2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival Guide Published by The River Cities' Reader

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2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival July 4 - 6 LeClaire Park, Davenport, Iowa MVBS.org |
Welcome from the MVBS President
2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival
Advance Tickets (through June 30) Available at:
Ticket Information
Hy-Vee stores in the Quad Cities, Clinton, and Muscatine ($15.50) Rascals (1414 15th Street, Moline, $15) The Muddy Waters (1708 State Street, Bettendorf, $15) Mississippi Valley Blues Society office (102 South Harrison Street, Davenport, $15); Call first: (563)322-5837 MVBS.org ($15 plus $2 service fee per order)
At the Gate $20 each day Children 14 and under are free if accompanied by an adult.
reetings from the offices of the Mississippi Valley Blues Society, and welcome to our 29th-annual blues festival! This year yours truly happens to be one of the folks whos been here for all of the 28 other festivals and, yeah, as with my children, I Photo by Dennis Fretty cant believe how the time passes so quickly. My two daughters even worked this festival as volunteers when they were so little that we sat them on phone books so they could see over the counter and sell beer tokens. One of those daughters, in California now for several years, treasures dearly her autograph from John Hammond, one of the many legends who have come to play here at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. In those early years, we also had John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim. In the middle years Joe Bonamassa and Susan Tedeschi. And I could go on and on. My point is that when you see one of our T-shirts proclaiming Where Legends Come to Play, its more than just a slogan. We here at the Mississippi Valley Blues Society have worked hard over the years to bring you a topnotch blues festival annually, and I hope you agree with that this year. So stroll the grounds at beautiful LeClaire Park, take in the river view, patronize our vendors, visit the free workshops, take a look at our photo exhibit, and even take time to thank a volunteer one of those people who help to make this festival not only possible but affordable. And take in as many artists as you can for theres sure to be a future legend or two in there somewhere. Steve Brundies President, Mississippi Valley Blues Society
| 2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival July 4 - 6 LeClaire Park, Davenport, Iowa MVBS.org
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The Business Behind the Luck
by Jeff Ignatius
Selwyn Birchwood Band: Thursday, July 4, 3 p.m., Bandshell

elwyn Birchwoods e-mail signature doesnt note that his band took the top prize in the 2013 International Blues Challenge. It doesnt say that he won the Albert King award as the Nashville events top guitarist. Instead, it says: Selwyn Birchwood, MBA. And, yes, that is a Master of Business Administration degree. Suffice to say that Birchwood also a singer and songwriter is not your fathers (or grandfathers) bluesman. Thats always been a big part of my life is the scholastic part of it, he said in a recent phone interview. My family has always pushed me to do schoolwork and do well in school. ... A lot of people say that you dont need school because youre playing music. I looked at it the other way: I think if youre playing music, you need it even more, because if, Lord forbid, gigs dried up and you have to get a job in a pinch, its a lot easier to get a job if youve got a degree or a graduate degree ... . I always saw it as a challenge as well. I always wanted to see if I could do it. So he got his undergraduate degree in business marketing, and in December earned his MBA. I was ... kind of seeing how it can apply to my music, he said. For example, the Wednesday before we talked, he and his band were in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a gig scheduled for two days later. Instead of laying around the hotel room, I went and printed up about 60 flyers or so and I went [to the club] and shook hands with everybody and just introduced myself, he said. I ended up sitting in with the band, so people got to hear me. ... I know the necessity of getting your name out there if you want people to show up. ... Its
always a lot different when youre face-to-face with somebody. ... A lot of times people will look at me and say, Man, you got lucky to do this or that or the other thing. I dont think a lot of its luck. While hes undoubtedly put in his work, some good fortune has played a role. Now in his late 20s (but with a singing voice that sounds like it has a couple extra decades of experience), Birchwood started guitar at age 13, playing things from the radio. Eventually,
he discovered Jimi Hendrix: The first time I heard him, it just sounded so bizarre some of the sounds that he was getting, some of the chords, and everything he was doing. So I was really curious where he got that from, because it just sounded completely different to me. So when I looked at his bio, he just had nothing but the old-school blues guys as his influences, including Buddy Guy. Birchwood was 17, and it just so happened that Guy was playing a gig that week at the House of Blues in Orlando. It just floored me, he recalled. that kind of emotion and feeling and energy he has in his playing. ... Thats what I want to do. The next happy accident was meeting Sonny Rhodes. A high-school friend, he said, would always tell me that his neighbor had a blues band. I thought it was just a bunch of drunk guys in a garage on weekends. But the friend gave Birchwood a Sonny Rhodes CD, and he was hooked pretty much from the first note. ... I dont know who this is, but you have to introduce me to this person. It took six months for that meeting to happen, but it involved Birchwood playing for Rhodes: I got about halfway through a song ... and he looked over to his bass player and kinda smiled and looked back at me and didnt even let me finish the song and just asked if I had a passport, he said. Within a month, Rhodes took him on the road. Rhodes encouraged Birchwood to focus on college but would gig with him during breaks. After college, he said, they did more-extensive touring. Birchwood eventually formed his own band, releasing FL Boy in 2011. Hes planning on releasing a new CD, titled Hoodoo Stew, early next year. The band originally planned to release the album early this year, but it was delayed in part because of discussions with record labels and, Birchwood admits, because the money hed set aside to finish it dried up. In the past year, he said, its just been kind of tough trying to stay busy and stay booked. Clubs are cutting back on live music, he said, and thats made it difficult for an emerging band trying to extend its reach beyond its Florida home. His bands International Blues Challenge wins, he said, were especially helpful in combating that. Just by winning, they get you on about seven festivals throughout the country that are more kinda A-list festivals, he said. It was really nice to get some recognition.
The Road to World Domination, Via Minnesota

by Mike Schulz
Davina & the Vagabonds: Thursday, July 4, 8 p.m., Tent
oward the end of our recent phone interview, I ask Davina Sowers the lead vocalist, pianist, and bandleader for her five-person outfit Davina & the Vagabonds what her plans for the future are, say, five or 10 years down the road. She answers with her own question: You mean, aside from world domination? Im fairly certain shes kidding. But considering Sowers rise to professional and popular acclaim over the past eight years, theres plenty of evidence to the contrary. A Pennsylvania native now residing in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sowers career in music, as she tells it, began rather inconspicuously, when the singer/songwriter was performing as a street musician in Key West, Florida. Yet since relocating north in 2005, Sowers has notso-slowly and surely emerged as one of Minnesotas and the countrys most exciting and accomplished blues artists, touring extensively with her ensemble of Vagabonds and earning much critical praise in the process. Describing Sowers as the hardestworking blues woman in Minnesota, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune raves, Two things remain consistent at all her shows: her throaty but cushion-y voice, which has a sort of hard-mattress comfort to it thats part Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, and a little Amy Winehouse, and her bands rollicking New Orleans flavor, driven home by dueling horn players and a bayou-thick stand-up bass. Downbeat magazine, meanwhile, states, Davina zips to near impossible heights in a divine declaration of romance and that romance might just as well be between Sowers and her music. Really, I just want to keep doing what Im doing, she says, more seriously this time, about her future plans with the Vagabonds. Traveling, and meeting the people that
were meeting, and just getting our music out there. Thats my ultimate goal. Its always been my goal. Sowers says that as a child, her interest in music originated both with piano lessons, which she began at age six, and with her mothers record collection. She was a folk singer, says the artist, and she taught me my first few chords on the guitar, and taught me so much about all different types of music. I grew up with a lot of traditional folk like 60s and 70s folk but I also stole all of her Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath vinyl. You name it, she had it. And part of what she had was an extensive collection of blues music, which Sowers quickly grew fond of. I was a huge Muddy Waters fan, she says. I loved Little Walter and some of the harmonica players from back in the day. I know that people consider Billie Holliday jazz, but to me she was a full-fledged blues singer. She taught me a lot about the bending of notes, and that feel of the blues that makes-you-want-to-diveoff-a-cliff feel of singing. But I also got into people like Professor Longhair, she continues, and that New
Orleans kind of throw to the blues. And there was Big Joe Turner, and Pinetop Perkins, and Sonny Boy Williamson ... . You know, I think a lot of girls stand in front of their mirror with a hairbrush and sing like its a microphone, and that was definitely me. Music definitely shaped me. It got me in trouble, it kept me out of trouble ... . Theres all different types of things music can give you, and I probably went through all of them. Music has always been a dream. Yet it wasnt a dream that, immediately after high school, Sowers sought to make a profession in. The only career that I pursued for a while was life, she says. I traveled the United States and did a lot of hitchhiking, and was definitely a kind of gypsy for a pretty long time. It was during the early years of the millennium that her gypsy lifestyle landed Sowers in Key West, where she first began augmenting her income with the street art of busking, singing for whatever donations she could amass. I was in the service industry quite a number of times, says Sowers. But I also
Continued On Page 6
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The Road to World Domination, Via Minnesota

did a lot of busking. Its kind of difficult, of course, in certain areas. Not every area is a tourist area, you know what I mean? And its a weather permitting kind of thing. I dont see a lot of buskers in Minnesota. But Key West was where I made pretty decent money being a street musician, Sowers continues. I played a lot of music, and it was a lot of fun a completely different feel than running a full-time business as a band. A whole different can of worms. Key West was also where Sowers met future husband Michael Carvale, an upright bass player and eventual member of the Vagabonds with whom she moved to St. Paul two weeks after their 2005 introduction. (The pair has since divorced, although Carvale remains with the band.) But while the Minnesota busking scene may have proved lacking for her, she states that, musically speaking, little else did. The Twin Cities has a huge, amazing entertainment community, says Sowers. An amazing musician community just so many wonderful musicians that come from that area. So the artist went about finding some. Saying, with a laugh, I didnt want to work as a waitress at Applebees anymore, Sowers decided to instead take a stab at being a bandleader, and she and Carvale recruited a trio of gifted up-and-comers for the blues ensemble Davina & the Vagabonds. She admits, however, that finding the musicians proved somewhat easier than getting them all on the same musical page, at least initially. It took a little bit of time, says Sowers. Dan [Eikmeier], the trumpet player, is really into, like, Paul Westerberg and AntiFlag. Hes kind of a punk rocker. Ben [Link], the trombone player, is into really weird, avant-garde jazz. And our drummer Alec [Tackmann] is into Foo Fighters, but his tastes are all over the map. So it took some time for us all to be like, Oh, okay, this is what were doing. But the quintets disparate stylings, says Sowers, eventually meshed, and in a big way. I cant get over how lucky I am to have
Continued From Page 5
by Mike Schulz
such wonderful musicians. Theyre four phenomenal, lovely players, and just a wellrounded bunch of great guys. We click really well, and when were on stage, theyre pretty fun to hide behind every once in a while, you know? The bands professional bookings began with weekly engagements at the Minneapolis venue Whiskey Junction. But being a bandleader, says Sowers, I slowly learned that youre gonna keep your guys by either keeping them busy or paying them appropriately. Preferably both. So that became my goal. I just hustled and got gigs, and I really just conquered the cities. I mean, I was booking myself and the band 300-plus gigs a year for, like, four years, and then we picked up an agency, and now the agency keeps us busy and has us touring around the world. Of her bands recent travels, says Sowers, Romania was cool. We were in the Sighioara hills, near Transylvania, and that was pretty neat there was like a light snow when we were there, so it was like a big Tim Burton film. Just really odd and cool. Weve been to Switzerland and Belgium, and Amsterdam, and the UK and Norway. Were actually going back to Norway, to this place called Hell. Seriously. Its a place called Hell, Norway, she continues, and at the train station by the festival set-up it says, Welcome to Hell. But weve been so many different places, and Europeans really love Americana music. Its cool to see them know some of the covers that I do, and its really cool to see when they know some of my originals, too. Thats pretty crazy, actually. But listening to Davina & the Vagabonds energetic takes on the blues particularly in up-tempo, Sowers-penned songs such as Finally Home and the rip-roaring St. Michael Versus the Devil its easy to understand their worldwide appeal, and why Minnesotas City Pages considers Sowers in a league of her own. Ive written some pretty sad-ass songs, says Sowers with a laugh, but performing the blues, and hearing it, definitely does make you happy. I think a lot of blues songs can be joyous, and its cool to be able to communicate that joy. You know, its easier for me to be on stage than not. Its so much easier. Im so awkward, and such a geek, and thats the only time that I can really not be.
If I Dont Sing, I Die

by Jeff Ignatius
Mighty Sam McClain: Friday, July 5, 11 p.m., Bandshell
nyway, thats just some of the stuff, the soulblues singer Mighty Sam McClain said to me in a recent phone interview. Youre a good listener. Hed been talking, nonstop, for 31 minutes, responding to the simplest of opening questions: What have you been up to? After the compliment he paid me, he chattered for another 39 minutes, with just a few questions to prompt him. Admittedly, the man has a lot to talk about. He left his home in Louisiana at age 13 to escape an abusive stepfather. He hit me a couple times, McClain said. He hit me in the head with a hammer. Once. Then he hit me with a walking stick. So I was getting ready to kill him. I really was. He was a hunter. And there were guns all over the house. ... I thought about doing it. Instead, he said, I crawled out the window, and I didnt look back. He then hooked up with Little Melvin Underwood, initially as a roadie and by age 15 in the late 1950s as a singer. A few years later, the proprietor of the club in Florida where he fronted the house band tried to keep him from leaving to record by sitting outside his house all night. I took my chances, McClain said of his decision. But it wasnt easy coming to that, because I was giving up a steady income. From the mid-60s to 1971, he cut a handful of singles and made it to the Apollo Theatre before falling on hard times, including periods of homelessness in the 1970s and 80s. How the hell can you eat out of a garbage can, man? ... I had the great privilege and pleasure of finding out, McClain said. It was a privilege, because it showed me what being a human being is about. ... This is about survival. Not about your pride; this is about survival. But then he got a letter offering him an opportunity to tour and record in Japan, and McClains career has been solid ever since, with more than dozen albums to his credit. In the past three years, hes recorded two CDs with producer Erik Hillestad and Iranian singer Mahsa Vahdat a multilanguage collaboration bridging cultures. I
might be more proud of this music than I am my own music, he said, because of what it represents. Yet he almost passed it up. They went through a lot of people and finally came across me, and he and Mahsa listened to what I was doing, and it made Mahsa cry, she liked my voice so much. But they sent me something that she was doing, and I thought theyd lost their damn minds. ... You want me to sing this? It sound so foreign to me. I play and I play it, he continued. His wife asked him: Honey, you dont hear yourself singing that? He took offense at the question: I said, No, I do not hear myself singing that. And neither do you, by the way. But a few weeks later, he said, Mahsas voice just reached out and grabbed me by my throat. ... And I heard it. McClains own voice and songs can have a similar effect. The title track of his
2012 album Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) is surprising both musically (with its strings and gentle funk) and lyrically, with McClain inverting a standard blues trope about booze and religion. You can hear a sense of loss (Youre running all your friends away), but also a recognition that the sacrifice for sobriety was necessary. And it closes with a deeply felt laugh that acts as a joyous coda. The song was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Blues Music Awards, and the record garnered him nominations in the soul-blues album and artist categories. McClain has been alcohol-free for nearly two decades, he said, and he gave up drinking after getting charged with drunk driving. I saw the pain in her face when she went to court with me for that DUI, he said of his current wife. I knew I didnt want that to happen ever again. And I told her, Honey, you know what? Im through with this shit. He said he sat on Too Much Jesus four or five years before releasing it, in part because of changes in the music business: Everything went a whole other direction on my butt. He has an acoustic album ready for release, he said, and another band record almost finished. He and his wife have been handling the business end of things for 17 years, McClain said, and theyre looking to delegate those responsibilities to somebody else. Its just gotten old, he said. Im 70 now. Sometimes I dont even want to hear the telephone ring. But he said hell always sing, certain that hell find an audience, but also because he cant stop. If you step up, somebody will listen, he said. And if I dont sing, I die.
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In That Same Line

John Primer: Friday, July 5, 10 p.m., Tent
ohn Primer grew up loving the guitar, but it took a while for him to have his own. An uncle made one on the side of the house in Mississippi with nails and wire when Primer was two or three years old, in the late 1940s. I liked the sound, he said in a recent phone interview. I loved it. Hed lie on the floor, looking at guitars in catalogs. By the time he was five, he said, he was playing the side-of-the-home guitar, when they go to the field or something. At about that time, he said, he ordered one for $7 or so, but I never did get it. It was at the post office, cash on delivery, and I didnt have no money. My mom, she was out of town, working ... . She didnt come back in time to get it, so they sent it back. That broke my heart. But he learned the instrument from a cousin, and when he moved to Chicago in 1963, he finally bought one at a pawn shop for about the same price as the COD version he never laid hands on. But a music career, he said, was not something he considered at the time. I came here to get a job, he said. I didnt think I could be professionally playing. Plus, he added, he thought his blues idols B.B. King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Lightin Hopkins came from a bygone era. That wasnt on my mind, cause I thought all those guys was dead. I didnt know they was alive. Living in Chicago, though, he discovered that the blues were alive and well and he learned the music well, although a certain ignorance of the specifics of its history never hurt him. When he was laid off from a hospital in 1974 his last day job, he said he began a regular gig at the fabled Theresas Lounge. It was there that Willie Dixon heard Primer playing Willie Dixon songs, although

by Jeff Ignatius
Primer wasnt aware of their origins: I didnt know he wrote all those songs. In 1979, Dixon recruited Primer to play guitar in his band including in Mexico City, where Muddy Waters first heard him. (Young man know my music, Primer recalls Waters saying.) He was in Waters band from 1980 until his death in 1983. He said he knew Muddy Waters was big, but I didnt know it was a big scene. I just said, Yeah, okay, man. ... I didnt know he was that famous. Lot of people. And after that he played in Magic Slims band for more than a decade, and Primer said that period remains the favorite among his three gigs as sideman to legendary blues artists. I was in the Magic Slim band longer than I was in either one of those bands, he said. I went more places. But with all three of those mentors, he noted, it wasnt no different in the way they
treat you. They had a lot of respect for their musicians. Those collaborators also stressed one thing that Primer still carries with him. I learned the road from Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon, but Slim helped show me how to be original and dont try to change the blues; just play it like he did. Magic Slim was that way. Muddy Waters never changed his style of music. He changed the lyrics, but never changed the style or sound. ... I think Im in that same line. ... I dont change my style. You can hear me anywhere; you know its John Primer playing. All his teachers, he said, offered a key lesson. Learn what I play, but dont try to be me. Always try to be yourself. ... I stick to that all the time. For that reason, Primers mostly acoustic CD from last year, Blues on Solid Ground, wasnt a departure in his eyes, even though hes always focused on the electric blues. Actually, its just another recording for me, just putting together and do something different, he said. I hadnt did acoustic. ... Theres no change in my direction, because Im solid. Im just producing music thats something that I love to do thats blues. With four decades under his belt as a professional musician, the 68-year-old Primer will be awarded the Mississippi Valley Blue Societys RiverRoad Lifetime Achievement Award prior to his Friday tent performance. But hes not slowing down. He and harmonica player Bob Corritore released Knockin Around These Blues in April, and Primer said hell start recording another new album later this year. ChicagoBluesGuide.com praised his 2008 CD All Original by saying that the singer, songwriter, and guitarist possesses a depth of understanding of the genres subtleties and nuance that only a handful of artists can lay claim to. Primer is truly world class ... .
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Playing It by Ear
Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Saturday, July 6, 11 p.m., Bandshell

And that was just a life-changing moment for me. From that point forward, all I wanted to do was learn to play guitar with that same kind of fire and passion. He subsequently began to teach himself guitar in earnest, learning from the masters via his fathers record collection. Stevie Ray Vaughan was always a big hero of mine, says Shepherd, but I liked B.B. King and Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker and Lightnin Hopkins and Buddy Guy ... . I mean, I did my homework, man. I went all the way back to the early days of the blues and the Delta and acoustic blues through the electric era and stuff like that. I mean, a lot of blues guys were big influences on me. And the extent of their influence was clearly evident when Shepherd eventually made his concert debut. I think I was 13 years old, and I was down in New Orleans on Bourbon Street, and I got to play with this guy Bryan Lee, says Shepherd, referencing the noted bluesman who invited the teen to join him on-stage, and with whom Shepherd would later play a 2007 set on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That was a pretty cool moment for me, because it was really my first time in front of an audience, and I didnt know how well I would go over with the crowd, or if Id be too nervous or whatever. But I got my first standing ovations that night, he continues. I played almost the whole show with him and had a blast, and that kind of set my career in motion. Shepherds impromptu performance, and the buzz generated by the 13-year-olds guitar skills, eventually led to a booking at Shreveports Red River Revel Arts Festival. And a video from that festival eventually caught the attention of Giant Records Irving Azoff, who promptly signed Shepherd and his band to a multiple-album record deal one that the guitarist signed before he was legally allowed to vote or see R-rated movies by himself. I dont know, says Shepherd of his rather staggering success as a youth. It just kind of happened. I put a band together when I was 15 and started doing local
f youre an amateur guitarist hoping to turn pro, particularly one with an affinity for blues rock, you could certainly choose lesser talents to emulate than Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The 37-year-old musician, after all, has been already nominated for five Grammy Awards, has won two Blues Music Awards and two Billboard Music Awards, and was once named the worlds third-finest blues guitarist by Guitar World magazine, with only B.B. King and Eric Clapton ranking higher. If, however, youre an amateur guitarist who feels that the world of professional music will forever be out of reach due to your inability to actually read music, dont let that dissuade you from following your dream. It turns out that Kenny Wayne Shepherd doesnt read music, either. Yeah, I still play by ear, says Shepherd, who unofficially began his career as a self-taught guitarist at the tender age of seven. I used to have to sound songs out one note at a time until I got from the beginning to the end of it. It was kind of a tedious process in the beginning, but you know, its gotten easier over the years. Modern technology is a big help now, because I can just record things on my iPhone, but yeah I just play what sounds good, and then I just have to remember it. Meanwhile, does Shepherd have any regrets about still not being able to read music despite being such a formidable presence in his field? No, I dont, he says during our recent phone interview. You know, what Im doing has always worked for me, and so I dont see any reason to change it. And its hard to imagine that anyone could conceivably want him to. As a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Shepherd says that music, from his earliest memories, was always in the air. My dad was on the radio, he says. He was a disc jockey. So I grew up, my whole life, surrounded by music, going to concerts, going to the radio station, meeting bands that came through and stuff ... . So I had a huge library of music available to me as a result, and I liked just about everything.
Country music, rock, punk, gospel ... . Everything. But Shepherd says that even during his early grade-school years, he always had a particular fascination with the blues because a lot of it focuses on the guitar, which I was really into, and because theres a certain amount of raw emotion that goes into blues music that I didnt find in every genre. It was always just really appealing to me. His own personal exploration of the guitar, recalls Shepherd, began when I was four or five years old. I had these play guitars when I was a little kid these little plastic guitars with nylon strings and I actually learned my first notes on those. And I got my first electric guitar at a Stevie Ray Vaughan concert when I was seven, an event that, thanks to his fathers connections, would go on to shape Shepherds professional career. I dont really remember what he said to me, says Shepherd of the legendary guitarist, but I remember meeting him and getting to watch his show from the side of the stage, and really just being mesmerized.

by Mike Schulz
shows, and I guess word just kind of got around the country about this young, bluesprodigy guitar player, which was kind of a strange thing for that day and time. People were interested. So I got signed to a record deal when I was 16, and I did my first record when I was 17. He laughs. And Ive been here ever since. Shepherd says that the public reaction to that first album, 1995s Ledbetter Heights, came as a considerable surprise. I really didnt know what to expect. I mean, I obviously thought it was a good record, but you never know what other people are gonna think about it. I just knew that I was getting to make a record, and I was doing songs that I had written, and I was having a great time doing it. But it was great, he continues. The first single [Dj Voodoo] shot up to number five on the rock charts, and the album went gold, and then eventually went platinum, so it was certainly a success. Its success also meant that, at age 17, there was no turning back from the pursuit of a full-time music career. My parents insisted that I graduate high school, says Shepherd. So I did that. And then the minute that I got out of high school, I hit the road. I think there was some concern from my parents at first. You know, its kind of tough to make it in the music business, and the odds are generally against people being successful in the music business. But you know, it worked out. As any blues fan will tell you, it most certainly did. Shepherd followed the release of Ledbetter Heights with 1997s Trouble Is ... , which holds the record for the longestrunning album on Billboards blues charts spending 20 weeks at the number-one position and spawned a chart-topping single in what is widely considered Shepherds signature song, Blue on Black. That album also led to fellow charttoppers in 1999s Live on, 2004s The Place Youre in, and 2011s How I Go, plus a Grammy-nominated CD/DVD set titled 10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads. That 2007 release found Shepherd interviewing and jamming with both venerated and unsung heroes of the blues world everyone from blues legends B.B. King and David Honeyboy Edwards to the less heralded musicians from Muddy Waters ensemble; the package won a 2008 Blues Music Award for Best DVD, and Shepherd says its an
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accomplishment he takes particular pride in. We just wanted to go out and do a special blues project to show our appreciation to the blues community, and to the genre itself, says Shepherd of 10 Days Out. Blues fans have been very good to me, and obviously the music has been a big inspiration for me. And so it was an opportunity for me to play with some amazing musicians, and also try to expose the rest of the world to some really talented musicians that were, for whatever reason, a bit lesser-known, but extremely talented. And there were a lot of them, he continues. All the guys from Howlin Wolf s band. Willie Big Eyes Smith, the drummer from Muddy waters band. Jerry Boogie McCain. Cootie Stark and Neal Pattman and Etta Baker ... . I had never met any of those people, so it was really cool, and to get to make the film and the album was great. Another career highlight came with the 2008 release of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Signature Series Stratocaster, a collectors edition instrument commissioned by the Fender Musical Instruments and designed by Shepherd himself. Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck and Steven Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy ... . I mean, theres a list of amazing guitarists that get to do signature guitars, says Shepherd. So its a huge honor to be asked to do that. We worked for about a year and a half designing the guitar, working on the sound of the pick-ups to get them to sound a certain way, and the shape of the neck to get the right profile, and stuff like that. Every guitar player changes something about the guitar to make it more suitable for themselves and the little things they do on it, and Im really proud of it. And as audiences will no doubt witness during his set at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Shepherd is also extremely proud of the career that has allowed him, more than two decades after his professional debut, to continue playing the music he grew up loving. Ive learned a lot over the past 20 years, says Shepherd, and if you continue to try and stay on top of your game, then your ability keeps getting stronger. Performing is definitely still as much fun as it was when I was younger. Probably more fun, in many ways.
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C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band: Saturday, July 6, 10 p.m., Tent
s hes the son of the late Clifton Chenier the Grammy Award-winning accordion legend commonly known as The King of Zydeco it makes sense that C.J. Chenier would have a parent to thank for his initial entry into the world of professional music. And he does: his mom. I was, like, 20 years old, says the native of Port Arthur, Texas, and I was playing piano in this funk band I put up in my hometown, and one day we were playing a bazaar at a Catholic Church. And my mother sent one of my friends to tell me I needed to come home, because my daddy called and said he wanted me to go on the road with him. And I was hesitant, because I had never been to too many places, and I knew that everybody in my daddys band was way older than I was. But I got home and my mother told me, I tell you what: Youre not working. You dont have nothin to do. Youd better pack your bags and get on out of here! Laughing, Chenier adds, And I just said, Yes, maam! I mean, I was hesitant, but I was happy. Moms directive, as it turns out, has made a lot of people happy, because 25 years after taking over his late fathers Red Hot Louisiana Band, C.J. Chenier performances continue to thrill zydeco and blues fans worldwide. Called the heir to the zydeco throne by Billboard magazine and the crown prince of zydeco by the Boston Globe, the singer/songwriter/accordionist is an undeniable master of his genre though the man readily admits that, in the early stages of his career, he didnt fully understand what that genre was. Its weird, says the 55-year-old Chenier during our recent phone interview, because where I came from, zydeco wasnt a popular music. They called it la la music back then, and la la music just wasnt popular. I mean, it was with the people who knew about it, and I knew my daddy was the king of zydeco, but I only had one of his albums, so I didnt know what it was really about. He laughs. But I found out quickly when I started traveling with him! Raised by his mother, and apart from his father, in rural Texas, Chenier says that as far as music was concerned, I guess I always had the bug in me. Id been playing around with music and instruments since, like, the second grade took piano lessons in the second grade, was in the school choir in third grade and so I guess Ive been trying business, he continues, because he rescued me from that. Because I worked at the refineries. I worked as a longshoreman. I did fish meal tossing around 100-pound sacks of fish meal. I worked on a railroad. I did hydroblasting. I did a lot of stuff in my year and a half out of high school. And I hated all of it. He loved, however, playing the sax alongside his father and bandmates. Traveling is tiresome, says Chenier, but once you get up there and get on that stage, all the travel seems to just disappear, man. Its just great to get on stage and perform and see if you can make people happy. Chenier also loved learning to master the accordion when Clifton who would succumb to diabetes-related kidney disease in 1987 became seriously ill in the mid1980s. I was around 27 or 28 when I started on the accordion, says the man who has been called the best living zydeco singer and accordionist by Living Blues magazine. I just started playing around with it trying to figure it out. And I guess I did, you know what I mean? After his fathers passing, says Chenier, It never even dawned on me to do anything else but continue with the guys I was already playing with, so he took over as frontman for Cliftons ensemble. And it was through his performances with the Red Hot Louisiana Band that Cheniers newfound accordion skills caught the attention of Paul Simon, who was looking for instrumentalists for the album that would become 1990s Grammy-winning Rhythm of the Saints. As he name-checked Clifton in his song That Was Your Mother from 1986s Graceland, Chenier says, Paul Simon was, I think, a big fan of my dads, and thats why he called me. And that was something, man. Just all of a sudden this guy calls and says, Hey, Paul Simon wants you to come to New York ... . And I was like, Well, yeah! All right! But even though Chenier did end up playing backup on Rhythm of the Saints, I didnt get to go on tour with him, he says. And that broke my heart, man. I had a tour with my own band happening at the exact same time, and even though it wouldve been great for me, I just couldnt leave my guys stuck out like that. His inability to tour with Simon, though, hardly impeded Cheniers career trajectory. In 1992, he played accordion on a track
The King of La La
to be a musician all my life, pretty much. In fourth grade, says Chenier, I actually wanted to play the trombone. But my mother told me, No, your daddys got a saxophone in his band, You need to play saxophone. But I didnt even know what a saxophone was. And then I saw one being played on television, and I was like, Man, that sure has a lot of keys on it! You know what Im saying? The trombone looked simple because it just had a slide, but this thing ... ! So I got on the saxophone, says Chenier with a laugh, and I adapted to it pretty good, man. That was my main instrument all through high school and everything. I think I was meant to play that thing. Chenier says he enjoyed playing both the sax and the piano in his youth, and was particularly pleased to discover that he could, on occasion, even get paid for it. At my first gig, the guy gave me seven bucks. I was 17, and I took that seven bucks, and I was the happiest person on earth. And the next time we played, he gave 30, and I was like, Whoa! Thirty bucks? All right! You know, 30 bucks in 1975 was a lot of money, man! But until receiving his 1978 invitation to tour with his fathers Red Hot Louisiana Band, Chenier says that pursuing a career in music was only a dream. I come from Port Arthur, Texas, and that place just wasnt musical. For everybody who lived there, they just wanted to graduate and get a job at the refinery, because that was the best-paying job. And I really didnt want to do that. So I was fortunate to have a father in the
by Mike Schulz
for the Gin Blossoms New Miserable Experience, and also found himself and his bandmates showcased on PBSs lauded music series Austin City Limits. His studio-debut release Too Much Fun was named 1995s best zydeco album in Living Blues magazine. And in 1996, following performances on CNN and The Jon Stewart Show, the C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band set during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was featured in its own segment on VH1. I keep waiting for that time to come around again, man! says Chenier, with a laugh, of his mid-90s career surge. Because Ive got new tricks for them! You know, just give me the opportunity to show people whats happening now! Recently, Cheniers and his bands happenings have included the release of 2011s Cant Sit Down CD, concert and festival engagements throughout the United States, and several international tours. We just did the Netherlands, says the artist, and we did France and Belgium just a couple weeks ago. We pretty much go to Europe every year, and weve got some stuff ready for France for next March already. And whats always happening for Chenier is the opportunity to keep introducing more, and younger, audiences to his output. Our younger generation dont never get exposed to roots music in radio and the media and stuff like that, he says. They get exposed to rap, they get exposed to hip-hop, and they idolize that stuff things that dont even take a real person who learned how to play music. I mean, a person thats never played music before can go and download instruments and create a whole song by picking this bass pattern, and picking this drum line, and throwing in a few cowbell sounds, and the media takes it, and it becomes a million-dollar seller, you know what I mean? But this was here first, says Chenier. Roots and the blues thats Americas music. And thats why we need youngsters to come out to events like this [the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival]. Even though it might not be familiar to them, at least they get exposed to it. And then, they might want to come back again. And bring some of their friends next time.
Thursday, July 4: Bandshell

Selwyn Birchwood Band, 3 p.m.
SelwynBirchwood.com
CD Baby says it best about Selwyn Birchwoods CD FL Boy: Eclectic original tunes ranging from swampy roots music to upbeat front-porch blues to hip-shakin funk grooves. That description applies to his bands highenergy live shows, too. When I heard the Selwyn Birchwood Band at the Blues Foundations International Blues Challenge in February, it was obvious to me that it was the best band in the finals. For the past few years, Ive disagreed with and been disappointed by the winning bands chosen at the IBC finals, but in 2013 the judges got it right. The Selwyn Birchwood Band was chosen number one out of more than 200 bands in the competition, and Selwyn Birchwood won the Albert King award for best guitarist. Selwyn Birchwood stumbled upon the blues at age 17 while attending a Buddy Guy concert in Orlando. After witnessing firsthand the raw energy and power the music created, he decided it was what he wanted to pursue. He has spent the years since then trying to hone his skill to convey the same intensity and feeling of the blues greats. Texas bluesman Sonny Rhodes offered the 19-year-old Selwyn the chance to hit the road and tour nationally. Selwyn quickly took advantage of the opportunity and has frequently toured with his blues mentor across the U.S. and Canada. In the meantime, Selwyn has also managed to get a bachelors degree in marketing and an MBA. Besides Selwyn (who plays a mean slide on lap guitar), the band is composed of Curtis Nutall on drums (who traveled internationally with many bands including The Blind Boys of Alabama, and did a five-year stint with Joe Louis Walker), bass player Huff Wright, and Regi Oliver on baritone saxophone. Karen McFarland
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Howard & the White Boys, 5 p.m.

The members of Howard & the White Boys first met at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb in 1988 and began jamming together just for fun, but their fast-growing popularity soon convinced them they could make a career of it. After only a few months, they got their first big break by opening for B.B. King. The band soon made the move to Chicago and began performing with the biggest names in blues: Koko Taylor, Albert King, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison, Bo Diddley, and Chuck Berry. Between 1994 and 1997, the group made two highly acclaimed recordings, Strung Out on the Blues and Guess Whos Coming To Dinner? They began traveling extensively across the United States, and their growing popularity captured the attention of Philadelphia-based Evidence Records. The Big $core was the first of three successful discs released by Evidence, and the band wasted no time in promoting it via the first of many trips to Europe. In 2004, longtime band members Howard McCullum, Rocco Calipari, and Jim Christopulos were joined by 26-year-old guitarist Pete Galanis. Galanis tight blues chops coupled with his natural versatility at handling the funk, R&B, and rock styles that have become Howard & the White Boys trademarks have magnificently slotted right in with the groups signature sound and have also lent it an exciting, youthful exuberance, readily apparent on their most recent CD, Made in Chicago. Recorded in the Windy City, Made in Chicago is aptly titled. But its also apropos because Chicago, a city steeped in blues history, is where the band has honed its chops since 1988. Howard & the White Boys have established a reputation as one of the citys favorite attractions, and regular appearances at Buddy Guys Legends have afforded them an opportunity to reach a wider audience. Indeed, Buddy Guy has been their unofficial mentor. from HowardAndTheWhiteBoys.net
HowardAndTheWhiteBoys.net
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Thursday, July 4: Bandshell

Eddie Devil Boy Turner & the Trouble Twins, 7 p.m.
Eddie Devil Boy Turners scorching guitar-playing lives up to his name. Born in Cuba, raised in Chicago, and entering the music scene as a young adult in Colorado, his music is a fiery stew of Afro-Cuban beats and the sounds that influenced him growing up, including blues and psychedelic rock. Every time Ive heard him live, Im reminded of Hendrixs straight-from-Mars style. Hendrix is, of course, one of Eddies major influences. So are Jeff Beck, Rory Gallagher, Jerry Garcia, Muddy Waters, Magic Slim, and Buddy Guy. His experience is also eclectic. In the 70s in Colorado, he played with the Immortal Nightflames (a punk/R&B band), then with Tracy Nelson & Mother Earth, and with the hard-rock psychedelic blues band Zephyr, whose singers tragic death hit Eddie so hard that he took 10 years off from music to sell real estate in Denver, playing Motown covers in bands on the weekends. By 1995, Eddie was back on the music scene as a member of the Otis Taylor Band. Eddie released his first solo album, Rise, in 2005, and it was nominated for Best New Artist Debut at the Blues Music Awards. His 2006 release, The Turner Diaries, won the Independent Music Award for Best Blues Album. And the title cut of Miracles & Demons (2010) was nominated for Blues Song of the Year at the 10th-annual Independent Music Awards. If you like your blues rocked hard with a strobe-light edge, Eddie Turner & the Trouble Twins are just the ticket for an incredible set! Karen McFarland
EddieDevilBoy.com
Walter Trout, 11 p.m.

that the Chris OLeary Band should be given one of our coveted slots at the fest. We heard a tight band playing good old-fashioned blues and most of its songs are originals! All of the band members are veteran musicians from the Hudson Valley area of New York. For six years, Chris OLeary was singer, harp player, and frontman for Levon Helms Barnburners. International tours with the Barnburners and an extended musical residency in New Orleans French Quarter bring a wealth of influences to his singing, playing, and songwriting. The Chris OLeary Bands 2010 debut, Mr. Used to Be, received critical raves, international airplay, a Blues Music Award nomination, and a Best New Artist Debut CD win at the Blues Blast Music Awards. Downbeat Magazine had this to say about that album: OLeary is a more than capable singer and Chicago-style harmonica stylist; the proof comes in the shuffles and jump numbers he handles with suave assurance on his debut recording. Its really the slow tempo of Blues Is a Woman that draws out his best singing, reminiscent of Jimmy Witherspoon. His Hudson Valley-based cohorts stir up the all-original material without faltering. Young guitarist Chris Vitarello merits notice for his technical powers and imagination, his reach extending to rockabilly and swinging jazz. Chris Number 2 attended the Berklee College of Music and has played guitar with many well-known musicians, such as Jimmy McGriff, Bruce Katz, Tad Robinson, and Mitch Woods & the Rocket 88s. Chris Number 3 DiFrancesco is a classically trained clarinetist who plays sax in the band. Andy Stahl on sax and Frank Ingrao on bass round out the rhythm section. So check out this band and dont forget Chris OLearys harp workshop at 4 p.m. on Thursday and youll know we made a great pick! Karen McFarland Walter Trout knows all about the life-shaping power of a great record. In the mid-60s, he was put on his path by an older brother with a habit of blasting the family home in New Jersey with blues-rock platters, from Paul Butterfields 1965 debut to John Mayalls seismic Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton. He brought home John Mayall, and told me, You gotta hear this guy! reflects the 62-year-old guitarist, who was soon inspired to buy his first Gibson Les Paul while on a day trip to Philadelphia. By 1973, Trout had made a move to L.A., where his ferocious talent on lead guitar soon marked him. I went to a party and thats where I met Jesse Ed Davis, who was the first really famous guy I played with, he remembers of the sideman era that also saw him work alongside Big Mama Thornton, Lowell Fulson, and Joe Tex. He was in Davis band for two years, followed by a three-year stint with Canned Heat. Then he got a phone call from John Mayall, offering him the revered guitar slot in the iconic Bluesbreakers band. As far as being a bluesguitar sideman, that gig is the pinnacle, states Trout. Thats Mount Everest. You could play with B.B. King or Buddy Guy, but youre just gonna play chords all night. [Mayall] features you. You get to play solos. He yells your name after every song, brings you to the front of the stage, and lets you sing. He creates a place for you in the world. Where do you go from there ... ? But in 1989, Trout decided to leave the Bluesbreakers and go out on his own. A quarter of a century later, what seemed like career suicide has been vindicated by a catalog of 22 solo albums, a still-growing army of fans, and accolades including a number-six placing on BBC Radio Ones countdown of the Top 20 Guitarists of All Time. As Walter Trout powers into his 25th year as a solo star, theres a sense of growing momentum. Instead of trying to rekindle past glories, says Walter, I feel like I play with more fire than when I was 25. from WalterTrout.com
WalterTrout.com
Chris OLeary Band, 9 p.m.

TheChrisOLearyBand.com
Every year the MVBS entertainment committee gets scores of solicitations from acts weve never heard of who want to be considered for the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, but very few make the cut. This year we all agreed
Thursday, July 4: Tent

Kevin B.F. Burt, 4 p.m.
KevinBFBurt.com
For more than 20 years, Coralvilles Kevin B.F. Burt has been electrifying audiences throughout the nation, dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. His soul-inspired presentation is unique, which consistently gets him compared to a range of artists including Bill Withers and Aaron Neville, with the ability to build an audience rapport that has been compared with greats such as B.B. King. Kevin is a self-taught musician (vocals, harmonica, and guitar) who has also had some stage-acting experience. In the off-Broadway play Klub Ka, the Blues Legend, Kevin played Papa Gee and arranged all of the blues music. The play, which originally ran in Iowa City and then in Washington, DC, also had a two-week run at LaMamas Experimental Theater in New York City and was sold out each night. Kevin has also had roles in several other plays at the University of Iowa for example, playing Whining Boy in the acclaimed August Wilson play The Piano Lesson. Kevin was recognized as one of the Midwests top blues-heritage educators by Iowa Governor Chet Culver in 2009, and he has been an MVBS artist-in-residence for Blues in the Schools. Kevin is a registered artist educator with the State of Iowa Arts Council. He has written and published a classroom harmonica-method book called Just Play It: An Introduction to Blues Harmonica. Kevin has shared the stage with many greats, including Albert Collins, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Honeyboy Edwards, Janiva Magnus, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Luther Allison, Robert Cray, Rod Piazza, Terrance Simien, the Holmes Brothers, the Neville Brothers, and the Blind Boys of Alabama. Besides playing at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival and other Midwest blues festivals, Kevin has performed at the

picking and slide skills. (He shows distinctive flair on Reso-Lectric.) Theres a boogie here and a rocker there, but nothing sounds derivative. Prices music is raw, bare-boned, and rhythmic. This Iowa native definitely has the music of Mississippi in his soul. The All Music Guide posted a review by Greg Prato that summed it up this way: Rain or Shine is a much-needed return to genuine blues played straight from the heart. This is the real deal, folks. Karen McFarland
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Smithsonian Festival of American Folklife in Washington, DC. Burt will conduct a workshop (with Hal Reed) at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, and participate in BluSKool Friday and Saturday at 4:45 p.m. Karen McFarland
Joe & Vicki Price, 6 p.m.

JoePriceBlues.com
When I think of Joe & Vicki Price, Iowa Crawl comes to mind. They represent to me a certain kind of Iowa Americana blues from the Heartland. But in the past few years especially, Joe and Vicki have been touring everywhere; theyre not just Iowa blues musicians anymore. They are regulars at Buddy Guys Legends in Chicago. Theyve played nationally acclaimed blues festivals such as Telluride in Colorado and Bayfront in Duluth, Minnesota. Theyve appeared on Michael Feldmans WhadYa Know? show on NPR, and theyve performed from Canada to California. In 2010, Joe won the Best Blues CD Independent Music Award for Rain or Shine. Vintage Guitar had this to say about that album: Iowa may not be known as a blues mecca, but from the opening Hornets Nest, its clear that Waterloo native Joe Price is the real deal. He beats his National Steel with the kind of power associated with Bukka White, Big Joe Williams, or Mississippi Fred McDowell and sings in a style that is as lowdown as it needs to be without sounding at all affected. ... Somewhere, Hound Dog Taylor is smiling. Eric Thom in Blues Revue had similar sentiments about the CD: Rain or Shine is Prices sixth album. Its 10 songs combine traditional sounds including boot-stomped rhythmic accompaniment with modernday lyrics. Prices vocals are simple yet powerful, every bit as impassioned as his
Davina & the Vagabonds, 8 p.m.

DavinaAndTheVagabonds.com
MVBS member Glenn Cotabish had been raving about Davina & the Vagabonds for a few years before I finally saw them live in Memphis at an IBC showcase, and he was right. Davina & the Vagabonds have a unique sound that casts back to the classic blues era of female artists in the 20s and 30s. The band is horn-driven, theres no lead guitar, and Davina is a powerhouse entertainer. Heres a description from NPRs Marc Silver that gives a good picture of Davina & the Vagabonds sound: Davina Sowers classically trained right fingers shimmy down the piano keys and meet up with an insistent boogie-woogie bass. Then she reveals her other musical talent: a sassy, salty,
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Thursday, July 4: Tent

sweet voice thats childlike at the top, husky at the bottom. The song is lipstickandchrome, named for the tube of ruby red that Sowers never leaves home without and the mirror on her roadster where she checks her makeup. Like many of the tracks she wrote for her bands new album, Black Cloud, the tune is rooted in early 20th Century blues and jazz, but freshened up with the 21st Century cheek of Sowers teasing vocals and clever lyrics. A party anthem, itd sound perfectly at home booming out of a 1920 Model T if it had a radio or a 2011 Prius, preferably with a sunroof. Davina has been performing since the age of five with the support of a musical family. It didnt take her long after moving to Minnesota from Key West, Florida, in 2005 to start making a name for herself. With great vocals and piano, she commands attention on stage and leaves everyone smiling. Rounding out the band are Michael Carvale on stand-up bass, Alec Tackmann on drums, trumpeter Dan Eikmeier, and trombonist Ben Link. Davina & the Vagabonds are known in The Twin Cities as being the busiest band in town because of their hardworking professionalism, high-energy stage performance, and original sound. Karen McFarland

With echoes of Muscle Shoals, Memphis, and Macon, Southern Hospitality is composed of lap-steelguitar master Damon Fowler, guitarist extraordinaire J.P. Soars, and keyboard wizard Victor Wainwright, each a master of his craft bringing a unique style and skill set to the mix. These musicians musicians draw on their rich heritage of Southern soul, blues, and rock music to embody the soul and spirit of Dixie. Damon Fowler is a master of the sixstring, slide guitar, lap steel, and Dobro whos been compared to Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck, while his slide guitar has a hint of the late Duane Allman. J.P. Soars and his band won the Blues Foundations International Blues Challenge in 2009, and he won the Albert King award as the best guitarist in the competition. A singer/songwriter and guitarist best known for his distinctive gypsy-swing jazz playing with plenty of rock potency, he was nominated this year for a Blues Music Award as the Best Contemporary Blues Male Artist. Memphis-based Victor Wainwright is known for his highoctane boogie piano, big soul sounds, powerhouse blues, and roots rock n roll. This year Victor won the coveted Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Blues Music Award. The band originated when Fowler, Soars, and Wainwright, who were performing with their respective bands at a festival in Florida in July of 2011, decided on an impromptu jam together at a post-festival party. After witnessing the performance, the South Florida Blues Society approached the trio about playing for the Legendary Rhythm & Blues PreCruise Party. Dubbing themselves Southern Hospitality, the three musicians added bassist Chuck Riley from Fowlers band and Soars drummer Chris Peet to the lineup and made their official debut opening for Buddy Guy in August 2011 at the Heritage Music Blues Fest in Wheeling, West Virginia. This year Southern Hospitality released their CD Easy Livin, produced by Tab Benoit on the Blind Pig label. The album debuted at number nine on the Billboard blues sales chart. The bands Victor Wainwright will conduct a free keyboard workshop at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Karen McFarland
Southern Hospitality with Victor Wainwright, J.P. Soars, & Damon Fowler, 10 p.m.
SouthernHospitalityBand.com
It started as the idea to get Victor Wainwright to play the Blues Fest. Id heard him twice live with his band the Wild Roots, and I just went crazy for his piano playing. Unfortunately LOL Victors on tour this summer with Southern Hospitality, so we had to take the whole package including Damon Fowler and J.P. Soars! The following is from the Web site of their agency, PiedmontTalent.com:
The first Mississippi Valley Blues Challenge final round is being held at the festival this year with three bands vying for a chance to be named the victor. Each of the bands will play for 20 minutes, with the winner of the challenge qualifying for the 30th International Blues Challenge in Memphis, as well as receiving a paid bandshell slot in this years Mississippi Valley Blues Festival at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 6. The challenge started with three preliminary rounds at the sponsoring venue, The Muddy Waters in Bettendorf, where one band from each round advanced to the finals. The Mississippi Valley Blues Challenge preliminary rounds featured a strong field of competitors, including Harris Collection, the Jared Hughes Band, Mississippi Misfits, and Wheelhouse. The three bands that advanced to the finals were the Chris Avey Band, Serious Business, and the Rock Island Rollers playing Friday in that order. Chris Avey Band. Chris Avey, former lead guitarist and backing vocalist for blues icon Big Pete Pearson, fuels the band with his stinging guitar attack and fiery vocals. Since striking out on his own with his band, he has released two CDs the critically acclaimed Devil in My Bed and Preacherman. Chriss vocals and guitar are reminiscent of a younger, morefiery Coco Montoya, mixed with a dash of Tab Benoit. Blues Blast Magazine says: Blues with intensity and emotion. More energy than a power plant. The rhythm section is Dave Abdo on bass and Wes Weeber on drums. Serious Business. In the spring of 2012, local blues band Serious Business took to the stage and won the Iowa Blues Challenge preliminary round at The Muddy Waters, with performance styles in rockin boogie and soulful blues. This year, drummer Eladio Pena and founder and lead guitarist John Pena decided to create a new lineup that would give Serious Business a whole new sound before entering into the Mississippi Valley
Mississippi Valley Blues Challenge, 3 p.m.
Friday, July 5: Bandshell

Blues Challenge. After John Pena recruited longtime friend and singer Willie The Mac McNeil and his son John Pena II on bass guitar, Serious Business has since created a sound featuring a combination of highenergy original material and cover tunes. Keeping it real with blues as the core of their live performances, people will also hear a combination of rock, jazz-fusion, funk, soul, and R&B flavors. The Rock Island Rollers. From the heart of the heartland Des Moines, Iowa comes the Rock Island Rollers. Soulful and funky, their sound will go straight to your gut and move your spirit. Since their founding in January of 2012, the band has quickly become known as one of the best in the Midwest. Since winning the 2012 Iowa Blues Challenge, theyve begun work on their first record, to be released this month. The Rock Island Rollers have one simple philosophy: Let the music speak for itself. The Rock Island Rollers consist of Jeff Bands on vocals and guitar, Heath Alan on sax and vocals, Justin Appel on keyboards and vocals, Kip Heaberlin on bass, and George McCutchen on drums. Kristy Bennett in 2006 and 2007 by Suburban Nitelife Magazine. They put out the CD Whiskey n Rain in 2011 with 10 original songs, and a fivesong CD, Who Ya Kiddin, in 2013, which was put together for their trip to the IBC in Memphis. Dont let the number of songs keep you from buying it, though, because every song is great! The first time I saw the group was when they were performing in Peorias blues challenge. I was away and got a call that Id better get over to that stage because you did not want to miss this band! The buzz was going through the crowd everywhere. By the time they did their final (winning) set, the place was standing-room only. I went another time to see the band when they were doing a full set rather than the shorter time period of the blues challenge; I wanted to see if they had the stamina and energy for a full show. Needless to say, I wasnt let down! So if youre feeling down, blue, old, or just in a slump, then dont miss this band! I guarantee youll feel a whole lot better afterward! Steve Heston Best New Artist Debut in 2012 for her solo effort, Runaway. Samanthas guitar-playing has been described as a cross between Jonny Lang and Susan Tedeschi, and her throaty vocals belie her young age. Pitch of Kansas City describes her style this way: Fishs sultry voice and rootsy, groove-oriented sound arent quite Delta, Chicago, or KC in style but an amalgamation, with room for Tom Waits, Cedric Burnside, and Lightnin Malcolm. Fish started out as a drummer, but then picked up the guitar at 15, cutting her teeth on Bonnie Raitt covers. Observing local talent on the Kansas City scene along with watching countless hours of B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan concert DVDs helped Fish become a gifted player. She considers the members of Trampled Under Foot her mentors for allowing her watch them and jam with them. According to the Kansas City Star, Samantha also studied a variety of blues players such as Freddie King, Skip James, Son House, and Charlie Patton. Livemusic influences included Mike Zito and Tab Benoit. She was very diligent about watching other guitar players and then working out her lessons on guitar at home. The Blues Revue review of Runaway asked this question: If youre 22 years old, live in the Midwest, and have reviewers claim you paid your dues after a mere two decades of life, can you really sing the blues? The answer here is yes, especially when supported by great technique, which Samantha Fish demonstrates magnificently on this debut solo album. One reviewer likens her to Alvin Lee of Ten Years After, while others place her in the pantheon of contemporary female guitarists, including Ana Popovi. No mere clone, Fish is also inventive in the way that Hendrix, Jimmy Page, John Fogerty, and Bonnie Raitt made the guitar speak just for them. Karen McFarland
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Jimmy Nick & Dont Tell Mama, 5 p.m.

The band consists of Jimmy Nick Goffron on vocals and guitar, Ben Thompson on tenor saxophone, Lowell Todd on bass, and Joel Baer on drums. Jimmy Nick is a bluesguitar prodigy who has been developing his chops and licks on guitar since he was 16 years old in Chicago clubs. Thats where he cultivated his boundless energy and stage presence. He was a finalist in the Chicago Blues Guitar Slinger Challenge in 2012 and the winner of the River City Blues Societys Blues Challenge, and he performed at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. He was also voted best band under 21
JimmyNick.com
Samantha Fish, 7 p.m.

Just since 2010, when Samantha Fish was only 21, she has seen an almost meteoric rise to recognition and fame. That year, she was discovered in her hometown of Kansas City, and through a lucky connection she was next asked to join Cassie Taylor and Dani Wilde for Ruf Records Girls with Guitars CD project and the following tour of the U.S. and Europe. Then she won the Blues Music Award for
SamanthaFish.com
Anthony Gomes, 9 p.m.

AnthonyGomes.com
What can I say about Anthony Gomes? Well I can start out by saying he is one of those artists that play
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with passion. You can tell this easily by the way he plays, the way he grips that guitar like it is an extension of his arm. He just doesnt play that thing; he is that instrument, at that time and place. Look into his eyes when he is performing and you will see what I mean. You can feel his emotion. Yes, I have heard about and read many articles about this artist and also some of the questions asked. Is he really a blues artist? Well my answer to that is: Absolutely, no doubt about it. In my opinion he does it all. He rips off those blues riffs and sings like he has been doing it all his life. From the opening note to the last, he is there, in the zone or the moment. He has stage presence that is mesmerizing. You can tell this artist has studied his history of the great blues players that came before him. He has respect for all of them, and it shows in his music. I recently saw him in a small club in this area where he had two background singers with him, and I left thinking that this was one of the best blues shows I had attended in a long while. I was there, not just in the audience, but right there with him. He had the crowd up on its feet from the first song to the last. Anthony Gomes plays a song called Blues Is the Medicine, and with him playing, it truly is. I read somewhere that sometimes music is the only medicine the heart and soul needs. Come on over to the bandshell on Friday and I think youll agree. Michael Livermore
Friday, July 5: Bandshell
Friday, July 5: Tent

Winter Blues AllStars, 4 p.m.
The Winter Blues AllStars is composed of talented young musicians selected from the River Music Experiences Winter Blues program. The annual Winter Blues program features vocal and instrumental workshops (guitar, bass, harmonica, keyboards, and drums), as well as a concentration on blues composition and improvisation. These sessions are open to musicians from eight to 18 years of age, and are led by Ellis Kell of the RME and Hal Reed of the Mississippi Valley Blues Society, as well as veteran blues musicians from the region as special guests. Heres some information on the AllStars from the December 2012 session. Antonetta Axup attends Rock Island High School, where she participates in the marching, symphonic, and pep bands, and the pit orchestra. She grew up with all kinds of music, learning piano in third grade and saxophone in sixth grade, sticking with saxophone through school. Jim Drain, a 16-year-old sophomore, has been playing the electric bass guitar and the double bass since fifth grade. Jim performs in the Moline High School orchestra and jazz and pep bands, and has also been active in the RMEs Rock Camp for the past two years. His bass-playing influences range from Paul McCartney of the Beatles to Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with his favorite genre being 80s classic rock from the hair band era. Matt Fuller, 14, has been playing guitar since he was seven years old. He started out as a drummer but discovered he loves playing guitar, also. Hes performed with several famous musicians, including Tommy Castro, Lil Ed, and Billy Branch. Some of his favorite guitarists include his grandfather (John Pena of the Pena Brothers and Serious Business), Buddy Guy, Albert King, and B.B. King. Sarah Elisabeth Hanson, from Viola, Illinois, developed an interest in all forms of vocal music as soon as she learned she could easily manipulate the sound of her voice. Since singing her first solo in kindergarten, she has performed in various locations throughout the Quad Cities including Cool Beanz, SouthPark Mall, Festival of Trees, the Quad City Airport, the Speakeasy, and Circa 21, as well as with the Quad City Symphony Childrens Choir and Sunshines
Mighty Sam McClain, 11 p.m.

According to Richard Skelly in the All Music Guide, Vocalist Mighty Sam McClain is a specialist in Southern soulblues, one of the original masters from the 1960s, when the music enjoyed its peak popularity. He carries on the tradition of vocalists like Bobby Bland, Solomon Burke, Otis Clay, James Carr, and Otis Redding. Sam McClains family heard his singing talent when he started belting out gospel songs in church at the age of five. Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Sam left home at 13 to follow his recognized talent and was singing
MightySam.com
lead with Little Melvin Underwood by the age of 15. Sam soon learned that the road could be harsh, and for 15 years he was ignored by the music industry and had to work menial jobs. At times he lived homeless and would have to sell his blood just to buy a meal. But it was that tough experience in his life that gave him the familiarity and life-living songs that later became Sams gift. At Sams lowest time, he was discovered by the Neville Brothers and was soon touring and recording worldwide. Within a few years, Sam found his way to New England, where he recorded Blues for the Soul and Sweet Dreams, both receiving W.C. Handy Award nominations. Because of his experiences, Sam has a deep desire to help the homeless, and in 2008 he co-wrote (with saxophonist Scott Shetler) and recorded Show Me the Way as a duet with Jon Bon Jovi. This song was added to the Give Us Your Poor CD, which continues to help raise funds to prevent homelessness. McClain recorded Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) in 2012. The following year the title song, written by McClain and Pat Herlehy, was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the Best Song category. For more than 40 years now, its been full steam ahead for Sam. His performances translate his life experiences with amazing depth and power, singing from the bottom of his heart. His Soul of America song describes him best: Im a singer, a man with a song, and Ive got a message for you. Kristy Bennett

Performing Arts. Neil Saigal is from Bettendorf and is a senior at Pleasant Valley High School. He has been playing music since he was 10, including guitar, piano, and saxophone. Neil loves all types of music but prefers blues and funk. His influences are Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Cooper Schou has been playing music for more than half of his 14 years, starting on piano before taking on the drums. Cooper plays percussion in the Pleasant Valley High School concert band, snare drum in the marching band, and drums in the jazz band. Cooper has been involved in both the Winter Blues and Rock Camp programs at the RME for the past three years. Cooper listens to and loves many different musical artists, and says his biggest musical influence is the steady diet of 70s funk, R&B, and Motown that his father has fed him over the years. Morgan Williams is home-schooled and enjoys spending her free time playing music. She started playing violin and singing country music when she was four years old, and continues to explore new genres. She picked up a guitar last summer and has an increasing interest in learning new instruments and music. Participants in the Winter Blues program will also participate in BlueSKool sessions at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Kristy Bennett Scottie performs worldwide as a solo artist, or with the Scottie Miller Band (which features drummer Mark ODay, guitarist Joe Cruz, and bassist Kevin Rowe). Scottie is also the touring keyboardist for 2010 Grammy nominee and multi-Blues Music Award winner Ruthie Foster & The Family Band. He appears on her Live at Antones, the Blues Music Award DVD of the Year in 2012. In 2008, he was inducted into the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame for his contributions to blues music and heritage with his instructional book and CD titled Rock Keyboards. Scotties most recent releases include the 2010 CD Live, the 2011 DVD Home A House Concert with Scottie Miller, and the 2012 album Rise Up. Make sure to stop by and pick one up! And dont forget that Scottie Miller will be giving a free keyboard workshop at 4 p.m. In a fest full of piano players, Scottie stands out as a versatile and eclectic player. Let yourself be impressed! Karen McFarland
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France and Poland. Recently Alexander has been covering the work of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix, which shows you just how versatile this singer is. On Friday at 8, Im not going to show any versatility in my location. Im going to be in the tent, as close to the stage as I can get. For a 2009 River Cities Reader interview with Dee Alexander, visit RCReader.com/y/ alexander. Stan Furlong
John Primer, 10 p.m.

JohnPrimerBlues.com
In the All Music Guide, Bill Dahl wrote: By any yardstick, Chicago guitarist John Primer has paid his dues. Prior to making The Real Deal for Mike Vernons Atlanticdistributed Code Blue label, Primer spent 13 years as the ever-reliable rhythm guitarist with Magic Slim & the Teardrops. Before that, he filled the same role behind Chicago immortals Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. All that grounding has paid off handsomely for Primer. His sound is rooted in the classic Windy City blues sound of decades past: rough-edged and uncompromising and satisfying in the extreme. Hes one of the last real traditionalists in town. Born March 3, 1945 in Camden, Mississippi,
Dee Alexander, 8 p.m.

DeeAlexander.net
Before the summer of 2009, Id never heard of Dee Alexander. After I heard her in the tent on July 3, I knew Id never forget her. She says she uses her voice as an instrument. She does, but that description makes one think shes just another scat singer. A Dee Alexander performance goes so far beyond what youd expect from any singer that youd need a better writer than me to adequately describe it. The whole audience was just as entranced and excited as I was. Dont take my word for it. Downbeat Magazine calls her the mother of reinvention and gave her CD Wild Is the Wind a five-star rating. In 2008, she received the Chicago Music Awards Jazz Entertainer of the Year award and the Chicagoan of the Year award from the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune wrote: Equally adept in mainstream swing and outer-fringe experimentation, bigband jazz, and small-group fare, Alexander stands as a jazz vocalist for all occasions. During her tour of Europe, Alexander received rave reviews from newspapers in
Scottie Miller Band, 6 p.m.

ScottieMiller.com
When the MVBS brought Scottie Miller and his band to Martinis on the Rock last year, those of us in attendance were impressed by this Minneapolis-born pianist and singer/songwriter. His musical style is a combination of blues, soul, funk, and jazz. Sounds like Dr. John meets The Band at Bruce Springsteens house, noted Tom Hyslop of Blues Revue.
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Friday, July 5: Tent
Saturday, July 6: Bandshell

law Tommy, who hangs out with L.A. guitar whiz Kid Ramos on a regular basis. Then the 44s got booked into the Muddy Waters here, with Ramos sitting in. (Kid was here for the motorcycle swap meet at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.) Wow! This is a real blues band with that West Coast sound, original material, and mesmerizing rhythms to dance to. And I was not alone in my praise: The 44s were the first band that the entertainment committee unanimously picked for a slot at 2013 festival. I predict they will be the sleeper band of the festival! Making their first mark in the blues scene in 2007 when they finished fourth in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, the 44s have been touring nonstop and playing blues-roots rock ever since. Their first release, Boogie Disease, was selfproduced for $800 with the help of Kid Ramos and was quickly snatched up and issued on Rip Cat Records, hitting a peak position of number 12 on the national Living Blues radio charts and number two on B.B. Kings Bluesville on satellite radio. The 44s play vintage instruments and channel a blues style of days past, but there is a distinct rawness to this blues quartet. Based out of Los Angeles, the band displays a genuine talent for bringing its audiences to their feet and begging to hear more. Kid Ramos has said of the 44s: They play like their life depends on it, and you can quote me. The 44s make their appearance at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival with a topnotch cast of characters, including Johnny Main (guitar and vocals, songwriter) and Tex Nakamura (harmonica), who will be giving a free workshop at 4 p.m. Reminscent of Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters, the 44s will have you up and rockin! Karen McFarland
into a family of sharecroppers, John Primer first picked up a guitar at eight. Even at that young age he was excited about the blues he heard on the radio from Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Little Milton, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin Hopkins, Elmore James, B.B. King, and Albert King. In 1963 he followed his family to Chicago, and within a year he was fronting a band that played the West side clubs. From 1968 to 1974, Primer was woodshedding jamming at night and rehearsing by day, expanding his repertoire. By a lucky turn of events, in 1974 Primer landed the role of guitarist in the house band of Theresas Lounge on the South Side, and he stayed there until 1979. He told Ray Stiles, in a 2000 interview in Blues on Stage, Theresas Lounge was very important. Playing seven nights a week, lots of people got to see me play. I met a lot of very influential people in the blues world. People like Johnny Winter, Paul Butterfield, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Pinetop Perkins, Mojo Buford, Otis Rush, and many more. It was also at Theresas that bandmate and Muddy Waters alumnus Sammy Lawhorn taught Primer how to play slide. In 1979, Willie Dixon asked Primer to join his All-Stars, and in 1980 Primer was recruited to join the last band of Muddy Waters, playing with the Chicago blues king until his 1983 death. Right after that, Primer joined forces with Magic Slim. In 1995 Primer released a solo album, The Real Deal, with, as Dahl says, songwriting and singing techniques showing the influence of both Dixon and Slim. Since then, hes released 11 albums, including two in the past year: Knockin Around These Blues with harp player Bob Corritore and Blues on Solid Ground, which was nominated for Traditional Blues Album at the 2013 Blues Music Awards. Asked to describe his style of blues, Primer responded to interviewer Stiles: My style of the blues is the original style. I try to keep my style close to the original form. I also play the slide. I keep the strings tuned to A 440 and I finger-pick in between the slide notes. No one else plays the slide like me. I learned this from Sammy Lawhorn and Muddy Waters. When I play I feel a deepdown, good feeling in my heart, and I try to share that with the audience. Prior to his performance, John Primer will be given the RiverRoad Lifetime Achievement Award at 9:45 p.m. He will also conduct a workshop at 5:30 p.m. Karen McFarland
Reverend Raven & the ChainSmokin Altar Boys, 3 p.m.

ReverendRaven.com
I agree with how its Web site describes Reverend Raven & the Chain-Smokin Altar Boys as playing traditional blues, straight up with a big dose of passion. With smoking grooves, served up with hot harmonica and smooth, stinging guitar, they play original songs peppered with nods to Slim Harpo, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells, and the three Kings. In 1971, the Reverend saw Freddie King in his hometown of Chicago. Thats when Rik Raven decided he wanted to play guitar. After serving our country in the Navy, he came back stateside and settled in Wisconsin, where he backed up Madison Slim (longtime harmonica player for Jimmy Rogers) for 10 years. Eventually, he formed the Chain-Smokin Altar Boys and started opening for greats such as B.B. King, Gatemouth Brown, and Elvin Bishop. The Wisconsin Music Industry awarded them Best Blues Band in 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008, and 2010. I saw Reverend Raven & the ChainSmokin Altar Boys the last couple of times theyve played in the Quad Cities, and they were excellent shows! Reverend Raven plays guitars, P.T. Peterson is on bass, Bob Sellers is on drums, Danny Moore plays keyboards, and Big Al Groth is on sax. Start the party early and come on down to the bandshell at 3 p.m. on Saturday to hear this band. You wont be disappointed! Jack Allen
Mississippi Valley Blues Challenge Winner, 5 p.m. The 44s, 7 p.m.

The44sBluesBand.com
W.C. Clark, 9 p.m.

WCClark.com
Blues Revue says: Clark conjures the vocal power of Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett and the guitar of Steve Cropper and
I first heard about the 44s from my Orange County (California) brother-in-

Albert King. Clarks mix of modern Texas blues, searing guitar, and heartfelt, Memphisstyle soul vocals have made him a favorite of blues and R&B fans alike. Known as the Godfather of Austin Blues, W.C. Clark has been mentoring countless young blues and soul players in the finer points of the music for almost 40 years. Born in 1939, he began in the early 1960s a six-year stint with Blues Boy Hubbard & the Jets at the popular Austin nightclub Charlies Playhouse. There he met R&B hit-maker Joe Tex, who recruited W.C. to fill the vacant guitar slot in his group. Clark toured the Southern chitlin circuit, learning music firsthand from Tex and countless soul and blues stars along the way, including Tyrone Davis and James Brown. In the early 1970s, W.C. met and befriended Jimmie Vaughans guitarist brother Stevie Ray. Clark eventually quit his day job as a mechanic to become the bass player in the Triple Threat Revue with Stevie, keyboardist Mike Kindred, drummer Freddie Pharoah, and singer Lou Ann Barton. While playing in this band, Clark and keyboardist Kindred co-wrote Cold Shot, which became one of SRVs biggest hits, and recently earned W.C. his first platinum record. In 1989, the critically acclaimed PBS television show Austin City Limits celebrated Clarks 50th birthday by bringing Clark together with his disciples Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Kim Wilson, Lou Ann Barton, and Angela Strehli. The broadcast, one of the series most popular, brought Clark to the attention of a national audience for the first time. On his 2002 album From Austin with Soul, produced by Mark Kaz Kazanoff of the Texas Horns, Clark made his Alligator Records debut. Clarks emotional duet with Marcia Ball, on Dont Mess Up a Good Thing, is only one of the albums many musical highlights. Blues Revue declared: With From Austin with Soul, Clark has painted his masterpiece. Few artists rival Clarks ability to sing as soulfully as Al Green and play guitar with such tasteful precision. from WCClark.com
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Saturday, July 6: Tent
Detroit Larry Davison & Chris Avey, 4 p.m.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, 11 p.m.

KennyWayneShepherd.net
Kenny Wayne Shepherd has really made a name for himself, even though he is still only in his 30s. He was born in Louisiana and met Stevie Ray Vaughan at age seven and shared the stage with New Orleans Bryan Lee at age 13. Guitar World lists Shepherd as the thirdbest blues guitarist ever, placing him right behind B.B. King and Eric Clapton. He has sold millions of records. His band includes Noah Hunt on lead vocals. While in college, he formed the band Uncle Six and recorded four albums; he has been with the KWS band since 1998. A familiar name, Chris Layton is on drums; he joined Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble in 1978 in Austin, Texas. Following Stevies death, he and bassist Tommy Shannon joined with Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II and formed Arc Angels. He has played on many of Shepherds CDs and eventually started touring with him in 2006. Tony Franklin on bass is the newest addition to the band. He got his first big break playing in the Firm with Jimmy Page, but he has played with a huge number of people and has appeared on more than 150 albums. Riley Osbourn on keyboards is from Austin, Texas, and is a much-sought-after studio player who has performed on more than 100 albums. He joined the KWS band in 2007. Shepherd realizes how much of an emotional role music can play in the lives of his listeners. He is quoted as saying: I get up on stage every night to play my heart out and try to turn people on their ear. I want to bring light into peoples lives with my music. If I can make people feel good for an hour and a half and they forget about whatever might be stressing them out, then Im doing my job. One thing is for sure: Hes been doing his job right for a long time! Steve Heston
Detroit Larry Davison and Chris Avey are both veteran blues musicians on the Quad Cities scene. They are both stellar performers Larry on harp and Chris on guitar and vocals. Together, their acoustic act sounds like Maxwell Street transported to your front porch. Larry is acknowledged by local listeners including other harp players as the best harmonica player in town. Hes been a vital part of many bands, including the Ellis Kell Band and John Resch & the Detroit Blues. And he took the stage in Memphis as part of the Avey Brothers Band when they reached the finals of the Blues Foundations International Blues Challenge in 2010. (They were the only real blues band in the finals, but the judges were after something else.) Youll be seeing a lot of Chris Avey at the 2013 blues fest. Besides this acoustic set with Larry, Chris heads the Chris Avey Band (finalists in the Mississippi Valley Blues Challenge), and the Avey Brothers are the host band for the 2013 after-fest showcase. The Avey Brothers were voted backto-back champions of the 2008 and 2009 Iowa Blues Challenge. They have shared the stage with many top-tier artists such as Kenny Neal, Delbert McClinton, Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials, Walter Trout, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Lonnie Brooks, and Big Pete Pearson of Phoenix, Arizona; Chris was his guitarist and backing vocalist for many years. So come on out to hear Larrys and Chris set more of the best blues that the Mississippi Valley has to offer. Karen McFarland
Toby Walker, 6 p.m.

LittleTobyWalker.com
Making his first appearance at our festival will be internationally acclaimed finger-style guitarist Toby Walker. While not yet well-known in our immediate area, he comes to us highly
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Saturday, July 6: Tent

blues and R&B songs. A truly gifted and engaging performer, Sams powerful, soulful voice and remarkable piano prowess remain undiminished. In his heyday, Ironing Board Sam was nearly a total obscurity working primarily in local scenes around the South with only minimal touring, and recording sporadic singles, all for different labels and none approaching hitdom. But those who got to see him, whether in person or on the R&B television program Night Train, remember him well, for Sam could put on a show. Born Samuel Moore in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in 1939, he began gigging locally on piano and organ at age 14. By the late 50s he was on the scene in Miami, where, lacking a stand for his electric organ, he mounted it on an ironing board. But make no mistake, Sam was already a showman a slightly mellower Little Richard crossed with a slightly saner Screaming Jay Hawkins as he moved back to Memphis, then to Chicago, Iowa, Los Angeles, [and] Memphis once more. Ironing Board Sam will be accompanied by Ardie Dean on drums. And for all you folks who have smart phones, check out the video of Ironing Board Sam at RCReader.com/y/sam. Ironing Board Sam will also host a workshop at 5:30 p.m. Michael Livermore
recommended. John Hammond calls Toby a real killer with fantastic technique. I personally was first made aware of Toby Walker several years ago when he first submitted a CD for consideration for our festival. I must say I was less than impressed. In fact, in looking back at my notes (which I usually keep private), I commented that I thought he was a frantic finger-picker with a frail voice. Well, times have changed, Tobys changed, and, yes, Ive probably changed, as well. His latest CD, Shake Shake Mama, is undoubtedly one of the best country-style blues CDs to be released in years. While still possessing the dexterity and speed to re-create the lines of Blind Blake or Big Bill Broonzy, his playing can now capture the raw emotion that other forefathers of the genre, such as Willie Johnson or Robert Johnson, first demonstrated. With his vocals, Toby has developed a more relaxed and mellow style that proves itself to be most appropriate for the wide variety of material he performs. Tobys lovely wife Carol provided the solid backing on Shake Shake Mama on upright bass, and we are hopeful she will be here to join in, as well. If one show isnt enough, you can come early Saturday and catch his 2:30 p.m. workshop at the Freight House stage. We know that at our festival with multiple stages, no one can see it all, but believe me, Toby is a must see. Dont take my word for it, though. As Jorma Kaukonen says: Flat out, you have to hear this great musician. Im blown away! Bob Covemaker
C. J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, 10 p.m.
Ironing Board Sam & Ardie Dean, 8 p.m.

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society prides itself on bringing a diverse group of blues artists to the festival that may not be in the national spotlight but are extremely talented blues musicians with many years of performing this great art form. Ironing Board Sam is a Music Maker musician. We have worked before with the Music Maker Relief Foundation, which was founded to preserve the musical traditions of the South by directly supporting the musicians who make it, ensuring their voices will not be silenced by poverty and time. This is what the foundation has to say about Ironing Board Sam: After playing professionally for more than 55 years, Ironing Board Sam has amassed a staggering repertoire of both originals and classic
According to The Boston Globe, C.J. Chenier attacks the accordion with the tension and drive of James Brown ... creating contemporary, turbo-charged dance music. Downbeat says, Aspirants to the zydeco throne vacated by Clifton Cheniers death in 1987 are many, but Cliftons son C. J. may well be the true royal successor. He lets the blues and funk rip like a strong wind off the Gulf. Clayton Joseph Chenier was born September 28, 1957, the son of the King of Zydeco, the legendary Clifton Chenier. C.J. grew up in the projects of Port Arthur, Texas, far from the bayous of Louisiana. His earliest musical influences were a mix of funk, soul, jazz, and Motown, and his first musical instruments were piano, tenor saxophone, and flute. It wasnt until his 21st birthday, after winning a scholarship and studying music at Texas Southern
CJChenierAndTheRedHotLouisianaBand.com
Workshop and BluSKool Performers

University, that C.J. first performed with his father and the Red Hot Louisiana Band as a sax player. C.J. went on the road with his father and the band, but by 1985, Clifton was ill from diabetes, and he asked C.J. to take up the accordion. After Cliftons death in 1987, C.J. inherited his dads accordion as well as the Red Hot Louisiana Band. But he took his fathers traditional zydeco music and infused it with elements of the music he grew up with. When Paul Simon recorded his 1990 album Rhythm of the Saints, he handpicked C.J. Chenier to play accordion (alongside Ringo Starr on drums), then asked him to join his Born at the Right Time Tour. Then Alligator Records signed C.J. in October 1994, and his debut album, Too Much Fun, became a favorite with fans and critics alike. A 1995 appearance on the Jon Stewart Show, and a 1996 performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival picked up by VH1 brought a wider audience to C.J.s zydeco. Alligator Records reports: When zydeco superstar C.J. Chenier stepped onto the main stage at the 2001 Chicago Blues Festival and looked over the crowd of 60,000 eager fans, he had one thing in mind: get them on their feet and make them dance. Almost immediately after launching into their first song, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band had people young and old shaking their hips and cheering in unison. Thats the point! The zydeco of C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band will make you want to dance yes, even I will get up and dance to what C.J.s serving up! What a great way to end the festival by blowing the roof off the tent! Karen McFarland

including alternative schools for at-risk students. Look out when he digs out his gigantic harmonica! His passion and his love for kids is unstoppable, and he leaves kids of all ages with something more than what they came with. David is an endorsee for Hohner harmonicas and has taught harmonica classes through adult continuing education at Tulsa Community College for more than 12 years. He also teaches childrens harmonica classes for the Tulsa parks-andrecreation department. Davids BlueSKool sessions feature free harmonicas and lessons for all the kids! Ann Ring
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David Horwitz (blues photography workshop)

Friday July 5, 2:30 pm.
Photographer and educator David Horwitz of Tucson, Arizona, has been traveling to clubs and festivals for decades in search of great blues music for his ears and visual images to capture on film. Winner of the 1999 Blues Foundations Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Photography, David has spent more than 25 years capturing moments of the blues masters. His works have appeared in countless publications. In 2011, he was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame. This is his 26th year of shooting the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, and the free photo exhibit near the workshops will showcase Davids work.
Hal Reed and Ellis Kell with the Winter Blues Kids (BlueSKool)
Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6, 6 p.m.
Blues harpist, guitarist, singer, bandleader, and educator Hal Reed was born in Mississippi just a few miles from the Delta, where he grew up influenced by his grandfather, a talented Southern folk-blues artist who, in addition to inspiring young Hals love for the blues, taught Hal the need to pass it on from generation to generation. Hal Reed is a veteran musician on the Quad Cities scene. Hes fronted various bands, and took one of them to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Ellis Kell, director of programming and community outreach at the River Music Experience in Davenport, is also a pillar of the Quad Cities blues scene. As guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader, hes kept the Ellis Kell Band together for 22 years. Ellis and Hal conducted a very successful Blues in the Schools residency a few semesters back, and this is their sixth year collaborating with graduates of the River Music Experiences Winter Blues program at BlueSKool.
David Berntson (harmonica BlueSKool)

Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6, 3:30 p.m.
What would the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival be without blues educator and harpist David Berntson? Three words: David brings it! Originally from Galesburg, Illinois, this Tulsa, Oklahoma, Blues Club founder, prevention educator, and drug/ alcohol counselor continually shares his enthusiasm and passion for the blues with young people and adults. David presents Blues in the Schools at a number of schools,

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What are some of the highlights of past Mississippi Valley Blues Festivals?

What are some of the highlights of past Mississippi Valley Blues Festivals?

What workshops and exhibits will be available at this year's festival?

What workshops and exhibits will be available at this year's festival?

2

Welcome from the MVBS President

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Advance Tickets (through June 30) Available at:

The Business Behind the Luck

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Selwyn Birchwood Band: Thursday, July 4, 3 p.m., Bandshell

The Road to World Domination, Via Minnesota

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Davina & the Vagabonds: Thursday, July 4, 8 p.m., Tent

The Road to World Domination, Via Minnesota

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Continued From Page 5

If I Dont Sing, I Die

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Mighty Sam McClain: Friday, July 5, 11 p.m., Bandshell

In That Same Line

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

At The Adler Theatre

Subscriptions and Group Tickets On Sale Now!

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Saturday, July 6, 11 p.m., Bandshell

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Thursday, July 4: Bandshell

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Howard & the White Boys, 5 p.m.

Thursday, July 4: Bandshell

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Walter Trout, 11 p.m.

Chris OLeary Band, 9 p.m.

Thursday, July 4: Tent

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Joe & Vicki Price, 6 p.m.

Davina & the Vagabonds, 8 p.m.

Thursday, July 4: Tent

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Mississippi Valley Blues Challenge, 3 p.m.

Friday, July 5: Bandshell

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Jimmy Nick & Dont Tell Mama, 5 p.m.

Samantha Fish, 7 p.m.

Anthony Gomes, 9 p.m.

Friday, July 5: Bandshell

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Friday, July 5: Tent

Mighty Sam McClain, 11 p.m.

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

John Primer, 10 p.m.

Dee Alexander, 8 p.m.

Scottie Miller Band, 6 p.m.

Friday, July 5: Tent

2013 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival

Saturday, July 6: Bandshell