Katie Henry

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Website: https://katiehenrymusic.com/

Book Katie Henry

The New Jersey songwriter might have started out banging on doors, braving New York’s blues clubs, playing piano until her fingers bled, and winning over the city one show at a time. But lately, the multi-instrumentalist has raced through career milestones at a rocket pace.

There was her Blues Blast and IBMA-nominated 2018 debut album, High Road. Her international breakout on Ruf’s 2022 Blues Caravan Revue. Her starburst of media acclaim, including Henry Yates of Classic Rock, NME, and The Guardian, saluted “a runaway talent you need to keep up with.”

Now, with the release of her second album, On My Way, Katie has found another gear. Whether slinging her trusty Gibson SG, hammering the keys, or hollering up a storm, these ten original songs, co-written with bassist and slide-guitar maestro Antar Goodwin, announced her as an alchemist who creates gemstones from the base metals of American roots.

“There’s a great range of songs on this album,” Katie reflects. “You get a sense of the things I’ve been going through, the fights I’ve won, the fights I’ve lost, and the determination needed to continue. All wrapped in a rock and roots package.”

The story goes that at one early show, a fan astutely observed: “It’s like she’s got John Lee Hooker in her pocket!” Scratch this young artist, and you’ll find an old soul. Fingering her first piano chords, aged six, and scrawling early songs in the back of her school notebooks, Katie was the heart of singalongs at her family home in New Jersey.

With fiery guitar chops and natural charisma, she was soon a New York City jam scene favorite. Those who were there, remember songs of many genres, blues, rock, R&B, funk, pop, soul, and country, and her stage presence evoked Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin at their most magnetic.

And while “High Road” was the introductory handshake, On My Way is the profoundly personal second album on which Katie gives you her beat-up heart. It all started in May 2021, when Brooklyn’s Degraw Sound opened its doors to Katie and producer/guitarist Ben Rice. The crack lineup of Goodwin, Kurt Thum (piano/organ,) and Greg Wieczorek (drums/percussion,) plus British harp ace Giles Robson. “We recorded the album live during the pandemic,” reflects Katie, “and it was so fun to be able to record in a room with people after feeling isolated for such a long time. The majority of the album was laid down live, and I love that feeling. It’s like capturing lightning in a bottle.”

Archie Lee Hooker

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Official Website: http://www.archieleehooker.com/

Built on a foundation of authenticity, passion and innovation, Archie Lee Hooker & The Coast to Coast Blues Band is a spearheading group that has established itself in the world of music. Formed by Archie Lee Hooker, the nephew of John Lee Hooker, Archie and his leading hand-picked team are highly recognized for creating compelling, soul-enriching productions that leave their audiences wanting more.

Archie was born on Christmas Day of 1949 in Lambert, Mississippi, just 20 miles from the crossroads where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil.

He was the son of a sharecropper, and up until age thirteen, that was the life he was accustomed to. That all changed when he headed up north and found himself standing in the big city of Memphis, Tennessee. The paved roads and city lights felt like a new world to Archie, one that was filled with opportunities. Inspired by the Memphis music scene, it didn’t take long for Archie to begin singing with his first gospel group called “The Marvellous Five.” However, December of 1989 was when his passion for Blues started to surface. During this time, Archie lived with his uncle, John Lee (the Boogieman himself) until his death in 2001. Being surrounded by him and other committed, talented, and influencing musicians is what became the catalyst for Archie to crave sharing his own life experiences through music and leave his lasting impressions.

Though Archie left for France in 2011 to join Carl Wyatt & The Delta Voodoo Kings to tour Europe, he eventually chose to seek the right musicians to have on his side. He wanted a team that resembled family, chemistry, and a bond unlike any other. Once he found them, Archie founded the Archie Lee Hooker & The Coast to Coast Blues Band, which was specially named after the late John Lee’s Coast to Coast Blues Band. Since then, the crew has done nothing but thrive and impress. They released their first album called ‘Chilling’ under the French label Dixiefrog in 2018, which received a 5-star review in Rolling Stone Magazine. Fast forward to today, they have recorded a new 12 song CD called ‘Living in a Memory’, and this all-original playlist of storytelling art is set to be released through Dixiefrog worldwide on April 16th 2021.

In the end, every song and performance that Archie Lee Hooker & The Coast to Coast Blues Band creates paints an incredible picture that inevitably provokes uplifting emotional influences and invested attraction. They are entirely passionate about delivering remarkable music, and continuously provide fully authentic productions that have shaped them to become what they are today. With their immense drive and determination, it is exciting to see what they will launch next.

Blackcat Zydeco featuring Dwight Carrier

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Website: https://blackcatzydecomusic.com/

Dwight Carrier popularly known as, “The Black Cat” has become one of the most exciting Zydeco Accordionist of this era. He is deeply rooted in the “Carrier” family tradition, where music has always been a passion and implemented into much of their families past time. He embraces both his family tradition as well as his Cajun Creole Culture. Dwight has always had a unique style that infuses his zydeco, blues, country and R&B influences.

Growing up in the small town of Church Point, La in a time where rap music was gaining momentum, Dwight’s friends would laugh when he and his brother Joseph chose not to take that route. Initially, Joseph played the accordion while Dwight played the drums. It was after many relentless hours of practicing with his brother that Dwight grew restless. He yearned to play the accordion. It was with much practice, passion and determination that Dwight not only learned to play the accordion but was he able to play it well. He and Joseph switched instruments and it Dwight Carrier & the Zydeco Rockers was created.

In 1988, at the age of 14, Dwight recorded his R&B 45 record entitled “My Baby Left Me”, earning him local status, playing frequently on the zydeco circuit at trail rides and dance halls in and around the state of Louisiana. He realized that his friends were no longer laughing, but instead, were asking him to teach them to play.

In 1991, Dwight Carrier was asked to become a member of the Creole Zydeco Snap Band headed by Creole & Blues musician Warren Ceaser. He accepted the opportunity and became the groups’ accordionist. Dwight traveled with the band extensively around the world and for several years making appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. On the 1995 CD entitled “The Crowd Pleaser”, Dwight released two more recordings, “Zydeco Coteau (Going Down South)” and “Zydeco Shuffle”.

After taking an extended absence from music, Dwight was able to work his way back into his music, playing with his uncle Zydeco Legend, Roy Carrier & the Night Rockers. He is has also had the privilege of playing with cousin Troy “Dikki Du” Carrier & the Zydeco Crew, Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, Hugh Robertson & Zydematics, Tony Trahan & Blue Krewe just to name a few while still being the front man for the Ro Doggs. Dwight “Black Cat” Carrier and The Ro’Doggs released their debut full length CD titled “It Ain’t My Fault” in early spring of 2009.

Dwight is one of the few Zydeco musicians with the ability to travel to a city, pick up a band of local musicians and produce a sound equivalent to that of artist working together for years. The ability to do this allows him the ­flexibility to perform in places that may otherwise, not be economically feasible and still able to share traditional zydeco along with treating people to a great time. Dwight is a party band leader and his shows have been rated high energy fun. “The Black Cat”, is not the typical zydeco artist as, he draws from a wide variety of influences bringing it all home to the most exciting danceable night you’ll ever experience! He looks forward to playing that “Old Thyme Zydeco”, with just an accordion and a rubboard.

Dwight has been able to share his musical talents all over the world including places such as; Italy, Sicily, Paris France, Central America and many parts of Canada. His influences include everyone from Clifton Chenier to James Brown with a little old time Zydeco and R&B for good measure. The “Black Cat” has recently returned from a nationwide tour with 2013 Grammy Nominated Artist, Andre Thierry. He has also performed with; “The Red Rocker” (Sammy Hagar), former bass/guitarist for James Brown “Robert Watson” and world class musician, Bobbie (Spider) Webb to name a few.

The Boneshakers

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Official Website: www.OfficialBoneshakers.com

No holds barred funk, blues, and rock that marries the sounds and spirits of Detroit Rock City, Memphis, and Mussel Shoals. In the remarkable 25-year career of The Boneshakers, the iconic band has always been led by world-renowned guitarist Randy Jacobs of Was (Not Was). The band and members have toured and recorded with Bonnie Raitt, BB King, Keb Mo, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Bootsy Collins, Tears 4 Fears, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Gov’t Mule, and Iggy Pop…just to name a few. They have built a substantial following among blues, jazz, and funk audiences with their powerhouse style.

Producer John Wooler, who originally signed The Boneshakers in 1997, connected Randy and the incredible Jenny Langer- a powerhouse singer who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame (NYC and VA) at the age of 28 and won the 2020 Int’l Blues Challenge for Best Self-Produced Album. What started as a few tracks for her project quickly morphed in a new album with The Boneshakers which together they married the sounds and spirits of Detroit Rock City, Memphis, and Mussel Shoals. Produced by Wooler, it is back to the original vision of The Boneshakers’ fiery sound, with the vocal dynamo Jenny Langer behind the mic and original musicians from “The Book Of Spells” Sergio Gonzales (Drums), Nathan Brown (Bass), Jon Gilutin (Keys), The Texacali Horns featuring Joe Sublett (Sax) and Mark Pender (Trumpet), and Randy’s former band mate from Was (Not Was) Sir Harry Bowens on vocals.

Sisters Of Slide & Austin Musician, Nakia, Joins The Tina Terry Agency For Worldwide Exclusive Representation

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The Tina Terry Agency welcomes Rory Block & Cindy Cashdollars’ newest project, Sisters of Slide to our roster along with Austin musician, Nakia. Quality in music matters to us here at the Agency, and for that, we are excited to be representing these two astounding talents.

Rory Block & Cindy Cashdollar

Rory Block and Cindy Cashdollar have teamed up together and are touring as “Sisters of Slide”. Rory’s international status as one of the top female interpreters and authorities on traditional country blues and Cindy’s talents of being one of the most in-demand musicians in the American roots music scene for her musical role with so many greats (Ryan Adams, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, Albert Lee and the list goes and on) is what makes this package a must for booking! Together, they will change the way one appreciates the traditional art form of acoustic folk blues and roots music forever. “Sisters of Slide’ is American music history focused around American music purveyors.

http://roryblock.com – http://cindycashdollar.com

Nakia

Nakia is no stranger to music in general, but he is a new comer to the blues music scene. Having graced season one of NBC’s “The Voice,” Nakia won the hearts of America with his grizzly voice and his ability to entertain. When Nakia moved from Chicago to Austin, his passion for music grew and caused a change in direction for his life adventure. He friended many Austin musicians who shared the art of quality and the understanding that unique talent was the prevailing key to success. Most notably, Sharon Jones who noticed Nakia’s talent, and invited him many times to join her stage before her passing. Alejandro Escovedo has also taken notice and has extended many invites to join his stage. It was meeting Clifford Antone that he came to know the true history and art of “the blues,” and was encouraged to pursue and record a ‘blues album.” It took time to digest all that Clifford had said and following his advice, he formed Nakia & the Blues Grifters less than 3 years ago and this path has lead him towards his truest life passion. 2018 marks the year that Nakia sets his focus full time on the art of American music and August marks the month of his first Blues release.

http://nakia.net

Please welcome Rory, Cindy and Nakia to the TTA family. Call us today to discuss booking logistics.

JOE LOUIS WALKER GRAMMY NOMINATION

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Blues Guitar Legend Joe Louis Walker Receives Grammy Nomination For Best Contemporary Blues Album “Everybody Wants A Piece”

The Tina Terry Agency would like to proudly congratulate Joe Louis Walker on his Grammy Nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album for his Mascot Label recording “Everybody Wants A Piece”.

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Walker a Blues Hall of Fame inductee and four-time Blues Music Award winner, has toured extensively throughout his career, performing at the world’s most renowned music festivals, and earned a legion of dedicated fans.   His latest high acclaimed album Everybody Wants A Piece – Mascot/Provogue cements his legacy as a prolific torchbearer for the blues.  Looking back on his rich history, Walker shares, “I’d like to be known for the credibility of a lifetime of being true to my music and the blues. Sometimes I feel I’ve learned more from my failures, than from my success. But that’s made me stronger and more adventurous. And helped me create my own style. I’d like to think that when someone puts on one of my records they would know from the first notes, ‘That’s Joe Louis Walker.'”

Listen to Everybody Wants A PEICE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOOgJ6Ngcf8           

List: 2017 Grammy Nominees http://www.grammy.com/nominees

For updated tour dates and more information about Joe Louis Walker, please visit his official website: http://www.joelouiswalker.com.

ICON: The Life and Legacy of B.B. King

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THE GRAMMY FOUNDATION® AND GRAMMY MUSEUM® PARTNER TO PRESENT ICON: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF B.B. KING FEATURING JOE BONAMASSA, KEB’ MO’, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD, SLASH, SUSAN TEDESCHI, DEREK TRUCKS, JIMMIE VAUGHAN, AND JOE LOUIS WALKER WITH JIMMY VIVINO AND THE BASIC CABLE BAND

GRAMMY Foundation® Vice President Scott Goldman to Host Benefit Tribute Event

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 26, 2016) — The GRAMMY Foundation® and GRAMMY Museum® are partnering on Sept. 1 to celebrate the life and legacy of B.B. King, 15-time GRAMMY®-winning rhythm & blues singer. Titled Icon: The Life And Legacy Of B.B. King, the live tribute, sponsored in part by Gibson USA, will include performances by multi-GRAMMY winners Keb’ Mo’, Derek Trucks, and Jimmie Vaughan; GRAMMY winners Slash and Susan Tedeschi; GRAMMY nominees Joe Bonamassa and Kenny Wayne Shepherd; and blues guitarist Joe Louis Walker. The show’s music director will be Jimmy Vivino of the “Conan” show. He will be joined by the Basic Cable Band, who will serve as the house band for the evening. Scott Goldman, Vice President of the GRAMMY Foundation, will be the evening’s host.

In addition to live tribute performances and storytelling by artists influenced by King’s music, a pre-event VIP reception will be held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Calif.

“This evening marks a unique collaboration between the GRAMMY Foundation and GRAMMY Museum, and it serves to showcase these charities founded by The Recording Academy® that share a mission of preserving music’s legacy and presenting it to a wide range of audiences,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation, and Board Chair of the GRAMMY Museum. “This event is designed to be an annual fundraiser in honor of a music icon that will invite the public to enjoy tribute performances by an array of talented artists that engage, entertain, and enlighten.”

“Exploring the enduring legacies of all forms of music, and the artists who created them, is a large part of our mission, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with the GRAMMY Foundation on a spectacular evening that will demonstrate our shared commitment to preserving the legacy of B.B. King,” said Bob Santelli, Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum. “We’re looking forward to having this amazing lineup of artists join us for a night that will introduce, or reintroduce, hundreds of music fans to the legacy of the King of the Blues.”

Proceeds raised from Icon: The Life And Legacy Of B.B. King will support the initiatives of the GRAMMY Foundation and GRAMMY Museum, two charitable organizations of The Recording Academy.

 

Referred to as the King of the Blues, King released more than 50 albums since he began recording in the 1940s, creating classics such as “3 O’Clock Blues,” “You Don’t Know Me,” and “The Thrill Is Gone,” among many others. King was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He received The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, has had four recordings inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, and he received honorary doctorates from several universities and music colleges. King has inspired a variety of artists through the years, including Bonamassa, Elvis Costello, Robert Cray, J.J. Cale, John Mayer, Delbert McClinton, Jimmy Page, Diane Schuur, Slash, Tedeschi, and Vaughan, several of whom will perform at the concert.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, Calif., 90210. The red carpet portion of the evening will take place from 5:30–6:30 p.m., the reception from 6:30–8 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m. The attire is business casual, and ticket prices are $250 for admission to the reception and show, $100 for the show only, and $50 for mezzanine seating. Tickets can be purchased here.

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1988 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation, and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. In recognition of the significant role of teachers in shaping their students’ musical experiences, The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Foundation partnered to present their first Music Educator AwardTM in 2014. Open to current U.S. music teachers in kindergarten through college, the fourth annual Music Educator Award will be given out during GRAMMY Week 2017 and nominations are being accepted for the 2018 cycle. With funding generously provided by The Recording Academy, the GRAMMY Foundation Grant Program awards grants each year to support efforts that advance the preservation of music and the recorded sound heritage of North America, and research projects related to the impact of music on the human condition. Letters of Inquiry are currently being accepted through Oct. 1, 2016, for the 2017 grant cycle. For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.grammyfoundation.org. For breaking news and exclusive content, please “like” GRAMMY in the Schools on Facebook, follow the GRAMMY Foundation on Twitter (@GRAMMYFdn) and join us on Instagram (@GRAMMYFdn).

Paying tribute to music’s rich cultural history, the GRAMMY Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music — the GRAMMY Award. The GRAMMY Museum features 30,000 square feet of interactive and multimedia exhibits located within L.A. Live, the downtown Los Angeles sports, entertainment, and residential district. Through thought-provoking and dynamic public and educational programs and exhibits, guests experience music from a never-before-seen insider perspective that only the GRAMMY Museum can deliver. For more information, please call 213.765.6800 or visit www.grammymuseum.org. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYMuseum on Twitter and Instagram, and “like” The GRAMMY Museum on Facebook.

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Media Contacts:

Christina Cassidy/GRAMMY Foundation /310.581.8670/ christina.cassidy@grammy.com

Crystal Larsen/GRAMMY Museum /213.763.2133/ clarsen@grammymuseum.org

Joe Schneider/Rogers & Cowan/310.854.8140/jschneider@rogersandcowan.com

Holly Taylor/Rogers & Cowan/310.854.8115/hetaylor@rogersandcowan.com

 

Ian Siegal and Jimbo Mathus Celebrate LIVE Release ‘Wayward Sons’

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Wayward Sons is an evocative snapshot of a special night of dry banter, salty tales and classic songs performed with industrial-strength charisma by two artists at the top of their game. The atmospheric album places the listener squarely in the midst of the crowd as they cheer the Anglo-American duo through a diverse set of self-penned songs and classics from the book of Americana.

In the autumn of 2014, on their first tour together, Ian Siegal and Jimbo Mathus rolled into the sleepy Dutch town of Hoogland. They pitched camp at Cafe De Noot, which despite its parochial name has been hosting international touring artists for more than 20 years. What followed was a special night. The set might easily have been lost into folklore, kept alive only in the memories of the fans that packed the venue. Thankfully, somebody hit ‘record.’

Even in the age of auto-tune and Pro Tools, you can’t fake chemistry ~ and Wayward Sons proves the Siegal/Mathus partnership has it in spades. The pairs friendship goes back to 2013, when Mathus contributed banjo and mandolin to Siegal’s acclaimed album, The Picnic Sessions, recorded in Mississippi. Despite hailing from opposite sides of the Atlantic, the two men found they shared a cultural touchstone, not to mention a rare musical understanding that bleeds into Wayward Sons. Siegal’s acoustic and slide guitar dovetails with Mathus’ mandolin, harmonica and kazoo, while vocal harmonies lock horns.

This standout show from their first tour together also finds the duo’s banter in whip-cracking form, whether Siegal is claiming to be the mayor of Hoogland, or Mathus is wryly reminding us that he’s still very much alive. Siegal and Mathus are undeniably stellar live musicians, racing through a set list that airs a fistful of classics from their respective catalogs, as well as some rip-it-up reboots of old standards.

This album is available directly from Nugene or from leading online and street-level stores.

Hipshakers & Heartbreakers

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The Delta Generators are excited to release their fourth studio album “Hipshakers & Heartbreakers”, a collection of ten songs that range from Roots Rock to Blues, Soul to Americana. This time around the Delta Generators recorded at Woolly Mammoth studio in Waltham MA. David Minehan (guitar player for The Replacements and the Neighborhoods) recorded the album. This album was mixed by multi Grammy Award winner Vance Powell (Jack White, Buddy Guy, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, North Mississippi Allstars, Beck, etc.) at Sputnik Sound in Nashville, TN and mastered by multi Grammy Award winner Richard Dodd (Tom Petty, Keb Mo’, Dixie Chicks). Fans helped us to fund the album through PledgeMusic.com.

This album is special to the band because nine months before this album was recorded, Rick O’Neal (cofounding member and bass player) had a major (idiopathic) stroke at age 41. His stroke was so serious that after his five-hour surgery to repair his artery and remove blood clots from his brain, he could not talk and his right arm and leg did not work. To continue performing, Rick had to relearn how to play bass in a different way. For now, Rick actually has to play almost exclusively with his left hand (fretting hand). He has inspired many people who come see the Delta Generators play live. His message to anyone who asks is “Don’t give up” and Rick has not given up his dream of being a recording and live/performing artist. He has been a huge inspiration to us all.

In the last couple of years, the Delta Generators have shared the stage with such acts as Robert Cray, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Three Dog Night, Jimmie Vaughn, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Johnny Winter, Walter Trout, Popa Chubby, Bonerama, Candye Kane, Michael Burks, John Lee Hooker Jr. and Sonny Landreth, among many others. Notable musicians have joined the Delta Generators on stage, including Brad Whitford of Aerosmith.

The Delta Generators have accomplished a lot since forming in 2008. They won the Boston Blues Society’s Blues challenge in 2008, which earned them a spot in the International Blues Challenge held in Memphis in 2009. The band finished as a Top 10 Finalist out of over a hundred bands. The Delta Generators also won an Independent Music Award for Best Blues Album category for their debut album, Devil in the Rhythm, in 2009 . In 2009 they won Best Blues Band in Worcester Magazine and were nominated for Best R&B Act in the Boston Phoenix in 2010. The DG’s 2nd album Hard River to Row was selected by the Blues Foundation as a Top 5 Finalist (out of entries worldwide) in the Best Self Produced CD competition at the International Blues Challenge in 2011. This album also placed nationally at # 8 on the JamBand Radio Chart, # 17 on the Living Blues Radio Chart and #25 in the Roots Music Report. The DG’s were nominated for Best Blues Act 2011 by The Boston Music Awards, and Best Blues Band 2013 by Worcester Magazine Music Awards. In 2016 the band is nominated for a New England Music Award

EDDY CLEARWATER TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE BLUES HALL OF FAME

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Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater at the State Street Blues Stroll, Media Theatre Main Stage, 104 E. State St., Media Saturday, June 12; 7 p.m.Tickets: $15 - $20 Info: 610-566-5039 or www.statestreetblues.org
On Tuesday, February 16, The Blues Foundation announced musical legend Eddy Clearwater will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, May 4 in Memphis, TN. The Sheraton Memphis Downtown Hotel will host the event as it is being held in conjunction with the 37th Blues Music Awards.

Eddy Clearwater is among the very finest practitioners of the West Side Chicago blues. He won the Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues – Male Artist of the Year in 2001. His 2003 CD, Rock ‘N’ Roll City (Bullseye Blues) was nominated for a Grammy Award. DownBeat says, “Left-hander Eddy Clearwater is a forceful six-stringer…He lays down some gritty West Side shuffles and belly-grinding slow blues that highlight his raw chops, soulful vocals, and earthy, humorous lyrics.”

Congratulations, Eddy. We are very proud of you.
To learn more:  Blues Hall of Fame Inductees

CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE ALLIGATOR RECORDS’ 45TH ANNIVERSARY & OTIS RUSH

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The City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events has announced the Petrillo Bandshell line-up for the 33rd Annual Chicago Blues Festival taking place June 10–12, 2016 in Grant Park. The free admission three-day festival opens on Friday, June 10 with a celebration of Alligator Records’ 45th anniversary, and concludes on Sunday, June 12 with a special tribute to legendary bluesman Otis Rush featuring notable friends and other musicians he has influenced throughout his career. Other festival headliners include Fred Wesley & The New J.B.’s, Irma Thomas and Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters. The full schedule will be announced later this spring.

Friday, June 10 – Alligator Records 45th Anniversary Celebration
The festival opens on June 10 with a salute to Chicago’s Alligator Records who, in 2016, celebrates 45 years of “Genuine Houserockin’ Music.” The Chicago Tribune says Alligator is “America’s most revered blues label.” Rolling Stone says, “Alligator Records has reached dizzying heights in celebrating the blues.”

6:00pm – Tommy Castro & the Painkillers. The San Francisco Chronicle says Castro plays ““funky Southern soul, big city blues and classic rock… silvery guitar licks that simultaneously sound familiar and fresh.” DownBeat calls the band’s new album, Method To My Madness, “a high water mark in their career.” Castro will be joined by special guest, Chicago bluesman Tornozo Cannon. He’ll unleash songs from his Alligator Records debut, The Chicago Way.

7:00pm – Longtime favorites Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials will bring their raw and rowdy blues back to the main stage. The Chicago Sun-Times says, “A party band in the best sense of the word…the hottest purveyors of bottleneck boogie to come out of Chicago since Hound Dog Taylor.” The band’s most recent CD is 2012’s Jump Start. Harmonica master Corky Siegel will join the band as a special guest for an unforgettable collaboration.

8:15pm – Shemekia Copeland, whose 2015 album Outskirts Of Love received a Grammy nomination, will headline the tribute. USA Today says, “Shemekia captures the timelessness of the blues while spinning it forward with remarkable maturity.” She will be joined by guest Curtis Salgado, the award-winning vocalist and harmonicist whose new Alligator CD, The Beautiful Lowdown, will be released on April 8, 2016.

Saturday, June 11 – Soul/R&B Night
6:30pm – Grammy-winner Irma Thomas’ career has spanned over five decades since her first hit in 1960, You Can Have My Husband But Don’t Mess With My Man.

8:15pm – Fred Wesley & The New J.B.’s. Wesley is best known as the music director, arranger, trombonist and a primary composer for the legendary James Brown from 1968 to 1975.

The evening’s opening performance begins at 5:30 p.m. and will be announced at a later date.

Sunday, June 12 – Tribute to Otis Rush
Legendary blues guitarist Otis Rush arrived in Chicago from Mississippi in the 1950s after seeing Muddy Waters perform while visiting his sister. Rush worked tirelessly to establish himself as an innovative blues guitarist, bandleader, singer and songwriter by playing with the legendary bluesmen of the day. Rush set new standards and influenced countless blues and rock musicians, including Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Led Zeppelin and many others. A fearless electric guitarist, Rush was a leader in creating the modern, R&B influenced Chicago blues we know today as the West Side Sound.

5:00pm – Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters open the night. As an award-winning blues guitarist, Ronnie Earl learned from Rush and considers him to be the greatest musical influence on his career and life.

6:30pm – Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater brings his West Side blues to the main stage.The New York Times says, “Clearwater is equally adept at Chuck Berry-style guitar as he is at deeper blues style. He’s a fine singer who puts on a wild, exciting show…the sort of exuberant entertainer who can turn a concert into a party.”

8:00pm – Friends, artists and surprise guests will come together to celebrate Otis Rush with a special tribute featuring the confirmed artists to date: Jimmy Johnson, Abb Locke, Brian Jones, Carl Weathersby, Bob Stoger, Sumito Ariyoshi, Big Ray, John Kattke, Mike Wheeler, Lurrie Bell, Shun Kikuta, Eddie Shaw, Sam Burton, among others. The entire lineup and additional guests will be announced at a later date.  

A complete line-up and schedule for all stages, as well as preview events, will be released this spring.

For more information, please visit chicagobluesfestival.us.

Blues for Peace

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BLUES FOR PEACE is a grass roots movement of musicians, music promoters, music venues & anybody who would like to help promote peace. May 27-30, 2016 there will be musical events in cities and towns around the world sending a message of peace. BLUES FOR PEACE has partnered with the USA for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and will be raising money to assist refugees world-wide. You can join the movement by going to the BLUES FOR PEACE Facebook page: Blues for Peace on Facebook

Sugar Blue will release his 1st Studio Recording in Over 5 years

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Northport N.Y. – M.C. Records is proud to announce the signing of modern blues harmonica sensation Sugar Blue. The new release Voyage will be all originals except for one Ray Charles cover, “Mary Ann.” The recording is full of what makes Sugar Blue and his band so special; passionate song-writing, tight arrangements and of course Sugar Blue’s out of this world harmonica playing. Voyage is due out in the spring and will mark Blue’s first studio album in over five years.

Look for Sugar and his band to be taking their own brand of contemporary blues from coast-to-coast and around the world.

The 25th anniversary of M.C. Records is off to a strong start. We will not only be releasing a new Sugar Blue effort, also a new Joanna Connor recording both in the spring. In addition, look for an announcement of our third release coming later in 2016 with one of the great blues/roots guitarists of the past 30 + years!

“One of the foremost harmonica blowers in all of Modern blues…” – Rolling Stone

“…an extravagantly lyrical harmonica player” – New York Times

GRAMMY AWARD WINNER VANCE POWELL TO MIX DELTA GENERATORS NEW ALBUM

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It is now official, The Delta Generators will be heading to Nashville to have Multi Grammy award winning
producer/engineer/mixer Vance Powell mix their new album. Vance has engineered and mixed such artists as the White Stripes, Jack White, Beck, Buddy Guy, Chris Stapleton, Keb Mo, Sturgill Simpson, Rival Sons, North Mississippi Allstars, Kings of Leon and on and on and on. Vance has Grammy’s for artist including Buddy Guy and the Raconteurs (one of Jack Whites many bands). He also had a #1 album on billboard 200 last month with the Chris Stapleton’s album, “Traveler”.

It is a very lucky day to have this opportunity. It will take more funds to hire Vance, but the band wants to go all the way with this new album.

To help the Delta Generators get the album mixed, mastered and pressed, go to:
PLEDGEMUSIC.com/DELTAGENERATORS

Live for Hope: The new Karp-Foley CD Release to Benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

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The Karp-Foley Band is excited to announce the release fo a double live CD to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (www.OCRF.org). The double CD set, Live for Hope, features live performances by acclaimed blues/Americana musicians, Peter Karp and Sue Foley.

The September, 2015 release date coincides with Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. The first CD in the set, Peter Karp’s The Arson’s Match, was originally broadcast live on Sirius Satellite Radio during a 2004 performance at the historic Bottom Line in New Tork City to a sold out audience. Backed by a glowing ensemble of consummate talent, Karp, a masterful slide guitarist and exhilarating vocalist, teams up with gruitarist Mick Taylor of the legendary Rolling Stones. Together, Karp and his Roadshow Band put forth an inspired performance of some of Karp’s finest original songs.

The second CD, Change by Sue Foley, is an awared-winning, live acoustic blues CD recorded in 2004 at Toronto’s preeminent listening room and live music venue, Hugh’s Room. Change is a notable departure from Foley’s distinguishable high energy, soulful blues-rock sound and reveals her softer and more playful side. This CD earned Foley three Maple Blues Awards including Recording of the Year. All proceeds from the sale and download of the CD set will benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund in loving memory of Peter Karp’s late wife, Mary Lou Karp, who died from the disease in 2009.

“Mary Lou Bonney Karp was a remarkable writer, a poet, a daughter, a mother and my wife of 25 years. In June of 2009 she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She died 9 months later on February 17, 2009. While she had vague and disconnected symptoms for years, no one saw it coming. She was misdiagnosed (which happens often) with a back problem. This CD is to honor her memory. Before Mary Lou became sick, we knew nothing about ovarian cancer. Now I know that it is a vicious, silent killer of woman and that the only way to stop it is to spread the word about early detection.” – Peter Karp

“We are really happy to be able to donate our two live CD’s to raise money and awareness for ovarian cancer research. Knowing the loss that Peter and his family suffered through brought the pain and destruction of this devastating desease to light. This is the beginning of our pursuit to give back through donating our music and organizaing concerts and fundraisers, with the ultimate goal of stamping out ovarian cancer for good.” – Sue Foley

Get your copy today; support a worthy cause:
OCRF.org Download Live4Hope

Eddy Clearwater Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

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BLUES LEGEND EDDY CLEARWATER RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE

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Legendary Chicago bluesman Eddy Clearwater will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Blues Blast online magazine. Clearwater will accept his award in person at the 9th Annual Blues Blast Music Awards Ceremonies on September 25th, 2015 at the Fluid Events Center in Champaign, Illinois.

Clearwater is an intense, flamboyant, blues-rocking showman. He’s equally comfortable playing the deepest, most heartfelt blues or rocking, good-time party music. DownBeat says, “Left-hander Eddy Clearwater is a forceful six-stringer…He lays down some gritty West Side shuffles and belly-grinding slow blues that highlight his raw chops, soulful vocals, and earthy, humorous lyrics.”

Between his slashing guitar work, his room-filling vocals, and his self-defined “rock-a-blues” style (a mix of blues, rock, rockabilly, country and gospel), Clearwater is among the very finest practitioners of the West Side Chicago blues. He won the Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues – Male Artist of the Year in 2001. His 2003 CD, Rock ‘N’ Roll City (Bullseye Blues) was nominated for a Grammy Award.

WEST SIDE STRUT, released on Alligator in 2008, is an energized mix of West Side blues and old school rock injected with a tough, up-to-the-minute contemporary edge. Featuring some of Eddy’s hottest playing ever recorded, the CD burns with his stinging guitar and rough-and-ready vocals. Guests include Eddy’s old friends Lonnie Brooks, Jimmy Johnson, Billy Branch and Otis Clay as well as Ronnie Baker Brooks (who also produced) playing some scintillating guitar parts.

Born Edward Harrington on January 10, 1935 in Macon, MS, Eddy and his family moved to Birmingham, AL in 1948. With music from blues to gospel to country and western surrounding him from an early age, Eddy taught himself to play guitar (left-handed and upside down), and began performing with various gospel groups, including the legendary Five Blind Boys of Alabama. After moving to Chicago in 1950, Eddy stayed with an uncle and took a job as a dishwasher, saving as much as he could from his $37 a week salary. His first music jobs were with gospel groups playing in local churches. Through his uncles’s contacts, Eddy met many of Chicago’s blues stars. He fell deeper under the spell of the blues, and befriended Magic Sam, who would become one of Eddy’s closest friends and teachers.

By 1953, as Guitar Eddy, he was making a strong name for himself, working the South and West Side bars regularly. After hearing Chuck Berry in 1957, Eddy added that rock and roll element to his already searing blues style, creating a unique sound that defines him to this day. He recorded his first single, Hill Billy Blues, for his uncle’s Atomic H label in 1958 under the name Clear Waters (his manager at the time, drummer Jump Jackson, came up with the name as a play on Muddy Waters).

The name Clear Waters morphed into Eddy Clearwater, and Eddy worked the local circuit steadily throughout the 1950s, 1960s and into the 1970s. He found huge success in the 1970s among Chicago’s young rock ‘n’ roll fans, who responded to his individual brand of the blues, his rock and roll spirit and his high energy stage show.

His first full-length LP, 1980s The Chief was the initial release on Chicago’s Rooster Blues label. A number of records for various labels has kept him in-demand around the globe. His slicing guitar licks and “rock-a-blues” music — along with his uninhibited live show — give fans a dose of the real West Side Chicago blues played by a legendary blues master.

Allman Brothers Founding Member Recruits Local Musicians

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By Wade Tatagelo

Herald-Times / Thursday, June 25, 2015

One of the original members of the Allman Brothers Band has recruited a couple of local musicians for a newly announced show in Florida. Venice’s Berry Duane Oakley and former Bradenton Beach resident, Damon Fowler, will be part of Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band’s next gig on September 19 at the Funky Biscuit in Boca Raton. The lineup for that performance is Trucks (drums), Oakley (bass/vocals), Fowler (guitar/vocals) and Al Poliak (keyboards). Oakley, who performs throughout the region with his band Skylab, has known Trucks pretty much his entire life, joining him and the rest of the Allman Brothers Band members at the podium when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

Oakley’s dad, also named Berry Oakley, was the bassist/vocalist in the original Allman Brothers Band and played with Trucks on such classic albums as “At Fillmore East,” “Eat a Peach” and “Brothers and Sisters” before being killed in a motorcycle accident in 1972. Prior to the Allman Brothers retiring last year, Oakley Jr. sat in with the band during several Beacon Theatre gigs in New York.

“Standing on that stage, looking down the line that my father helped build is such an honor and joy,” Oakley told me in 2013. “It’s hard to put in words but once you’re up there on that stage, it’s like being home.”

Fowler, now living in Lakeland, is signed as a solo artist, and as a member of Southern Hospitality, to national blues label Blind Pig, but has been known to jam with Oakley in recent months at Hoosier Bar in Osprey. Fowler has been given a long list of songs to learn, many of which are already familiar to him. He would only reveal that several Allman Brothers classics, which he has known for years, are on the list. They include “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’”, “Hot ‘Lanta” and “Whipping Post.”

“I’m very excited and honored to be a part of this project,” Fowler says by phone before a performance this evening with his power trio in Cleveland, Ohio. “As a guitar player, I always dreamed of playing with someone like Butch Trucks. Growing up in Florida and listening to the Allman Brothers and that great list of guitar players that have come up through that umbrella, it’s really special to be a part of that tradition.”

Peterson Brothers Debut on Blue Point Records

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A Summer Celebration – The Peterson Brothers Release Their First CD on Blue Point Records

Talented, young musicians Glenn and Alex Peterson release their first recording, The Peterson Brothers on Blue Point Records. The eleven tracks display the brothers’ diverse influences, some first forays into their own compositions and some solid adaptations of traditional and contemporary works. The brothers recorded with veteran producer Michael Freeman to achieve a sound which is both original and respectful of the blues. The release date is August 4, 2015. (www.petersonbrothersband.com)

“Young bluesmen take up the torch for a musical tradition…the crop of younger black blues musicians who can take the tradition and transform it with their own identity is relatively slim…emerging up-and-comers include…The Peterson Brothers of Austin.”

– The Washington Post

For the past five years, since Freeman saw their debut performance at the Pinetop Perkins 97th Birthday Celebration at Antone’s in Austin, Texas, The Peterson Brothers have performed for enthusiastic fans at clubs and blues festivals across the country, including the prestigious Chicago Blues Festival and The King Biscuit Festival in Helena, Ark. They have also opened shows for B.B. King, Los Lonely Boys, Michael Burks, Pinetop Perkins & Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Marcia Ball, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Buddy Guy invited them to share the stage with him during one of his shows at ACL Live at the Moody Theater in Austin and Willie Nelson had them open his show, the brothers being the only nonrelated act on the bill.

“Bastrop blues siblings got their mojo workin’… as long as youngsters like the Petersons keep the flame burning, the genre will never die.” – The Austin Chronicle

Glenn and Alex live near Austin, in Bastrop, Texas the sons of supportive parents Glenn Sr. and Deanna Peterson. There they live as any normal teenagers would, going to school where they consistently receive high grades, play in the school band and do volunteer work. Every other waking hour is spent playing their instruments and working towards their dream. “Music for us is like soccer or football for someone else,” Glenn explained. “We just love what we do and this is our life.”

Glenn, 18 years old, plays guitar and sings lead, delivering the blues with a heavy influence of funk in his rhythm guitar playing. Through a smooth, jazz-influenced style he combines a traditional blues approach to his leads reaching inspiration from blues greats BB King, Albert King and Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Hubert Sumlin, T-Bone Walker and Lightnin’ Hopkins and borrowing from contemporary players like Robert Cray, Michael Burks, Ernie Isley, Eddie Hazel and jazz icons Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell.

Alex, 16 years old, plays 5-string bass, violin and sings. He holds down their sound with supportive bass lines then breaks out with distinctive melodic riffs, often with a funk and jazz style that transcends his young age. Like his brother, he has a wealth of knowledge about his instrument and the musicians who have influenced him. They include Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Jacob Pastorius, Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins, Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Quintin Berry, Louis Johnson, Adam Blackstone, Stanley Clarke, Rocco Prestia Bob Stroger, and James Jamerson.

Together the brothers discovered the likes of B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf and Stevie Ray Vaughan at an early age around the house. The bond between the brothers is apparent. “It comes naturally to us,” says Glenn. “We just seem to know and feel what the other is thinking instinctively.”

Blue Point Records is Michael Freeman’s independent record label. Freeman’s credits are extensive and include Pinetop Perkins and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith’s Grammy and Blues Music Award winning album Joined At The Hip.

“They delve into both traditional and contemporary blues, “old school” and contemporary R&B;, Soul, – some Rock – and a hint of Jazz. Elements from each of those styles can be found in both their choices of material and performances today. It was very apparent that if they stayed the course and worked at their craft, they could become a prominent and exciting part of the new and young generation of up and coming artists with roots in the blues,” says Freeman. (www.bluepointrecords.com)

Guitar Interactive Magazine features Alastair Greene

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Guitar Interactive Magazine highlights all that is happening in the Rock world today. This month, Issue No. 33, features Alastair Greene. Ron Thor is the cover story and bluegrass music is the month’s focus. Click the link below and read about Alastair’s life with Alan Parsons and watch the exclusive interview that accompanies the article. All on-line; all at your finger tips; all free!

GUITAR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE, ISSUE 33.

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Tina Terry to Speak at SYNC UP 2015

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The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival will soon begin. And when it does, it’s important not to forget the annual Sync Up Conference. A free industry conference presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. Sync Up brings together leaders in music, film and digital media for education and networking events – all designed to help independent artists navigate the ever-changing landscape of new media. This year the conference has been moved to the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. A state-of-the-art education and performance facility located at the gateway of the Treme neighborhood.

Sync Up Music will host sessions  on the mornings of the Friday and Saturday of both weekends of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Sync Up Cinema (organized by the New Orleans Video Access Center and the New Orleans Film Society) will present film screenings and workshops on the Monday-Wednesday between Jazz Fest weekends. And once again, Launch Fest – which connects technology start-ups with venture capital – will take place on the Thursday between weekends.  

This year Tina Terry will be sitting in on the Booking Agents Roundtable to be held on:
May 2, 2015
9:00 am – Registration Opens
10:00 am – Panel Discussion Begins
It’s long been said that getting a booking agent can be harder than getting a record deal – especially these days, now that even indie releases are getting Grammy nominations. So, what does a musician – whether a newcomer or a veteran – need to have before a booking agent will take them on? And once an artist signs with an agency, that means they’ll never have to hustle for gigs ever again and their performance fees will always be in the mid-five figures – right? Maybe, maybe not. We’ve assembled a group of agents with long experience working with up-and-coming as well as established acts, including many from Louisiana. 
Tina Terry, Tina Terry Agency (Charlotte, NC)
Mark Lourie, Skyline Music (Whitefield, NH)
Page Stallings, Vice President, Blue Mountain Artists (Charlotte, NC)
Pat May, Crossover Touring (Portland, ME)
Jon Bell, New Frontier Touring (Nashville, TN)

Being a free event, seating is limited. Advance registration is required.
Link to register for Sync Up Music: http://www.jazzandheritage.org/sync-up/registration.

The conference will be streamed in live video at www.WWOZ.org

Sync Up MUSIC Highlights At a Glance
Music Publishing: A keynote interview with Matt Pincus, CEO and founder of Songs Music Publishing, which with artists like Lorde, DJ Mustard and Q-Tip is one of the hottest boutique publishers in the business.
Touring: Two panels featuring booking agents with long experience helping up-and-coming as well as established acts build profitable careers on the road.
Independent Distribution: A keynote interview with David Macias, co-founder and CEO of Thirty Tigers, who is helping independent artists top the charts and score Grammy nominations while owning their own masters.
Crowdfunding: A panel with local artists who can share lessons from working with various platforms, including Indiegogo, Pledge Music and Kickstarter.
Case Studies: Sturgill Simpson and Aaron Watson, two artists who have hit the big time on self-released records, will be the subjects of special presentations.
Digital Distribution: Top leaders from Bit Torrent will discuss why their platform – once known only for file sharing (stealing) – is now the first choice for rappers like Curren$y and rock stars like Thom Yorke of Radiohead.
E-Commerce: The drummer Stanton Moore shares his creative ideas for making money over the Internet.
Music In Film: Music coordinators for three TV shows that are filming right now on the streets of New Orleans will explain how best to get local music into their shows.