o
blues to the most current.
There are many masters of the
blues, and he is committed to
performing as many of their
masterpieces as possible. He
also performs originals. He
loves the fact that there is so
much adoration for the blues in
the world, and feels blessed to
be involved at any level. It is
commonly reported that his
performances are rendered
with 100 percent dedication.
Liz Mandeville &
Donna Herula
2011 Solo/Duo Winner
Georg Schroeter
& Marc Breitfelder
Sponsored by the Baltic Blues Societ y, Germany
Award-winning songwriter Liz
Mandeville met slide guitarist
and 2010 Windy City Blues
Challenge winner Donna Herula
in Memphis last February. The
two Chicagoans discovered their
shared passion for traditional
and Delta blues and started
working together. Liz and Donna
have honed a powerful sound
based on great songs, deep
blues, and driving rhythm.
Pairing Liz’s strong voice, solid
guitar, and witty originals with
Donna’s masterful slide playing
and spirited vocals, they create
a fresh blues experience that
has earned them standing
ovations. They bring to the stage
years of experience and solid
showmanship coupled with a
child-like excitement that’s
impossible to resist!
A year has passed since we won the 2011
International Blues Challenge solo/duo competition in Memphis. Our lives have changed greatly
due to these amazing yet surreal experiences,
and we wish to thank all the people who supported us that wonderful week down on
Beale Street.
photo by Timo Wilke
Randy Norris
& Jeff Nicely
Thanks to the award that The Blues Foundation
so generously bestowed on us, we have not
stopped touring: Germany, Poland, Denmark,
France, Switzerland, Austria . . . and the United
States of America. All of this in such a short
period of time, WOW!
Two guys from Germany on tour in the U.S.!
Betsy Lynn Paisley of Sound Reflections
organized a seven-week tour, and we traveled
up and down the southern portion of the States,
up through the Midwest and across most of the
country by car. Unbelievable! We started out in
New Jersey and traveled to Florida, Alabama,
Arkansas, Kansas, and back to New Jersey. A
few days’ rest and off we went to Ohio, then
down Route 66 to Arizona, California, Oregon,
Washington, back to Oregon, and home to
Germany -- where we rested for only two days,
and out on the road again. Thank you to our many
Being the first European musicians to win this
honor was incredible! This caused us to become
a sensation in Europe, especially in Germany.
This has been unlike anything we have ever
experienced. Our audiences have doubled,
maybe even tripled. We have been inundated
with requests for newspaper articles, magazine
articles, and radio and even television interviews
throughout the year. This experience is both
humbling and overwhelming, to say the least. We
are very grateful to all of you who have helped
and who have enjoyed our performances.
41
photo by Torsten Wingenfelder
friends and fans out there who kept
us going.
We met some truly amazing people
along the way -- people who helped
restore our faith in the human race,
people who helped us complete these
tours in times of turmoil, bad weather,
and automobile breakdowns. We
have a special place for you in our
memories, and so much gratitude
and love! We hope all of our paths will
cross again!
Now we are coming up to a new highlight in our careers: we are heading out
on the next Blues Cruise, in January
2012. Then on to the IBC 2012 in
Memphis, Tennessee, to watch the
next competition and see, meet, and
greet many of the new hopefuls in this
coming year’s competition. We are
looking forward to seeing many of our
friends from last year. But we hope
to meet and make many new friends,
too! Good luck to the competitors for
this year!
Let’s all meet on Beale Street!
Georg & Marc
b l u e s t o u r. d e
C a m p a i g n
f o r
t h e
Blues Hall of Fame
++ Signature events and honors—the Blues Music
Awards, Blues Hall of Fame, International
Blues Challenge, and Keeping the Blues
Alive Awards—make the Foundation the
international home of blues music.
++ The HART Fund provides the blues
community with medical assistance while
the Sound Healthcare program offers
musicians access to health insurance.
HALL OF FAME
HALL OF FAME
++ Blues in the Schools programs and
Generation Blues scholarships expose
new generations to blues music.
HALL OF FAME
Imagine a world that has never heard the likes
of Robert Johnson or Ma Rainey, where John
Lee Hooker toiled in anonymity and Etta James
performed only in her church choir. It would be a
world without B.B. King or Muddy Waters—and for
that matter, without performers from Elvis to Eric
Clapton who built their music on a solid foundation of the blues.
Fortunately, our lives are rich with the influence of the blues. The music that began in the
Mississippi Delta traveled north to Memphis,
where W.C. Handy introduced it to the world.
Since then, the influence of the blues has transcended musical boundaries. It has helped break
social and racial barriers, provide unvarnished
social commentary,
HALLand
OF launch
FAME a multi-billiondollar music industry.
Celebrating the Blues
The Blues Foundation was established as
a nonprofit organization in 1980 to fulfill this
mission: preserve blues music history, celebrate
recording and performance excellence, support
blues education, and ensure the future of this
uniquely American art form. The Foundation,
headquartered in Memphis, serves the blues
community around the globe through programs
and activities that fulfill its mission, such as
the following:
++ Information, answers, and news are
provided throughout the year by members
of the Foundation staff in service to
the worldwide blues community.
Today, The Blues Foundation enjoys the respect
of the global blues community and a measure of
financial stability. With 4,500 individual members,
the Foundation also has 200 affiliated local blues
societies representing another 50,000 fans and
professionals worldwide. The Foundation’s $1
million annual revenues come from membership
dues; private donations; corporate sponsorships;
grants from private foundations, government
agencies, and arts organizations; and merchandise, advertising, and event ticket sales.
A twenty-five member Board of Directors governs The Blues Foundation; Executive Director Jay
Sieleman and a staff of three manage day-to-day
operations.
HALL OF FAME
A Long-Time Dream
Since its earliest days, the Foundation has
envisioned a Blues Hall of Fame. Artist renditions
appeared as early as the 1983 Blues Music
Award program. Foundation leaders have long
recognized that, in addition to stability and operating efficiencies, a permanent home for The Blues
Foundation will dramatically improve its ability to
fulfill its mission.
A key component for the success of any organization is a sound fiscal base from which to meet
its goals and objectives. In recent years, The Blues
Foundation has built such a base while continuing
to fulfill its mission in each of the above noted
programs and activities.
In 2006, the Foundation adopted a strategic
plan that embraced a permanent home. The
Blues Hall of FAme • 55
Foundation operations
began there on July
5, 2011. With the first
phase completed, The
Blues Foundation continues to pursue its goal:
a home that enhances
the ability to carry out its
mission.
Plans that
Focus on
Mission
Foundation leaders,
with Design 500 and the
architectural firm archimania, have determined
the best way to enhance
the Foundation’s mission
is to expand one of its
existing programs—the
Blues Music Hall of
Fame. Both programmatic and pragmatic reasons
support this focus.
Since 1980, The
Blues Foundation has
inducted individuals,
recordings, and literature
into the Blues Music
Hall of Fame. The
induction included a
public announcement, a
presentation event, and
Our goal is to create a memorable experience for the visitor that presents
a printed program; more
the rich history of blues music through recognition and respect for the
men and women who created this music, while also spotlighting The
recently, it also included
Blues Foundation programs that ensure the future of one of the great
postings to The Blues
cultural contributions to the world: blues music.
Foundation’s website. A
new Blues Music Hall of
Jay Sieleman, Executive Director
Fame at 421 South Main
enhances one of the
following year, with a grant from the Community
founding programs of The Blues Foundation. The
Foundation of Greater Memphis, the Foundation
new hall of fame will be the place to:
began work with Design 500 to discern require++ honor inductees year-round;
ments for and shape the new home—its location,
++ listen to and learn about the music; and
size, space allocations, and programming
priorities.
++ enjoy historic mementos of this
A suitable location was identified in December
all-American art form.
2010—a condominium located at 421 South Main
The
new Blues Music Hall of Fame will be the
with approximately 3,800 square feet at street level
place for serious blues fans, casual visitors, and
and 7,700 square feet on the lower level. By this
wide-eyed students. It will facilitate audience detime, The Blues Foundation had quietly and steadivelopment and membership growth. It will expose,
ly eliminated all debt and built reserves of more
enlighten, educate, and entertain. The new facility
than $400,000. This financial strength enabled the
will serve all four components of the mission: preFoundation to secure a short-term loan to help pay
serving history, celebrating excellence, supporting
for the purchase of its new building and some basic
education, and ensuring the future of the music.
renovations when this opportunity arose.
56 • Blues Hall of FAme
investing in renovation
and expansion there. And
The Blues Foundation is
already responsible for
bringing thousands of
dedicated blues fans to
Memphis twice a year for
the Blues Music Awards
and the International
Blues Challenge.
The new Blues Music
Hall of Fame, based
on attendance at other
Memphis musical destinations, is expected to
attract 20,000-30,000
To see the plans realized, the Foundation board has approved a
visitors in just the first
campaign to raise up to $3.5 million, including the repayment of its
year. Some visitors will
loan, to be allocated as follows.
purchase items in the gift
Building Acquisition & Occupancy
$432,800
shop; some will become
Renovations & Exhibits
$2,372,777
dues-paying members;
Project Costs
$694,423
some will make a dona Total Goal
$3,500,000
tion. These expenditures
will provide additional
gross revenue that can
The new Blues Music Hall of Fame will be the
be directed to support all the Foundation’s
centerpiece at 421 South Main. The plan includes
program initiatives—the HART Fund (pays medical
an attractive, inviting, and functional façade with
expenses), Generation Blues (youth music schola public art component (Little Milton’s “Think of
arships), the Blues Music Awards. And the on-site
Me”). It provides approximately 5,000 square feet
expenditures have the potential to grow as the hall
of space for programming, and 1,500 for adminof fame operations mature.
istration, with the remaining 5,000 reserved for
The
Campaign for
circulation and hosting events, for housing normal
the Hall of Fame
building mechanicals, and for storage
and expansion.
The Blues Foundation is the international home
An Investment with
Long-Term Benefits
New facilities at 421 South Main have the
potential for a long-term return on investment for
The Blues Foundation.
Memphis is known as the “home of the
blues.” “Music is an integral part of the social
and economic fabric of the city,” according to
an economic impact study conducted by the
University of Memphis in 2004. “Many of the city’s
highest-priority economic development plans are
built upon initiatives to attract young, dynamic,
high-income professionals to the area,” the study
observed, and it recognized that the diversity and
creativity of blues music are a unique advantage
for Memphis.
Each year, tens of thousands of tourists travel
to Memphis on musical journeys to see Graceland,
Sun, Stax, Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Beale Street.
The National Civil Rights Museum, across the
street, currently attracts 200,000 visitors annually
to the South Main Street neighborhood and is
of blues music, and it is based in Memphis. The
two most important events in blues music are
staged in Memphis each year—the International
Blues Challenge and the Blues Music Awards.
Now, with the final development of 421 South
Main and the Blues Music Hall of Fame at its
heart, The Blues Foundation is poised to create a
facility for the world to visit every day of the year.
And it will expand the audience and customer
base for blues music, a signature business in
Memphis.
For blues fans around the globe—who visit
Memphis in a virtual sense hundreds of times
every day for a wide variety of services through
The Blues Foundation’s website— the campaign
offers a unique opportunity to ensure expanded
access to the blues. Information, musicians, and
performances archived in the hall of fame, together with its exhibits, will be rich new resources
available to all worldwide.
Therefore, we invite the entire blues community
to invest in the Blues Music Hall of Fame, a facility
that preserves and celebrates the blues, honors
The bronze statue
above is entitled
“Think of Me” and is a
recreation of the last
album by Blues Hall of
Famer and Memphian
Little Milton.
our legendary inductees, and creates a home
overflowing with history and permanent recognition for the musicians and the music. For local
fans, the new facility offers an opportunity to
invest in the community and the music that has
put Memphis on the map. And it is time to make
the blues’ home a reality that will celebrate the
music long into the future.
ALL who support this campaign ultimately
have the opportunity to enhance The Blues
Foundation’s programming, such as the HART
Fund and Generation Blues. A campaign
investment will see the realization of the new
Blues Music Hall of Fame and it will nurture
growth and long-term viability for the entire
organization.
Blues Ambassadors
Blues Foundation Ambassadors will help
strengthen bonds between The Blues
Foundation and members of the public. Blues
Campaign Ambassadors have been asked to
act on behalf of The Blues Foundation and the
campaign in the following ways:
++ Keep informed about the activities of the
Foundation and the goals of the campaign.
++ Review occasional updates and/or
participate in occasional leadership briefings
(in person, on the phone, or on line) to
remain abreast of the campaign’s progress.
++ Build relationships and advocate for the
Foundation and the campaign among
fellow blues artists and blues fans.
The following individuals have allowed us to add
their name to the honorary committee in support of our $3.5 million Campaign for the Blues
Music Hall of Fame.
++ Dan Aykroyd, actor, Blues Brother
++ Dusty Baker, Cincinnati Reds manager
++ Marcia Ball, performer
++ Jim Belushi, actor
++ Steve Berkowitz, producer
++ Bobby “Blue” Bland, member
Blues Hall of Fame
++ Congressman Steve Cohen (Memphis)
++ Dion, performer
++ Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top
++ Peter Guralnick, author, member
Blues Hall of Fame
++ John Hammond, performer,
member Blues Hall of Fame
++ B.B. King, King of the Blues,
++ Denise LaSalle, performer,
++ Bettye LaVette, performer
++ Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell
++ Taj Mahal, performer, member
of Blues Hall of Fame
++ Steve Miller, performer
++ Roger Naber, Legendary
Rhythm & Blues Cruise
++ John Oates, performer
++ Joe Perry, Aerosmith
++ Bob Porter, radio personality and record
producer, member Blues Hall of Fame
++ Bonnie Raitt, performer, member
Blues Hall of Fame
++ Keith Richards, Rolling Stones
++ Bobby Rush, performer, member
Blues Hall of Fame
++ George Thorogood, performer
++ Memphis Mayor AC Wharton
++ James Woods, actor
As of December 1, 2011
2012 KBA Award Recipients
Ag e nt
Rodgers Redding
M a c o n , G e o r g i a
As one musician has said, “If Rodgers Redding doesn’t
represent you, you don’t work. If he does represent you,
you work all the time.” For more than three decades,
Rodgers Redding has been the number one booking
agent for soul and soul blues musicians. A partial listing of his clients, past and present, includes Shirley
Brown, Solomon Burke, Clarence Carter, Tyrone Davis,
Theodis Ealey, Z.Z. Hill, Denise LaSalle, Latimore,
Bobby Rush, Marvin Sease, Johnnie Taylor, Mel Waiters,
Bobby Womack, Betty Wright, and many others. His
start in the business came as the road manager to
one of the biggest names in music, Otis Redding.
C l u b
Red’s Lounge
will honor 17 individuals
and organizations with its
2012 Keeping the Blues
Alive (KBA) Awards during
a recognition brunch
Saturday, February 4, 2012,
in Memphis, Tennessee.
The KBAs are awarded to
individuals and organizations
that have made significant
contributions to blues
music on the basis of merit
by a select panel of blues
professionals. This year’s
recipients showcase the
breadth and diversity of the
blues music community.
The honorees range from
a Mississippi juke joint to a
Polish blues festival, from
an educator specializing
in the diddley bow and the
khalam to one of rock’s
most legendary guitarists,
from a volunteer public radio
jock to a television program
reaching millions, but they
all share a passion to bring
the music to the people.
C l a r k s d a l e , M i s s i s s i p p i
Other Mississippi juke joints have come and gone, but
for over thirty years Red’s Lounge has provided the
Mississippi juke joint experience to the world. A pool
table, Christmas lights and Delta blues memorabilia lining the walls, and Red Paden at the door, make this the
place for real-deal Mississippi blues. Delta players like
Big Jack Johnson, Frank Frost, Sam Carr, T-Model Ford,
Super Chikan, Robert Belfour, Big George Brock, Terry
“Harmonica” Bean, Mr. Johnnie Billington, Jimbo Mathus,
Cedric Burnside, Jimmy Duck Holmes, and so many others have played Red’s. National acts like Johnny Rawls,
Watermelon Slim, and Eric Sardinas have also taken Red’s
stage. Don’t be surprised to be standing next to a Tom
Waits or Robert Plant, who include Red’s on their Delta
agenda. In addition, Red is very involved in community
activities, hosting fundraisers for local musicians.
E d u cati o n
Dan Treanor
A r v a d a , C o l o r a d o
Dan Treanor was first approached in 1994 by the
Colorado Blues Society to start up its Blues in the
Schools program. His first program that April reached
about thirty children. Since that inauspicious beginning,
Dan estimates, he has touched the lives of more than
100,000 children. With a master’s degree in American
history, Dan makes a unique presentation that combines
history with music. As he says, “It’s a four-hundred-year
ride in the classroom.” Several years ago, Dan also took
up creating handmade African instruments like the diddley bow, khalam, cane flute, and ngoni so that students
can get an up-close look at the instruments important to
K e e pi n g T h e B l ue s A l i v e
• 73
the blues. His influence spread to the Grand
County Blues Society and Austin Blues Society,
which both asked Dan to help them start their
BITS programs. Whether he takes his message to facilities for at-risk kids or hands out
harmonicas to first-graders, Dan Treanor is
there to ensure that the blues is perpetuated.
F e sti va l (I nt e r n ati o n a l)
Rawa Blues Festival
K a to w i c e , P o l a n d
In 1981, when the Soviet Union still held countries in its iron grip of repression, the Rawa
Blues Festival was born in the town of Katowice,
Poland. That first festival gathered about twenty
blues bands from all over Poland and attracted
about five hundred fans. It was the brainchild
of Irek Dudek, a Polish singer, composer, and
blues lover. For the first decade, Rawa booked
only Polish blues bands. Once the Berlin Wall
fell, the Rawa Festival began to expand and, in
1992, booked its first international act. Since
then, the Festival, which is held the first or
second Saturday in October, has become an
international blues happening, drawing 4,000
to 5,000 fans each year. The impact is much
wider, however, as the festival is regularly seen
by hundreds of thousands on Polish national
television. The integration of Polish blues
bands with American headliners like Koko
Taylor, Junior Wells, Luther Allison, Magic Slim,
Michael Burks, Lonnie Brooks, Eddy Clearwater,
Debbie Davies, Rick Estrin, and many others has fostered great cultural exchanges.
F e sti va l (US)
White Mountain Boogie
’N Blues Festival
N o r t h T h o r n to n , N e w H a m p s h i r e
Now in its fifteenth year and held the third
week in August, the White Mountain Boogie
’N Blues Festival is the largest outdoor
festival in the Granite State. The festival is
set in a natural amphitheater on seventytwo acres of pasture at the Benton family
farm in the heart of New Hampshire’s White
Mountains. This family-friendly, three-day
festival combines camping, children’s activities, and Saturday-night fireworks (a legend
all its own) with the best regional and worldclass blues performances. Past performers
include Marcia Ball, Coco Montoya, Elvin
Bishop, Ruthie Foster, Ronnie Baker Brooks,
Shemekia Copeland, and a host of others.
F i l m , T e l e v i s i o n o r Vi d e o
Treme
D av i d S i m o n a n d E r i c O v e r my e r,
E xecutive Producers
N e w O r l e a n s , L o u i s i a n a
Set in 2005, Treme is the story of post-Katrina
New Orleans told through a diverse group of
residents. Central to New Orleans’ rebirth is
the music of the city. As the city is where the
American art forms of jazz and blues freely
mixed, this series consistently features local
and national musicians, either performing as
part of the episode or with their music as the
background of the scene. In any given episode,
one can hear the music or see a performance
of Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint,
the Neville Brothers, Clarence “Frogman”
Henry, Deacon John, Trombone Shorty, Mem
Shannon, Walter “Wolfman” Washington,
Henry Butler, and others. The local sounds of
the Rebirth Brass Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass
Band, Galactic, Kermit Ruffins, the subdudes,
the Radiators, and George Porter, along with
modern songsters like Steve Earle, John
Hiatt, Shawn Colvin, and Lucinda Williams,
also contribute to this eclectic soundtrack.
I nt e r n ati o n a l
Mike Lecuyer
S a i n t M i c h e l d e M o n t a i g n e , Fr a n c e
Mike Lecuyer is one of the most important
names in French blues. Though he began
his love of the blues as a musician, it was his
Internet creation of La Chaine du Blues (the
chain of blues) in 1999 that became his blues
calling. This website connects the people of
France with the totality of the country’s blues
scene. The website, www.bluesfr.net, contains
detailed information about clubs and festivals
throughout France. It also features a comprehensive listing of French blues websites,
websites from other French-speaking countries
– Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, etc. – e-interviews, video, guitar instruction, and blues news
archives. For twelve years, he has coordinated
the Tremplin Blues sur Seine (Challenge). He
is the co-founder of W3 Bluesradio, the only
French blues Web radio playing continuous
• 77
blues. He is also one of the fourteen co-founders of France Blues, the new French association
dedicated to promoting blues in France.
J o u r n a l i s m
Scott Barretta
O x f o r d , M i s s i s s i p p i
Few writers have given more to blues journalism
than Scott Barretta. His years of tireless writing, researching, and preserving this American
art form have impacted enthusiasts around
the world. For three years, from 1996 to 1999,
Scott was editor of Sweden’s Jefferson blues
magazine. From 1999 to 2003 he served as
the editor of Living Blues magazine, where
he remains a contributing writer. Today Scott
writes a weekly column on blues for the
Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, is the
host of Highway 61, a weekly blues program
on Mississippi Public Radio, and, together with
Jim O’Neal, is a writer and researcher for the
Mississippi Blues Trail, which has dedicated
over 140 markers since 2006. He’s written
liner notes for many artists and articles for a
wide range of magazines, and he continues to
do so. In 2003 he co-founded the University
of Mississippi’s Blues Today Symposium.
Lit e r at u r e
Life by Keith Richards
N e w Yo r k , N e w Yo r k
“That was all we listened to, American blues
or rhythm and blues or country blues. Every
waking hour of the day was just sitting in front
of the speakers, trying to figure out how these
blues were made.…We went for the Chicago
blues sound and listened to every Chess record
ever made. Chicago blues hit us right between
the eyes.…We didn’t think we were gonna do
anything much except turn other people on
to Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley and Jimmy
Reed.…We were the unpaid promoters of
Chicago blues.” That could be the genesis of
almost any blues band in the world. But it’s the
words of Keith Richards in his autobiography,
Life, talking about the effect of American blues
on Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, and himself in the
early days of the Rolling Stones, the summer
of 1962. Little did they know what their love
of blues would do to promote that music back
in America. Throughout Life, Richards fires
off stories that chronicle his insatiable love
of the blues, a love that still shines through
• 79
today as he continues to repay blues masters
like Hubert Sumlin. And now, because of
Life, millions of readers know of that love.
M a n ag e r
Toni Ann Mamary
To to w a , N e w J e r s e y
Toni Ann Mamary was Hubert Sumlin’s manager for twelve years. In that time, Hubert was
inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of
Fame, won numerous Blues Music Awards,
saw his album About Them Shoes nominated
for a Grammy, was part of the Experience
Hendrix tour, was featured in the movies
Cadillac Records and The Perfect Age of Rock
’N’ Roll, and toured with the very successful
Blues at the Crossroads featuring Big Head
Blues Club. Through Toni’s intervention, Hubert
began working with Blue Mountain Artists and
was able to capitalize on his stature as one
of the most innovative guitarists in the blues,
playing American and international festivals
on a regular basis. She has also entered a
petition to the Rock and Roll Hall of fame
signed by Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Bob
Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, and Keith Richards to
have him considered for induction as a sideman. Because Hubert lived in New Jersey with
Toni, she nursed him through the trauma of
his lung cancer and his heart attack and was
at his side throughout every health crisis.
O rga n i z ati o n
Blues Society of
Western New York
B u f f a l o , N e w Yo r k
Founded in 1992, the Blues Society of Western
New York has the mission of preserving blues
music through educational endeavors and
promotional events. The society began with a
drive that drew around one hundred members.
Subsequent drives increased membership to
around seven hundred. In 2009, the society and
more than sixty local blues musicians produced
the Jammin’ for a Cure CD. Featuring original
tracks from local blues bands, the project has
raised over $11,000 to benefit breast cancer
research. In 2001, the society began its Blues
in the Schools mission. Since then, it has sponsored over thirty individual programs in various
schools, reaching thousands of children. It has
also brought in musicians like Joe Bonamassa,
Marcia Ball, Eden Brent, Tas Cru, and others to
• 81
lead BITS workshops for interested children and
musicians. Amateur musicians of all ages flock
to monthly AmJams to get onstage and play with
seasoned blues artists. Current efforts include
collaboration with Music Is Art, a not-for-profit
cultural organization founded by The Goo Goo
Dolls bassist and Buffalo native Robby Takac.
P h o to g r a p h y
Aigars Lapsa
R i g a , L a t v i a
When the Blues Bites Club opened in Riga,
Latvia, in 2001, it brought American blues men
and women to perform twice a month. Sitting
in the first row, with a small pocket camera,
was Aigars Lapsa. Taken by the show of the
late Lil’ Dave Thompson, Aigars took his first
blues pictures and vowed to never miss a show
at the club. Since then, Aigars has been on
a personal journey to photograph live blues
performances at festivals and shows around
the world. In 2004, he and his wife, Zeltite,
traveled to Jazz Fest and the Chicago Blues
Festival to record images for the Latvian press.
Since then, he has taken pictures at over sixty
festivals around the world. In 2006 he launched
his website, where his work has been seen by
thousands of blues fans and industry professionals. He can often be seen giving packets
of his stunning pictures to the performers
who are his subjects. His photographs have
been featured in every major blues publication
around the world: Blues Revue, Big City Blues,
Blues News (Germany), Blues News (Norway),
Twoj Blues (Poland), and many others, as well
on blues CD covers and inserts. His photos
have been exhibited in Germany, Denmark,
Norway, Lithuania, and Latvia, and in 2009 he
and two other Latvian photographers created
a traveling blues and jazz photo exhibition.
Pr i nt M e d ia
Soul Bag
C l i c hy, Fr a n c e
Elvin Bishop says, “Soul Bag is the best thing to
happen to France since Django Reinhardt.”
Founded by Jacques Périn in 1968, Soul Bag is
the oldest blues magazine in France. Since its
founding, over two hundred issues have been
published, covering mainly blues and also soul,
rhythm and blues, gospel, funk, and zydeco.
Though its title might give the impression that
the magazine’s content is soul, it truly is a blues
lover’s find. Published every three months,
• 83
Soul Bag reaches 3,500 subscribers by mail
and another 11,000 through its newsstand
sales. The July-September 2011 issue, for
example, featured stories on John Lee Hooker
Jr., Derek Trucks, and the myth of Robert
Johnson, and thirty pages of CD, DVD, and book
reviews. Even though it is published thousands
of miles from the Delta and in a foreign language, Soul Bag, like so many foreign publications, helps keep American blues history and its
modern performers known throughout the
world.
Pro m o t e r
George Wein
N e w Yo r k , N e w Yo r k
No single promoter has done more to bring
blues music to the world than eighty-six-yearold George Wein. To many, the Newport Jazz
Festival (1959) and Newport Folk Festival
(1960) are the starting point for American
music festivals. Those groundbreaking events
were the brainchild of the legendary George
Wein. Since he began, Wein has been deeply
involved with promoting the blues. Artists like
Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James,
Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin’
Hopkins, B.B. King, Sonny Terry and Brownie
McGhee, and others were showcased at those
1960s Newport gatherings. Then, in 1970,
Wein created the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage
Festival, which in forty-three solid years has
become the premier showcase of American
music. In addition, Wein established Festival
Productions, which has produced hundreds
of festivals and blues tours around the world,
including B.B. King’s 1980s European tours. In
2010 he founded Newport Festivals Foundation
to perpetuate the history of jazz, folk, and the
blues in Newport. His tireless promoting of all
forms of American music is a rare gift to us all.
R a d i o (C o m m e r ci a l)
Ted Todd, KKZX-FM
S p o k a n e , Wa s h i n g to n
Ted Todd’s booming baritone has been a driving
force behind the blues on Spokane radio for
nineteen years. His Sunday-night three-hour
show, The Blowtorch Blues Show on classic rock
KKZX radio, is a major reason the station has
achieved a number one Sunday-night rating. In
addition to his commitments with radio, hosting
shows, and announcing at festivals, Ted is also
very active as the editor and chief writer for
• 85
the Inland Empire Blues Society’s monthly newsletter, which adds up to twenty years of writing
CD reviews and stories. Clear Channel cites
Ted’s inclusive programming as a factor in the
station’s “Number One Top Rated 100 Market
Classic Rock” ranking in the nation. One look
through a sample of his playlist illustrates the
diversity of blues, from current favorites to historic classics.
R a d i o (Pu b l ic)
Harvey Stauffer, WVPE-FM
E l k h a r t , I n d i a n a
Harvey Stauffer’s show The Blues Revue is
one of the longest-running public radio blues
programs in the country. Stauffer’s threehour show, which began twenty-eight years
ago, runs on Saturday and Sunday afternoon
to over 9,000 regular listeners. In addition
to his radio show and on-air interviews with
performers, Stauffer is the lead singer in the
Elwood Splinters Blues Band. He also works
as talent booker for two major area festivals,
and his tireless efforts were recognized in
2003 by both the Blues Heaven Foundation
and the Firefighter Blues Award for his contributions to the Firefighter Blues Fest. He
received a proclamation from the city of South
Bend, Indiana, on the twentieth anniversary
of The Blues Revue. He also organized and
booked the Blues and Ribs Festival for twelve
years. After a six-year hiatus, Harvey helped
South Bend revive this popular festival.
R e c o r d L a b e l
Severn Records
A n n a p o l i s , M a r y l a n d
Severn Records was founded in 1997 by David
Earl. In 1998 it released its first three records.
Since that time, Severn has released over
fifty critically acclaimed titles, becoming one
of the finest labels recording traditional and
soul blues. Severn artists and recordings have
been nominated for over twenty-five Blues
Music Awards. Its roster of artists includes
Tad Robinson, Lou Pride, Sugar Ray and
the Bluetones, Darrell Nulisch, The Chicago
Blues Harmonica Project, Mike Morgan, Nora
Jean Bruso, Clarence Spady, Big Joe & the
Dynaflows, Steve Guyger, and others. Severn
continues to expand by signing new artists,
and recently moved to a state-of-the-art,
3,100-square-foot space that will house the
label’s offices and studios in Annapolis.
• 87
Best
CD
Self-Produced
Self-Produced
In 2005, The Blues Foundation introduced
the Best Self-Produced CD (BSPCD) contest
as another way to celebrate up and coming
artists. Where the IBC has been the measure
of excellence for a band’s live performance,
the BSPCD title honors musicians that have
achieved excellence in the studio. Moreover,
in addition to complementing the live component of the International Blues Challenge
weekend, this contest further emphasizes the
critical role of affiliated societies in the Blues
world. In order to support and foster the local
blues society, BSPCD entries are permitted
by affiliated blues societies only. The CDs are
evaluated on: (1) musical performance; (2)
audio quality; (3) cover art and design; and
(4) credits and liner notes.
Seventy-four affiliates submitted entries
for the 2012 contest. Blues radio jocks
who judged include: Gil Anthony, Michael
Cloeren, Brett Fleming, Elliott Gross, Janine
Harty, Jonny Meister, Robb Morrison, James
Nagel, Chuck Porter, Roy Prescott, Dennis
‘Big D’ Schaibly, Harvey Stauffer, Ted Todd,
Dave Warford, and Katie Wright.
The 2012 BSPCD Finals judges are
record label executives: David Earl (Severn
Records), Bruce Iglauer (Alligator Records),
Michael Powers (Yellow Dog Records) Rosy
Rosenblatt (Vizztone Records), and Bob
Trenchard (Catfood Records).
The winning artist receives $750 and a
personalized winner’s plaque and, the CD will
receive: airplay on Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s
B.B. King’s Bluesville; Music Choice, your
cable and satellite TV Blues channel, Blues
Breaker status on The House of Blues Radio
Show with Elwood Blues, as well as on radio
shows hosted by our deejay judges around
the country.
Blue Lunch
Saxophone Shootout II
w w w. b l u e l u n c h . c o m
Frederick Blues Society
Bad Influence
Under the Influence
w w w. b a d i n f l u e n c e b a n d . c o m
Jersey Shore Jazz
& Blues Foundation
Mikey Jr
It Ain’t Hard to Tell
w w w. m i k e y j r b l u e s . c o m
Rhode Island Rhythm
& Blues Preservation Society
Dave Keller
Where I’m Coming From...
w w w. d a v e k e l l e r. c o m
Suzie Vinnick
Me ‘n’ Mabel
w w w. s u z i e v i n n i c k . c o m
PAST BEST SELF-PRODUCED CDS
2005 Crazy, Cryin’ Blues by Robin Rogers and
Silver Bird by Collard Greens & Gravy (tie)
2006 Back in Bluesville by Roxy Perry
2007 We are Mighty Lester by Mighty Lester Band
2008 Sophisticated Ladies by Sue Palmer &
Her Motel Swing Orchestra
2009 Hollerin’ by Nathan James & Ben Hernandez
2010 Crime Scene Queen by The Informants and
Fire it Up! by Laurie Morvan Band (tie)
2011 Get Inside This House by Joe McMurrian
• 99
G e n e r a t i o n
B l u e s
Camper Stories
During the summer of 2011, The Blues Foundation’s Generation Blues program provided
financial assistance to eight young musicians so they could attend the music camp of their
choice. The scholarship recipients talk about their camp experiences below. Scholarships
will again be available for the summer of 2012.
2012 Generation Blues Application Deadline April 1, 2012. Form and complete information
at blues.org or call Cindi James at 901.527.2583 extension 10.
Jeff DeLuca
The Generation Blues
scholarship made it
possible for me to fulfill a
lifelong dream. One night
when I was six year old, I
got thirsty and went downstairs for a glass of water.
My parents were watching
an episode of Austin City
Limits in the living room.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was
the performer. I was so
mesmerized by the experience that I started playing
guitar within two weeks
and haven’t stopped since.
I attended the National
Guitar Workshop in Austin
this summer on the
Generation Blues scholarship, and learned more in
that week than I have in
the last couple of years of
self-study. I met other great
Texas players and learned
from them, too. Without the
scholarship, the trip and
workshop would have been
prohibitively expensive. I
am forever grateful to The
Blues Foundation for the
opportunity I had to make
the pilgrimage to Austin
this summer to learn the
ways of the players who
continue to inspire my
thirst for music.
David Morris
I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship to blues camp.
Thanks to Lavonne and Blues.Org for sending me. The dorms
were hot and uncomfortable (no air conditioning!), I signed up
for blues bass. My instructor was Eduardo Garcia, and he was a
good instructor. I was the only teen in my class. We learned
different blues bass lines. In the afternoon I had teen band lab.
We formed two teen bands and rehearsed songs to play. On
Thursday night we performed for the camp in the outdoor
pavilion. The food in the cafeteria was good. We got to eat with
everyone, including the performers and instructors. The shows
in the evenings were really great. I liked all of the performers.
G e n e r a ti o n B l ue s
• 103
Callie Hines
Playing guitar has always been a passion of mine. Ever
since I was ten, I haven’t set my guitar down. Music
runs through my veins, and having the opportunity
to be taught by a world-class guitarist, Mr. Spencer
Bohren, has been a dream come true. When I found
out that I had received the scholarship to attend the
DeSoto Street Guitar Workshop, I was thrilled. The
workshop is challenging, and that is one thing that I
love about guitar: you never know everything there is
to know about it. When I first walked through the doors
of Robert Eustis’ beautiful New Orleans home, where
the workshop was being held, I found out I was the only
girl attending the workshop. This was okay with me,
though. Those two days I spent with those men were
the best two days of my life. I became like a daughter
to them. We all learned a little bit from each other
and had a blast. I learned folk songs, blues songs,
and even a rock song. I was pushed to my limits and I
made lifelong friends. If it weren’t for this scholarship
I would have never been able to further my guitar
skills. So thank you, everyone who supports The Blues
Foundation. I am forever grateful to you.
Taylor Marvin
My experience at the Berklee College of Music Guitar
Sessions was remarkable! Because of my participation in the camp I was able to get my foot in the door
at Berklee, check out Boston, meet faculty and other
students, and ultimately secure a $16,000 renewable
scholarship to the school! The Blues Foundation’s
generous donation to cover my camp tuition made all
of this possible, and as you can see, it multiplied exponentially. Before this summer, attending Berklee was a
wishful fantasy; because of The Blues Foundation and
the Guitar Sessions, it is now a clear future. Thanks so
much for your support!
104 •
G e n e rat ion Bl u es
Brandon Bailey
I feel extremely honored to have been
awarded the Generation Blues scholarship
for a second year. As I have progressed in
my studies of the music, culture, and
traditions of the blues, I have realized more
and more how great the overall blues
picture truly is. The styles and subtleties of
this music are boundless and ever-growing;
the mutations and proliferation of the
blues genre are innately infectious and
soul-stirring. In revisiting the Augusta Blues
Week camp, I was reminded not only of
how much I have learned since last year’s
week of study but also of how much I still
have to learn about an instrument on
which I have accomplished a high level of
mastery. The fresh perspectives of the
instructors and the depth of knowledge
available to me were astounding. Over this
past summer, the album that I recorded in
the aftermath of last year’s blues camp,
Memphis Grooves, ranked No. 1 on the
iTunes and Amazon blues music charts in
the U.S. This accomplishment was made
possible largely by the great amount of
knowledge that I gained at last year’s Blues
Week. And in parallel, the knowledge and
experiences that I gained from this year’s
camp have helped to further advance my
musicianship and artistry. I cannot thank
The Blues Foundation enough for awarding
me this scholarship, and for continuing to
implement the Generation Blues program.
Many young blues artists are greatly
benefiting from this wonderful gift, and I
think it is a wonderful investment in the
future of our music.
• 105
Julian Harris
Carlton and Peyton McDowell
Nirvana would not come close to the pleasure and enjoyment
I experienced at Berklee. I gained a deeper understanding
of music and was able to practice the material I learned on a
daily basis without having to wait for a weekly instructor. The
people there were so beautiful and full of life. I was surrounded by other gifted musicians from around the world and
creative artists I could relate to, no matter what instrument
they played. Everyone was so talented and inspired that I not
only felt humbled, I was uplifted by the positive competition
and energy flowing from the other musicians, which raised
the bar and pushed me to grow both musically and creatively.
One of the most amazing and meaningful experiences I had
was playing in Berklee’s Performing Art Center for the final
Big Band concert. Our Big Band instructor, Jeff Claassen, is a
musical genius who pushed us to grow far beyond our limits.
Being at Berklee for the five-week performance program
was the greatest experience of my life, and I’m grateful to
my parents and to The Blues Foundation for giving me this
incredible opportunity. I hope to enter Berklee as a freshman
next fall. If I do, it will be a dream come true.
To say this summer was great is an understatement. The trip
to the Blues Camp in Corona, California (at the Fender Center)
was a week filled with moments they will never forget. The money
awarded to Carlton and Peyton gave two young men (ages eight
and eleven) a vote of confidence that is priceless. From the very
beginning, when we told them that they had won a scholarship,
they could not stop smiling (and jumping). They thought it was
really cool that someone thought enough of their musical abilities
to give them money to travel to a camp out of town.
Right out of the chute, Carlton and Peyton were among the first kids to hop onstage when camp director Fernando Jones called for kids to start a jam session. Many of the California kids were a little shy,
this being their first camp or first exposure to a blues camp, but Carlton and Peyton were eager to show
them how the blues is done in Chicago. Pretty soon the other kids learned that the world of blues has no
strangers.
One of the most memorable moments for Peyton (who plays the bass guitar) was his very first solo.
He was playing the bass for a song called “You Can Have My Husband, but Please Don’t Mess with My
Man,” and the soloist had the band break the music down. She talked about how the lead guitar player
always gets all the attention but not the bass man, so she decided she was going to let her bass man
get the attention. And her bass man was Peyton! He was just too tickled, and had no problems with the
solo. How cool is that for an eight-year old!
As for Carlton Jr., he thought getting to see how people from different places play the same blues
song differently was fascinating. He plays several different instruments, and this intrigued him all week
long. He played the guitar, keyboard, and drums during blues camp, and was literally like a kid in a “musical candy store.” Carlton appears to be a really laid-back, kind of shy kid, but his personality totally
comes out through his musical abilities. Receiving the scholarship from The Blues Foundation gave him,
in a week, what it takes months of “regular” music lessons to grasp.
Aaron Holder
My experience in Chicago on the scholarship was
great. Chicago was the perfect location, because
the food was amazing and class was always interesting. The daily classes and workshops were
fun because there were people from all kinds of
cultures just wanting to play and share what they
know. Fernando Jones really has a good thing
going, and he knows what he’s doing. His method
is simple, yet effective: eat, sleep, and drink
blues. I hope that I can attend another.
Alex and Glenn Peterson (The
Peterson Brothers)
We had a fantastic fun and educational summer camp experience. We were blessed to be
able to attend two music camps this summer
that were incredible. Our scholarships provided
by The Blues Foundation’s Generation Blues
program made it all possible. Our scholarships were used to attend the National Guitar
Workshop in Austin. It was life-changing for
both of us. We learned so much and made
many new friends.
Thanks to all who made it possible! We could
not have attended without your generous gifts.
Our music camps were the highlight of our summer, and we truly appreciate our scholarships.
106 •
G e n e ra t ion Bl u es
• 107
Alabama Blues Project
Alabama
Blues Project
Advanced Band
up with the best of them. As a
result, their high-energy and
soulful performances entertain
and inspire young and old
audiences alike. Check out
their 2011 all-original CD,
What’s Gone Tomorrow.
Youth
The Uptown Music
Collective’s Young
Blood Blues Band
The Alabama Blues Project is
proud to present the next
generation of Alabama blues
musicians. These talented
youths have shared the bill with
blues greats including Dr. G.B.
Burt, Sam Lay, and Sugar Blue.
During The Year of Alabama
Music 2011 they performed at
the Sucarnochee Revue and
numerous events throughout
their community. Their live
performances are totally
exhilarating, and will leave
blues fans on the edge of their
seats begging for more. Beale
Street, look out for the 2011
Alabama Blues Project’s
Advanced Band!
Frets on Fire
Frets on Fire was the youngest
act to play in the 2010
International Blues Challenge,
and two years later, with
members ranging from twelve
to fifteen years old, is an
experienced and widely
respected regular on the
Atlanta-area live music scene.
While so many young kids go for
flashy guitar work, Frets on Fire
is first and foremost about the
groove that comes from making
music as a collective, though
these talented kids can light it
108 •
This band is anything but an
average group of kids getting
together to play some music. A
performing workshop from the
Pennsylvania nonprofit music
school The Uptown Music
Collective, they are a time
capsule, paying homage to the
greats of the blues genre from
Robert Johnson to modern
players like Derek Trucks and
Susan Tedeschi. Passionate
performances led by bluesman
Gabe Stillman are delivered
with a playful punch in the
mouth, and the band comes
fully stocked with driving
rhythms, melodious vocals, and
screaming guitar solos. These
kids won’t let anyone leave a
performance feeling anything
but gritty satisfaction.
Benny & the Bricks
Benny and the Bricks is a
working four-piece blues band
that has been gigging in the
Toledo, Ohio, area since
I n te r na t iona l Bl u es Challe n gE
• Y o u th S ho w c a s e
October 2010. It is the
returning Black Swamp Blues
Society youth showcase from
the 2011 IBC. Band members
include Blair Tuller, Devin
Krueger, David Morris, and
James Gerhardt. Lead guitarist
Blair, age nineteen, has rubbed
elbows with some of the greats,
such as Buddy Guy. Vocalist
and rhythm guitarist Devin,
eighteen, has shared a stage
with Chrystal Bowersox and
plays in a jazz quartet. Bass
player Dave, seventeen, is also
in The Good, the Bad and the
Blues, another BSBS contestant. Drummer James,
eighteen, has played in Glass
City Steel, Toledo School for the
Arts’ steel drum band, and
several other percussion
ensembles.
Adam Johnston,
Seth Darby, &
Dakota Pagan of
Tranzendancen
These boys have been cutting
their musical teeth ever since
they got together in high school
to compete in the annual
Branson High Talent Show
(which they won). Adam comes
from southeastern Kansas,
where he grew up on a farm
and started his journey as a
musician after receiving a tape
of Muddy Waters from his
grandpa. After he got an
electric guitar, he grew to love
the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie
Ray Vaughan, and Eric Clapton.
Dakota Pagan, an extraordinary
vocalist, has been singing since
the age of three. Dakota hails
from Taneyville, Missouri, and
Al p h a b et ic a l by a f f il iat e - s ee pag e 19 fo r S howc a s e s c hed ul e
has had ten-plus years of
experience singing in Branson
shows, but has recently quit to
pursue his original music.
Bad Brad & the
Fat Cats
Bad Brad and the Fat Cats are
a group of young, driven
musicians who play the blues
straight from their souls! With
the tight rhythm section,
consisting of Daryl Cozzi
holding it down on the drums
and Brooks Ferguson thumpin’
on the bass, combined with the
intense guitar playing and
powerful voice of “Bad Brad”
Stivers, you will not believe
what you are hearing! Hitting
the Colorado blues scene in
2010, Bad Brad assembled a
top-notch band, and they have
amazed every audience since!
The Fat Cats are a force to be
reckoned with and will thrill any
crowd with Chicago-style funk
and blues mixed with low-down,
Delta-style blues. This group
has a raw passion for the blues
that is easily recognized by any
group of listeners.
Pett Crow
just another bunch of “cute
kids”! With talent beyond their
years, they are a powerful
presence on the stage, and the
quality of music they perform is
exceptional. Drummer Brandon
Pettiford is twelve years old
and also plays bass. Wes Crow,
fourteen, is vocalist and lead
guitarist and also plays
harmonica. Thirteen-year-old
Julia Crow (sister to Wes) plays
keyboard. Pett Crow is 2011’s
Best Rising Star winner at the
Creekside Blues and Jazz
Festival in Gahanna, Ohio.
Southern Halo
Southern Halo is the combination of three young, talented
sisters from the heart of the
Mississippi Delta. Raised within
ten miles of Dockery Plantation,
the sister trio has grown up
with strong blues influences.
Southern Halo’s individual
sound is uniquely surprising
because of its members’ ages.
The band’s sound is both raw
and heartfelt, and has been
energetically well received at
festivals and venues from
Clarksdale to New Orleans.
Southern Halo will be sure to
give you an unforgettable
performance.
DC Blues Society
Bear Hutchinson
Pett Crow, a powerhouse blues
trio from Columbus, Ohio, is
made up of three young,
accomplished musicians. But
make no mistake, they aren’t
At just fifteen years old, Bear
Hutchinson is beginning to
make a name for himself in the
local Annapolis, Maryland,
music scene. A piano player
since he was a young boy, it is
clear to all who hear him that
he has a rare ability to play the
Y outh Sh ow c ase •
piano with the passion and soul
of a seasoned musician. His
ability to put his signature style
to every song is one of the
trademarks that make this
rising young star stand out.
Bear was chosen to perform at
Annapolis Music Festival in
2011. He also attended the
Berklee School of Music
keyboarding workshop in
Boston. He continues to
perform at public and private
events. Aside from playing
piano, Bear is an honor-roll
student, is captain of his
football team, and plays
lacrosse at St. Mary’s High
School.
Youth
Alp h ab et ical by affiliate - s ee page 19 for s howca se sch e d u l e
France Blues
Jumpin’ to the
Westside
Here is a brand-new, exciting
band from the area of
Bordeaux, France. Alexis Evans
was fond of jump blues, while
Thibault Ripault was into the
Chicago West Side sound.
That’s why they named the
band Jumpin’ to the Westside.
The drummer, Bastien
Cabezon, is the “youngster”
and is also a vocalist. In 2010
they won the Cognac Blues
Passions Young and Gifted
Award, which allowed them to
release their debut album, No
Kidding, with their own
compositions acclaimed by
critics and blues enthusiasts.
• 109
Ever since, they have played all
over France in clubs and
festivals. And that is only a
beginning.
Greater Twin Cities
Blues Music Society
Trent Romens
Youth
Trent Romens began playing
guitar at a young age and was
introduced to blues music
when he was eleven. Since
then, Trent has saturated
himself in the blues and the
music the genre has inspired,
resulting in his own music; a
hybrid of rock, blues, and soul.
Trent’s sound combines an
avalanche of styles with an
emotional outpouring that
injects the blues with a
modern-day youthful attitude.
Now 19, Trent has burst onto
the scene, playing thirteen
festivals and two headlining
festival sets in his first summer
season (2011)! Trent Romens’
debut album is Aware.
The Peterson
Brothers &
Rebecca Laird
The Peterson Brothers from
Bastrop, Texas, combine the
classic blues sound of many
110 •
legends, mixed with a unique
blend of soul-infused inspiration. Glenn (age fifteen) on
guitar and vocals and his
brother Alex (twelve) on bass
and violin have opened for and
played with many legends.
During the National Guitar
Workshop Camp in Austin they
met Rebecca Laird (nineteen), a
guitar player from Houston and
a two-time winner of the
Houston Blues Society’s Jimmy
“T-99” Nelson scholarship.
Cleveland Yates (ten) on drums
is from Memphis. The
Petersons were voted among
the top 10 bands in the 2011
Austin Music Awards, Blues,
Soul and Funk! This musical
combination is dedicated to
“Keeping the Blues Alive”!
Carson & the
Spike Drivers
Unlimited
Blues Band
The band was united by local
musicians and the K.C. blues
• Y o u th S ho w c a s e
narrowed the band down to
Trea, his little brother Devin on
bass, and Landon still on the
drums. This is the best lineup
they could ask for now that
everybody in the band loves the
blues. They play all of their
favorites, and really know about
the blues.
quote critic Marq Manner,
“Crimson Dawn is the best of
all the burgeoning young kids
and teen projects that I have
seen. The girls in the band had
no problem pulling off both
Adele and Etta James.” The
band is composed of six
members ranging in age from
thirteen to eighteen, whose
talents and performing abilities
truly exceed their years.
Aaron, Trey & Ian
community. Sammy Sullenger
(drums) and Clayton Worley
(guitar) had previously
performed together and are the
roots of this band. Kayla
Rodriguez became the vocalist,
and soon after that Kayla
Bowers became the bassist for
the band. This band is
passionate about music, writes
some original material, and
plays traditional blues. It is the
pride of the Kansas City Blues
Society. You won’t want to miss
an opportunity to hear this
band. It is going places!
Rolling Rivers
Blues Band
Carson and the Spike Drivers
enjoy performing for audiences
all over the Midwest. Carson
Diersing (thirteen), Hohner
harmonicas’ youngest
endorser, plays his harp
straight from his soul, along
with guitar and vocals. Ryan
Strohm (eighteen) wows the
crowd with electrifying, bluesy
guitar solos. Joel Temple
(eighteen) has an unforgettable, thumping bass line and
puts a smile on audiences’
faces with his witty personality.
The intuitive percussion of
Mike Janson (thirteen) ties the
band together.
Al p h a b et ic a l by a f f il iat e - s ee pag e 19 fo r S howc a s e s c hed ul e
Trea Rakes is the lead guitarist
and lead vocalist in this band.
The band started with him and
his best friend Landon Ford,
who is the drummer. They got to
jamming together a lot and
practicing at the house; they
have had only two lessons, so
they really just taught
themselves. They got together
with two of their other buddies
and were playing, but that
didn’t go well, so now they have
Aaron Holder (seventeen, from
Scottsville) on guitar, Trey
Farlee (sixteen, from
Russellville) on bass and
vocals, and Ian Harper
(fourteen, from Bowling Green)
on drums are participants in the
Kentucky Blues Society youth
programs. Aaron Holder, a 2011
recipient of a Generation Blues
scholarship, won a spot at
Fernando Jones Columbia
College Blues Camp in Chicago
and is an instructor at the
Scottsville Conservatory of
Music. Trey Farlee is a member
of the Russellville High School
Jazz Band and Concert Band.
Ian Harper is a musician/
ambassador for the Young Artist
Alliance. As a band, Aaron, Trey
and Ian are a powerful and
soulful blues trio, with
performance skills and blues
mastery far beyond their ages.
Reed Smith &
Cody Sparkman
At seven years old, Reed Smith
fell in love with the blues as a
student of Jackson guitarist
Barry Leach. He is now a
seventeen-year-old senior at
Clinton High School, with plans
to head off to college to study
music once he graduates. Reed
has been the lead guitarist of
his high school’s nationally
ranked show choir, Attache, for
the last four years. Cody
Sparkman started playing the
drums at age eleven. Cody, also
a senior at CHS, has been
performing for the past three
years with Reed in Attache and
in their band Fides. Audiences
quickly see the talent in both of
these young musicians. Reed
placed second in the Indianola
Blues Challenge solo competition this year and in 2010.
Omaha Blues Society
Crimson Dawn
Sit back and soak in the
sweetest sounds west of the
Missouri -- this is Nebraska’s
blues-rock at its best. Crimson
Dawn is a young band brought
together by the Blues Society of
Omaha and BluesEd. Since
forming in March of 2010, it
has performed at many events
and venues around the Omaha
and Lincoln areas, including the
Playing with Fire concerts and
the world-famous Zoo Bar. To
Y outh Sh owc ase •
Philippine Blues Society
Bleu Rascals
Youth
Alp h ab et ical by affiliate - s ee page 19 for s howca se sch e d u l e
In September 2010, a shy
sixteen-year-old Paul Marney
Leobrera was invited onstage
by a skeptical open-mic host to
sit in “for one song.” Everyone
was so impressed by his
expressive and effortless blues
guitar that he remained
onstage all night. Soon after,
Paul invited friends Spencer
Rymonte and Darwin Quinto to
form the Bleu Rascals. Within
one year, the Rascals vaulted to
the top of the Manila blues
scene, leaving longtime
professionals in amazement.
They are currently one of the
most in-demand bands in
Manila regardless of genre.
Blues Society
Austin Scott &
Triple Threat
Blues Band
Triple Threat Blues Band began
five years ago with Austin Scott,
now fifteen, as songwriter/lead
vocalist/guitarist. Drummer
Eman Montes, sixteen, is not
only their accomplished
drummer but also performs in a
2011 Edison TV commercial
• 111
2011 Year In Review
++ Begin year with
4097 members and
193 affiliates
Youth
with Austin. Caleb Tucker,
fifteen, bassist and backup
vocalist, has dual talents, and
appeared on YouTube as a
shuffle dancer. In 2007 Triple
Threat entered a Bon Jovi
music video contest and won!
They got to go onstage with Bon
Jovi at the L.A. Staples Center
while their music video played!
Nomad
Nomad is made up by three
young men who are steeped in
the musically rich culture of
southern Louisiana. Chance
Castell traded two Little Debbie
snack cakes for a guitar when
he was around nine, and got
really serious about playing by
ten. When he was three, a lady
who was “sensitive” saw into
him and said, “He’ll be different,
he’s gonna do something that
will blow people away.” Jacob
Fitzmorris and Chance went to
second grade together and
were soon like brothers (along
with Austin, Jacobs’s real
brother). The three soon found
themselves in demand playing
from the roots of their Southern
blues and rock heritage. They
participated in the New Orleans
Blues Challenge and are
bringing their Louisiana
blues-rock vibe to the world!
112 •
I n te r nat ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
++ 27th International
Blues Challenge:
700 musicians and
510 performances
representing 40 states
and 13 countries
++ First-ever Youth
Knowledge Bowl
with cash prizes
++ First-ever IBC Harmonica
prize presented
by Lee Oskar
++ First-ever IBC European
winner as German
duo takes Solo/Duo
++ Blues Foundation a
sponsor of International
Folk Alliance
++ ArtsMemphis grants
BF $23,500 and
Tennessee Arts
Commission, $31,000
++ Generation Blues
awards $8500 to 11
young musicians; one
recipient wins $16,000
Berklee scholarship
after summer camp
++ Design 500 and
archimania propose
Blues Hall of Fame
at 421 South Main
++ Board approves $3.5
million Campaign for
the Blues Hall of Fame
++ Recipient of 2011
Tennessee Governor’s
Arts Award for
Folklife Heritage
++ Foundation solicits
Blues Ambassadors
for Campaign for the
Blues Hall of Fame
++ 2011 Blues Hall of
Fame inductees include
Bruce Bromberg, Robert
Cray, John Hammond
& Denise LaSalle
++ FY2011 ends with
revenues over $1 million
++ Design 500 and
archimania to plan
design for 421
South Main
++ Steve Miller Band
opens 32nd Blues
Music Awards; Buddy
Guy wins 4 BMAs
++ Blues Foundation moves
into new office at 421
South Main on July 5
• The B a nds
David Kimbrough Jr.
++ Thomas Cain, Thomas
Ruf, Joey Sichting,
Ricky Stevens & Cassie
Taylor re-elected to
Board; Alan Maites,
Les Walgreen & Olga
Wilhemine also elected
++ Membership
reaches 4528
++ 4th European Blues
Conference, 1st
European Blues Union
General Assembly and
1st European Blues
Challenge in Berlin (16
acts from 16 countries)
Al p h a bet ic a l by a f f il iat e - s ee pag e 2 3 fo r in dex by ac t na m e
++ Campaign for Blues
Hall of Fame in “quiet”
phase of fundraising
David Kimbrough Jr. was born
on both thhe 3rd and the 4th of
January in 1965. He lived with
his mother, Magnolia Malone,
and father, Junior Kimbrough,
in Holly Springs, Mississippi,
right down the road from
Junior’s birthplace, Hudsonville.
David remembers singing for
the first time with his daddy in
front of a crowd at age six. Over
the next forty years David
developed his own sound. A
natural showman, musician,
and songwriter, he weaves
“popnotic” original blues into a
dynamic performance that
engages every audience. David
is a genuine bluesman from
birth to stage. He carries on his
family tradition by creating
music as it has never been
heard before and bringing it to
the people honestly.
Asociacion Musical
Blues Hondarribia
Travellin’ Brothers
++ Blues Music Award
nominees include 7
IBC winners and 31
first-ever nominees
++ HART Fund grows with
$20,000 grant from
FDC Foundation and
$10,000 from Ruff
Kutt Blues Band CD
sales, among other
generous gifts
++ End year with
4156 members
and 198 affiliates,
slight increases
++ R.I.P. Pinetop,
Honeyboy, Big Eyes,
Hubert and many more
Travellin’ Brothers was born on
the banks of the Nervion River
in Bilbao. Six friends who grew
up together shared a love for
blues from very early on. The
band was formed in 2004 and
has grown together, recording
four albums so far, earning
them a place among the very
best in Spain’s blues scene.
The band’s most characteristic
aspect is their compact sound,
always focusing on the song.
Their energy and strength on
stage has also been widely
recognized. While their sound is
undeniably blues, from Texas to
Chicago, it is stylistically
wide-ranging, with traces of
swing, funk, and soul. T’B is an
ambitious band in constant
growth. A perfect example of
this is their latest CD-DVD,
recorded with a genuine big
band.
Mike Bourne
Band Featuring
Stoney Brooks
the best blues, country, and
gospel artists the country has
to offer. When singing in her
upper range, she has been
compared to Dinah
Washington, Sippie Wallace,
and Marie Adams. Her wide
vocal range also allows her to
belt out songs in a rich, smoky
alto, earning comparisons to
Etta James and Tata Vega. The
Cruzers include James Bullard
on bass, Alberto Telo on drums,
and Nate Boff and Dave
Fulkerson on guitar. Together
this group captivates audiences
with their style and soul.
Baltic Blues
Johnny Rieger Band
Metro, meet retro. Retro, meet
metro. The Mike Bourne Band
featuring Stoney Brooks
combines original lyrics with
‘50s roadhouse and jump blues
in an electric show that has
hips shaking and critics raving
across the Southeast. The
five-piece combo is a musical
stew of piano, upright bass,
chromatic harp, and fat-body
guitar that evokes memories of
the best of the Piazza and
Clarke bands, only with a
distinctly original spin.
Miss Julia &
the Cruzers
Julia Cruz Magness leads the
Cruzers on vocals and is
currently a member of The
Original Bells of Joy gospel
group. A native of Austin, Texas,
Julia practically grew up at
Antone’s and feels very blessed
to have learned from some of
Th e Ban ds •
These German newcomers,
inspired by classic and modern
blues artists, found their own
remarkable style: an amazing
mix of modern blues and rock
’n’ roll, called the “New
Generation of Blues.” The trio
includes the brilliant guitar of
Johnny Rieger, which is
sometimes frightening in its
intensity, and his spine-tingling,
soulful vocals. He is supported
by the elegant and charismatic
bass of Matthias Scherer. Their
rhythm is completed by Michael
Jochum, an amazing, expressive drummer. In over fifty
concerts a year all over Europe,
they electrify their audiences
and the critics.
The Bands
• 113
The Porkroll Project
The Porkroll Project is a
six-piece contemporary blues
band from the Philadelphia
area, and is known for its
high-energy blend of original
tunes and fresh covers. The
band members have played
together in a variety of projects
for fifteen years, including three
Porkroll Project CDs. The music
is an infectious blend that will
rock the house, steam the
windows, and even take you to
church. Led by guitarist/
songwriter Neil Taylor, the
Project also includes Joey Stout
on Hammond B3, Paul Matecki
on piano, Ed Young on bass,
Chad Edstrom on drums, and
Buddy Cleveland on harp. Each
player brings a unique
ingredient to the stew. When
the heat is turned up and the
spices start to blend, you’re
going to taste some mighty fine
music.
The Bands
The Good The Bad
& The Blues
This is the second consecutive
win for this soul-stirring,
blues-driving force. With a
let’s-do-this attitude, they’re
114 •
hard to pass up, especially
when the whole town is talking
about them. The most-heard
comment is “The blues, baby.”
At one show, they heard a man
say, “I’m going home to my
wife,” at the same time a lady
was saying, “I’m leaving my
man forever.” Now, that’s the
blues. Drummer George
“Junebug” Hendricks got the
sound for the band from his
Southern, deep-voiced uncles.
George Drowyer is sixteen
-- don’t get it twisted, he’s a
blues keyboard prodigy. Dave
Morris, seventeen, was
handpicked from bass player
heaven. Aayan Naim, on guitar,
grew up directly across the
street from Muddy Waters.
Skinny Velvet
Who is Skinny Velvet? That’s a
question that is not easily
answered. As a man, Skinny is
an enigma . . . a dark, Southern,
musical mystery. As a band,
Skinny Velvet is the brainchild
of four of the Carolinas’ most
talented and determined
troubadours! From electric
Texas blues to swampy Delta
slides, Skinny takes you on a
modern blues journey of
Southern soul. The group is
made up of Philipp Barry
(Jersey City, New Jersey) on
drums, Hank Shell (WinstonSalem, North Carolina) on
guitar and lap steel, Mike
Huffman (Toledo, Ohio) on
Hammond B3, piano, and
vocals, and Jim Bolt (Anderson,
South Carolina) on bass and
vocals, They joined forces in
Charlotte, North Carolina, and
are ready to go!
I n te r nat ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
• The B a nds
Treasure Coast
The Pitbull of
Blues Band
This Florida trio has a taste for
fun-loving, hard-hitting blues
and the musical chops to back
it up. The rhythm section hits
the ground running with Deny
“Mr. Cathouse” Rowand on
bass and Richie Corricelli on
drums. Front man Josh “The
Pitbull of Blues” Rowand
provides the lead vocals and
one scorching guitar. Playing
like he was born with a guitar in
his hands, Josh moves easily
from one style to another,
slipping into slide, mixing funk,
Americana, and surf, all the
while laying down solid blues in
a way that keeps audiences
wondering what’s next and
wanting more. Does it work? In
a word: Yes. The Pitbull of Blues
Band reminds you why you fell
in love with the blues and live
music in the first place.
Blues Association of Geneva
Marco Marchi &
the Mojo Workers
This acoustic blues quartet
comes down from the Swiss
Alps but with a resophonic
guitar, a tuba, a washboard,
and a harp transporting
everyone back to the hillbilly
and hobo blues of a century
ago. It’s a remarkable
transformation, but one that
should not be considered a
parody. In a world of high-tech
processing, this monochrome
diversion reveals greater color
than any modern stuff. Starting
in 2009, these experienced
musicians carved out a niche in
the European blues scene in a
short time, performing a
repertoire characterized by a
completely individual style.
Their songs are composed by
assimilating the original energy
of the blues but playing it with
present passion and
authenticity.
Blues Association of
South East Queensland
The Mojo Webb Band
Mojo Webb hails from Brisbane,
Australia. He is a thirty-eightyear-old blues singer, guitarist,
and harmonica player who has
studied, played, lived, and
breathed authentic blues for
twenty-five years. In Mojo, a
spectacular and rare singing
talent combines with a unique
stage presence and incendiary
musicianship. He has been
accompanied by drummer
Coojee Timms and bassist JB
Lewis for thirteen years. The
Mojo Webb Band has become a
festival favorite across their
native Australia. They have a
special musical rapport formed
through years of sweat-soaked
gigs and shared experiences.
Performing mostly Mojo’s
original blues, the band defies
standard blues categorization
and is a seriously impressive,
world-class act.
Blues Lovers United
of San Diego
145th Street
145th Street is an outstanding
blues band! Their music is
driven by raw expressive
vocals; exceptional harmonica;
passionate, blazing guitar; and
wailing, honking saxophone.
The rhythm section is spirited
and tight. 145th Street excels
at keeping the blues personal,
current, and vital. Whether they
are playing a hard driving
shuffle, getting intimate with a
steamy slow blues, or funkin’ it
up, they do it with flair, taste,
and excitement. 145th Street
puts on a high-energy, dynamic,
and entertaining show, getting
the audience involved and on
its feet. 145th Street is the
quintessential urban blues
experience!
Pennsylvania
Nate Myers & the Aces
Established in 2001, Nate
Myers and the Aces perform for
a variety of audiences in the
Mid-Atlantic U.S. Led by vocalist
Nate Myers and his harmonica,
the band creates a loose,
casual atmosphere in which
everyone can relax and have a
good time! Whether the
Th e Ban ds •
audience prefers to sit back
and listen or get up and “shake
that thang,” there is something
for everyone. On a typical
evening, audiences can hear
influences from many forms of
American music -- blues, funk,
hip-hop, rockabilly, country, and
improvisation. Nate Myers and
the Aces take all these styles
they love and weave them into
a tapestry of their own.
Blues Society of
Northwest Florida
John Hart &
Fatty Waters
John Hart, a young man from
Pensacola, Florida, started his
career cooking food for blues
legends at a local club. Over
time John became a favorite
among many of the national
acts that played there.
Eventually John caught the ear
of Detroit native Justin Headley,
who moved to the Gulf Coast to
soak up the Southern musical
culture. With his vintage
approach to tone, the two
cultivated a modern view of
Delta blues with John’s
traditional fingerpicking style
and Justin’s heavy-handed
approach. All the pieces fell
into place when Jassen Wilber,
a Buffalo, New York, native with
a knack for infusing blues with
hip-hop grooves, rounded out
the modern, original sound.
Together they are Fatty Waters.
The Bands
Alph ab et ic al by affiliate - s ee page 23 for index by act na m e
Three On A Wire
Three On A Wire, from Joplin,
Missouri, is the collaboration of
Heather Kearney-Morrow,
Justin Cauble, and Mike Snow.
The mission of this trio is to
• 115
Blues Society of
Western New York
Willie Haddath Band
perform, preserve, and educate
listeners about the American
art form internationally known
as the blues. Through the use
of acoustic instruments, bluesy
vocals, and humorous,
educational banter, their
unique chemistry creates a
contemporary ambiance while
capturing the original groove
created by early blues
composers.
Wanda Watson Band
The Bands
Very rarely will you find an
entertainer whose style and
charisma match her talent, or
vice versa. Wanda Watson is a
two-time BST Vocalist of the
Year, two-time Absolute Best of
Tulsa’s Best Blues, and
Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame
inductee. Wanda delivers on
both counts. Hard-charging and
aggressive on one song, tender
and emotionally sincere on the
next, Wanda makes every song
her own. She is a singer who
gives an emotional and gutsy
performance. Any of her
devoted fans will tell you her
performances make every
audience member feel that she
is there for them and them
alone. Wanda is backed by
bassist Shawn Roach, drummer
Virgil Broyles, guitarist Dane
Trout, keyboardist Dale Bacher,
and saxophonist David Russell.
116 •
The Willie Haddath Band is a
group of seasoned, accomplished musicians. The band
combines traditional influences
with its own unique playing for
a rocking blues sound. Willie’s
powerful playing, straight from
the soul, demonstrates his
ability as a guitar player, and
has made his playing legendary. He is a member of the
Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. On
bass, Robert “Freightrain”
Parker truly lives up to his
name, and combines with the
strong back beat of Ray Hangen
on drums to create a solid
rhythm section. Together they
will make your experience
memorable, making this
high-energy blues band one not
to be missed!
Blues Society of Western
Pennsylvania
Jill West &
Blues Attack
Led by the dynamic vocals of
Miss Jill West, Blues Attack is a
Pittsburgh dance blues band
that loves to shuffle and
groove. Over its twenty-year
history the band has gotten its
blues education playing in the
Steel City’s smoky bars, and
still performs up to one
hundred shows a year. The
most recent lineup of the band
• The B a nds
features the unpredictable
Gregg Krupa on guitar, with his
ever-changing interpretations
of the music, and the incredibly
musical and creative play of
“Sudden” Steve Binsberger on
piano and organ. Hank Raffetto
and Nick Crano complete the
band with a rhythm section that
has worked together for ten
years. So clap your hands and
stomp your feet -- you’ve just
had a Blues Attack!
A Ton of Blues
prophesyin’ and preachin’ the
good news through the blues.
Stir in some sweet Motown soul
and a pinch of funky rock and
you have an electrifying mojo
experience! This Detroit band is
known for its high-energy,
foot-stompin, spectacular live
show. Reverend Robert and his
All Stars crank out a dynamic
set that covers a huge range of
blues music, including modern
blues. Prepare to get low and
gritty, stand on your feet, jump
up and down, and clap your
hands. The super fine Rev is in
the Spirit, and you’ve just got to
hear it! It’s gonna change your
life!
Lawyers Guns
& Money
Taking a modern, aggressive
approach to the old school
blues format, A Ton of Blues
burst onto the New England
blues circuit in the summer of
2010. They play with a passion
and drive that makes you feel
the need to buckle your seat
belt. Having been voted best
blues/R&B act at the 2011
Worcester, Massachusetts
music awards, the band made
it a priority to create quality
blues music, emit a positive
presence among the blues
community, and rekindle the
support for American blues and
roots music.
Canada South Blues Society
Reverend Robert
Sexton’s All Star
Blues Review
Big rhythm and groove combine
with energy and passion,
the show. Russell “Hitman”
Alexander (guitar), Kevin Rymer
(keys), Mike Porter (bass), Guy
LaFountaine (drums), Eric
Altarac (trumpet), and Mike
Snyder (sax) will leave you
wanting more -- and glad you
caught the act!
The Hoopties
The Hoopties are a Lansing,
Michigan, group that focuses
on writing and performing
mostly original music. They all
have a healthy appreciation of
many different styles of music,
and that shows in their
performances. You might hear
some low-down, nasty blues or
something that swings more
toward ska, and then the very
next tune might be a countryish ballad. Simply put, they play
American music . . . the best
kind. In all seriousness, they
love making music together.
This trip to Memphis is an
opportunity for the group that
not many people are afforded,
and they intend to take it as
seriously as the next group but
also to have fun while doing it!
Capital Region Blues Network
The Hitman
Blues Band
Lawyers Guns & Money is a
band with a unique sound. They
perform blues, funky R&B, and
their own originals showcasing
guitar and lap steel. They have a
new CD, Make Up Another Lie,
and a single on the Cashbox
magazine Roadhouse Blues Top
40 charts. The band has a
healthy dose of instrumentals
mixed into its live show to go
along with its vocal tunes. With
wide-ranging material, it has
something for everyone.
Lawyers Guns & Money is
composed of Terry VunCannon
on guitars and lap steel, Stan
Atwell on bass and vocals, Mike
Thomas on drums and vocals,
and Rob Slater on guitar.
With original blues that go
beyond “woke up this morning,”
The Hitman Blues Band will
captivate you as soon as you
hear them. Sound like a boast?
Audiences all over the U.S.,
U.K., and Europe can confirm it!
With their gritty, well-sung
vocals, searing guitar,
blues-soaked keys, pumping
bass, and real R&B drums,
topped off by a vibrant horn
section, you’ll be caught up in
Th e Ban ds •
The Robbie Laws Band
Robbie Laws is one of the most
acclaimed and in-demand
blues guitarists in the Pacific
Northwest. He has been
honored with eighteen Cascade
Blues Association Muddy
Awards, eight of which were for
Best Electric Guitarist; the Best
Blues Act 2010 award from the
Washington Blues Society; and
most recently, the Outstanding
Achievement in Blues award
from the Portland Music
Association in 2011. Robbie is
an internationally recognized
blues guitar master who has
thrilled festival and concert
audiences for over fifteen years
with his sheer technical
prowess on the guitar, soulful
voice, impressive stage
presence, and likable
personality.
Central Mississippi
Blues Society
Dexter Allen
The Bands
A mixture of blues and soul,
with blues being the
• 117
stronghold, describes
Mississippi guitarist and
vocalist Dexter Allen. Dexter
started at twelve playing bass
guitar, then drums and
keyboard, but he has mastered
blazing blues on the guitar.
Dexter writes and records his
own music and has delivered
two albums, Bluezin My Way
and his newly released CD
Bluezin for Life, as well as a
Christmas CD/Maxi, Hello Ms.
Santa Claus. Dexter performed
on the Chicago Blues Festival
Mississippi Stage in 2010 and
2011 to rave reviews, and
hosted the Blues Jam on the
2011 Mississippi Stage
-- moving around the stage
playing every instrument on
one song! Dexter leads and
teaches Blues in the Schools
workshops around Mississippi.
Charlotte Blues Society
The Bill Miller Band
delivering blues with dynamic
power and genuine feeling.
Founded in 2007 in Dayton,
Ohio, this Company has been
focused on producing blues
music that either brings you to
your feet or keeps you at the
edge of your seat -- all while
staying true to the musical
roots with its emphasis on
tone and form. Melissa “Miss
Lissa” Young’s soulful vocal
emotion and stage presence
combine with a double shot of
irrepressible guitar from Eric
Henry and “The Mighty” Casey
Ott, along with “Big Joe”
Edwards on bass and Aaron
“The Hammerhead” Hemmert
on drums -- this Company
brings you an intense blues
experience you will not forget!
Ron Yarosz &
the Vehicle
The Bands
The Bill Miller Band is sure to
get you moving to its highpowered, contemporary
interpretation of vintage blues.
Father and son share vocals,
with Bill III on guitar and Bill Jr.
on harmonica. Randall Cowles
holds down the bottom while
Stuart Sullivan provides the
beat. They’ve been exciting
Southeastern U.S. audiences
with high-energy shows since
2006. The recipe for their
sound is a mix of Chicago and
Texas, rock and funk, delivered
with a tremendous amount of
their own passion and drive.
Cincy Blues Society
Miss Lissa & Company
Rooted in old-school tradition
and steeped in passion, Miss
Lissa & Company specialize in
118 •
The Vehicle is a high-energy
blues band driven by front man
Ron Yarosz, who was referred
to by Beale Street Caravan as a
“harmonica and B3 maestro.”
He splits time between fronting
the stage on harp and steering
the Vehicle from behind the B3
while pouring out his soul
through his powerful vocals.
The supercharger of the band is
guitarist Eric Brewer, who has
won numerous awards for his
electrifying playing ability and a
feel that is way beyond his
I nt e r nat ional Bl u es Ch alle n gE
• The B a nds
years. The drivetrain is made
up of the rock-solid duo of
Ralph Reitinger on bass and
Ron Sutton on drums. The band
has won numerous awards for
its playing ability, its originality,
and its new album, Tulips on My
Organ. Come take a ride and
see what all the buzz is about!
Collingwood Jazz &
Blues Society
The Fraser Melvin
Blues Band
Formed in 2003 by friends
Fraser Melvin (guitar and
vocals) and Alex Furlott (bass),
The Fraser Melvin Blues Band’s
lineup solidified in 2008 when
they met Jon Hyde (drums),
Josh Cavan (keys), and Andrew
Moljgun (sax) in college. The
quintet plays many styles of
blues, from jump to Chicago to
Texas, and mixes it with the
likes of jazz, funk and swing to
create a unique sound. With a
lead singer who sounds thirty
years older than he is, a honkin’
sax man, dirty keys, and a
rhythm section that grooves,
this exciting and entertaining
band is definitely one that will
keep you listening.
The Delta Sonics
The Delta Sonics’ music takes
a Chicago base and seasons it
with swing, Delta, N’awlins
R&B, and early rock ‘n’ roll. It’s
like being transported back to
1950s Chicago and the world
of Muddy, Walter and the Wolf.
Al Chesis supplies high-energy
vocals and foot-stomping
showmanship, but it’s his
harmonica playing that grabs
you and won’t let go. He has
been a Hohner endorser since
1992, and his harp skills take a
backseat to no one’s. Jeremy
Vasquez supplies a ferocious
and dazzling guitar and a
smooth-as-silk voice. John
Butler on bass and Willie
Panker on drums “drive the
bus” with over sixty years of
R&B between them! The Delta
Sonics have been the Mile Hi
go-to band for touring national
acts for nearly fifteen years.
Soul Satyr
Central Ohio’s Soul Satyr has
its own take on the blues,
featuring Johnny Mack’s
creative compositions, soulful
vocals, and seasoned guitar
work. Organist Linda Dachtyl is
a blues/jazz great with her own
credentials. The smokin’ horn
section has Ted Basinger on
trombone, John Bonham on
trumpet, and Joe Reasoner on
sax. The rhythm section has
Brian Duress on drums, Steve
Wald on bass, and Cary Dachtyl
on percussion. Two full-length
CDs reveal the band’s original
songs as a genuine blend of
classic blues, rock, and soul,
with a percussive twist. Johnny
will play the blues for you while
telling stories of hard times,
hard drinking, and hard women.
exists a strong and harmonic
bond between experience and
youthful hunger for music.
Petey Hop & the
JackRabbits
Daddy Mack
Blues Band
Petey Hop and the JackRabbits
is a jumpin’, jivin’, swinging
four-piece unit built for a good
time. Rocking the Hudson
Valley of New York and
Connecticut for over a decade,
the band is Petey “Hop”
Hopkinson on guitar/vocals,
Chris DiFrancesco on sax, Phil
Caron on bass, and Nick Longo
on drums. The band covers the
jump, Chicago, West Coast and
Texas styles of blues. Their CD,
The Levee, produced by Duke
Robillard, covers the roots,
styles, playing, and original
material of a serious modern
blues band that holds great
respect for the past. Whether a
hard swing, deep-pocket
shuffle, funky backbeat or slow
burner, The Jackrabbits lay it
down.
44 Blues
The band was formed in 2008
with a strong desire to bring to
the audience blues music with
a bit heavier sound. The band
and its performances are
characterized by sharp riffs and
inspiring solo bits, all spiced up
with a strong and dominant
lead vocal. One critic described
it as a Rolling Stones/Doors
blues mix coated with a sound
of suburbia. Within the band
Th e Ban ds •
Daddy Mack Blues Band of
Memphis is representing
Crossroads Blues Society of
Rosedale, Mississippi, a couple
of counties over from Daddy
Mack’s hometown of Como.
Led by Mack Orr on lead guitar
and vocals, this four-piece
electric urban blues band is
down-home and funky, with
pocket-oriented grooves.
Brothers Harold and James
Bonner (bass and guitar) were
both members of the legendary
Fieldstones. With their newest
addition, Brian Wells on drums,
they maintain the raw sound
that Daddy Mack Blues Band
has always been known for.
They’re uncompromising in
what they think blues is
supposed to be -- good music,
showmanship and a ton of fun
for the band and their fans.
Noah Wotherspoon
The Bands
The Noah Wotherspoon Band
hails from Dayton, Ohio. Noah’s
deeply emotional guitar style
• 119
has mesmerized audiences
since the beginning. His
expressiveness doesn’t end
with the guitar; he also has a
love for the lyrical imagery of
Jack Kerouac. This diverse
tapestry of influences has
shaped Wotherspoon into a
prolific songwriter. The band
was formed in 2009 and
features Rob Thaxton on bass,
Brian Aylor on drums, and Noah
on guitar and vocals. Thaxton’s
jazz sensibilities matched with
Aylor’s nuanced mastery of
blues generate an electrifying
synergy. The group’s inspired
live performances continue to
move and resonate with
audiences.
DC Blues Society
Clarence “The Blues
Man” Turner
The Bands
While he was listening to his
father’s collection of blues LPs,
an infectious, rhythmic, gritty,
and soulful feeling sparked a
fire in Clarence Turner. Every
wailing stroke of the guitar
spoke to him, and at the age of
eight he began a lifelong love
affair with the blues. Since
then, Clarence has been
wowing audiences far and near
with his unique cover
interpretations. In 2011,
Clarence released his own
brand of blues on his highly
anticipated CD Pay Day. If you
are expecting to hear some
electrifying blues, without a
doubt Clarence delivers.
The Blues Expressions
The Blues Expressions were
formed in 2007 by bassist
120 •
Blue Cat Blues Band swings
hard, shuffles tight, and
rumbas all night on its new CD,
Whiskey Feet. The interplay
between Paul “Big Cat”
Adrian Muex Sr. The group also
includes Charles Tiner on
keyboards and vocals, Conrad
Lee on lead guitar, Marcus
Taylor on drums and vocals,
Anthony Young on lead vocals,
and Frank Parker on horn. They
perform many types of blues
that make you sit and think, as
well as kick off your shoes and
hit the dance floor.
Chris Canas Band
The Chris Canas Band can be
seen blazing a trail in the Metro
Detroit area and beyond. The
front man, Chris Canas,
self-proclaimed soldier for the
blues, has put together a who’s
who of veteran musicians to
help keep the blues alive in the
hearts of all music lovers. C2B
has a well-blended set of
classic covers and funky
smooth originals that keeps the
audience jumping and the party
going. The group is as diverse
as they come, with interesting
backgrounds in music. This
band is driven to pump new life
into the blues, as well as
embrace the rich traditional
roots of the past.
Diamond State Blues Society
Blue Cat Blues Band
Together for over a decade
playing the Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Maryland area, the
• The B a nds
Ruggiero’s gritty gold-top Les
Paul and Andy “The Professor”
Vincent’s edgy/sweet harp
latches on tight to the
low-down, on-time groove laid
down by Todd “The Hotshot”
Whitaker on bass and Chris
Sherlock on drums. A live Blue
Cats show brings high-energy
blues and fun times that put a
smile on your lips and a rockin’
swing to your hips.
John F. Klaver Band
“The most interesting guitarist I
have heard out of Holland for a
while” says Matt Schofield.
Having recently opened for
Johnny Winter, Julian Sas, and
Matt Schofield, John F. Klaver is
a musician whose star is
definitely on the rise. Klaver, a
guitarist and singer, began
Sigtermans (bass), Martijn
Klaver (drums), and Bob
Fridzema (Hammond).
Jimmy & the Sleepers
Jimmy and the Sleepers is a
gritty, genuine houserockin’
blues band based in Edmonton,
Alberta. For years Edmonton
has had a modest, reverent
blues scene, which has
fostered a more traditional
blues sound. Perhaps it’s those
long, cold Canadian Prairie
winters whose bone-chilling
winds blow like those off Lake
Michigan that chilled Chicago in
the early days of electric blues.
Whatever it is, the blues is alive
in Edmonton and Jimmy and
the Sleepers are disciples of
the sound and dedicated to its
roots. After smoldering like an
underground fire for close to
ten years they are more ready
than ever to burn out of the
frozen Canadian north and
showcase their Edmonton-style
blues to the world.
Finnish Blues Society
Micke & Lefty
featuring Chef
playing at age eleven, and at
seventeen attended lessons as
a senior at Stagg High School
and at the University of the
Pacific, completing his studies
at the conservatory of
Amsterdam. With two CDs of its
own compositions, the John F.
Klaver Band plays a mix of
blues, funk, and soul in a very
grooving style that makes it
contemporary but keeps an
authentic feel. The lineup is Iris
Micke and Lefty featuring Chef
are one of the most exciting
acoustic blues acts on the
European blues scene today.
For over ten years they have
stirred up audiences with their
entertaining and energetic live
shows. Three lead singers,
powerful harmonies backed up
by a tight rhythm section, and
Lefty’s explosive slide guitar
virtuosity are the band’s
strongest trademarks. Their
original material is influenced
by sounds from Delta to Hawaii,
spiced up with flavors from soul
and rock -- contemporary blues,
delivered with authentic feel!
The band represented Finland
at European Blues Challenge
2011. Their critically acclaimed
second album, Up the Wall, was
released in 2010.
Blues Society
The Mark
Albertson Trio
With stripped-down yet
sophisticated blues, The Mark
Albertson Trio sound bigger
than they are. Some reviewers
have labeled them Southern
blues and soul. Tim Martin (on
bass) and Mark have been
together for over thirty years.
Allen Turner (on drums) has
been with the group for
seventeen years. With soulful
voice they enjoy giving back to
the roots from which they
come, their original songs
reflecting their lives in and
around Fort Smith, Arkansas.
Mark Albertson has thirty-six
years on guitar in blues, rock,
soul, and gospel, including a
ten-year stint as studio guitarist
for Ben Jacks Recording Studio
in Van Buren, Arkansas.
France Blues
Fred Chapellier
Fred Chapellier was born in
1966 in Metz, France. He
started playing guitar in 1981.
Th e Ban ds •
After ten years playing different
styles, he finally felt the call of
the blues. He formed his own
band in 1992 and they
recorded three albums, Blues
Devil (2003), l’Oeil du Blues
(2005), and A Tribute to Roy
Buchanan (2007), Fred’s main
“guitar hero.” In 2004, Fred
was acclaimed Best New Blues
Artist of the Year and Best
Guitar Player of the Year by Les
Trophees France Blues. In
2009 Fred and Billy Price, who
sang with Roy Buchanan from
1972 to 1975, became good
friends, and after two years of
hard work onstage in Europe
and the U.S.A., Fred’s new
album with Billy Price, Night
Work, was released. Fred is
working now on his next CD.
Frederick Blues Society
Fast Lane Blues Band
Hailing from the Leesburg,
Virginia, area, the Fast Lane
Blues Band evolved from a
local weekly blues jam. “Fast
Eddie” Galvin, harp player and
vocalist, is the jam and band
leader. Fast Lane’s core
material is rocked-up,
interpretive covers of blues
classics, and the band’s sound
is always evolving, with
versions of the same song
rarely played the same way
from one night to next. Fast
Eddie is famous for pulling out
a harp, calling out a key, and
The Bands
• 121
relying on the spontaneity of
the band to kick off a song. Set
lists are never used. Fast Lane
also writes and performs its
own material.
Tweed Funk
Tweed Funk brings an edge to
the music of their forefathers by
wrapping together blues, soul,
funk, and elements of hip-hop in
show-band style. Formed in the
fall of 2010, this quartet has
gained national recognition with
the release of its debut CD,
Bringin It, which has spent
seventeen weeks on the RMR
Blues Internet Chart. Front man
Smokey is being recognized by
critics for his classic, soulful
vocals. JD Optekar’s tasteful
guitar lines and roots-rock
vocals lend versatility to the
band. Donnie Mac is a triple
threat, simultaneously playing
bass and keyboards and singing
with dazzling showmanship.
Drummer Marcus “MG” Gibbons
sits in the pocket on shuffles
and can lay down a thunderous
groove on funk tunes.
The Bands
Grand River Blues Society
Conor Gains Band
Iridium Jazz Club, B.B. King’s in
Nashville and Memphis,
Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern,
and Montreal’s Bistro a Jojo
-- all before his sixteenth
birthday. The band comes fully
loaded with the power rhythm
section of Jeremy Patey (bass)
and Vic Freitas (drums). Last
summer the trio headlined the
blues stage at the 2011
Montreal International Jazz
Festival. Gains, eighteen, is
highly regarded as a singer/
songwriter and an electric and
slide guitarist “extraordinaire.”
The RBK Project
Great Lakes Blues Society
Robbie Antone’s
Blues Machine
Hailing from Cambridge,
Ontario, the Conor Gains Band
has earned a reputation across
Eastern Canada for its
high-energy style of blues.
Conor Gains played New York’s
122 •
Johnny No
Chess and Sun records, Antone
set out on his quest to tame the
harmonica and develop his own
distinctive tone and sound.
After many years and three CDs
consisting of original material
and covers, Antone has
produced his latest CD, Red
Road Blues, inspired by his
Native American heritage, his
musical roots, and his life
experiences.
Greater Twin Cities
Blues Music Society
Javier & the
Innocent Sons
The RBK Project is a youthful,
exhilarating power trio. The
band’s many influences take
the music to another level.
Their own brand of music has
been described as “a little bit
of Nashville with a touch of
Texas blues.” Guitarist/vocalist
Ryan Brooks Kelly is the heart
of this genre-bending band,
with his virtuoso respect for
blues tradition and his passion
for pushing the boundaries of
rock and country. Backed by
the exceptional talents of Scott
Sheehan on bass and Sam
Raia on drums, the RBK Project
is taking New England by storm.
Formed in 1999 in London,
Ontario, Robbie Antone’s Blues
Machine gets its sound from
the many influences of singer
and harp player Robbie Antone.
Antone was born on the Oneida
Nation near London, Ontario.
Inspired by his collection of
I n te r nat ional Bl u es Challe n gE
• The B a nds
This potent quartet from
Minneapolis plays timeless
barrelhouse roots music that is
projected from the contemporary perspective of songwriter
Javier Matos. Javier grew up
listening to the early blues
patriarchs on his father’s
record player with his ears
glued to the speakers. This
music struck him to the core,
and blues has been his passion
ever since. After a twenty-year
career took him from coast to
coast, he settled in
Minneapolis and formed The
Innocent Sons. They are Grant
Wibben on upright bass, and
Twin Cities music veterans Dan
Schwalbe and Dave Larson on
guitar and drums, respectively.
In 2010 they released their first
record, Lost in Loretto.
Hailing from Mobile, Alabama,
Johnny No has spent the past
year spreading the “Port City
Ne’er-Do-Well” blues sound,
courtesy of their debut The
Riviera Sessions, Vol. 1
(produced by Grammy winner
Jimbo Mathus). This trademark
sound brings old-school juke
attitudes into the modern age
with hypnotic riffs and rhythms
that have been molded by
various blues doctrines. In
addition to regular spins on
Southeastern radio stations,
High Times magazine has
recognized Johnny No as an
Unsigned Band of the Week.
Ultimately, Johnny No’s unique,
cutting-edge blues style cannot
be ignored. Those lucky enough
to witness their live show
descend into an electric blues
revival that leaves no one in
attendance unsatisfied.
Tony Vega Band
Born in Chicago and raised in
Houston, Vega began cutting
his teeth on the blues after an
inspirational chance meeting
with Albert Collins in an Austin
guitar shop. Some years and
woodshedding later, in 1997,
Tony Vega Band was born. This
appealing Texas act has forged
a unique brand of red-hot,
bone-shakin’ blues. Countless
tours, several Houston Press
Music Awards, glowing press
recognition, and five CDs later,
TVB continues to burn up the
Texas Gulf Coast and Europe
alike. Like a raven rising from a
black Southern swamp, the
Gulf Coast’s “best kept secret”
takes the listener from the
backwoods to the smoky juke
joint, drenched in blues and
soaked in a Houston-meetsNew Orleans American roots ‘n’
roll gumbo.
Tombstone Bullet
Tombstone Bullet is a
hard-driving, six-member
Springfield, Illinois, band whose
music consistently delivers real
blues emotion with a touch of
funk. Fronted by two powerhouse vocalists and backed by
an equally powerful rhythm
section, Tombstone Bullet taps
into the various musical
backgrounds of its members to
blend contemporary textures
with traditional Chicago-style
blues. While sweet, smokin’,
and spicy usually describes
Memphis barbecue, it also
describes Tombstone Bullet.
Dicky James &
the Blue Flames
Arriving on the scene in 2008,
Dicky James and the Blue
Flames have never failed to
wow audiences with their
intoxicating performances that
exude fun and spontaneity. The
band has released two CDs,
one of which, Hard Rain, shot
to No. 1 on the roots music
charts. Guitarist Dicky James,
harp man Bob Freeze, keyboard
Th e Ban ds •
player John Beeson, bassist
Mark Ford, and drummer Will
Cox bring influences of jazz and
rock and mix them all together
to bring new blood to the old
sound. Dicky is a true
bluesman who writes about the
travails of our everyday
experiences and depends on
the Flames to bring those tunes
to life. These guys have a
passion for the blues that is
easy to spot whenever they
take the stage.
Iowa Blues Societies
The Candymakers
The Candymakers are a blues
band with the traditions of
old-school R&B, funk, and soul.
This young band (ranging from
nineteen to thirty years old)
offers a sound that is
contemporary, yet keeps the
essence of music past. Though
the band is known for its
soulful male and female front
vocalists, it is anchored by the
collaborative genius of its
full-flavored blues-driven
guitarists, bassist, keyboard
player, and sultry horn section.
It is important to The
Candymakers to produce an
original sound and stage show
that keep fans interested and
craving for more. They donate
time to music education in their
community by working with
children to keep the blues alive.
The Bands
• 123
Israel Blues Society
Noa Golan Barel
Blues Band
The Noa Golan Barel Blues
Band is a six-piece Israeli blues
band with a unique mix of soul
and gospel influences. It was
established three years ago by
powerful lead singer Noa Golan
Barel and guitarist/arranger
Nimrod Margalit, a devoted
blues guitarist. They were later
joined by spouse Ilan Barel on
soulful drums, Erez Ofer “the
Israeli Billy Preston” on
keyboards, Eran Szendri with
his smooth and steady bass,
and Yiftah Mendelbaum with
outstanding saxophone. The
band has been rehearsing in
the quiet countryside outside
Tel Aviv. Noa Golan Barel and
her band have rapidly become
the darlings of the Israel Blues
Society and the local blues
community.
Jersey Shore Jazz &
Blues Foundation
Mikey Junior & the
Stone Cold Blues
The Bands
Mikey Junior and the Stone
Cold Blues have been
attracting blues audiences
throughout the country with
their refreshing, original, yet
traditional blues and a joyful
swagger that gets people up
and cheering. Mikey Junior will
again leave his mark on
Memphis as he soaks up all the
124 •
IBC has to offer and maximizes
the exposure for his stage show
of electrifying harmonica blues,
showmanship, and trademark
visceral lyricism. If you haven’t
seen this band, don’t miss it! If
you have, then you already
know not to miss this highly
energetic and always entertaining show.
Kalamazoo Valley
Blues Association
Crossroads
Resurrection
The Alonzo
Pennington Band
few. Her guitarist, Kelsey Hill,
has been singing and playing
the blues for over forty years.
The band has toured to
California, Las Vegas, Chicago,
Tennessee, Georgia, and
Europe. Linda Shell and the
Blues Thang, with their deep
roots in the blues tradition,
always leave you wanting more.
Little T&A
Their unique, funky blend of
blues, soul, and swamp groove
as well as their engaging stage
show have been winning
Crossroads Resurrection
awards and entertaining
Michigan audiences for years.
They started out hosting a jam
session in Kalamazoo (halfway
between Detroit and Chicago),
drawing the best players in the
area. From this musical melting
pot, this superb group was
forged. The quintet now
consists of Eddie Lester, Dave
Allemang, Nick Cekola, Jeff
Fernandez, and John Ford.
Whether packing the dance
floor with a crowd-pleasing
cover song, drawing from their
vast repertoire of original
material, or just jamming, these
seasoned pros can and have
laid it down with the best of
them.
Linda Shell & the
Blues Thang
Linda Shell has been singing
the blues for over thirty years.
She has been compared to
Aretha Franklin, Shirley Brown,
and Etta James, just to name a
I n te r na t iona l Bl u es Challe n gE
• The B a nds
Little T&A has quickly become
Louisville’s premier rhythmand-blues band. The explosive
tandem of Tony Tkac’s
gut-wrenching guitar work and
Amy Johnson’s unmistakable
voice -- T&A -- set against the
backdrop of the thundering
rhythm section of Monk Mackey
on bass and Jeff McAllister on
drums tells you this band
cannot be denied. Add in the
power of Mike Murphy’s tenor
sax, Mark Hoekstra’s wailing
harp, and Bill Dean’s roadhouse
blues keyboards, and this is
traditional R&B at its best. The
band’s exciting live shows
always bring the crowds to the
dance floor. They play only what
they love, and you can tell by
the heart and soul they put into
every song that they love what
they play!
The APB is Western Kentucky’s
answer to the blues. The APB
consists of Bobby Harper on
bass, L.J. Granstaff on guitar,
Bryan Harper on drums, and
Alonzo playing guitar and
singing. The APB is a musical
family, and has been together
ten years. The music can be
traced back to the early 1800s
in Alonzo’s family. L.J. is the
youngest of two brothers whose
family has played music for
generations. Bobby and Bryan
are two of nine Harper brothers,
most of whom play together in
their family band. Casting a
respectful nod to their musical
heroes, the APB adds passion,
energy and drive to create a
soulful blend all its own.
Doghouse Daddies
Successfully combining the raw
emotional power of the old
masters with vibrant, rockin’
energy to create something
that is new, unique, yet familiar
all at the same time, this jump/
swing blues band creates a
sound that keeps you wanting
more. One listen to the
Doghouse Daddies and you will
experience what their
audiences have come to know
as “Blues with a Bite.” The
Doghouse Daddies can rock
your world or create an
emotional journey. They totally
own every song they lay their
paws on. A full schedule of
gigging in blues clubs and
festivals all over the Midwest
and beyond, combined with
woodshedding in between,
keeps this energetic group
fresh and full of surprises!
Lehigh Valley Blues Network
Midnight Shift
Midnight Shift has been an
Eastern Pennsylvania staple for
over seven years now, playing
its infectious style of blues,
rockabilly, and rhythm and
blues throughout the
Northeast. Its current CD,
Rhythm Rockin’ Boogie, has
received airplay on over one
hundred stations worldwide,
peaking at No. 31 on the Roots
Music Report Top 50 Blues
Charts. This will be the band’s
second time to the IBC. It
includes the deep, wailing
harmonica and vocals of Mike
Mettalia; creating a landslide of
intensity on the guitar is Mike
McMillan; on upright slappin’
bass is Paul Pluta; and hitting
the rim shots off the skins is
Tim Smith.
Gary Sellers Band
Gary Sellers wasn’t born with a
guitar in his hand, but you’d
never know it. His smooth riffs
and heartfelt licks drip with
emotion that pours straight
from his soul to his fingers.
Gary’s youthful appearance
belies his musical maturity. His
songs ring true with passion
and grit, conveying universal
emotions. Gary pays homage to
Th e Ban ds •
the blues greats, but weaves
hints of funk, soul, rock, and
R&B into his work to create his
own unique vibe. According to
Good Times magazine, Gary’s
“tunes are surprisingly
sophisticated . . . [and] his
guitar playing is a fine mixture
of mechanics and feel. In short,
the cat can play!”
Lowcountry Blues Club
J Edwards Band
Born in Arkansas, the son of a
traveling evangelist, J Edwards
spent his early years on the
road sampling the many
cultures and rhythms across
the country. J started touring at
the age of eighteen, and by his
twenty-first birthday he had
performed in thirty-eight of the
fifty states, which led to his
diverse songwriting style.
Whether it’s old traditional
sounds or new rocking blues, J
Edwards has it covered with his
harmonically rich voice and
deep passion for the blues. The
people and places that he sings
about evoke the true essence
of blues music. J is proud to call
South Carolina his home, and
his band is composed of
seasoned players from
Columbia and Charleston.
The Bands
• 125
The Kim Pollard Band
Kim Pollard writes and sings
the blues from the depths of
her soul. Every lyric and
musical arrangement she
creates is emotionally-charged,
and combined with her
powerhouse vocals and the
talented and dynamic
musicians who make up The
Kim Pollard Band, each and
every performance will make
you groove or bring you to your
knees. Band members are
Roger Law (bass), Bruce Cowle
(keys), Kherson Amell (drums),
Matt Woodward (guitar), and
Paul Stacey (sax). Be ready to
be entertained . . . this is blues
served up on a silver platter!
The Lefty
Collins Band
The Bands
The Lefty Collins Band returns
to Memphis for the second year
in a row, after reaching the
2011 IBC semifinals. The band
brings together four musicians
from Chicago and Alabama who
create a tight, powerful sound
that grabs the audience and
gets the job of rocking the
house with Chicago blues done
right! Singer/slide and lead
guitarist Lefty Collins has been
one of the house musicians at
the House of Blues in Chicago
for fourteen years. Lefty
relocated to the Gadsden,
126 •
Alabama, area in 2008.
Thirty-one years of honing his
skills have made him a
top-flight live performer. Barry
Wasserman on bass, Andrew
Brasfield on harmonica, and
David Green on drums
complete this powerhouse act.
Maine Blues Society
Poke Chop & the
Other White Meats
Ron “Poke Chop” Gill (guitar/
vocals), Thom Hanes (harp/
vocals), Tom DelRossi (drums/
vocals), and Chad Thorne (bass/
vocals) are “Poke Chop and the
Other White Meats,” a rootsy,
stripped-down ensemble from
Maine. Taking to heart Willie
Dixon’s statement “The blues is
the roots, everything else is the
fruits,” the quartet not only
delves into twelve-bar blues
standards, but also explores
country blues, zydeco, R&B,
rock ‘n’ roll, funk, and even a bit
of jazz on occasion. Though all
four are accomplished
musicians, they seek always to
put technique at the service of
making real blues music with
heart, soul, and positive energy.
Massachusetts Blues Society
The Willie J.
Laws Band
The Willie J. Laws Band is a
hard-hitting group of tough
customers. The band performs
original, traditional, and
contemporary blues, R&B, funk,
• The B a nds
truth,” she states. “The joys
and sorrows of life, the
challenges and excitements,
love and sex -- blues addresses
them all.”
and rock ‘n’ roll. Willie expertly
wields the lead guitar and
sings, and proudly works to
uphold the Texas music
tradition that integrates
American roots music with the
unique cultural influences of
Texas. Willie’s original
compositions, which reflect
many of his personal experiences, make each performance
electric. Willie has held down
house gigs at Blind Melon’s in
San Diego, Jimmy Buffet’s
Margaritaville in New Orleans,
and the House of Blues in Las
Vegas. Willie’s “adopted”
father, the late Phillip Walker,
was a heavy influence on the
way he plays guitar and
performs vocally.
Melbourne Blues
Appreciation Society
Dreamboogie
Dreamboogie is Rebecca Davey
(vocals), Mauricio Ochoa
(guitar), Connor O’Neill (bass),
and Robert B Dillon (drums).
Vocalist Rebecca brings
elements of her music idols
(Millie Jackson, Denise LaSalle,
and Shirley Brown) to the act.
Combining these influences
with the blues trio format is
Dreamboogie’s sound. Using
storytelling and the impact of
the blues lyric, Rebecca
conveys the underlying truths
upon which the blues are
based. “Blues is about the
Vince Johnson & the
Plantation Allstars
written by Lumpy Jones were
inspired by blues masters.
Bacon and Eggs’ rocking-chair
rhythm section, fat B3 organ,
and smokin’ guitar deliver a
true blues sound that gets you
up and shakin’ all night long.
Plain and simple, Bacon & Eggs
loves to play the blues!
Solar Porch
In today’s cookie-cutter world
of sound-alike, look-alike
bands, one band refuses to fit
into the mold, and the result is
an ever-growing list of satisfied
customers for the Plantation
Allstars! Led by Vince Johnson
on vocals and harmonica, this
powerhouse features the
absolute best selection of
blues music and originals
delivered with a passion and
excitement that few bands can
match. You will not hear the
same old songs that every
other band in the country plays.
This group picks songs from the
heart. The Plantation All-Stars
are guaranteed to leave you
feeling good all night long.
Mid North Michigan
Blues Society
Bacon & Eggs
Blues Band
Solar Porch merges Hill Country
groove with jam-band attitude.
Without a doubt, Sid Barger,
Marlow Dorrough, and Craig
Collins give their audiences a
driving, wide-open take on
Mississippi blues. The name
Solar Porch and their music
evoke the natural heat of a
steamy Delta afternoon. Two
members of the group, Barger
(from Belzoni) and Dorrough
(from Ruleville), grew up in
musical homes, and they
apprenticed with Delta
musicians Paul “Wine” Jones
and Duff Dorrough, respectively. Accomplished songwriters, the group members blend
their Delta experiences with
throbbing Hill Country rhythms,
and bring the future of the
blues clearly into focus.
Blue Max Band
The Bacon & Eggs Blues Band
is a dynamic, soulful four-piece
band that delivers authentic
West Coast jump, Cajun blues,
Chicago blues and traditional
roots rock music. Bacon &
Eggs’ two CDs of original songs
These four have been on the
blues scene in Central Missouri
Th e Ban ds •
for a long time. You’d see one
or two at a jam now and then.
You’d see another filling in with
a band sometimes. But in
2011, all four wound up in the
same place at the same time.
All four played the blues, and,
without question, magic
happened. This is not
progressive. This is not
alternative. This is B-L-U-E-S.
From Houston and Chicago and
even Mexico, Missouri, these
four people came together in
the center of the U.S. to create
a blues sound that shakes you
all up one side and down the
other. Superb musicians, with
an emotional connection to
their audiences and a physical
effect on you (dare you NOT to
dance), John, Byron, Shelly, and
Ted are the Blue Max Band.
The Bart
Walker Band
Bart is a Nashville-based guitar
and vocal powerhouse -- a
one-man argument for the
continued vitality and
emotional heat of the blues.
Walker and his band, including
keyboardist Reese Wynans,
make his original tunes sound
like classics, delivered with an
incendiary energy that is
winning them a growing
following. With the release of
Walker’s debut CD, Who I Am,
and his exposure as an
in-demand sideman, he is
ready to claim his place as a
bold young torchbearer in the
blues scene, with his own
distinctive and gritty guitar
sound and a dynamic voice
The Bands
• 127
dappled with honey and gravel.
“I truly love what I do,” he says,
“This music has given me so
much, and I feel Who I Am is
just the beginning of what I
have to give back to it.”
Natchel’ Blues Network
The Bush League
The Bands
Richmond, Virginia’s The Bush
League have been together just
four years, but 2012 marks the
second year in a row that they
will be competing in the IBC.
For lead singer JohnJason Cecil
and guitarist Shane Parch, this
will be their third trip in as many
years; they competed in 2010
as Sleepy Eyed Jay and Chicago
Slim in the solo/duo competition. The Bush League,
anchored by Royce Folks on
bass and Gwen Frederick on
drums, imbues traditional blues
with each member’s own
personal flair and musical
influences including rock,
gospel, soul, and funk. The
Bush League recently released
their second live CD, The Bush
League Rocks, which captures
the energy and passion that
they find in playing their brand
of the blues.
New York Blues & Jazz Society
The Steve
Johnson Band
Originally from California, Steve
Johnson began working a
fretboard after hearing his
128 •
uncle play electric guitar in
1963. For more than thirty
years he has thrilled audiences
from L.A. to Paris. Since 1984,
the NYC metropolitan area has
been Steve’s home base, where
he continues to amaze fans
with his blistering blend of
blues guitar/slide chops and
raspy down-home vocals. The
prolific band boasts twelve
original, roadhouse-inspired
CDs. It has been described as
“Les Paul and the Harmonicats
with way too much vodka.” This
is the SJB’s second visit to the
IBC. The blues power trio
features Steve Johnson, guitar
and vocals; Clifford McComas,
drums and vocals, and Mark
Pavlica, bass and vocals.
Norsk Blues Union
Pristine
Pristine, with the charismatic
redhead Heidi Solheim in front,
forges on with power, passion,
and intensity. Pristine’s music
has strong roots in traditional
blues and ‘70s rock, which is
very noticeable on its 2011
debut album, Detoxing. The
album had barely been
released before the accolades
from the national press started
pouring in: “Norwegian
gunpowder” (Dagbladet);
“stylish debut” (iTromso.no);
“the little extra” (Aftenposten).
Heidi has frequently been
compared to Beth Hart, Dana
Fuchs, and Janiva Magness.
Blues Society
Little Jake & the
Soul Searchers
Little Jake Mitchell is an
authentic blues child prodigy
• The B a nds
and an intensity that ignites a
passion. Memphis Cradle is
three accomplished musicians
doing what they do best and
enjoy the most -- presenting the
blues as they see it.
and R&B singer who works as
hard today as he did in his
appearances at the Apollo
Theater on tour as “Mr.
Excitement,” promoting the
singles he recorded on Detroit’s
IMPACT Records circa 1966-67,
or at the Pensacola Blues
Festival when B. B. King
encouraged him to stay in show
business. Little Jake and the
Soul Searchers is what you get
when you combine Jake with
three horns and a blues-to-thebone rhythm section laced with
road-seasoned veterans of
Chitlin’ Circuit show bands.
Little Jake comes to Memphis
to entertain! The Soul
Searchers bring a steadfast
commitment to the music they
love and an old-school
presentation style rarely seen
since the ‘60s.
North East Ohio
Blues Association
Memphis Cradle
Oklahoma Blues Society
Garrett “Big
G” Jacobson
Orange Blossom Blues Society
RJ Harmon & Co.
Collins, John Lee Hooker, and
Junior Wells. He possesses a
magic that seems to occur right
in the middle of each song,
causing the hairs to rise on the
back of your neck. He appears
with Lyndell Montgomery and
Wayne Stoute.
Ozark Blues Society of
Northwest Arkansas
Nathan A. & Max R.P.M.
A soulful and dynamic guitarist
and singer, Garrett “Big G”
Jacobson has a sound best
characterized as soul-blues
with a dose of funk. His fourth
CD, In Person, is a live set
featuring his working band in
Oklahoma City, which consists
of a tight rhythm section and
horns. “With his ability to
captivate and energize an
audience, it is evident that this
young rising star has just begun
to make his mark in the music
industry. If you get a chance to
catch his act, do, as he always
delivers a show not to be
forgotten,” says Southwest
Blues magazine.
Omaha Blues Society
Lil’ Slim Blues Band
Memphis Cradle is all about the
blues. Remaining ever true to
their own vision of the genre,
Joe King (lead guitar and
vocals), Gary Sands (bass and
vocals), and Bruce Woodring
(drums and vocals) deliver the
goods with a bit of Delta, a
taste of Chicago, and a dash of
Texas. Emotionally charged,
their music conveys an exciting
journey of unrestrained blues
that is loaded with originality
fastest thumb in the Midwest.
As a singer, Lil’ Slim is focused
on melody and delivery that are
not overdone. With Jeff
Boehmer on bass, Joshua
Hoyer on keys, vocals and
saxophone, Chris Siefkes on
harmonica, and veteran
drummer Bo Rose, the band
plays Chicago blues the
old-school way: raw and gritty.
Shawn “Lil’ Slim” Holt is the son
of blues legend Magic Slim, aka
Morris Holt. Inheriting the guitar
picking style of his father, Lil’
Slim has been said to have the
Richard “RJ” Harman has been
playing the harmonica for six
years, winning numerous
music awards including a full
endorsement with Hohner
harmonicas. Currently the
two-time winner of the Florida
Harmonica Championship, he
has been featured in two
full-page articles in the
Orlando Sentinel. RJ has
studied and played with some
of the finest artists in the
world. His style is fresh and
vibrant; he brings a youthful
passion and a love of blues
and shakeabilly to the stage.
Terry Gillespie Trio
Terry Gillespie is known for his
love of rhythm, his musical
intensity, and his unique,
soulful voice. He was instrumental in the dissemination of
American music in Canada.
Critic Tim Holek has called him
“Canada’s King of Roots
Music.” Born in Canada and
raised in England, he cut his
musical teeth in Michigan in
the ‘60s, learning from blues
legends Howlin’ Wolf, Albert
Th e Ban ds •
He’s fun! He’s fresh! He’s
unique! He’s Nathan A.! Often
compared to a young Jonny
Lang, sixteen-year-old Nathan
Aronowitz is a polished
showman who fronts a group of
Northwest Arkansas’ finest
bluesmen. Max R.P.M.
(Robinson, Perrine, and Myers)
lay on the rhythm. Nathan A.
delivers the blues! Excelling on
guitar, harmonica, and keys,
Nathan amazes audiences with
versatility, original blues
compositions, and soulful
interpretation of classic R&B.
Catch a Nathan A. and Max
R.P.M. show and you will be
blown away by screaming keys,
mind-bending blues harp, and
passionately smooth guitar.
Nathan says that he sees
musical notes in colors. To
The Bands
• 129
fans, his color is red hot! Fun,
fresh, unique, and in color! He’s
Nathan A.!
Paris Blues Society
The Holland K.
Smith Band
It goes without saying that once
you have seen Holland K. Smith
in action you’ll be hooked on
his special kind of Texasbrewed blues. Holland has
been performing for well over
thirty years, taking his music
across the globe by playing in
countries including Belgium,
Brazil, Denmark, France, and
Thailand. From his original
numbers to traditional blues
covers, you will find that
Holland is capable of satisfying
anyone’s appetite for good
music with his smooth guitar
licks and multi-range vocals.
The Holland K. Smith Band,
based out of Arlington, Texas,
consists of Holland K. Smith
(vocals, guitar), Kevin
Schermerhorn (drums), Bill
Eden (saxophone), Terry
Montgomery (bass), and Chuck
Mayo (piano).
The Bands
Phoenix Blues Society
Common Ground Blues
Glen Russell and Brian Eddie
co-founded Common Ground
Blues and then quickly became
a palpable force on the Phoenix
blues scene. Earl Abbott adds
touches of jazz and blues to
130 •
give CGB tons of flavor. CGB
stands out from the crowd with
tone-filled and vibrant guitar
work, killer keyboards, a tight
rhythm section, and compelling
vocals. Crowds absolutely love
this band -- they all hang on
every word. Timothy Kinsey on
bass gives a song whatever it
needs to move you, and he and
Guy Mazzo on drums lay down
the groove for CGB’s big blues
sound!
Piedmont Blues
House of Dues
complement to Ruth’s vocals.
Hurricane Ruth is a “power”ful
blues experience that you won’t
soon forget!
Reno Blues Society
Jason King Band
guitarist/singer/songwriter who
fronts the band with her unique
vocals and ripping guitar solos.
Ellie Lee & Blues Fury formed
to satisfy the need to play the
music they love and have great
fun doing it. Their excitement
and enthusiasm onstage are
infectious. Time and time
again, people have told them
how much fun they seem to be
having during their performances. It’s an itch they must
scratch. People enjoy the fact
that Ellie plays and sings like
there’s no tomorrow. She gives
it her all every time.
Prairie Crossroads
Blues Society
Hurricane Ruth
House of Dues is a five-piece
blues band from Greensboro,
North Carolina. Its music draws
from funky and soulful New
Orleans textures, reinterpreting
blues classics. While the
arrangements are updated and
incorporate new sounds, the
band honors the tradition of the
blues and the roots of the
genre. Members include
forty-year veteran drummer and
vocalist Chuck Cotton, bassist
Rob Luney, tenor saxophonist
Steve Blake, David Bolton on
vocals and guitar, and
sixteen-year-old keyboard
phenomenon Sammy Fribush.
The band’s self-produced CD,
Gimme Some Hotcakes, was
released in October 2011.
Ellie Lee & Blues Fury
Ellie Lee & Blues Fury is an
exciting, rockin’ blues band
with a powerful onstage
performance. Ellie is a blues
I nt e r na t iona l Bl u es Challe n gE
• The B a nds
Hurricane Ruth created their
own brand of blues, which they
call power blues. It has been
described as raw, emotional,
and dynamic. The “power”
seeps into everything they do,
from their original music to
their live shows. The epitome of
power blues is Hurricane Ruth
herself. Ruth is a captivating
performer who will grab your
attention from note one and
never let you go! Willie Dixon
once told her she was “the only
hurricane he could appreciate.”
Ruth is joined by David
Lumsden (guitar), Gary Davis
(bass), and Jim Engel (drums).
These three excellent
musicians are the perfect
Fronted by singer-songwriterguitarist Jason King Roxas, the
Jason King Band is not your
typical blues ensemble. The
band draws from a wide range
of musical styles and influences when writing and
performing. Years of musical
experience by each member
result in a fresh spin on a
venerable musical genre. The
Jason King Band effortlessly
creates music that is both vital
and relevant, while staying true
to its blues roots. The band’s
talent and musical range are
evident in its electrifying live
shows and the success of its
debut CD, Blue Skies and Black
Shoes, which has earned an
award for Best Local CD in
Northern Nevada, as well as
winning Blues Revue magazine’s “Sponsor the Band”
promotion.
River City Blues Society - Il
The Sugar Prophets
reaching No. 14 and No. 21 on
the Roots Music Report and
Living Blues charts, respectively. TSP are known for their
high energy, and you don’t want
to miss them at the IBC! “Their
recordings are a mere taste of
their live show. Genuine talent
and chemistry come together to
fill the air with an energy that
will resonate with any audience,
leaving them with a smile -- that
is, if they can manage to scrape
their jaw off the floor,” says Kim
Babin of The Examiner.
River City Blues Society - Va
Bobby BlackHat Band
Bobby “BlackHat” Walters, harp
player and vocalist, brings
together the finest blues
musicians in Hampton Roads,
Virginia, to perform classic and
original blues that will keep
your toes tappin’ and hips
shakin’ all night long. The band
includes guitarist Larry
Berwald, bassist Brian
Eubanks, and drummer Tony
Lucero. Their original blues
music captures the full range of
life’s emotions, whether happy,
sad, or tragic. The Bobby
BlackHat and Larry Berwald
duo competed in the 2008 and
2011 IBCs.
Blues Boy Willie
& the Texas
Blues Runners
The Sugar Prophets were 2011
IBC finalists, and return to
Beale Street armed with a
unique sound chock full of
groove and grit, a sound that
has their self-titled debut CD
Award-winning vocalist Blues
Boy Willie commands the stage
and engages the audience while
blowing his soul through his
harp. Texas born and raised, he
was influenced by his father,
who played harp for Ma Rainey.
His second album, the fun blues
Th e Ban ds •
novelty Be Who, charted for
twenty-one weeks. The Texas
Blues Runners, consisting of
veteran musicians whose
forty-year musical journeys
began in Texas, have each
matured over many nights
touring throughout the U.S. and
Europe. TBR’s debut CD,
Somebody Bring Me Some
Water, is described as
“scorching original Texas blues,”
and its spirit is fresh, driving
and intense. Together, this
group of seasoned blues artists
puts on a dynamic show that
will put dancin’ in your shoes.
Blues Society
Sherry Pruitt
Blues Project
Texas diva meets East L.A.
swagger is the artistic
synthesis known as the Sherry
Pruitt Blues Project. Pruitt’s
voice delivers a clarion-call
flight song for the soul, driving
the Delgado brothers -- Joey on
guitar, Bob on bass, and Steve
on drums -- and guitarist
George Dez to perform in a fury
and fusion of blues groove
musicology. This unique force
field of musical diversity
delivers all-original music with
authentic style and brilliance to
spare. Pruitt’s powerful
vocalizations testify to the pain
The Bands
• 131
and triumph of recovery, after a
2008 stroke paralyzed her
body -- but not her genius.
Stacy Brooks
The Bands
Stacy’s mother says she’s been
humming melodies since
before she could talk, and she
knew she would sing. Stacy
experienced her first standing
ovation in Germany at the age
of five. She fell in love with the
blues early, as her mother’s
family owned one of the first
juke joints in southern
Maryland, the Knotty Pine. She
formed her band in 2007 and
hit the blues circuit. Her
explosive vocals and captivating stage presence have
resulted in several nominations
by the Washington Area Music
Association, including New
Artist of the Year in 2007 and
Female Blues Vocalist in 2009
and 2010. The musicians of her
band have toured globally, and
together with Stacy they keep
audiences craving more and
hooked on their groove.
Smoky Mountain Blues Society
Jenna & Her
Cool Friends
Jenna & Her Cool Friends, a
seven-member group from
Knoxville Tennessee, is driven
132 •
by the soulful voice of Jenna
Jefferson. Their onstage energy
is a natural ebb and flow of
playfulness and a lightningcharged blues maelstrom.
Guitarist “Detroit” Dave Meer
and harmonica player Michael
“Crawdaddy” Crawley deliver
their share of catharsis, often
leaving the audience slackjawed. Keith Ford (acoustic),
Ben Maney (keyboard), Glyn
Loyd (bass), and Larry Joe
Dunsmore (drums) synergize
the rhythm and ride along the
roots of blues music’s
foundation. Their soaring
harmonies and original songs
portray the sacrifices made for
love and are simply an
invitation to live the blues.
Young Guns
Young Guns is a Memphisbased blues band founded by
two brothers, Brandon Closson
(lead vocals/guitar), and
Tommie Closson (lead guitar),
with Zach Riddick on bass and
Brandon Russell on the drums.
Their style derives from many
different influences, giving
them a unique blues sound, a
cross between Texas and Delta
blues styles. Singer Brandon
Closson belts out lyrics with the
soul of a young Robert Plant,
and guitarist Tommie Closson
hammers out rhythms and
solos in the style of Hendrix
while also playing slide guitar to
bring the “Delta” feel. As for the
rhythm section, bassist Zach
Riddick provides the low end
with his never-ending groove
while Brandon Russell lays
down the beat with his powerful
drumming skills.
• The B a nds
South Africa Blues Society
Tony & the
Trailer Cats
2009, Blues Dragon makes
original blues roots music
combined with a modern
approach, giving it crossover
appeal that captures a whole
new audience of blues lovers.
John Roach on drums, Phil Link
on lead/rhythm guitar, and
David Settlemoir on bass.
St. Louis Blues Society
Jeremiah Johnson
& the Sliders
Red Hot Blues
Sisters
With raw, clear, clean blues in
their own style, and with
unconventional instruments in
the rhythm section, this band
can rock the blues. With a
hi-hat, homemade stump box,
two acoustics and one electric
guitar, these guys make the
music they love. Their mostly
original music, with some
covers of songs by their favorite
musicians, makes them
favorites in music venues all
over their native country. With
years of musical experience
and hard work, the band has
made its mark in the South
African music scene. The band
consists of Gerald Clark, Peter
Hoven, and Henry Steel.
South Florida Blues Society
Blues Dragon
Blues Dragon is best known for
the unusual interpretations of
pre-World War II-style blues
that it infuses into its original
music. The combination of
performing traditional blues on
guitar, bass, drums, and B3
organ, then adding percussion
with high-energy electric
grooves while sitting in kitchen
chairs, makes it a “must see”
live band. But the band
members don’t sit for long!
Winner of the coveted Song of
the Year Blewzzy Award in
The West Coast’s Red Hot
Blues Sisters have successfully
toured the U.S., Europe, and
Canada for eight years.
Founded by Teri Anne Wilson
(guitar) and Suze Sims (vocal),
they have taken the blues
industry by surprise with the
depth of their performances,
their songwriting, and their
superb musicianship. This
seven-piece band represents
the Northwest blues cream of
the crop, resulting in numerous
awards: 2011/’08 Best Band,
South Sound Blues Association;
2011/’09 Best Vocalist, ‘09
Best Band, Washington Blues
Society. Their one-two punch of
burning vocal genius and
blazing, sweet blues guitar
captivates audiences who love
the innovative, original
songwriting and fresh, unique,
soulful style of blues they bring
to live performances and
recordings.
Southern California
Blues Society
Lightnin’ Willie &
the Poorboys
Despite the band’s name,
Lightnin’ Willie and the
Poorboys are by no means
musically destitute. In fact, the
tradition they mine has
richness indeed. With the
simple lineup of guitar, bass,
drums, and keyboard they are
equally able to evoke strippeddown stylings and sophisticated orchestrations as well as
the funkier side of Stax. Willie
plays an in-the-pocket electric
guitar style that is totally devoid
of grandstanding. His original
compositions and arrangements have helped sustain a
loyal and ever-growing fan base
for the past fifteen years
throughout the U.S.A., the U.K.,
and Europe.
Clover Blue
Clover Blue is a blues band that
provides an entertaining,
eclectic blend of music. One of
the few acts featuring two bona
fide lead vocalists, this rockin’
blues band is rapidly gaining
momentum and has begun
blazing a trail through the
central Arkansas music scene,
quickly establishing itself as a
reliable mainstream blues act
with enough musical diversity
to satisfy its fast-growing
following of fans. The band is
composed of Rachel McBride
on lead/backup vocals and
harmonica, Shelly Wier on
lead/backup vocals and
auxiliary percussion, Mark
Lovell on lead/rhythm guitar,
Th e Ban ds •
Jeremiah Johnson and the
Sliders are an all-original St.
Louis blues band, combining
the sounds of Texas guitardriven blues with St. Louis-style
big horns. They have propelled
themselves to the forefront of
the St. Louis blues scene in two
short years with superb
songwriting, dazzling live
performances, and two
successful studio albums. Their
live show consists of soulful
vocals, driving rhythms, soaring
guitar, one man on two
saxophones, and a master
trumpeter. The rhythm section
is made up of Jeremiah
Johnson on guitar and vocals,
Jeff Girardier on bass, and Brad
Martin on drums. They also
have an amazing horn section:
Stuart Williams on sax and Jim
Rosse on trumpet.
Selwyn Birchwood
Band
The Bands
Selwyn Birchwood performs a
mixture of earthy Florida blues,
paying tribute to the state in
which he was born. He is
backed by a rock-solid rhythm
section of Huff Wright on bass
• 133
and Curtis Nutall on drums, and
by Regi Oliver on saxophone.
The group tours throughout
Florida and the Southeast at
major clubs and festivals,
spreading its swampy blues
sound!
Buddy Knox
Blues Band
The Bands
Buddy Knox plays a captivating
mix of traditional and modern
blues, incorporating in his
music the didgeridoo, a
haunting and ancient Australian
aboriginal wind instrument. His
voice is smooth yet powerful as
he tells his own personal story
of the blues. He has a passion
and honesty that are evident
from the first note he plays on
his 335 Gibson. Buddy has
played at all the major
Australian music festivals to
packed audiences. Coming to
you all the way from Tamworth,
Australia, Buddy is joined by his
son Teangi Knox on drums,
Gareth Hudson on bass and
didgeridoo, and Fiona Peters on
accordion. They promise to
“smoke ya boots” with their
unique twist on blues.
The Blues, Jazz & Folk
Music Society
Ray Fuller & the
Bluesrockers
Ray Fuller and the Bluesrockers
are from Columbus, Ohio. Ray
Fuller’s talent as a singer and
guitarist has allowed him to
share the stage with many an
iconic blues artist. Ray Fuller
and the Bluesrockers have
been performing their brand of
low-down, gutsy blues and
red-hot rock ‘n’ roll for many
134 •
Nick Hern Band
years, leaving a trail of
scorched stages and satisfied
fans all over this country and as
far away as South Africa! Ray
Fuller’s Bluesrockers are Mike
Gilliland on harmonica and
vocals, Keith Blair on keyboard
and Hammond organ, Manny
Manuel on bass, and Mark
Ward on drums.
The Golden Gate Blues Society
Paula Harris
Paula Harris presents a
sophisticated style of blues. A
true powerhouse vocalist,
Paula sings across multiple
genres, but her love of the
blues is evident in everything
she does. She fronts a band
consisting of Terry Hiatt, one of
the Bay Area’s most prolific
guitarists; Doug McKeehan on
keys; Joey Fabian on bass; and
Al Diaz on drums. Paula leans
toward impudent and humorous lyrics. Her unique phrasing
shows her appreciation not only
of blues, but of jazz and soul as
well. “Paula is one of the finest
modern blues voices around
today, and her interpretation is
impeccable,” says William Bell,
one of the principal architects
of the Stax/Volt sound and CEO
of Wilbe Records.
• The B a nds
Nick Hern, a young guitarist,
singer, and songwriter,
explodes on the blues music
world fresh out of high school.
The Nick Hern Band will soon
release its first album of all
original songs. Nick and bassist
and brother Mike Hern are IBC
veterans, having participated in
the Youth Showcase the past
three years. The brothers are
joined by veteran singers/
songwriters Rod Peterson, harp
player, and Rick Bruner,
drummer. Featuring both
veteran and young musicians
gives NHB’s mixture of
traditional to contemporary
blues a fresh and harmonic
sound and style. Come see why
people in the Midwest are all
abuzz about this newfound
group!
The 24th Street
Wailers
On the surface they may
appear to be fresh-faced kids,
but don’t let that fool you. The
24th Street Wailers are a group
of experienced musicians full of
piss and vinegar, with energy to
spare. Winners of the 2010
Toronto Blues Society Talent
Search, the Bourse Air Transat/
Blues sur Seine, and the 2011
Prix du FestiBlues de Montreal,
they are a force to be reckoned
with. Powerhouse drummer and
vocalist Lindsay Beaver leads
the four-piece ensemble, which
includes Jon Wong on tenor
sax, Emily Burgess on guitar,
and Mike Archer on bass,
through gritty, bluesy, and
danceable songs that are
penned by Lindsay and Emily.
They are a band in every sense
of the word, a team who eat,
sleep and breathe their love of
the blues.
Triangle Blues Society
The Rusted Rails
The Rusted Rails combine
blues with a dash of swing and
rockabilly and a generous
helping of humorous and
original songwriting to produce
an energetic and entertaining
evening of blueswingabilly
music. The brainchild of singer/
songwriter/guitar slinger Eric
“E-Train” Manning, The Rusted
Rails are the delivery vehicle for
his quirky and unique outlook
on life through lyric and song.
From just outside the Raleigh,
North Carolina, area, the Rails
are having great fun bringing
their music to Railheads in the
Southeast. The current lineup
of Dave Sampler on upright
bass and Dave Cramer on
drums was assembled less
than a year ago, and already
“the little three-piece that
could” has become a wellknown and sought-after act in
Eastern North Carolina.
Leaf River Blues
Leaf River Blues brings an
electrifying mix of front-porch
blues and originality like no
other. The band has a unique
The WIRED! Band
gift for taking the blues to heart
and creating a sound that
leaves an audience loving some
down-home blues! Jimmy
Burge’s bass playing makes the
ground shake; he also performs
lead and backup vocals. Bobby
Benison is right on target with
acoustic guitar, slide, and
harmonica. Tom Penton’s
fingers are like lightning and fire
on lead guitar. You’ll feel the
blues in your bones with his
lead and backup vocals. Rob
“The Dutchman” can tickle the
ivories and make them like it.
Ernie Moore’s drumming and
vocals explode on stage,
bringing his Mississippi Delta
birthplace to life.
Seattle trio The WIRED! Band
return to the IBC this year
having just won the Washington
Blues Society Best Blues Act
Award, with front man Kevin
Sutton taking home Best
Songwriter and Best Performer
awards. Perennial Pacific
Northwest rhythm king Rick
“The Stick” Jacobson is on
drums, with his uncle and
Seattle legend Keith Bakke on
bass.
The Shaun
Booker Band
Ed Wills & Blues 4 $ale
Ed Wills, lead singer and
guitarist, hails from New
Orleans. With Brad Keith on
drums, Jeffrey Jones on piano,
and Leroy Freeman on bass, Ed
Wills & Blues 4 $ale have
captivated audiences
throughout the South. Their
style of blues is unique and
built on the traditional
“mustard greens and cornbread” sound, with a modern
twist of electric guitar and
high-powered organ. A Blues 4
$ale show has proved to be a
crowd-pleaser in all corners of
the South.
Th e Ban ds •
Shaun says she has never met
a stranger, and her audiences
feel like they’re talking to an old
friend. She learned the blues by
living on a tightrope with no
net, traveling stage to stage
until no crowd was too big to fit
into the palm of her hand. You
can hear life’s lessons as well
as the wisdom of her grandmother in the lyrics Shaun
writes and delivers in a voice
that is powerfully soulful. Her
first audience was her
The Bands
• 135
In reflecting on my year since winning in the band
category at the 2011 IBC, the words that come to
mind first are “fortunate,” “grateful,” “blessed,”
but also “tired” and “busy.” Last year was my
second IBC competition (I won the solo/duo in
2008), and again, for me, it was an exciting honor
just to take part.
grandpa’s congregation, and
The Shaun Booker Band has
been keeping the blues alive
ever since in West Virginia,
Ohio, and beyond!
Rachelle Coba Band
Pistol Pete
Blues Band
Pistol Pete is a regular on the
Chicago blues circuit. He
captures his audience with the
first note and takes them on a
ride, Chicago-style. Over his
thirty years onstage, he has
performed with many blues
legends. He is accompanied on
drums by Joel Baer, a jazz
studies major at Elmhurst
136 •
College, and on bass by Jay
Knapik, a seasoned musician
who is active in three bands.
Pete is high-energy entertainment, and his love of the blues
resonates throughout his
performance.
Wyoming Blues & Jazz Society
Taylor Scott & Another
Kind of Magick
Taylor Scott & Another Kind of
Magick have a surprising hand
to lay down. They play with a
smooth blend of musical talent,
energetic stage presence, and,
most importantly, soul. The
band has the ability to take it
down low and play those sweet,
slow blues notes, as well as the
power to shift into full-tilt
boogie. The rhythm section,
brothers Louie and Mike Uribe,
know how to swing in the
pocket and hold a tight groove.
Keyboardist Evan Scott plays
with a fearless style all his own,
and Nic Clark turns heads with
his searing harp playing. Taylor
Scott fronts the band with an
untamed energy. His voice is
soulful and his guitar playing is
dynamic and impressive.
• The B a nds
A lot of people don’t know this, but in 2009
I entered the IBC again in the band category
(to get to go to Memphis in 2010) and lost in
a preliminary local round. That was where the
seed was sown. I felt that I didn’t really give my
best effort. There was nothing that bothered me
more than that. Internally I challenged myself to
approach the IBC all-out. Real success comes
from overcoming failure.
p h o t o s b y j e n tay l o r / s c o t t a l l e n - v i v i d p i x . c o m
The Bands
With a degree in classical
guitar, Rachelle has long been
committed to the blues in her
writing, singing, and playing,
and as a resident teaching
artist for Wichita’s Blues in the
Schools. Her innovative
fingerpicking style and
convincing vocals define her
“New School of Blues.”
Rachelle is appearing along
with seasoned players including
Robert Cardwell (guitar), Jim
Keefer (bass), and David
Casmaer (drums). This band
provides a life-pumping spirit to
Rachelle’s writing. Having
established herself as a
sidewoman/guitar player for
artists such as Super Chikan,
Albert Castiglia, and Grady
Champion, and as a soloist
representing Wichita in the
2010 IBC, Rachelle is now
stepping out to the front.
The Challenge is aptly named because it’s more
of an internal challenge than an all-out competition. You’re really challenged to get the best out
of yourself in a pressure situation. The judging
criteria may seem excessively detailed, but it’s
intelligently designed to be fair to all participants.
When you’re a participant it seems like chaos:
short setup and teardown times, a short set of
music, so much going on. It really prepares you
for just about anything that can go on if you play
situations with multiple acts performing. My
hat is off to Joe Whitmer and Jay Sieleman for
running a tight, well-organized IBC. It’s a tough
job, and they do it well.
I have to be honest here: I didn’t want to just
show up. Like most of you, I came to win, but
that decision was out of my direct control. What
was in my control, and should be in yours, is how
much you put into it so you can perform at your
highest level possible when it’s time to shine.
My energy about doing the IBC last year was
obsessive but honed to a fine point. Being at the
IBC before had advantages. I’d find myself literally dreaming and daydreaming about performing
at the Orpheum Theatre in the finals with my
band. Some of them were nightmares where
things would go wrong, but most were not. What
I’d see was fluid, exciting, and moving. I tried to
tailor my preparation so our performance would
match the vision of my better dreams.
A detailed account of our experience in 2011
was written by Honey Sepeda, our road manager,
who blogged the entire trip. It can be found on
137
2 0 1 1 B AND W i n n e r
Lionel
YOung
Band
my site, lionelyoung.net. Also at that site are
links to a few articles by Chefjimi that detail our
preparations, which I hope will be helpful to any
participant.
At the risk of sounding trite, I swear what’s
more important to me than winning is who
I met, the connections I made, and the
incredible music I heard. Bringing people
together is the best thing about the IBC.
The strongest connection I made my first
time was John-Alex Mason, and we formed a
friendship that made a lasting difference to
me. We both went on to the finals in the solo/
duo category, and that night I knew we’d be
friends for life. Unfortunately he passed away
this past October, but in spirit and in the music
he’ll always be there. Winning the IBC changed
my life twice, but true friendship changes you
forever.
The experiences of being the 2011 IBC champ
are too numerous to mention, but some of the
highlights were playing with Bob Margolin at
the Rum Boogie after the IBC finals, and the
Legendary Blues Cruise Pacific (perhaps the
best ever, thanks to Roger Nabor) in a lineup
that included Bobby Bland, Ruthie Foster,
Bobby Womack, Tab Benoit, Tommy Castro,
Deanna Bogart, Otis Taylor, Jimmy Thackery
with JP Soars (2009 IBC band winner), Eden
Brent (2006 IBC solo/duo winner), Benard
Allison, and Cedric Burnside.
We also played a lot of great festivals and
legendary venues, including the Tremblant
Festival in Quebec; Blues sur Seine out
of Mantes la Jolie, France; the Beaches
International Jazz Fest In Toronto; the
Mississippi Valley Fest; the W.C. Handy Blues
Festival in Henderson, Kentucky; the Creekside
Blues Fest in Gahanna, Ohio; the Eureka
Springs Blues Weekend in Eureka Springs,
Arkansas; the Nothing but the Blues Festival in
Bloomington, Illinois; the Prairie Dog Festival
in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin; the Pittsburgh
Blues Festival; Kingston Mines in Chicago;
La Casbah in Quebec City, Quebec; Biscuits
& Blues in San Francisco; Terra Blues in New
York City; Uncle Bo’s in Topeka, Kansas; the
Meridien Hotel in Paris;
and the Outlook Hotel in
Boulder, Colorado. I know
I’m leaving a lot
out due to the limited
space I have. For that
I’m truly sorry.
In 2011, we couldn’t have
done it without the support and love of several
key people: the Colorado
Blues Society, especially
Chick and Patty Cavallero;
the Boulder Outlook’s
Honey Sepeda and
Dan King; our Memphis
hostess with the mostess, Heidi “Tuba Ho” Knochenhauer; and my
good friends Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin, Zac
Harmon, and the late John-Alex Mason.
I’m deeply honored to be the first double winner of the IBC, and am humbled by the respect
I’ve been shown. The opportunities afforded
me have been considerable. As I stated in
Memphis right after Joe Whitmer announced
the placings, I’ll carry on in a way to be worthy
of such an honor.
Lionel Young
lionelyoung.net
Nominees
Acoustic Album
++ Conversations in
Blue–David Maxwell
& Otis Spann
++ Brand New Eyes–
Doug MacLeod
++ Troubadour Live–
Eric Bibb
++ Misery Loves
Company–Mary
Flower
++ Shake ‘Em on
Down–Rory Block
Acoustic Artist
++ David Maxwell
++ Doug MacLeod
++ Eric Bibb
++ Guy Davis
++ Mary Flower
++ Rory Block
Album of the Year
....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........
M e m p h i s F M ay 1 0 , 2 0 1 2
If you are a member of The Blues Foundation,
you already know that you are entitled to vote
for the Blues Music Awards®. If you are
not a member, you can still join and vote. So
sign up this weekend or do it online when you
get home. Voting ends March 1, 2012.
Level of membership and date of ticket
purchase are factors determining your seat!
....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........
get tickets & more
Painting by Tami C urtis Ellis
i n f o at blu es .org
....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........
++ Chicago Blues
A Living History
The (R)evolution
Continues–Billy Boy
Arnold, John Primer,
Billy Branch, Lurrie
Bell, Carlos Johnson
++ Rock and a Hard
Place–Eugene
Hideaway Bridges
++ The Lord is Waiting
and the Devil
is Too–Johnny
Sansone
++ Evening–Sugar Ray
& the Bluetones
++ Medicine–Tab
Benoit
++ Revelator–Tedeschi
Trucks Band
Best New
Artist Debut
++ Choice Cuts–Big
Pete
++ Bad Girl–Demetria
Taylor
++ Runaway–
Samantha Fish
++ Leave the Light On–
Sena Ehrhardt
++ The Mighty Mojo
Prophets–The
Mighty Mojo
Prophets
B.B. King
Entertainer
++ Candye Kane
++ Lil’ Ed
++ Ruthie Foster
++ Tab Benoit
++ Tommy Castro
Band of the Year
++ Lil’ Ed & the Blues
Imperials
++ Sugar Ray & the
Bluetones
++ Tedeschi Trucks
Band
++ The Bo-Keys
++ Tommy Castro Band
++ Trampled Under
Foot
Contemporary
Blues Album
++ Unconditional–Ana
Popovic
++ Don’t Explain–
Beth Hart & Joe
Bonamassa
++ The Skinny–Ian
Siegal & the
Youngest Sons
++ The Lord is Waiting
and the Devil
is Too–Johnny
Sansone
++ Medicine–Tab
Benoit
++ Tommy Castro
Presents The
Legendary Rhythm
& Blues Revue-Live!–Various Artists
Contemporary
Blues Female Artist
++ Ana Popovic
++ Bettye LaVette
++ Candye Kane
++ Janiva Magness
++ Susan Tedeschi
Contemporary
Blues Male Artist
++ Joe Louis Walker
++ Johnny Sansone
++ JP Soars
++ Tab Benoit
++ Tommy Castro
DVD of the Year
++ ArtisteXclusive
An Evening at
Trasimeno Lake–
Ana Popovic
++ Eagle Rock Live at
Montreux 2010–
Gary Moore
++ Blue Corn Live At
Antone’s–Ruthie
Foster
++ Redwood The
Emporium to the
Orpheum–Trampled
Under Foot
++ Legendary Rhythm &
Blues Cruise and MugShot Productions
All Jams on Deck–
Various Artists
++ Rhino Play the
Blues–Wynton
Marsalis & Eric
Clapton
Historical Album
++ Bear Family Texas
Flyer 1974-76–
Freddie King
++ Chess Smokestack
Lightning/The
Complete Chess
Masters 19511960–Howlin’ Wolf
++ Delmark Hoodoo
Man Blues–Junior
Wells Chicago Blues
Band with Buddy
Guy
++ Electro-Fi Teardrops
Are Falling–Live
in 1983–George
“Harmonica” Smith
++ Virgin The Essential
Modern Records
Collection–Etta
James
Rock Blues Album
++ 2120 South
Michigan Ave.–
George Thorogood
& the Destroyers
++ Dust Bowl–Joe
Bonamassa
++ Greyhound–Mike
Zito
++ Shiver–Too Slim
and the Taildraggers
++ Man in Motion–
Warren Haynes
Gibson Guitar
Award
Pinetop Perkins
Piano Player
++ Derek Trucks
++ Duke Robillard
++ Kirk Fletcher
++ Lurrie Bell
++ Michael Burks
++ David Maxwell
++ Eden Brent
++ Jon Cleary
++ Kenny “Blues Boss”
Wayne
++ Marcia Ball
++ Victor Wainwright
++ Diunna Greenleaf
++ Maria Muldaur
++ Nora Jean
++ Ruthie Foster
++ Tracy Nelson
Soul Blues Album
Traditional Blues
Male Artist
InstrumentalistBass
++ Biscuit Miller
++ Danielle
Schnebelen
++ Larry Taylor
++ Michael “Mudcat”
Ward
++ Patrick Rynn
InstrumentalistDrums
++ Chris Layton
++ Jimi Bott
++ Kenny Smith
++ Robb Stupka
++ Stanton Moore
++ Tony Braunagel
InstrumentalistHarmonica
++ Charlie Musselwhite
++ Kim Wilson
++ Lazy Lester
++ Rick Estrin
++ Sugar Ray Norcia
InstrumentalistHorn
++ Al Basile
++ Doug James
++ Keith Crossan
++ Sax Gordon
++ Terry Hanck
InstrumentalistOther
++ Ben Prestage–
diddley bow
++ Lionel Young–violin
++ Otis Taylor–banjo
++ Rich Del Grosso–
mandolin
++ Sonny Rhodes–lap
steel guitar
++ Got to Get Back!–
The Bo-Keys
++ Show You a Good
Time–Bobby Rush
++ Rock and a Hard
Place–Eugene
Hideaway Bridges
++ Dreamin’–Grady
Champion
++ Memphis Still Got
Soul–Johnny Rawls
Soul Blues
Female Artist
++ Alexis P. Suter
++ Denise LaSalle
++ Jackie Johnson
++ Sharrie Williams
++ Sista Monica Parker
Soul Blues
Male Artist
++ Bobby Rush
++ Curtis Salgado
++ Eugene Hideaway
Bridges
++ Johnny Rawls
++ Otis Clay
Traditional
Blues Album
++ Chicago Blues
A Living History
The (R)evolution
Continues–Billy Boy
Arnold, John Primer,
Billy Branch, Lurrie
Bell, Carlos Johnson
++ Trying To Hold On–
Diunna Greenleaf
++ You Better Listen–
Lazy Lester
++ Evening–Sugar Ray
& the Bluetones
++ Victim of the Blues–
Tracy Nelson
Koko Taylor
Award (Traditional
Blues Female)
++ Charlie Musselwhite
++ John Primer
++ Lazy Lester
++ Mac Arnold
++ Magic Slim
Song Of the Year
++ “Appreciate What
You Got”–Terry
Hanck (Look Out!–
Terry Hanck)
++ “Back to the
Blues”–Hadden
Sayers (Hard DollarHadden Sayers)
++ “Memphis Still
Got Soul”–Bob
Trenchard & Johnny
Rawls (Memphis
Still Got Soul,
Johnny Rawls)
++ “Thank You for
Giving Me the
Blues”–Grady
Champion, Zac
Harmon & Chris Troy
(Dreamin’ , Grady
Champion)
++ “The Lord is Waiting
the Devil is Too”–
Johnny Sansone
(The Lord is Waiting
and the Devil is Too,
Johnny Sansone)
++ “The Older I Get the
Better I Was”–Joe
Shelton (The Older
I Get the Better
I Was, Big Joe
Shelton)
Join&
Vote!

2012 - The Blues Foundation

Transcription

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