MARK PUCCI MEDIA ARTISTS GARNER 17 NOMINATIONS FROM THE BLUES FOUNDATION FOR THE 34th BLUES MUSIC AWARDS

ONLINE VOTING AND TICKET SALES NOW OPEN TO

BLUES FOUNDATION MEMBERS

ATLANTA, GA – Mark Pucci Media proudly congratulates all of our artists who received a total of 17 nominations when The Blues Foundation announced yesterday (December 12) the list of nominees for the 34th Annual Blues Music Awards. The Blues Music Awards are universally acknowledged as the highest honor for musicians and songwriters in Blues music. Winners will be announced on May 9, 2013, at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. Online voting is now open to Blues Foundation members at www.blues.org.

Heading the list of Mark Pucci Media honorees with three nominations each are Mud Morganfield, who garnered nominations for Album of the Year, Traditional Blues Album and Traditional Blues Male Artist for his Severn Records label debut CD, Son of the Seventh Son; as well as Mighty Sam McClain, who earned nominations for Soul Blues Album, Soul Blues Male Artist and Song of the Year for “Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey),” the title track from his Mighty Music label CD release.

Canadian roots label powerhouse Stony Plain Records gathered nominations for Eric Bibb, who was tapped for Acoustic Album and Acoustic Artist based on his label debut CD, Deeper in the Well; and perennial nominee Maria Muldaur, who once again received a nomination for the Koko Taylor Award as Traditional Blues Female based on the response to her latest CD, …First Came Memphis Minnie.

El Paso-based Catfood Records had another strong year, capped by former BMA-winner Johnny Rawls, who received two nominations: in the Soul Blues Male Artist and Soul Blues Album categories for his Soul Survivor CD. Johnny is joined this year by singer (and current Living Blues magazine cover girl) Barbara Carr, who received a nod as Soul Blues Female Artist for her Catfood Records debut, Keep the Fire Burning.

Other Mark Pucci Media artists receiving nominations include folk-blues singer/songwriter Doug MacLeod (whose new CD will be coming out in March on Reference Recordings) for Acoustic Artist; Ruf Records’ artists Royal Southern Brotherhood for Rock Blues Album for their eponymous label debut CD; Fabulous Thunderbirds leader Kim Wilson for Instrumentalist – Harmonica; Sweetspot Records artist Al Basile for Instrumentalist – Horn; and Blue Duchess Records artist and former multiple BMA winner David Maxwell for the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award.

“It is not uncommon in any arts genre for beloved artists with strong releases to pull in a number of nominations, and that is one of the factors at work this year,” Jay Sieleman, The Blues Foundation’s President, said in announcing the nominations. “Yet there are also more than a dozen first-time nominees, plus the six Best New Artist nominees.  It is gratifying to see both groups rewarded—those who have been near the top for a while and those who are getting the recognition they have been long seeking.”

Tickets for the 34^th Blues Music Awards show are now on sale. Members receive seating preference at the Awards show and voting is now underway.  Blues Foundation members are the only fans who vote to decide which nominees will actually take home the Blues Music Award. Anyone can join The Blues Foundation by visiting their website at www.blues.org.

Once again, The Blues Music Awards will be broadcast live in their entirety on Sirius XM's B.B. King's Bluesville Channel and will be subsequently broadcast on public television.

Mark Pucci Media congratulates all of our artists and wishes them much success when the winners are announced in Memphis on May 9; and we encourage voters to consider all of our nominees. See you there!

www.markpuccimedia.com

Mark Pucci

Mark Pucci Media

5000 Oak Bluff Ct.

Atlanta, GA 30350-1069

(770) 804-9555

www.markpuccimedia.com

2008 Blues Foundation Recipient -
"Keeping the Blues Alive Award" -
Publicist

Stony Plain artist: Maria Muldaur -First Came Memphis Minnie - New Release Review

I have just received a copy of Maria Muldaur's newest release, ... First Came Memphis Minnie (available October 9, 2012). Muldaur has elnisted a virtual who's who of blues royalty including Rory Blck, Ruthie Foster, Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow, Koko Taylor, Del Rey, David Bromberg, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Roy Rogers, Steve James and Steve Freund. First up is Me And My Chauffeur Blues with Muldaur on vocals and Roy Rogers on guitar. This is a really nice cover and one of Minnie's gems. Bonnie Raitt and Freund do a great version of Ain't Nothin' In Ramblin'. On I'm Goin' Back Home, Muldair teams up with Alvin Youngblood Hart for a very classic sounding duet. (Certainly one of my favorites tracks on the release). I'm Sailin' featuring Muldaur on vocals with Del Rey and Steve James on guitars shows Muladur's voice at it's best. Rory Block takes the lead on When You Love Me both on vocals and guitars. Long As I Can See You Smile, again with Muldaur, Del Rey and James is a bit more uptempo and very solid. The deliberate guitar of Del Rey on work on Lookin' The World Over is a very cool accent to Muldaur who really gets Minnie's style. Another of my favorites on the recording is In My Girlish Days performed by Phoebe Snow and David Bromberg. This track is exceptional. Muldaur and AYH are back together again on She Put Me Outdoors. Though not as effective as their earlier track together, it is still quite a nice track with addition of mandolin by Dave Earl. One of my personal favorite tracks by Minnie, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut, is performed here by one of my favorite contemporary female vocalists, Ruthie Foster, accompanied here by Steve Freund. Beautiful. The intro on Tricks Ain't Walkin' has some really nice resonator work as well as mandolin by Earl. Muldaur puts here heart into the track and it really makes the track come to life. Again a sweet guitar intro by James and Del Ray on Crazy Cryin' Blues leads to some moaning by Muldaur on one of Minnie's more soulful tracks.Koko Taylor takes it home with Black Rat Swing. This of course is a great track and features Bob Margolin on slide. Taylor lets it all hang out hear for a great conclusion toa very cohesive tribute recording.


If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Walkin' One & Only - Maria Muldaur with Dan Hicks

Maria Muldaur (born September 12, 1943) is a folk-blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s. She recorded the 1974 hit song "Midnight at the Oasis," and continues to record albums in the folk traditions.
Muldaur was born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato in Greenwich Village, New York City, where she attended Hunter College High School.


Muldaur began her career in the early 1960s as Maria D'Amato, performing with John Sebastian, David Grisman, and Stefan Grossman as a member of the Even Dozen Jug Band. She then joined Jim Kweskin & His Jug Band as a featured vocalist and occasional violinist. During this time, she was part of the Greenwich Village scene that included Bob Dylan, and some of her recollections of the period, particularly with respect to Dylan, appear in Martin Scorsese's 2005 documentary film, No Direction Home. She married fellow Jug Band member Geoff Muldaur, and after the Kweskin outfit broke up the two of them produced two albums. She began her solo career when their marriage ended in 1972, but retained her married name.

Her first solo album Maria Muldaur, released in 1973, contained her hit single "Midnight at the Oasis", which reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. It also peaked at number 21 in the UK Singles Chart. Later that year, she released her second album Waitress In A Donut Shop. This included a re-recording of "I'm a Woman", the Leiber and Stoller number first associated with Peggy Lee and a standout feature from her Jug Band days. The title of this album is taken from a line in another song on the album, "Sweetheart" by Ken Burgan.

Around this time, Muldaur established a relationship with the Grateful Dead. Opening for some Grateful Dead shows in the summer of 1974 with John Kahn, bassist of the Jerry Garcia Band, which would eventually earn her a seat in that group as a backing vocalist in the late 1970s.

Muldaur appeared on Super Jam (1989), the live recording of the German TV series Villa Fantastica with Brian Auger on piano, Pete York on drums, Dick Morrissey on tenor saxophone, Roy Williams on trombone, Harvey Weston on bass and Zoot Money, also on vocals.
Muldaur performing at the 1996 Riverwalk Blues Festival

Muldaur continued to perform, tour, and record after her success in the mid-1970s, including a turn at the Teatro ZinZanni in 2001.

Her 2005 release Sweet Lovin' Ol' Soul was nominated for both a W.C. Handy Award and a Grammy award in the Traditional Blues Category
If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

For Her 40th Album, Maria Muldaur Presents a Loving Tribute to a Blues Pioneer on "....First Came Memphis Minnie," Out Oct. 9 on Stony Plain Records

For Her 40^th Album, Maria Muldaur Presents a Loving Tribute to a Blues Pioneer on .…First Came Memphis Minnie, Coming October 9 from Stony Plain Records

New CD Also Features Special Guests Rory Block, Ruthie Foster, Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow and Koko Taylor, with Del Rey, David Bromberg, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Roy Rogers, Steve James and Steve Freund

EDMONTON, AL – Stony Plain Records, Canada’s roots music label, announces an October 9 release date for ….First Came Memphis Minnie, a loving tribute to the pioneering blues woman produced by multiple Grammy-nominee Maria Muldaur, featuring special guests including Rory Block, Ruthie Foster, Bonnie Raitt, Phoebe Snow and Koko Taylor. Other musicians appearing on the new CD are Del Rey, David Bromberg, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Roy Rogers, Steve James and Steve Freund. Stony Plain is distributed in the U.S. by ADA, in Canada by Warner Music and in foreign territories by a variety of well-established distribution companies.

….First Came Memphis Minnie includes several previously-released tracks from two of Maria’s Grammy-nominated albums, as well as new recordings by Rory Block, Ruthie Foster and Bonnie Raitt. Also, classic songs by Koko Taylor and Phoebe Snow are included: Koko’s track comes from her CD, Old School, released in 2007; and Phoebe’s from It Looks Like Snow, released in 1976.

Her 40th album is a true labor of love for Maria Muldaur, who considers Memphis Minnie to be not only a trailblazing musical pioneer for all women, but also a personal blues hero. “Way back in1963, when I was ‘In My Girlish Days,’ I had the amazing good fortune and privilege of meeting one of the original ‘classic’ Blues Queens, Victoria Spivey, when she was in her late 70s, living in New York City and running her own record label,” writes Maria in her liner notes. “She took me to her apartment and played old 78s, looking for songs that would be suitable for my young voice. Of all the amazing tunes she played for me, the one that made the deepest impression was an old scratchy 78 of a haunting, soulful tune called ‘Tricks Ain’t Walkin’’ by Memphis Minnie. From that moment to this, Memphis Minnie, and the example she set for me, has remained a profound influence on my life and my music. Here, I have joined with some of my Sisters in Music to pay tribute to the woman that inspired us and paved the way for us all.”

The reigning queen of mid-20th century blues, Memphis Minnie was a true musical innovator who pioneered the electrified Chicago-blues-band sound. In her prime, she was a blues singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and guitar–player-par-excellence; a colorful, larger-than-life figure who in 1942 was one of the first blues musician to record with an electric guitar. In a recording career which spanned over 40 years, she released more than 200 songs, many of which she wrote and several of which endure today as blues classics, including “Chauffeur Blues,” “In My Girlish Days,” “What’s the Matter with the Mill? and “When the Levee Breaks.” From the beginning of the Great Depression through the end of World War II - through an endless stream of innovative recordings and consistently compelling live performances – she dominated the primarily male dominion of the Chicago blues scene.

“While many female classic blues artists in the ’20s and ’30s (Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Sippie Wallace, Victoria Spivey, etc.) sang accompanied by the likes of Louis Armstrong and other New Orleans-style jazz musicians, with bands that featured horns and piano, Memphis Minnie accompanied herself with a raw rhythmic guitar sound that came to be known as ‘country blues,’” says Muldaur.

“At a time when women were ‘kept in their place,’ both personally and professionally, Memphis Minnie was tough, independent, outspoken, and played a mean guitar! But, she was more than just a guitar hero of early country blues. She ably adapted to newer trends and modernized her style, which helped account for her years of popularity. Memphis Minnie was one of the few figures to make the successful transition from the rural, acoustic guitar-dominated blues of the

1920s to the urban nightclub styles of the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. She was tough, determined, talented, and courageous enough to defy and overcome all the racial, social, economic, and gender barriers that existed in her time, forging the life she envisioned for herself on nothing but her own terms!”

Maria Muldaur will kick off the release of ….First Came Memphis Minnie with an extensive tour, including shows in a number of markets she hasn’t visited in some time. She’ll be accompanied by her Red Hot Bluesiana Band, and will perform songs not only from the new CD, but also from her critically-acclaimed and Blues Award-nominated last CD, Steady Love,

one of the most accessible, joyful and soul satisfying releases in her ever growing catalog of memorable music.

Over the last decade, Maria Muldaur has released a number of lovingly and authentically produced acoustic blues albums paying tribute to the early blues pioneers and legends, and garnering multiple Grammy and Blues Foundation nominations. As on all her albums, Maria’s distinctive, deep and impassioned vocals are here soulfully preachin’ and shoutin’ the blues.

Stony Plain Records celebrates 2012 Blues Music Awards' nominations

Stony Plain Records celebrates 2012 Blues Music Awards' nominations

When The Blues Foundation announced the list of nominees for the 33rd AnnualBlues Music Awards on Tuesday, December 13, Stony Plain Record’s artists were well represented with 7 nominations. The Blues Music Awards are universally acknowledged as the highest honour for musicians and songwriters in Blues music. Winners will be announced on May 10 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. Online voting is now open to Blues Foundation members at www.blues.org. Individual and corporate memberships are available for those who would like to vote.

The nominations continue a year in which Stony Plain Records Records celebrated our 35th year as Canada's roots, rock, country, folk and blues label, with the release of a special 2CD + bonus DVD compilation, 35 Years of Stony Plain. Earlier this fall the label received 14 nominations in Canada's Maple Blues Awards, recognising the talents of MonkeyJunk, Harry Manx & Kevin Breit, Duke Robillard and Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne.

Stony Plain Records nominees for the 2012 Blues Music Awards:

Maria Muldaur

Nominated for:
Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)

The Pilot:

"Muldaur has one foot in church and another in a Saturday night juke joint as she belts out hand-clapping church rousers, soul ballads and greasy swamp stompers. Over the years her voice has only gotten better, with her pipes now displaying a lusty, full-bodied resonance."

Blues In Britain Magazine:

""Soul & grit" emanates from Muldaur's voice... Muldaur and the band excel at all levels... A triumph!"

Blinded By Sound:

"There are echoes here of the way Ray Charles turned gospel into secular gold, and Muldaur shows that spirituality can still rock out - the sacred and the profane aren’t all that far apart, and spirituality can still temper earthly desire without corrupting the former or diluting the latter."

Living Blues Radio Chart:

#1 for October, #2 for November

Rory Block

Nominated for:
Acoustic Artist
Acoustic Album (for Shake 'Em On Down: A Tribute To Mississippi Fred McDowell)

Living Blues Magazine:

"There's plenty to admire in her torrid slide work, the passion she infuses into her reedy vocals, and the obvious dedication with which she has undertaken this project."

No Depression Magazine:

"Creating something new and honoring the past at the same time."

Jazz & Blues Report Magazine:

"A superb recording."

Duke Robillard

Nominated for:
Gibson Guitar Award

The Alternate Root:

"One of the pre-eminent guitarists in the world today, bar none."

Billings Gazette:

"The master blues guitarist heads back to the 1940s and '50s for a set of swinging blues covers from the Mt. Rushmore of early electric bluesmen"

Blues Revue (in Blues Wax newsletter):

"Gut Bucket with Caviar!!"

Living Blues Radio Chart:

#3 for October and November

Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

"Simply one of the best guitarists around."

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne

Nominated for:
Pinetop Perkins Piano Player

Vintage Guitar Magazine:

"A red-hot boogie woogie ivory tickler."

Blues Festival E-Guide:

"Hammers out rockin' boogie woogie, deeply felt blues, and puts a fresh coat of paint on ... roots rock and roll."

Living Blues Magazine:

"This release is certain to garner many deserved nominations and awards."

Joe Louis Walker

Nominated for:
Contemporary Blues Male Artist

Chicago Sun-Times:

"Joe Louis Walker has achieved exalted status."

Blues Blast Magazine:

"Energy, undeniable personality, and high caliber talent."

Phoenix Blues Society:

"A fun set that sounds like it was as enjoyable to play as it must have been to watch."

Hampton Roads:

"He's the kind of guitarist... who always brings applause."

Eric Bibb

Nominated for:
Acoustic Artist
Acoustic Album (released by Telarc/Concord Music Group)

Stony Plain Records announces the signing of acclaimed folk blues singer/songwriter/guitarist Eric Bibb, and will release his debut CD for the label, Deeper in the Well, in March 2012. Deeper in the Well features Eric Bibb on vocals and guitar backed by multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell, guitarist Cedric Watson, drummer Danny Devillier and harmonica player Grant Dermody. Special guests on the CD include Michael Jerome Browne, Jerry Douglas and Christine Balfa.

Eric’s last CD, Troubadour Live, recorded at a 2010 concert in Stockholm, Sweden, was released earlier this year.

Vote Today!

You must be a registered member of the Blues Foundation to vote. Join today, if you're not already a member.

www.stonyplainrecords.com

Steady Love - Maria Muldaur - New Release review- SET FOR WORLD-WIDE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 27

I have been listening to Maria Muldaur's new release Steady Love. This release is very musically strong with mostly upbeat Elvin Bishop/Little Feat/Gospel, slinky, funky tunes. Instrumentation is tight and Maria keeps the music flowing from beginning to end. If you like Maria Muldaur you will like this cd. Her best in years.

MARIA MULDAUR’S SOULFUL NEW CD, STEADY LOVE, SET FOR WORLD-WIDE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 27

MARIA MULDAUR’S SOULFUL NEW CD, STEADY LOVE, SET FOR WORLD-WIDE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 27

ON STONY PLAIN RECORDS

New Album Recorded in Her Musical and Spiritual Home of New Orleans Is a Return to Her

“Bluesiana Sound”

EDMONTON, AB – Stony Plain Records announces a September 27 world-wide release date for legendary singer Maria Muldaur’s newest album, Steady Love, her seventh album for the Edmonton-based independent label that this year marked its 35^th anniversary. Self-produced by Muldaur, Steady Love is one of the most accessible, joyful and soul satisfying releases in her ever-growing catalog of memorable music. Stony Plain is distributed in the U.S. by ADA, in Canada by Warner Music, and in foreign territories by a variety of well-established distribution companies.

Over the last decade, Maria Muldaur has released a quartet of lovingly and authentically produced acoustic blues albums paying tribute to the early blues pioneers and legends, and garnering multiple Grammy and Blues Foundation nominations. Now - detouring from her ongoing exploration of vintage blues - for her latest release, Maria has decided to return to her much beloved New Orleans to record a contemporary electric blues album that reflects the kind of music she loves to perform live - what she calls “Bluesiana Music” - her own brand of New Orleans-flavored blues, R& B and “swamp funk.”

Steady Love contains a compelling mix of contemporary blues tunes written by some of America’s greatest blues poets, including Percy Mayfield, Greg Brown, Eric Bibb, Bobby Charles, Stephen Bruton, Elvin Bishop, Henry Glover and others. Some are debuted here for the very first time, while others are culled from the repertoires of The Staple Singers, Levon Helm, B.B. King, Sugar Pie DeSanto and Arthur Adams. In addition to some high-powered straight-ahead blues, the album features uplifting, gospel-tinged blues numbers like Bruton’s “Walk by Faith,” “I Am Not Alone,” written by Rick Vito, and a stirring, heart wrenching rendition of Mayfield’s perennial classic, “Please Send Me Someone to Love;” plus high-spirited versions of classic gospel anthems, “I Done Made It Up in My Mind” and “As an Eagle Stirreth in Her Nest.”

The soul and grit of Steady Love comes from Muldaur’s distinctive, deep and impassioned vocals soulfully preachin’ and shoutin’ the blues, and the greasy grooves laid down by an A-list of New Orleans funk veterans. Keyboard wizard and funkmeister David Torkanowsky, guitarist Shane Theriot, who literally wrote the book on New Orleans funk guitar (2002’s New Orleans Funk Guitar Styles), bassist Johnny Allen (a key member of roots/funk favorites, the subdudes) and drummer Kenny Blevins (drummer in John Hiatt’s all-star backing band, The Goners) all turn in inspired, high octane performances.

Contributions from New Orleans traditional jazz ‘n’ funk drummer Shannon Powell, local guitar ace Cranston Clements, and a final mix by veteran Grammy-winning producer John Porter, all work to make this one of the most attention-grabbing, widely accessible and soul-satisfying releases of Muldaur’s remarkably prolific, varied and vibrant career.

Backed by her Red Hot Bluesiana Band, Maria will support the release of Steady Love, touring extensively with key shows at major markets around North America, including what promises to be a highlight event at Snug Harbor in New Orleans on October 15.

Maria’s rarely been off the road since she recorded her seminal classic, “Midnight at the Oasis,” on her first major label album, back in 1974. And as Steady Love proves, she continues to make powerful music!

To download a hi-res color photo of Maria Muldaur, click here: Maria Muldaur.

—30—

Please check the following websites:

www.stonyplainrecords.com www.mariamuldaur.com

For further information, new high resolution photographs,

and interview arrangements, please contact:

In the United States: Mark Pucci

Mark Pucci Media

770 804-9555

mpmedia@bellsouth.net

www.markpuccimedia.com

In Canada: Richard Flohil

Richard Flohil & Associates

416 351-1323

rflohil@sympatico.ca

www.richardflohil.com

Booking: Charlie Ellicott

Second Octave Talent

707 773-3170

cellicott@secondoctave.com

www.secondoctave.com