Few vocalists own the stage like Terrie Odabi. When the statuesque Oakland native begins to sing, a hush falls over the audience. They’re about to take a ride through the highs and lows of soul music, led by a beautiful singer who packs her shows with heart-pumping energy and poignant memories. Whether it’s opening for Average White Band or Lenny Williams, or performing at the Concord Pavilion or the Fillmore Jazz Festival, Terrie’s finely honed instrument is matched by her generous spirit and wit. Terrie performs original blues straight from the soul. Her compelling arrangements create a contemporary sound that support Terrie's witty lyrics and compelling voice. She takes pride in her urban roots, appealing to a wide, new audience and signifying the evolution of the blues. "Terrie Odabi is easily the most dynamic blues and soul woman to have emerged in the Bay Area since Etta James came out of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the Fifties. Terrie has a powerful set of pipes, writes terrific tunes, leads a kicking band, and has onstage movements that perfectly match the rhythms of her material. Surely stardom awaits her." –Lee Hildebrand, contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle, East Bay Express, and Living Blues “Has anyone here lost their mojo? Raise your hand if you’re suffering from a mojo deficiency,” she asks the crowd at the Monterey Blues Festival. From that point on, she has them in the palm of her hand as she proceeds to testify. “Terrie’s got soul and charm. Her voice soars and draws you in and makes you feel good. She is full of surprises!” enthuses trombonist Steve Turre, member of the Saturday Night Live Band and professor at the Julliard School of Music. Turre, who has performed and co-written with Terrie, dubs her “a jewel from the Bay Area.

Nick Moss has been recognized as one the great guitarists of his generation, garnering accolades from Buddy Guy and praise from Jambase, Relix, and Gratefulweb.com among many others. His recording career spans decades and his albums are staples at blues radio outlets worldwide, and are now in rotation at stations with jam and rock formats. Nick Moss Band has a legion of fans that flock to his shows, knowing that each night will be a grand musical experiment. There will be sonic textures to discover and new sounds to stir the soul.

Sugaray Rayford has been nominated for a Grammy Award for his critically acclaimed album, Somebody Save Me, which was released this past March on Forty Below Records. It marks the latest in a series of honors awarded Rayford during the past year alone, including nods for “Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year” at the 40th Blues Music Awards, a pair of 2019 Muddy Awards for “Best Performance” and “Best Recording,” and a win for Blues Blast’s “Best Blues Band.” The accolades also follow a stream of critical kudos. Downbeat called Rayford a performer with “a soul-blues voice that has an emotional strength.” Albumism raved “A sound that’s undeniably fresh and inspired. Living Blues hailed him as “a soul singer who brilliantly weaves blues, jazz and gospel inflections into his soaring songs.” Blues Music Magazine agreed, describing Somebody Save Me as “an outstanding showcase of Sugaray Rayford’s great talent.” “I just feel blessed,” said Rayford in response to his Grammy nomination. “I can’t believe this could ever happen to me.” Eric Corne, Rayford’s writer and producer, added, “It's a huge thrill to be working with such a massive talent as Sugaray Rayford. As a songwriter, producer and owner of Forty Below Records, I am truly humbled, honored and grateful to be included amongst such a strong field of nominees.” Rayford himself may be best described by this lyric from “The Revelator,” the new album’s opening track: “I’m a freak of nature / I ain’t no honeybee / I’m an unknown creature / The like you’ve never seen.” Indeed, at 6’5” and 300 pounds, this cigar chomping’ ex-Marine sings with a voice that comes across like a force of nature. His magnetic personality and old school vocal approach brings to mind such legends as Muddy Waters, Otis Redding and Teddy Pendergrass, he captivates his audiences with dance moves reminiscent of the legendary James Brown.

The Utah Blues Society is proud to present a collection of Utah’s rising youth musicians at the 2019 Utah Blues Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah

“Ain’t no party like a Chubby party!” If you haven’t experienced the high energy, swamp funky zydeco sound of Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, it is high time that you join the legions of fans that have. Once the accordion-playing virtuoso grabs the mic and takes to the stage with his band mates, audiences are treated to a show like no other. Chubby’s sound is infectious – a concoction of blues, 70s funk, rock and roll, and good-ole zydeco flavor – and makes even the most timid individuals get their feet a movin’. Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band are turning heads around the world and bringing Louisiana flavor to the masses. The funky zydeco band’s latest release, “Zydeco Junkie,” earned one of the highest musical accolades when it was named Best Zydeco or Cajun Album during the 53rd annual Grammy Awards celebration in February 2011. “It was unbelievable ... it was a moment,” Carrier said during a July 2011 interview with The Joplin (Mo.) Globe. “I never thought in a million years that I’d be a part of it. Looking at the names there ... Aretha Franklin, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder ... and knowing, ‘Mister, your name is going to be on this board.’ What an honor and a blessing. “It’s like I went to the Super Bowl and won a trophy. In addition to the coveted Grammy, the band was honored with OffBeat magazine’s Best of the Beat award when it named “Zydeco Junkie” as the Best Zydeco Album. Furthermore, the 2011 Big Easy Music Awards awarded the group for Best Zydeco. For Carrier’s accomplishments as a musician and humanitarian, the band was awarded keys to the city from Lake Charles, Opelousas, and Lafayette. To add to its growing presence outside Cajun country, the video of “Zydeco Junkie” is currently posted on MTV.com. Carrier is a prince in zydeco royalty. His father, Roy Carrier; his grandfather, Warren Carrier, and his cousins, Bebe and Calvin Carrier, are considered zydeco legends. For more than 20 years, Chubby and the Bayou Swamp Band have toured relentlessly around the world, playing venues such as the Chicago Blues Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Cajun and Zydeco Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Montreaux Jazz Fest in Switzerland. For his steadfast dedication to zydeco music, Carrier was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame on October 16, 2011. During the 20-year span, the band has produced and released 10 albums, “Boogie Woogie Zydeco” (1991), “Dance All Night” (1993), “Who Stole the Hot Sauce?” (1996), “Too Hot To Handle” (Live) (1999), “It’s Party Time!” (1999), “Take Me To The Zydeco” (2001), “Ain’t No Party Like A Chubby Party!” (2003), “Bayou Road” (2006), “Live at Knuckleheads” (2007), and “Zydeco Junkie” (2010). Carrier has shared the stage with many well-known musicians. To name a few, the list includes Carlos Santa, Buddy Guy, Eddie Money, Travis Tritt, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Taj Mahal, Morris Day and the Time, Confunkshun and “Weird” Al Yankovic. Chubby Carrier, a Church Pointe, La., native, has taken on several causes that are dear to him, including children’s causes, education, and advocating a smoke-free environment. The band is an ardent supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana, as they have held concert fundraisers to benefit the nonprofit organization. The most-recent benefit, Zydeco For a Good Cause, raised money for the Opelousas unit. In an effort to spread zydeco music to the younger generations, Carrier and the gang teamed up with the Acadiana Symphony & Conservatory of Music to provide students with zydeco lessons. The project, Zydeco from A-Z, boosted participants’ understanding of zydeco music. Through Carrier’s inviting instruction, students learned about the rich history of the genre, the types of instruments used in zydeco such as the accordion, the rub board and the fiddle. Of all the causes that Carrier endorses, his urge for a smoke-free environment is a personal one. In May 2010, his father, Roy Carrier, died from lung cancer. Carrier, along with Lafayette musicians David Egan, Joey Richard, Carol Fran, among others, has become a vocal spokesman for the Let’s Be Totally Clear campaign. The Bayou Swamp Band front man has made several media appearances to show his support for smoke-free venues in Lafayette and around Louisiana and for individuals to adopt a tobacco-free lifestyle. The band has also participated in several local events that are aimed at increasing tourism in the Acadiana region. In addition, Carrier is featured in two documentaries, “Zydeco Breakfast (yet to be released),” which tells the story of zydeco music and the culture of French Louisiana; and “Hurricane on the Bayou (2006),” a detailed account of the damage Hurricane Katrina brought to New Orleans in 2005. Carrier is one of the main characters in the IMAX Film. Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band will always have a place in the annals of French music history. With Carrier’s unmatched sound, the group will continue to grow as Louisianans and the world come to appreciate the beats of the ensemble. Zydeco is more than a calling for Carrier. His love for the music is etched in his pedigree. While winning a Grammy is the tip of the iceberg for Chubby and the band, now is the time for all to know to learn about the zydeco culture and Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band.

The Blues Were Passed To Me Through The Blood Born St. Louis, Mo, Marquise hails from a musical family deeply rooted in the Blues. He learned how to play guitar from his grandmother Lillie. He also played with his uncle Clifford, who was a major influence in Marquise’s life. For Marquise, Blues is his heritage and way of life. He spent his early teenage years in St. Louis mentoring under the late great Blues legend, N.E.A. (National Endowment of the Arts) Heritage Fellowship recipient and Grammy Award winner Henry James Townsend. Marquise’s talents have earned him performing rights with some of America’s most notable blues performers such as blues legends B.B. King, Pinetop Perkins and David “Honeyboy” Edwards (the latter two also N.E.A. Heritage Fellows). He has also performed at dozens of festivals, and has toured all throughout Europe. During a visit to Clarksdale, Mississippi, Marquise was introduced to Sam Lay. Like other statesmen of the Blues, Sam took an immediate liking to Marquise and took it upon himself to help give Marquise’s career a boost by insisting that Chad Kassem bring Marquise to the celebrated Blues series “Bluesmasters at the Crossroads,” which has showcased a virtual who’s-who of the Blues at Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas. Marquise was an immediate crowd favorite, and was adopted by all of the elders of the Blues in attendance that year. His obvious talent along with his deep knowledge of the Blues and vast respect for his elders made it clear Marquise had something special, and Kassem signed him to a three album deal. Knox’s debut album MANCHILD was nominated for a Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut. The album was recorded when he was 16 with world reknowned guitarist Michael Burks and his band. The release received worldwide acclaim, including Living Blues’ Best Debut Artist Award and a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Debut Artist. Marquise then recorded a direct-to-disc album while in town for the next year’s Crossroads. Marquise released his second album, Here I Am, once again recorded at the legendary Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas. It features Marquise and his band, with a little help from Wayne Sharp of Michael Burk’s band sitting in on B-3 and piano. Nine originals, and three reverent covers of Marquise’s favorite Muddy Waters tunes.

“There’s a young lady [Vanessa Collier] came onstage with me, I forget where I was, but she’s playing an alto saxophone, and man, she was amazing.” Those are the words of Buddy Guy in a recent issue of American Blues Scene, describing an impromptu performance with Vanessa Collier on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. If you haven’t been fortunate enough to meet Vanessa and witness one of her head-turning, fiery, and passionate performances, you should definitely make sure you do. As a master musician and multi-instrumentalist, Vanessa Collier, weaves funk, soul, rock, and blues into every powerful performance and she is downright impressive. With soulful vocals, searing saxophone, and witty songwriting, Vanessa is blazing a trail, racking up an impressive arsenal of honours, and has already singled herself out as an artist of distinction and one we would all do well to watch. It’s not simply the accolades she has accumulated so far, although they’ve been many -- three Blues Music Award Nominations (BMAs), a Blues Blast Award nomination, the Jammingest Pro Award bestowed by the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, First Place for lyrics in the International Songwriting Competition, Best of 2014 Blues Breaker on Dan Aykroyd’s BluesMobile -- it’s the fact that she has accumulated all these honours even while her career is still in its infancy. A 2013 graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, she’s toured nationally and internationally, released two critically acclaimed albums (2014’s Heart, Soul & Saxophone and 2017’s Meeting My Shadow), and released her highly anticipated third album, Honey Up, in July 2018. Honey Up spent 9 weeks atop the Billboard Blues Album Charts Top 15, 3 months on the Living Blues Charts at #10 and #23, and continues to be spun on Sirius XM’s B.B. King’s Bluesville radio station! It’s not surprising that the press has been quick to commend her efforts as well. Blues Blast Magazine affirms, “Vanessa Collier is a fresh face on the American blues scene, and in addition to her soulful vocals, she brings a mighty sax to the table...” Blues Music Magazine proclaims, “Collier is a fresh face who comes to the blues stage carrying her reed instruments, a dual degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, a major label debut, almost two years of touring with Joe Louis Walker, and a mature musical vision…Collier commands center stage with her vocals, soloing, and stage presence.” Midwest Record exclaims, “This bluesy singing sax player knows how to bring the slinking funk to her captivating, award winning sound that has echoes in young Bonnie Raitt/Maria Muldaur vocal sounds…Killer stuff on every level, this sounds like one of the reasons you first became a music fan. Killer stuff.” and AXS.Com declares that she “might as well go ahead and add another shelf to her trophy case because clearly, she’s going to need it. With a voice that often recalls that of blues-rock stalwart Bonnie Raitt, Collier turns up the heat...” Having first picked up the saxophone at the age of nine, Collier embarked on her road to recognition at Berklee, earning dual degrees in Performance and Music Production & Engineering. While still completing her degree, Collier landed a position touring with Joe Louis Walker for a year and a half before Joe encouraged her to strike out on her own. And strike out she did. These days, Collier spends much of her time on the road, performing at some of the most prestigious music festivals in the world. Her talents have taken her to the Blues Music Awards Show where, in the words of the Blues Foundation, Vanessa “blew the doors off the Blues Music Awards!”; Ottawa Blues Festival, where she earned two front page newspaper photos and rave reviews after her foot stomping debut there; twice on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, where she earned the Jammingest Pro Award and was a featured artist with Tommy Castro’s Blues Review; Briggs Farm Festival, where she was the “most popular Briggs Farm act in 2017” (Elmore Magazine), and the list continues. In 2017, Vanessa was also a featured artist in three major tours across Europe as part of Ruf’s 2017 Blues Caravan. In early 2018, Vanessa was nominated for TWO 2018 Blues Music Awards, the first one for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, which puts her in elite company with artists such as Beth Hart, Samantha Fish, and Shemekia Copeland, and a second nomination for Instrumental – Horn Player of the Year, in company with veteran artists like Trombone Shorty, Al Basile, and Jimmy Carpenter. As for Collier, she says she’s happy performing on stages across the world, hoping that she can make a difference with fans and followers along the way. “I am driven to do this because I find it a total form of expression and connection,” she explains. “I love connecting with an audience and feeling their energy and I hope to inspire people to follow their dreams and passions, to find what brings them joy, and then to pursue it doggedly.” Vanessa also takes that message to young people as she runs clinics across the country and is active with Blues in the Schools programs. At a recent Blues in the School program, Vanessa invited a stage full of elementary and middle school aged kids up to dance around her while she performed a blues shuffle. Watching the joy on the faces of Vanessa, the kids, and everyone in the auditorium, it is no wonder why Vanessa has become awe-inspiring to all who meet her. On top of talent and hard work, Vanessa shares an incredible heart and a strong purpose. To borrow from the words of an article in Blues Blast Magazine, “Vanessa is an important part of the future of the blues, and it would be cool to support her journey. “A young singer with a fierce, compelling voice, she also played a mean saxophone and had the charisma to get the crowd in the palm of her hand for a full hour. ” — Lynn Saxburg, Ottawa Sun (reviewing Vanessa's performance at the 2017 Ottawa Bluesfest) “This bluesy singing sax player knows how to bring the slinking funk to her captivating, award winning sound that has echoes in young Bonnie Raitt/Maria Muldaur vocal sounds. Impressing everyone right out of the gate, she takes it to the next level of the game this time around with a set that’ll make you feel like the guy in those old Memorex ads. Killer stuff on every level, this sounds like one of the reasons you first became a music fan. Killer stuff.” — Midwest Record “At 26 years old, Collier is a fresh face who comes to the blues stage carrying her reed instruments, a dual degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, a major label debut on Ruf Records, almost two years of touring with Joe Louis Walker, and a mature musical vision. With her tiny alto sax, Collier, like Walker, commands center stage with her vocals, soloing, and stage presence. At the 2016 International Blues Challenge…(her) performances were among some of the most invigorating shows on Beale.” — Art Tipaldi, Blues Music Magazine “Collier is a one-time member of Joe Louis Walker’s band and she’s racked up a tremendous amount of accolades…The singer and sax player might as well go ahead and add another shelf to her trophy case because clearly, she’s going to need it. With a voice that often recalls that of blues-rock stalwart Bonnie Raitt, Collier turns up the heat... ” — Kevin Wierzbicki, AXS.com “With such a dearth of credible female blues artists on today’s music scene, it is refreshing to hear the latest release from Vanessa Collier, the follow-up to her 2014 release, Heart Soul & Saxophone. The award-winning, soulful songstress offers the whole package on her sophomore album – top-notch songwriting and sultry, R&B-soaked vocals that are complemented by her sizzling saxophone. The rich, smoky nuances of her voice will win over any music lover, and her multi-instrumental background only adds to her appeal. ” — Michelle Wilson, Ink19.com “Vanessa Collier is a fresh face on the American blues scene, and in addition to her soulful vocals she brings a mighty sax to the table. I am not the only one that thinks so, as Vanessa was nominated for the best horn instrumentalist at the 2017 BMAs…Vanessa is an important part of the future of blues, and it would cool to support her journey. ” — Rex Bartholomew, Blues Blast Magazine

The Proven Ones -The Proven Ones are Kid Ramos, Brian Templeton, Anthony Geraci, Willie J. Campbell and Jimi Bott. They are truly an Allstar band to be reckoned with. Their first recording Wild Again (Roseleaf) earned a 2019 Blues Music Award (BMA) Nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Recording. In addition Willie J. Campbell, Anthony Geraci, and Jimi Bott were nominated on their respected instruments. All members have recorded with and shared the stage with Blues Artists such as John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush, Bo Diddley, Big Mama Thorton, Big Joe Turner…and many more. -Kid Ramos is one of the most respected blues guitarist anywhere. He has been a member of the James Harman Band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys-that also included Campbell and Bott. Ramos was awarded The Orange County (CA) Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. He has received 13 Blues Music Award nominations (BMA’s.) -Lead singer Brian Templeton brings soul power to The Proven Ones. A veteran of over 40 years in the powerful Boston, MA music scene. Brian was part of the Radio Kings which released recordings on the Icehouse Record label. He has been featured with harmonica ace Jerry Portnoy’s band and has toured under his own name in Europe and the United States. -Piano/Hammond Organist Anthony Geraci is an original member of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones and Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters. He was also an original member at the first House of Blues (Cambridge, MA) Blue Monday Band. He has appeared on over 40 recordings and has received a Grammy Nomination for Super Harps I (Telarc). Anthony has numerous Blues Music Award nominations-most notably the Pinetop Perkins Piano Award 4 years in a row and an unprecedented 6 personal Blues Music Awards Nomination in 2019. -Willie J. Campbell has been the bass man for some of todays most notable blues bands/musicians-The Fabulous Thunderbirds, James Harman, The Mannish Boys. Willie has also recorded with these Artists: Sugaray Rayford, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King, Mike Morgan, Kevin Selfie, Kid Ramos, as well as Geraci’s 2019 BMA nominated Why Did You Have To Go CD. -Drummer Jimi Bott is one of todays hardest working blues and roots drummers. He has been nominated by the Blues Foundation for Instrumentalist-Drums 20 times! Winning the Blues Music Award in 2015. Jimi was inducted into the Cascade Blues Association in 2009-The Blues Drummer Award is now named after him. Jimi was also a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys and Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers and has been featured on close to 100 recordings. -Rounding out The Proven Ones sound are trumpeter/arranger Joe McCarthy and tenor saxophonist/arranger Chris Mercer. Joe has played on recordings with, and arranged for Artists such as Paul Delay, Curtis Salgado, Kevin Selfie, Karen Lovely, and Lisa Mann. Tenor saxophonist/arranger Chris Mercer has been an in demand Musican for decades. He has toured with and recorded with an unprecedented group of Artists including: The Pretenders, Janiva Magness, John Mayall, Freddie King, Procol Harum, Marc Bolan and T. Rex, Buddy Guy…and many, many more.

In the tightknit musical community of Austin, Texas, it’s tough to get away with posturing. You either bring it, or you don’t. If you do, word gets around. And one day, you find yourself duetting with Bonnie Raitt, or standing onstage with the Allman Brothers at New York’s Beacon Theater and trading verses with Susan Tedeschi. You might even wind up getting nominated for a Best Blues Album Grammy — three times in a row. And those nominations would be in addition to your seven Blues Music Awards, three Austin Music Awards, the Grand Prix du Disque award from the Académie Charles-Cros in France, a Living Blues Critics’ Award for Female Blues Artist of the Year, and the title of an “inspiring American Artist” as a United States Artists 2018 Fellow. There’s only one Austinite with that résumé: Ruthie Foster. And with the release of her latest album, Joy Comes Back, the Recording Academy might want to put its engraver on notice. Because every note on it confirms this truth: It’s Ruthie’s time. The small rural town of Gause, TX had no chance of keeping the vocal powerhouse known as Ruthie Foster to itself. Described by Rolling Stone as “pure magic to watch and hear,” her vocal talent was elevated in worship services at her community church. Drawing influence from legendary acts like Mavis Staples and Aretha Franklin, Foster developed a unique sound unable to be contained within a single genre. That uniqueness echoes a common theme in Ruthie’s life and career - marching to the beat of her own drum. Joining the Navy was one way for Ruthie to stake out her own path. It was during her time singing for the Navy band Pride that her love for performing became apparent. After leaving the service, Ruthie signed a development deal with Atlantic Records and moved to New York City to pursue a career as a professional musician. A deal with a major label would seem to be a dream come true for a budding artist. But the label wanted Ruthie to hand over her authenticity in exchange for being molded into a pop star. In another bold move, she walked away from the deal and returned to her roots, moving back to the Lone Star State. Returning to Texas, Ruthie solidified her place as an up-and-coming singer/songwriter and began a musical partnership with Blue Corn Music. Her studio albums for the label began with Runaway Soul in 2002, followed by The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster in 2007, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster in 2009, Let It Burn in 2012 and Promise of a Brand New Day in 2014. Her live shows, which she has referred to as a “hallelujah time,” have been documented on the album Stages in 2004 and the CD/DVD release Live at Antone’s in 2011. Now comes Ruthie’s latest - Joy Comes Back - again on Blue Corn Music. When she recorded this album, Foster wasn’t merely singing about love and loss; she was splitting a household and custody of her 5-year-old daughter. Music was her therapy. In the warm confines of Austin producer and former neighbor Daniel Barrett’s studio, she found a comfort level she’d never before experienced while recording. It gave her the strength to pour the heartache of her family’s fracture and the cautious hope of a new love into 10 incredible tracks, nine of which are by a diverse array of writers ranging from Mississippi John Hurt, Sean Staples and Grace Pettis (daughter of renowned folk singer Pierce Pettis), to Chris Stapleton and Black Sabbath. Yes, Black Sabbath: Foster reimagines “War Pigs” as a jam session with Son House. She also covers the Four Tops’ “Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever,” written by Ivy Jo Hunter and Stevie Wonder. And she makes each one hers, aided by some special guests. Derek Trucks drops slide guitar into the title tune; bassist Willie Weeks (Bowie, Clapton, George Harrison) plays on the Foster-penned “Open Sky”; and drumming legend Joe Vitale (Crosby, Stills & Nash; Eagles) appears on several tracks. Local hero Warren Hood (“Champ Hood’s boy,” as Foster calls him) lays fiddle and mandolin on Hurt’s bluegrass-tinted “Richland Woman Blues.” Barrett plays guitars, drums and percussion; other contributors include the core members of Ruthie’s touring band, Samantha Banks and Larry Fulcher. At one point, Barrett described the album to Hood as “some blues, some folk, some soul, some rock, some gospel.” Hood replied, “Sounds like Ruthie Foster music.”

The Blues Had a Baby and They Called It Rock and Roll Michael “Hawkeye” Herman Join legendary blues man Michael “Hawkeye” Herman for his world famous blues experience - “The Blues Had a Baby and They Called It Rock and Roll.” This special guest is joining this year’s lineup in celebration of the Utah Blues Festival’s 5th Anniversary. With over 50 years of performing experience, Hawkeye Herman, is recognized internationally as "One of America's finest acoustic guitarists and blues educators". He exemplifies the range of possibilities in acoustic blues and roots music and personifies versatile musicianship, originality and compelling artistry as a musical storyteller. He educates and informs his audiences with great ease and facility by incorporating blues music history and background into his enthralling musical performances. He traces the influence of blues music on American popular music: jazz, swing, bluegrass, classical, country, rock, and rap/hip-hop, and its impact on American and world cultures. Hawkeye literally sat at the feet of many great blues artists: "I sat close, watched and learned from people like Lightnin' Hopkins, Son House, Bukka White, Furry Lewis, Brownie McGhee, and all these old blues guys that are now just sort of dusty, old photos that anybody who is under 50-years-old wonders what they were like.” "I not only got to see those guys play, but got to learn from them and have personal interaction with them." Come hear the stories about how African-American culture influenced and helped create this uniquely American form of popular music, and hear Hawkeye’s riveting guitar and vocal performances of blues music from the decades. Few people realize the affect blues has had on our popular culture and Hawkeye will show you that, in the words of Willie Dixon, that the “blues is the roots and the rest is the fruits.” Don’t miss this one – it’s a show you’ll never forget!

The Blues Had a Baby and They Called It Rock and Roll Michael “Hawkeye” Herman Join legendary blues man Michael “Hawkeye” Herman for his world famous blues experience - “The Blues Had a Baby and They Called It Rock and Roll.” This special guest is joining this year’s lineup in celebration of the Utah Blues Festival’s 5th Anniversary. With over 50 years of performing experience, Hawkeye Herman, is recognized internationally as "One of America's finest acoustic guitarists and blues educators". He exemplifies the range of possibilities in acoustic blues and roots music and personifies versatile musicianship, originality and compelling artistry as a musical storyteller. He educates and informs his audiences with great ease and facility by incorporating blues music history and background into his enthralling musical performances. He traces the influence of blues music on American popular music: jazz, swing, bluegrass, classical, country, rock, and rap/hip-hop, and its impact on American and world cultures. Hawkeye literally sat at the feet of many great blues artists: "I sat close, watched and learned from people like Lightnin' Hopkins, Son House, Bukka White, Furry Lewis, Brownie McGhee, and all these old blues guys that are now just sort of dusty, old photos that anybody who is under 50-years-old wonders what they were like.” "I not only got to see those guys play, but got to learn from them and have personal interaction with them." Come hear the stories about how African-American culture influenced and helped create this uniquely American form of popular music, and hear Hawkeye’s riveting guitar and vocal performances of blues music from the decades. Few people realize the affect blues has had on our popular culture and Hawkeye will show you that, in the words of Willie Dixon, that the “blues is the roots and the rest is the fruits.” Don’t miss this one – it’s a show you’ll never forget!