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BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE MAGAZINES STILL AVAILABLE |
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Would you like to distribute a box of Blues Festival Guide magazines in your area? Simply email us your name, shipping address (no P.O. Boxes) and your phone number and we will ship them off while supplies last. There is no charge to you. They come via UPS.
The following blues societies still haven't received Guides because we haven't heard back from them, so if you are a member, contact us immediately for your free copies for your members and your blues community:
Austin Blues Society
Big Joe Duskin Music Education Foundation
Black Swamp Blues Society
Blues Society of Northwest Florida
Blues Society of Western New York
Bucks County Blues Society
Canada South Blues Society
Canal Bank Shuffle
Central Mississippi Blues Society
Charlotte Blues Society
Cincy Blues Society
Colorado Blues Society
Columbus Blues Alliance
DC Blues Society
Diamond State Blues Society
Grand River Blues Society
Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society
Houston Blues Society
James River Blues Society of Sedalia
Kansas City Blues Society
Klamath Blues Society
Lake of the Ozarks Blues Society
Le Relatant Société de Blues
Lehigh Valley Blues Network
Natchel' Blues Network
Orange Blossom Blues Society
Piedmont Blues Preservation Society
River City Blues Society (VA)
San Antonio Blues Society
San Luis Obispo Blues Society
Southern California Blues Society
Southern Fried Blues Society
Spa City Blues Society
Springing The Blues Society
Texarkana Blues Society
The Blue Shoe Project
Triangle Blues Society
Washington Blues Society
Wichita Blues Society
Yesterday & Today's Rhythm & Blues Society
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| MAGIC SLIM AND THE TEARDROPS : : RAISING THE BAR |
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It's hard to believe that it was way back in 1990 when Magic Slim first hooked up with Blind Pig Records to record his legendary Gravel Road LP. Slim and his label are celebrating their twenty-year collaboration with the release of Raising The Bar, an outstanding collection of older and newer songs culled from Slim's vast repertoire. From R&B gems like "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" and Little Milton's "4:59 A.M." to Roosevelt Sykes' "Sunny Road Blues" and J.B. Lenoir's "Mama Talk To Your Daughter" to his own perennial crowd favorites, "Shame", "Do You Mean It" and "Treat Me The Way You Do", Slim once again proves that when it comes to complete mastery of the blues in all its aspects and truly genre defining power of performance, he has few if any equals on the scene today.
The title's meaning is double-edged; over the last two decades, Slim and the Teardrops have been constantly raising the bar for other blues bands with their consistently incendiary performances, and whether it's a college town tavern, out of the way roadhouse or international blues festival, patrons go home feeling like the joint was razed - Slim and the boys give their all every night.
Click for more
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| WATERMELON SLIM : : RINGERS |
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NorthernBlues Music Inc., announces a June 1st release date for RINGERES, the label's fifthWatermelon Slim CD. RINGERS follows 2009's critically acclaimed solo country-blues CD ESCAPE FROM TEH CHICKEN COOP. This is the eighth overall CD from the larger than life character with a session crew of top notch Nashville musicians, many borrowed from Delbert McClinton's band.
Click for more
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| CEE CEE JAMES : : SERIOUSLY RAW |
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On May 8th, 2010, Cee Cee James released "SERIOUSLY RAW - Cee Cee James - LIVE AT SUNBANKS," through FWG Records, specifically for her fans. "It was a wild and unbelievably hot and sweaty day, but my band was tight and the fans were off the hook! When I got the recording, I thought, 'this is it!' 'Cause my Fans had been hounding me for a CD like this for years! So I'm thrilled to release this CD for them." And as Al Lundy from KZUM 89.3 - Nebraska says... "Cee Cee James and her bands latest release was recorded live and is APPROPRIATELY entitled "SERIOUSLY RAW."
This CD delivers 13 tracks of RAW EMOTION, with the RAW POWER of a diesel engine rolling over the Snoqualme Pass!"
Click for more
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Food Bank To Host 1st Annual Blues & Jazz Festival
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| National recording artists to perform at food bank fund raiser.
The Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank (TNWOFB) will present a stellar national lineup of blues performers at the 1st annual Blues & Jazz Festival on Saturday, June 19, at Centennial Terrace, 5773 Centennial Road in Sylvania. Tickets, which are $25 in advance and $30 at the gate, can be purchased online here or by calling (419) 242-5000, ext. 216.
Renowned blues masters Bernard Allison, Tinsley Ellis and Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones are slated to perform. Gates open at 3 p.m. and area musicians Josh Boyd and the VIP Band will open the show at 4 p.m.
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THUNDER BAY BLUES FESTIVAL
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The Thunder Bay Blues Festival is one of the most anticipated events of the summer. From July 9-11, 2010, blues fans will gather at Marina Park, on the shores of Lake Superior for three days of fantastic music, camaraderie, delicious food and merrymaking.
The ninth annual Thunder Bay Blues Festival features a spectacular line-up of well-known international blues musicians and an all-star ineup of national and local talent including headliners, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Blues Traveler, and Taj Mahall.
Other notable performers include Albert Cummings , Micheal Burks, Tab Benoit, Ana Popovic, Eric Sardinas, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers, Curtis Salgado, Deanna Bogart, Matt Schofield, Mike Zito, Candeye Kane, Nick Moss and the Flip Tops and Blues Festival favourite, Big Walter Smith. Local acts include Mark Potvin, Slap Johnson and the Trowellers, and The Chain.
The Thunder Bay Blues Festival promotes the city’s artistic heritage and community spirit, and to contributes to local community charities. The Thunder Bay Blues Festival is Northwestern Ontario’s premiere festival. Make it your summer musical tradition.
Thunder Bay Blues Festival
684-4444 (Tickets)
1-800-463-8817 (Toll-Free)
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HOUNDS TOOTH ON TOUR TO SUPPORT NEW CD "SOUL ROCKIN"
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Hounds Tooth will be touring in the Midwest this summer in support of their newly released CD, Soul Rockin. The CD debuted at #41 on the Roots Music Report Top 50 Blues Albums for the week of 5/21/10.
Hounds Tooth’s new CD and their live show have already been garnering praise:
"Soul Rockin' has a nice feel to it-not overdone...I had no problem finding space for several tunes on my show, as well as in the regular Blues rotation." - Jerry D, Host of "Blues Till Noon" on 103.9 "The Fox" in Quincy, IL
"We love it when we hear younger 'Blues' players that actually play Blues...Even better we like seeing guitar players who can produce great sounding tone without a huge array of electronic pedals on the floor to do the work for them." – The Blues Blast
Hounds Tooth’s summer schedule includes the following significant festivals and blues rooms: 6/11 – Bourre’ Lounge (Waterloo, IA); 6/12 – Bowlful of Blues Festival (Newton, IA); 6/13 – Blueport Junction (Davenport, IA); 7/2 – Blues and Bellydance Cruise (Milwaukee, WI); 7/15 – Music on Main (West Bend, WI); 7/16 – Nothing But the Blues Festival (Bloomington, IL); 7/24 – Waukesha County Fair (Waukesha, WI); 7/29 – Racine County Fair (Racine, WI); 7/30 – Voodoo Lounge (Cedar Falls, IA); 7/31 - Prairie Dog Blues Festival (Prairie du Chien, WI); 8/7 – Madison Memorial Union Terrace Blues Festival (Madison, WI); 8/21 - Racing Extreme Grass Drag Nationals (Wauconda, IL).
In addition to the above shows, Hounds Tooth will be playing throughout Southeastern Wisconsin this summer in support of their new CD, Soul Rockin.
Click on the button to hear "Time To Burn" by Hounds Tooth
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Bug Music On The Block For $300 Million
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| NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) -- Investment banking giant JPMorgan Chase is facilitating an auction for Indie music publisher Bug Music with an asking price of $300 million.
As reported by the New York Post, Bug has already received the first round of bids from numerous interested parties. Among this list are several of the majors, including Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Sony/ATV Music and a partnership between KKR and BMG. The next round of bids is due on June 18.
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ADVERTISEMENT With a going price of $300 million, Bug is a seeking a higher multiple of their price to earnings ratio than other music companies in similar sales. According to the Post, the $300 million sale price would put Bug at 12 times the net publisher's share. Bug's annual revenue is estimated to be $70 million.
"Typical music publisher multiples currently range from 8 to 10 times net publisher's share for quality assets. Historically they've trended more toward the 10 to 15 times range." Lisbeth Barron, a Berenson & Company banker with expertise in the music industry told the Post.
Privately owned, Bug is one of the largest indie publishers in the world, holding copyrights to more than 250,000 songs, inclduing "What a Wonderful World," and "The Real Slim Shady." as well as current chart toppers by acts such as The Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" and Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night."
Bug Music's CEO John Rudolph just sat down for an interview with CelebrityAccess's Larry LeBlanc last week. That interview can be seen here
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MATT SCHOFIELD TOUR ANNOUNCED
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| British Bluesman Matt Schofield is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive and innovative guitarists to have emerged on the world scene for several generations. He is rated in the top ten British blues guitarists of all time (Guitar & Bass Magazine) putting him in the company of such iconic names as Eric Clapton and Peter Green.
In his relatively short career Schofield’s prowess as a blues guitarist has taken his band to twelve countries; seen him playing with iconic guitarists like Robben Ford; and brought him high praise in the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings as one of only two living British artists in recording history to gain a maximum four-star rating.
Biography & discography
Born in Manchester UK in 1977, Matt was immersed in the blues from a young age thanks to his Dad’s record collection. A professional guitarist from age 18 Schofield left it relatively late to start his own recording career, choosing first to learn his trade as a sideman, initially with bandleader and harp player Lee Sankey. He then spent four years with British Blues Diva and David Bowie prodigy Dana Gillespie, touring the UK, Europe and as far a field as India.
Seven years into life as a pro, he formed his own band - a trio - with Hammond organist, Jonny Henderson and drummer, Evan Jenkins (now with BBC Jazz Award winner, Neil Cowley). The trio was unconventional in having no bass player, bass duties being handled on the Hammond organ, a format favoured over the years by American bluesmen such as Albert King and Jimmie Vaughan.
The result was The Trio, Live, an eight-track taster of things to come. For what was a low budget, off-the-cuff and all-covers recording it elicited high praise along with airplay on both sides of the Atlantic and a BBC Radio 2 live session.
With his two subsequent releases (05’s Siftin' Thru Ashes and 07’s Ear To The Ground) Schofield consolidated his sound, delivering a powerful mix of Blues and New Orleans funk unlike anything else on the block. It was hard to pigeon-hole a band that could mine a deep blues trench one minute, effortlessly pull off a Meters anthem the next and then just as successfully revitalise the sixties Box Tops song, The Letter.
Fast forward to May, 2009 and Schofield’s third studio recording Heads, Tails & Aces. This time Schofield has a bass player and an album with a greater focus on blues. Gone are the interspersed instrumental funk tracks that characterised previous albums and led some commentators to label Schofield as much jazz, as blues. In their place is an entirely song-based album, with nine of the eleven tracks written or co-written by Schofield.
The breadth of material on this album is impressive, spanning everything from the smouldering Malaco-like soul groove of War We Wage, to the eccentric back-beat driven Betting Man and the Jazz-tinged Nothing Left, the latter lulling the listener into relaxed mood before climaxing in a tension-drenched extended outro.
Schofield's seamless playing has always embodied the great stylistic moments of American blues guitar, but the two cover versions on this latest album - interpretations of Freddie King's Woman Across The River and Elmore James' Stranger Blues- make any comparisons irrelevant. Underpinned by Jonny Henderson's constantly empathetic keyboards, Schofield stamps his own style on proceedings, slamming into solos that burn with an intensity rarely heard these days and even more rarely in combination with such a technically fluid and melodic approach.
"In Schofield, the UK has produced the best blues guitarist from any country in decades."
LA DAILY NEWS, USA
"Another level altogether."
MOJO
"The best of his generation's European players. His feel for the music is incredible."
VINTAGE GUITAR, USA
"Top ten British Blues guitarists of all time."
GUITAR AND BASS
"The UK’s most exciting blues guitar player."
GUITARIST
Tuesday, June 8, 2010 @ 9 p.m.
www.berbati.com Berbati’s Pan, 231 SW Ankeny St., Portland, OR 97204, 503.248.4579,
$10 in advance, $12 DOS
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 @ 7:30 p.m. (Doors 5:30 p.m.)
The Triple Door, 216 Union Street, Seattle, WA 98101, 206.838.4333, www.tripledoor.net
$13 in advance, $15 DOS, All Ages
Thursday, June 10, 2010 @ 7:30 p.m. (Doors 7 p.m.)
WOW Hall, 291 West 8th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401, 541.687.2746, www.wowhall.org
$8 in advance, $10 DOS, All Ages
Friday, June 11, 2010 @ 3 p.m. (Doors 9 a.m.)
Annual Redwood Run, Riverview Ranch, Hwy 271 off Hwy 101, Piercy, CA
$135 weekend pass, Over 21
Saturday, June 12, 2010 @9 p.m.
Harlow’s Night Club, 2708 "J" Street, Sacramento, CA 95816, 916.441.4693, www.harlows.com
$12 in advance, $15 DOS, Over 21
Sunday, June 13, 2010 @ 4 p.m. (Doors 3 p.m.)
Moe's Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz CA 95060, 831.479.1854, www.moesalley.com
$12 in advance, $15 DOS, Over 21
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 @ 8:30 p.m. (Doors 8 p.m.)
Biscuits & Blues, 401 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102, 415.292.2583, www.biscuitsandblues.com
$16
Thursday, June 17, 2010 @ 8 p.m. (Doors 7:30 p.m.)
The Mint, 6010 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90035, 323.954.9400, www.themintla.com
$10 in advance, $12 DOS
Friday, June 18, 2010 @ 9 p.m. (Doors 5 p.m.)
The Compound Grill, 7000 E. Mayo Boulevard, Building 21, Phoenix, AZ 85054, 480.585.5483, www.thecompoundgrill.com
$10 in advance, $12 DOS plus sales tax, All ages
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 @ TBA
Saxon Pub, 1320 South Lamar, Austin, TX 78704, 512.448.2552, www.thesaxonpub.com
$10 in advance, $15 DOS, Over 21
Friday, June 25, 2010 @ 8 p.m. (Doors 7 p.m.)
Levitt Pavilion, 100 W. Abram Street, Arlington, TX 76010, 817.543.4307, http://www.levittpavilionarlington.org/
Free Show, All ages
Sunday, June 27, 2010 @ 6:30 p.m.
Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar, 1031 E 24th Street, Houston, TX 77009, 713.862.8707, www.danelectrosguitarbar.com
$10, over 21
Tuesday, June 29, & Wednesday, June 30, 2010 @ 8 p.m. (Doors 6 p.m.)
B.B. King Blues Club and Grill, 237 West 42nd Street, New York City 10036, 212.997.4555, www.bbkingblues.com
$37.50 in advance, $40 DOS, All ages
Click here to listen to Matt Schofield
Click for more on Matt Schofield and to see Matt's complete schedule.
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Tobacco Road's Art & Blues Festival 2010
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| We are honored to announce world famous blues legend ,Matt “Guitar” Murphy, will headline Tobacco Road's Art & Blues Festival 2010 with The Nouveaux Honkies and Miami's blues legend IKO-IKO, Saturday, June 19th, 2010 from 5pm-2am.
The parking lot will be transformed into an art festival with local artists, vendors and Dj Oski spinning blues all day.
The Nouveaux Honkies open the show upstairs in the cabaret at 8pm and will then be joined by Matt “Guitar” Murphy and will perform until 12am. IKO-IKO will perform under the stars on the patio from 10pm-2am. Tickets are only $10. Free if you have
"THEROAD" card.
For more information and vending reservations call Oski at: 305.303.3976
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A LOVE OF BLUES
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| Charles Lockard and Bonnie Tallman
(Barbara Barrett/Luminary.com)HUGHESVILLE - A love of blues and a love for each other brought this Wolf Township couple together. Since meeting for the first time in the early 80's, Charles Lockard and Bonnie Tallman have known each other for three decades, but over the past 21 years, have continued to work together to organize the annual Billtown Blues Festival. Part of the original six and the only two left, the couple now work with a dedicated committee of ten, plus the use of advanced technology to organize a yearly favorite for many local and far-wide appreciative music fans.
"I must give credit to the other four," said Tallman. Besides Tallman and Lockard, Fred Daniele, the late Penny Austin, Chris Bastress and Doug McMinn each contributed fifty dollars to start the first Billtown Blues Festival at a convenient location owned by Paul Glunk known as Canfield Lane along the Susquehanna River. In June of 1990, Queen Bee was the first live performer along with local band Blue Willy and the Billtown Jukes.
"We wanted to celebrate the blues and not just have a picnic," said Tallman. "It is something more than just entertainment. We wanted to honor and recognize the blues for what it is." These six initial members shared that vision to make the first festival an enjoyable experience by many locals in the surrounding communities.
Soon word began to spread and they outgrew the original site and moved the festival to the Hughesville Fairgrounds in 1995. "We did move the date from the third Sunday in June to the second Sunday so not to conflict with Father's Day," said Lockard who knew the administrators of the Fairgrounds. They embraced the idea. "We now have unlimited parking and a stage with restrooms, showers, and dressing rooms for the artists," Tallman added.
For eleven years in a row, it rained just a little and a performer's act was shortened just once by only twenty minutes according to the couple. "It was Smokin Joe Kubek from Texas and he begged to come back to do another performance," they said. "We saw a tornado go over in 1996. It blew the roof off the Angus Inn."
Most natives would know Charles Lockard as an insurance agent, but many also know him as 'Good Time Charlie' as he hosts a weekly radio show at 88.9 FM in Selinsgrove. "And yes, we can get it here," he said. Every Sunday from 12 to 2 for the past 15 years, Lockard has had his own radio show. He tapes his own CD's from material sent to him by record companies of music they want played.
"As a kid, I used to dream of being a radio disc jockey," he said. The son of late Betty (Wolverton) Lockard and C. Roland Lockard, in 1989 Charlie started out on Saturday nights broadcasting the blues at Lycoming College and Susquehanna University, and still does a morning show on Sundays with Backyard Broadcasting's WZXR 99.3 FM. "I had to spend my time selling advertising to sponsor the show," said Tallman who came from a lucrative career in the medical field. "Back then, it was Kool 95 and Eagle 108. It was a hard sell at first because it was such a small market."
Soon the couple began producing live entertainment and formed BC Productions to run and operate the Billtown Blues Festival. The company became incorporated in the mid '90's producing a steady line of live entertainment.
Tallman started the artist management company in order to manage the careers of national touring and recording artists. Shortly afterwards, the couple started a record label 'Emit Doog Music Company' mainly for artists and shows that Tallman managed. "We would record them, promote them and distribute them," she said. "I started all of this because the artists needed to put out records, and in the blues industry, it is hard to get a record deal plus give them performance opportunities."
Some of the artists they represented were Greg Piccolo, Ann Rabson, and Sapphire. BC Productions, Inc. is still in operation today. Coordinating with a booking agency from February 09 to November 09, the company took the Sapphire Tour on a national level handling all bookings and interviews. The Uppity Blues Women, another artist managed by Tallman, will be retiring the end of November and the company is in the process of doing some wrap-up work for the group.
Tallman stated she is tethered to her Blackberry as she is dividing her time taking care of an aging father in Tioga County and organizing the Blues Festival scheduled for Sunday, June 13 with gates opening up at noon.
Throughout the year the couple keep track of a "wish list" of a variety of particular songs and recordings that they think are terrific. They work with a team to coordinate reliability, racial diversity, and a variety of styles within the blues genre.
"It gets kind of tricky to put together 7 acts in one afternoon and really create a diverse program to enjoy," explained Tallman.
Since that first concert in 1990, the Billtown Blues has not only grown into an annual festival, but has also incorporated the Billtown Blues Association that started out with ten members in 1992. Now the organization is up to 300 members, prints a quarterly newsletter, has an established website ( www.billtownblues.org/) and a board of directors. The local association is also affiliated with the National Blues Association in Memphis.
Again, this year's festival has an incredible line-up of musicians starting with local band, "Miz Ida & The All-Nightas" announced Tallman and Lockard. "It takes several years from the time someone wants to play until they can actually come here and perform," they said.
Charlie is always the emcee. "I really enjoy seeing the people in front having such a good time." Many come from out of state. "We have 21 states and 42 counties from Pennsylvania. It has become a yearly reunion to meet friends and family." Groups meet every year to enjoy each other and the blues music.
Although they have been together for nearly 25 years, the couple finally decided to get married in February of 2007. "It was the music that brought us together," said Tallman happily. "We celebrated at an EG Kight concert in Northumberland at the Unitarian Church after planning for a week," she stated.
"We expect to organize the Billtown Blues Festival for many years to come because we have such a devoted audience and a group of core members that really believe in celebrating and honoring the blues as a valued American Art form," said the couple as they exchanged fond glances for the future. "We are passionate about this music." For he has the knowledge and she makes things happen.
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SIXTH ANNUAL FAMOUS DAVE’S BBQ & BLUES FESTIVAL
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| Free outdoor festival features Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Guitar Shorty, Lamont Cranston Blues Band, Hamilton Loomis,Joe Juliano and many more....
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., April 14, 2010 – Famous Dave’s of America, Inc. celebrates its sixth annual Famous Dave’s BBQ & Blues Festival, featuring free and live entertainment with some of the greatest blues performers across the nation and Twin Cities. The outdoor event takes place on Saturday, June 12, 2010, from 12:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the Peavey Plaza, which is located next to Minnesota Orchestra Hall on Nicollet Mall and 11th Street South. Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated entertainers will perform on two stages throughout the day. Headlining acts include Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Guitar Shorty, Lamont Cranston Blues Band, Hamilton Loomis, Joe Juliano and more. Famous Dave’s will also be on-site grilling and serving award-winning St. Louis-Style Ribs and other BBQ favorites. Beer and wine will be available as well. For more information, visit www.famousdaves.com/bluesfest or call the Blues Festival Hotline at (952) 294-1299.
“It’s fun to throw a party that celebrates blues music and BBQ – it’s one of the ways we give back to the Twin Cities community,” said Christopher O'Donnell, President and CEO of Famous Dave's. “Every year we are amazed by the growing crowds, and this year’s event will be even better with our outstanding music lineup. We look forward to serving our hometown with Famous Dave’s award-winning BBQ and free performances from nationally-recognized blues musicians.”
With approximately 25,000 to 30,000 in attendance at the 2009 Famous Dave’s BBQ & Blues Festival, this event draws music lovin’ fans from across the Twin Cities and Midwest. As one of the first big outdoor concerts to take place every summer in the Twin Cities, this full-day celebration honors outstanding blues musicians and lip-smackin’ BBQ all while enjoying the beautiful Minnesota summer weather.
Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que Restaurants feature recorded blues music at every location. Minneapolis, Minnesota, is also home to the one-and-only Famous Dave’s BBQ & Blues Club. Since 1996, this Midwest hotspot has offered live daily blues performances from nationally- and locally-recognized musicians.
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NOTHING BUT THE WORD BLUES ARTWORK
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| Blues artwork created on the ipad
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JOHN MAYER CANCELS EUROPEAN TOUR
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| The blues/pop guitar whiz cancels his remaining shows in Europe to return to the U.S. to recover from an undisclosed illness which forced him to retreat from last night’s gig in Copenhagen. A statement on his website read, ”A full recovery is expected under a doctor’s supervision.”
In 2003, Mayer won the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for “Your Body Is A Wonderland” from his 2nd album Room For Squares that was release in 2001.
Mayer began his career playing an acoustic guitar, his voice resembled that of Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthew’s Band. He then gradually transitioned to an electric guitar, a Fender Stratocaster. Fender, the guitar company even built him his signature guitar. His guitar playing continues to be funky, and at time Hendrix-esque. His solos are very tasteful, and his tone, strong like Stevie Ray Vaughn’s, who Mayer cites as one of his favorite blues guitarist.
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WHAT'S THE WRITE WORD
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| Editor's note: This is a reprint from last week's E-Guide but now the links are now fixed.
Over 100 music scribes are confronted with this not-so-simple question: “If an eager young writer cornered you and asked ‘What’s the best advice you could give me?’ what would you have to say?”
(Jason gross/PopMatters.com) Over a hundred music scribes were confronted with this not-so-simple question: “If an eager young writer cornered you and asked ‘What’s the best advice you could give me?’ what would you have to say?” Most of the responders were nicely earnest with some humor thrown in, though considering the dismal state of the biz today, there was also some nail-biting panic thrown in there too.
Some scribes, especially off the record, were blunt about the field and its prospects. “Music journalism has devolved so completely into celebrity-coverage wank-speak that it should be taken out back and put out of its misery for good,” said one. Another writer, who thought the whole premise of this series was stupid, insisted: “Listen to your mom and get a real job.” But with two other exceptions, everyone else did have at least a little bit of hopeful advice about how to stick it out through these turbulent times. With circulations plummeting and staff being cut everywhere, it’s a tough time to be any kind of scribe. That doesn’t mean that your mom was right, though.
You’ll notice that some writers refer to other names here who inspired them, while some advice contradicts other pieces of advice. The responses also range from hilariously crude to pretty scholarly, but you’ll likely agree that the tone doesn’t detract from the content. Maybe you won’t agree with all that’s said here, and to be honest, I don’t necessarily agree with every single thing said here either (come to think of it, the writing in this intro probably broke a lot of the rules laid out by other writers here). Maybe the best way to think of this series is to treat it like a mash-up, or a smorgasbord where you can pick and chose what’s useful for you and your own consumption (just don’t pig out too much).
Even if you’re not a newbie writer, this series has other uses too. Attention veteran scribes: there’s a lot of wisdom to be found here in this variety of voices that can still be useful for your own work. Also, the responses provide a window into the thinking and experience of each of the writers themselves for anyone who’s curious about what their mindset is and how they each approach their own work. As one writer pointed out after insisting that work needs to be sent out on time and then sent their own advice back here late, everyone’s response is a really list of ideals. We all find out the hard way that we can’t always live up to them.
One thing you might find interesting, or distressing, is that a number of responders bristled at being called a ‘writer.’ Some of that can be chalked up to the self-deprecating feeling of “I’m not worthy!” even though all of them are. Other times, this disconnect might be semantics—being a ‘writer’ isn’t necessarily the same thing as being a ‘journalist’ or ‘author’ or ‘reviewer,’ per se. But maybe the field has just become so rotten and disrespected that for some, it’s simply not cool to be considered a ‘writer’ anymore. Whatever the reason, and despite what some of them say and whether they like it or not, everyone who responded here is a ‘writer’ of some stripe.
If you’re wondering why some responses are haiku-length while others are article-length, there’s a reason. Off the bat, the responders were asked for answers of about 150-250 words, just a few sentences. The thinking was that it wouldn’t eat up too much of their busy schedules. A number of scribes decided that they had more to say than that, and since the answers were intriguing, why stop ‘em?
You also have to wonder how different these responses would have been five years ago, or five years from now. In 2005, there would have still been some level of panic—even then, the field was going through a seismic change. But in 2015, what is the media landscape going to look like? In a high-tech age like this, no one has an answer because it keeps changing so rapidly, which is frightening to some and exciting to others. But even in, say, 2025 or 2050 (when we might communicate with brain-implanted chips), a lot of the advice here will still make sense and be worth heeding.
Even after interrogating a large group like this, this listing isn’t definitive. This series was one month’s work, but truth be known, even if it was done over the course of a year, it still would have been impossible to get everyone to respond. As such, some writers, demographics, and publications aren’t represented here, but it wasn’t necessarily from a lack of trying, sometimes more than once. Some writers were busy (understandable with a short deadline like this), while dozens of other scribes didn’t respond. Some initially responded, but didn’t have time to send anything back, and a few of them frankly said that they wouldn’t have any advice to give that eager young writer.
For my own advice, I gathered some thoughts here that didn’t seem to be covered elsewhere, but there’s one really important piece of wisdom to share otherwise. Listen to the writers here—they’ve got lots of worthwhile things to say. Sometimes they have even better advice than your mama.
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Line Up for The 23rd. International Notodden Blues Festival, 2010
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| The Notodden Blues Festival announced this year’s festival lineup during a release party at Notodden's Club Arno. The “Headliners” will be Solomon Burke, Status Quo, Robert Randolph, Walter Trout, Dana Fuchs Eric Sardinas and Tommy Castro. One exciting event will be the new co-venture between Norwegian super guitarist Knut Reiersrud and American soul star Mighty Sam McClain. The festival also has great expectations for the singer Dana Fuchs, who was present at this year’s release party.
Status Quo is expected to draw the masses to the festival's largest venue, the Brygga Concert by Lake Heddal. The band has sold 118 million albums during their long career. In 1985 they were chosen to open the Live Aid Concert with their song Rocking All Over The World. Last December they were honored with the title "The Hardest Working Band" in England, and their following tour ended with a successful appearance at the giant festival at Glastonbury. Status Quo is guaranteed to create a party atmosphere at Notodden with hits like Whatever You Want and Rockin 'All Over The World. The Outdoor Concert by the Lake was very successful last year, and this year's Saturday afternoon show is expected to sell out.
King Solomon
The festival will be opened on Thursday by the soul star Solomon Burke; one of the sole surviving big voices from the classic 60's soul era. Last time he was in Norway, he was proclaimed the undisputed festival king by all the media. Both of his spectacular shows in the Roadhouse Tent were sold out!
Robert Randolph
A band we're looking forward to experiencing this year is the steel guitar master Robert Randolph and his Slide Brothers. The last time Randolph was in Norway was his very successful appearance at the Skånevik Blues Festival. He was part of this year's "Experience Hendrix Tour", with artists like Joe Satriani, Los Lobos, Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. In June he will be once again a guest at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, with Jeff Beck, John Mayer, BB King etc.
Reiersrud and McClain
Another exciting project is Knut Reiersrud and Mighty Sam McClain. McClain is one of the today's leading American soul singers. He gained many Norwegians fans with his song, A New Man in Town, which was featured on the Ally McBeal TV series. In the wake of this success, he is performing with Norway's own blues guitar king, Knut Reiersrud. They are writing songs and recording together. This concert, exclusively for the Notodden Blues Festival, will be a first taste of this new project.
Tommy Castro
Many have wished for Tommy Castro to come to Notodden, and now will be coming there. This year he has been nominated in no less than 5 categories at the Blues Music Awards, including the prestigious "Album of the Year", for his release, "Hard Believer". He is also nominated for the "BB King Blues Entertainer of the Year" award.
Janiva Magness
One of the fastest rising stars on the international blues scene, she made many new fans the last time she visited the festival. This year she has put together the show "Women Who Cook" with two female artists from Detroit, Robin Rogers and Thornetta Davis.
New Folk and Blues Stage
The festival has chosen to expand its musical spectrum, and has transformed the Acoustic Stage to the Folk and Blues Stage this year. The performers here include, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Eric Bibb, the Norwegian folk-rock band Staut, and Terry Lehns. Other names are Knut Reiersrud, Knut Hem & Terje Kinn, Lazy Lester, Jolly Jumper & Big Moe, Danish Tim Lothar & Peter Nanda, and from Notodden, Line Kåsa with Olav Torgeir Kopsland.
Greni and Meters legend Ziggy Modeliste
Soul and funk enthusiasts will have a field day at this concert which combines the Norwegian musicians Øystein Greni, Nikolai Eilertsen, Erik Holm and David Wallumrød with The Meters legend, Joseph "Zigaboo"Modeliste. Greni and Eilertsen are both well known stars from the Norwegian rock band Big Bang.
Many Norwegian bands
The blues festival will this year present approx. 20 national bands. The Blues stars Knut Reiersrud and Reidar Larsen will come. Other artists and bands are the Bergen Blues Band, the Billy T Band, JT Lauritsen & the Buckshot Hunters, Rita Engedalen, Terry Lehns, Spoonful Of Blues, Margit Bakken Band, Staut, Trond Ytterbø & Runar Boyesen's Blues Folk & Rock 'n'Roll Revue, the Stina Stenerud Band, Spider, Line Kåsa & Olav Torgeir, The Urban Blues Band, Jolly Jumper & Big Moe, the Texas Twisters, Knut Hem & Terje Kinn and the Vetrhus Bluesband.
Click for the whole line-up
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LADIES SING THE BLUES
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| Please come and join the fun on Carnival Cruise Lines this December 6th when B.E.B.E., Inc will make her maiden voyage with her BLUES DIVAS - PAT HUNTER & her ALL STAR* BAND, VIVIAN "VANCE" KELLY BAND and TERRI LYNN & THUNDER BLUES BAND.
Special Guests include Nitro Bozeman (FL), Steve Nixon (IL), Sarasota Slim (FL) and many more will join in the fun.
This is a VIP event and must be booked through www.fancruises.com to attend all of the VIP BLUES DIVAS shows and the FREE VIP cocktail party. Book today for lowest rates, payment plans and best cabin selection.
This cruise is fully refundable in the event of any cancellations by the cruise lines or the travel agency. Presented by Traverus Travel and B.E.B.E., Inc.
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RUF RECORDS
ATLANTA, GA – Ruf Records announces the release dates of new CDs by young blues guitarslingers Jimmy Bowskill’s Live on June 8, and Oli Brown’s Heads I Win, Tails You Lose on July 13. Both CDs will be distributed in the U.S. by the Allegro Corporation.
Already a veteran at the age of 19, Canadian singer/guitarist Jimmy Bowskill was first discovered by the legendary Jeff Healey at the age of 11 playing guitar outside of his nightclub in Toronto. Since then, he’s opened shows for such artists as ZZ Top, Dickey Betts, Garth Hudson and Deep Purple, while touring in Canada and internationally in Germany, France, Mexico, Ukraine, and at the World Expo in Japan, among others. He’s also received a Juno Award nomination (Canada’s Grammy).
On Live, Jimmy Bowskill demonstrates his amazing mastery of guitar, with one foot firmly planted in the blues and the other in rock. The album’s dozen songs include his takes on several of the artists who’ve influenced him, including Free (“Walk in My Shadow” and “Ride My Pony”), Peter Green (“Rattlesnake Shake”) and B.B. King (“Three O’clock in the Morning”). Within the trio format, Bowskill dazzles the live audience with a combination of his searing guitar work and soulful, rockin’ vocals.
“Jimmy Bowskill is one of the brightest shining stars for people who love real rock and blues magic,” said a reviewer in Classic Rock Revisited.
The eye-catching cover of Live features art by one of Canada’s most-celebrated graphic artists, Bob Masse, whose work since the 1960s has included posters of Bob Dylan, The Doors, Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and The Yardbirds.
Also 19 years old, Oli Brown is releasing the eagerly awaited follow-up to his critically-acclaimed 2008 release, Open Road, his debut album for Ruf Records. On Heads I Win, Tails You Lose, Oli showcases his enormous growth as a songwriter, while giving audiences more of his blistering guitar work and vocals that have endeared him to audiences around the world.
Heads I Win, Tails You Lose was produced by the legendary Mike Vernon, whose resume includes seminal blues albums from John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers (featuring Eric Clapton), Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After and Freddie King, among others. Vernon literally came out of retirement to work with Oli Brown on this new album, having done so after hearing his first CD and being excited by the prospects of the youngster’s potential. The album’s 12 tracks also include his exciting take on the Little Willie John classic, “Fever.”
Oli Brown has had a big year touring Europe, including as part of the “New Generation Blues Tour” with labelmate Joanne Shaw Taylor in the UK, as well as making his debut at England’s prestigious Glastonbury Festival. Plans for later this year include more European touring, as well as dates in the U.S. Besides headlining his own shows, Oli has been the supporting act of choice for UK tours by Johnny Winter, Walter Trout and Robben Ford.
Already released in Europe, Heads I Win, Tails You Lose is generating the kind of rave reviews that have become the norm for Brown. “Oli joins the ranks of a new generation being forged by Joe Bonamassa’s example that kills the myth that the young can’t play the blues,” said influential UK magazine, Blues Matters. “If this CD is anything to go by, not only can Oli play the blues, he’s one who can help to keep it alive, move it forward, and most of all, touch yet another generation with blues magic.”
Information on both artists can be had by going to www.rufrecords.de/.
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WINDY CITY BLUES SOCIETY
The Windy City Blues Society (WCBS) is proud to announce the music lineup for the WCBS Street Stage at the Chicago Blues Festival.
The WCBS Street Stage will be located in the Festival Village next to the WCBS booth on Columbus Avenue, north of Jackson Avenue, and will feature live blues performances daily by many of Chicago’s finest blues musicians. In the spirit of Chicago's historic Maxwell Street Market, the performances will be held at ground level. The Windy City Blues Society is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Chicago Blues Festival. The Chicago Blues Festival is held in Chicago’s Grant Park from June 11th through 13th and is the world’s largest free blues festival.
WCBS Street Stage Schedule Friday, June 11
Noon to 1:00 - Will Jacobs & Dirty Deal 1:15 to 2:15 - Chris James, Patrick Rynn & Rob Stone 2:30 to 3:30 - Kilborn Alley Blues Band 3:45 to 4:45 – Lurrie Bell & Chris Harper 5:00 to 6:00 - Steve Freund & Dave Specter with Bob Stroger, Kenny Smith and Barrelhouse Chuck 6:15 to 7:15 - Rob Blaine Band Saturday,
June 12
Noon to 1:00 - Matt Hendricks 1:15 to 2:15 - Diamond Jim Greene 2:30 to 3:30 - Chris Harper Band 3:45 to 4:45 - Adam Gussow 5:00 to 6:00 - Bob Riedy & Bob Corritore 6:15 to 7:15 - Peaches Staten Band Sunday,
June 13
Noon to 1:00 - Gerry Hundt 1:15 to 2:15 - Cash Box Kings featuring Billy Flynn, Jimmy Sutton & Oscar Wilson 2:30 to 3:30 - Joe Filisko & Eric Noden 3:45 to 4:45 - Chicago Blues Round Robin with John Primer, Jimmy Burns, Carl Weathersby, Kenny Smith, Jimmy Sutton, Steve Doyle and Dave Katzman 5: 00 to 6:00 - Lil' Ed & Mike Garrett 6:15 to 7:15 - Joe Moss Band
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| Click on festival name to click through to festival website. |
VISIT THE BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE WEBSITE FOR ALL THE FESTIVALS
Over 500 festivals are listed on the website www.BluesFestivalGuide.com |
Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival
Thursday-Sunday,
June 3-6, 2010
Orangeville, Ontario, Canada
Website |
Western Maryland Blues Fest
Thursday-Sunday,
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Eureka Springs Blues Weekend 2010
Thursday-Sunday,
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19th Shannon Street Blues & Heritage Festival
Friday-Saturday,
June 4-5, 2010
Jackson, Tennessee, U.S.
www.downtownjackson.com
731-427-7573 |
Waterfront Blues
Friday-Sunday,
June 4-6, 2010
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Michael Arnone's 21st Annual Crawfish Fest
Friday-Sunday,
June 4-6, 2010
Augusta, New Jersey, U.S.
www.crawfishfest.com |
Smokin' In Steele BBQ and Blues Festival
Friday-Sunday,
June 4-6, 2010
Owatonna, Minnesota, U.S.
www.smokininsteele.com |
Pender Harbour Blues Festival
Friday-Sunday,
June 4-6, 2010
Pender Harbour, British Columbia, Canada
Website |
5th Annual Coloma Blues Live
Saturday,
June 5, 2010
Lotus, California, U.S.
www.colomablueslive.com |
Blues, Brews and BBQs
Saturday,
June 5, 2010
Flagstaff, Arizona, U.S.
Website |
Highway 61 Blues Festival
Saturday,
June 5, 2010
Leland, Mississippi, U.S.
Website |
Mariposa MicroBrews & Blues Festival
Saturday-Sunday,
June 5-6, 2010
Mariposa, California, U.S.
http://mariposabluesfest.com |
Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Festival 2010
Saturday-Sunday,
June 5-6, 2010
Oceanport, New Jersey, U.S.
www.jerseyshorefestival.org |
New Hope Center Blues Festival
Sunday,
June 6, 2010
Crete, IL, U.S.
Website |
Capelle aan den IJssel
Sunday,
June 6, 2010
Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Website
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Tinner Hill Blues Festival
Thursday-Sunday,
June 10-13, 2010
Falls Church, VA, U.S.
www.tinnerhill.org |
Mijas International Blues Festival
Thursday-Sunday,
June 10-13, 2010
Mijas, Malaga
www.aintnothinbut.co.uk/festival/ |
Barrie Jazz & Blues Festival
Thursday-Monday,
June 10-21, 2010
Barrie, Ontario, Canada
www.barriejazzbluesfest.com |
Greeley Blues Jam
Friday-Saturday,
June 11-12, 2010
Greeley, Colorado, U.S.
www.greeleybluesjam.com |
Bricktown Blues & BBQ Festival
Friday-Saturday,
June 11-12, 2010
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
www.bricktownokc.com |
Virginia Blues & Jazz Festival
Friday-Sunday,
June 11-13, 2010
Hot Springs, Virginia, U.S.
www.vabluesfest.org |
Chicago Blues Festival
Friday-Sunday,
June 11-13, 2010
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
www.explorechicago.org |
Strawberry Valley Blues Festival
Friday-Sunday,
June 11-13, 2010
Strawberry, Arizona, U.S.
Website |
Texas Folklife Festival
Friday-Sunday, J
une 11-13, 2010
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
www.texasfolklifefestival.org |
Thirsty Ear Festival
Friday-Sunday,
June 11-13, 2010
Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.
www.thirstyearfestival.com |
River and Brews Blues Fest
Friday-Saturday,
June 11-12, 2010
Red River, NM, U.S.
www.RedRiverBluesFest.com |
State Street Blues Stroll
Saturday,
June 12, 2010
Media, Pennsylvania, U.S.
www.statestreetblues.com |
Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues Festival
Saturday,
June 12, 2010
Minneapolis, MN, U.S.
www.famousdaves.com/bluesfest |
Solo Soul and Blues Festival
Saturday,
June 12, 2010
Humble, Texas, U.S.
www.solozp.com
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RBA Publishing Inc is based in Reno, NV with a satellite office in Beverly Hills, Florida. We produce the annual Blues Festival Guide magazine (now in its 7th year), the top-ranking website: www.BluesFestivalGuide.com, and this weekly blues newsletter: The Blues Festival E-Guide with approximately 20,000 weekly subscribers. We look forward to your suggestions, critiques, questions, etc.
Reach the E-Guide editor, Gordon Bulcock, gordon@bluesfestivalguide.com
or contact our home office at 775-337-8626, eguide@bluesfestivalguide.com
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| Information - both editorial and advertising - in the Blues Festival E-Guide - is believed to be correct but not guaranteed - so check it carefully before you attend any event or send money for anything. We do not write the news... just report it. |
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