The Bender is Sept 7.8.9.10, 2017

Big Blues Bender Announces Fabulous Lineup for Sept! LAS VEGAS, NV. – The Big Blues Bender, one of the most talked about Blues events in the country, has announced an impressive 2017 lineup. The Big Blues Bender offers what could be their best artist lineup to date, offering a wide variety of first-class music and entertainment including, Mavis Staples, Dr. John, Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, and many more. This four-night all-inclusive music experience delivers eighteen hours of live music, daily, on three indoor stages and a fabulous pool stage all under one roof, featuring the most talented and sought after Blues artists touring today.

The 4th annual Big Blues Bender will take place Sept. 7.8.9.10, 2017 at the legendary Plaza Hotel & Casino at the top of the world famous “Fremont Street Experience” in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas. The Big Blues Bender has quickly become a festival favorite among Blues fans and artists alike – a bucket-list event for all, selling out far in advance last year. “The Big Blues Bender is more than just a Blues festival, it’s an experience,” said AJ Gross, the event’s founder, and President. “Four days and nights of music and accommodations, with Everything, An Elevator Ride Away!” Wanna see the full lineup? Here ya go –> Bender Lineup Ready to Attend? Big Blues Bender is sold as "Packages" that include your accommodations as well as your event pass or as a four-day event pass that's good for all events and activities but does not include your hotel accommodations. Pick the option that's best for you! Have you booked yet? ☆ Book  Now: BigBluesBender.com September 7.8.9.10, check out is Monday, Sept 11th at 11 am. The 2017 Big Blues Bender Lineup! It's all about the music... It's ALWAYS about the music! We're proud to have this fine roster of amazing artists joining us for the 4th Big Blues Bender! Click on their names below for more details.   Dr. John Mavis Staples Tab Benoit Walter Trout Anders Osborne Shemekia Copeland David Bromberg Doyle Bramhall II Curtis Salgado Eric Gales Southern Hospitality w/ Victor Wainwright, Damon Fowler & JP Soars Jimmy Hall w/Bender Brass Danielle Nicole Band Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials Mike Zito Toronzo Cannon Carolyn Wonderland The Paladins Albert Castiglia Davy Knowles Laith Al-Saadi Matt Schofield Jack Mack & The Heart Attack Horns Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Paul DesLauriers Band Too Slim and The Taildraggers Teresa James MonkeyJunk Jack Broadbent Jesse Roper Southern Avenue Kirby Sewell Band Casey Hensley Band w Spec Guest Debbie Davies Katy Guillen and The Girls Dawn Tyler Watson & Ben Racine “Grateful Blues” Feat. Catfish John & Mark Karan Hamish Anderson Milligan Vaughan Project Rae Gordon Ty Curtis The Strip Kings Moanin’ Blacksnakes The Chris Tofield Band Howl at the Moon Jam Hosted by Russell Jackson Bender Brass Artist at Large Johnny Sansone Artist at Large Jason Ricci Artist at Large Sari Schorr Artist at Large Billy Price Artist at Large Nick Schnebelen Artist at Large Michael Ledbetter Artist at Large Monster Mike Welch Artist at Large Anne Harris Artist at Large Kris Schnebelen Artist at Large Big Chief Monk Boudreaux Artist at Large Eric Johanson 2017 Bender Packages Look over your options and find the best place to lay your head at the Bender! Four Day Music Only Wristband Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable $499 per person BOOK NOW Rollin’ Stone Run of House Randomly Assigned Randomly Assigned Randomly Assigned Single Occupancy $1049 per person SOLD OUT  Boogie Chillen Run of House Randomly Assigned Randomly Assigned Randomly Assigned Double Occupancy $674 per person BOOK NOW Boom Boom Room North Tower Choose King or 2 Queens Non-smoking ONLY Double Occupancy $724 per person SOLD OUT Hoochie Coochie South Tower Choose King or 2 Queens Choose smoking or non Double Occupancy $774 per person BOOK NOW Baller On A Budget Junior Suite North Tower 1 King Bed Non-smoking ONLY Double Occupancy $1599 per person SOLD OUT Big Daddy Baller 5th Floor Pool Level South Tower Choose King or 2 Queens Non-smoking ONLY Double Occupancy $1649 per person SOLD OUT Big Daddy Baller Mini Suite South Tower 1 King Bed Choose smoking or non Double Occupancy $1699 per person SOLD OUT Big Daddy Baller 1 Bedroom Suite South Tower 1 King Bed Choose smoking or non Double Occupancy $1899 per person SOLD OUT Big Daddy Baller Pool Patio Room South Tower 2 Queens ONLY Non-smoking only Double Occupancy $2099 per person SOLD OUT Big Daddy Baller Penthouse Suite South Tower 1 King Bed Smoking allowed Double Occupancy $2099 per person SOLD OUT Big Daddy Baller 2 Bedroom Suite (4 people) South Tower 1 King & 2 Queens Smoking allowed Quad Occupancy $1749 per person SOLD OUT Big Daddy Baller Derby Suite (4 people) South Tower 1 King & 2 Kings Smoking allowed Quad Occupancy $1999 per person SOLD OUT

KM Williams Medical Emergency

Texas Country Blues Preacher KM Williams was to perform at the Rhythm Room this Friday. He is unable to make the trip due to a medical emergency. KM became disoriented at his gig on Friday night, and thankfully his wonderful wife Yollie was with him and recognized his unusual behavior. She immediately took him to a Dallas area hospital where he underwent emergency surgery early Saturday morning. The surgery was successful in correcting the issue.

His wife Yollie has conveyed that she appreciates everyone's prayers and kind words.

If you would like to send a card or a note, it would be much appreciated. Please send it to:

KM Williams
c/o Blue Lisa
PO Box 721384
Dallas, TX 75372

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he recovers. He hopes to do a make-up performance at the Rhythm Room later this year. So The Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band will be covering the full night and will perform down home blues in KM's honor.

M.C. Records artists: Guy Davis & Fabrizio Poggi - Sonny & Brownie's Last Train - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sonny & Brownie's Last Train, by Guy Davis &  Fabrizio Poggi. This is a full helping of traditional style acoustic blues featuring Guy Davis on vocal and guitar and Fabrizio Poggi on harmonica. Opening with the Davis penned title track, Sonny & Brownie's Last Train, Davis sets a snappy guitar rhythm, singing and accompanying himself on guitar. On Robert Pete Williams' Louise Louise, Guy slips into Williams' shoes and sings one of my favorite tracks on the release, with underlying harp and guitar. Very nice. On Sonny Terry classic, Hooray Hooray These Women Is Killing Me, Davis really captures the spirit of Sonny with his enthusiasm and Poggi's soulful harp.  On Big Joe Williams' Baby Please Don't Go Back To New Orleans, Davis really digs in for a super guitar intro and Davis and Poggi's work are tops.  On Elizabeth Cotten's Freight Train, Davis and Poggi stay with the theme of this release performing a tight rendition of Cotten's trademark tune. On Brownie McGee original, Evil Hearted Me, Davis delivers on vocal and Poggi harp  for another of my favorites on the release.  Written by Sonny, Brownie and Brownies wife Ruth, Walk On is Brownie and Ruth's tune and a perfect track to cement the cohesion of the pair. Wrapping the release  is Midnight Special, well known track performed by many performers. Davis's vocals and guitar is tight and Poggi's harp work is vibrant giving this track the perfect feel as a closer.

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J Geils has passed - My thoughts are with his family

John Warren Geils Jr., the founding guitarist behind the ’70s and ’80s rock powerhouse J. Geils Band, died at his longtime home in Massachusetts on Tuesday. He was 71.
Donald Palma Jr., the chief of police in Groton, Mass., confirmed Geils’ death on Tuesday night, saying in a press release that an early investigation suggested Geils died of “natural causes” and that “foul play is not suspected at this time.”

Geils founded his eponymous band in 1967, when he attended the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. The band -- with singer Peter Wolf -- was known for its deft, bluesy guitar work. After touring with the Byrds and the Allman Brothers, the band achieved its breakout success in the ’70s and early ’80s with the release of hit singles like “Must of Got Lost,” “Give It to Me” and “Love Stinks.”
“We were a rock, blues, R&B, rootsy band until we developed our own sound," Wolf told The Times in 1994. "[I]t's always cool to rediscover the masters like Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson. I still feel like a student-pilgrim."

But in 1982, its album “Freeze-Frame” was an even bigger smash on the strength of the hit single “Centerfold.” That track spent six weeks atop the pop charts in the U.S., with “Freeze-Frame” atop the album charts for four weeks. The band would go on to land 10 top-40 singles in its career.
The group recorded 11 studio albums before breaking up in 1985. Though it occasionally reunited, Geils broke with the band when it toured under his name without him. The group was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.

Trudy Lynn and Steve Krase Set Euro Tour Dates in May and June

Trudy Lynn and Steve Krase Set Euro Tour Dates in May and June

HOUSTON, TX – Connor Ray Music artists Trudy Lynn and Steve Krase announce a series of European dates that will take the blues singer and harmonica player to Germany, France, Spain and Norway on a two-week tour during May and June. Lynn and Krase will perform at a combination of outdoor festivals, concert halls and showcase venues that will give blues fans a chance to hear the two artists up close and personal. They’ll be  performing songs from Lynn’s current CD, I’ll Sing the Blues for You, which helped garner her a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Traditional Blues Female Performer (aka the Koko Taylor Award) as well as  Krase’s new album, Should’ve Seen It Coming, which is set for release on April 21. Both artists make special guest appearances on each other’s new albums.

"I’m looking forward to bringing my new music to all my fans over there,” exclaims Trudy Lynn about the upcoming shows. Adds Steve Krase: “Excited to give the European fans a taste of Houston Blues! Watch out!"

On I’ll Sing the Blues for You, Trudy Lynn showcases 10 tracks dripping with blues, soul and R&B, and includes her unique takes on songs from Big Mama Thornton, Lowell Fulsom, Memphis Minnie and Johnny Copeland, among others, as well as the funky original, “Thru Chasin’ You.  It is Trudy’s 12^th solo album and her third release on the Connor Ray Music label, following up on 2014’s Royal Oaks Blues Café, which hit #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart; and 2015’s Everything Comes with A Price, which spent four months on the Living Blues Radio Chart. Trudy is a six-time Blues Music Award nominee and was inducted into the Houston Music Hall of Fame in 2015.

Blues harmonica ace Steve Krase lays it all out on his new album, Should’ve Seen It Coming, which also includes special guest appearances from guitarists Mark May and Bob Lanza. Krase is well-known as the harmonica player behind Trudy Lynn’s three incredible blues albums on Connor Ray Music. To those in the know, Krase is a powerhouse in his own right as a performer, whose high energy shows are legendary around the Houston scene. Krase has been recognized in multiple categories over the years by the esteemed Houston Press Music Awards in several categories, and most recently -and perhaps most suitably - in 2016 as “Best Player.” Steve was also a semi-finalist at the recent 2017 International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

Trudy Lynn – Steve Krase 2017 European Tour Dates

May 18                                 Eutin, Germany                                                BluesFest

May 19                 Le Thor, France                                                                 Sonograf

May 20                 Tournon D’ Agenais, France                                        Blues Station

May 23                 Lleida, Spain                                                                       Café Del Teatre

May 24                 Valencia, Spain                                                                  16 Toneladas

May 25                 Zaragoza, Spain                                                                 Las Armas

May 26                 Santiago, Spain                                                                 Outdoor Event

May 27                 Pilona, Spain                                                                      AMC Pepe Bocanegra

May 28                 Santander, Spain                                                              Summum

May 29                 Seville, Spain                                                                      Sala X

May 30                 Estepona, Spain                                                                Louie Louie

May 31                 Bejar, Spain                                                                        La Alquitara

June 1                   Madrid, Spain                                                                    Clamores

June 3                   Heringsvaer, Norway                                                     Codstock Festival

Trudy Lynn photo credit: Ron Fontenot; Steve Krase photo credit: June Juarez

www.connorraymusic.com                                                         

New Release - Monster Mike Welch & Mike Ledbetter "Right Place, Right Time"

Monster Mike Welch & Mike Ledbetter "Right Place, Right Time" With Special Guest: Laura Chavez With over 25 years under his belt, Boston-based blues guitarist Monster Mike Welch is handily considered a seasoned veteran of the international blues scene at just a mere 37 years old. Adorned with the nickname “Monster Mike” by actor/comedian Dan Aykroyd at the tender age of 13, Welch has since carved out a successful living as a highly accomplished and in-demand guitarist. To date, Welch has released six albums under his own name and in 2001, he joined the ranks of one of New England’s most beloved blues institutions, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. In addition, Welch has performed and recorded with Duke Robillard, Nick Moss, Johnny Winter, Darrell Nulisch and more recently, the Knickerbocker All-Stars, which has featured among others, Jimmie Vaughan and the aforementioned Robillard. No stranger to the Delta Groove family, Welch also appears on recordings by the Mannish Boys, Sugaray Rayford and the Igor Prado Band, as well as playing a central role in the critically acclaimed album, Fifty Shades of Blue, by Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All Stars. Welch has received two consecutive Blues Music Award nominations by the Blues Foundation for Instrumentalist-Guitar beginning in 2016. Chicago's own Mike Ledbetter has had nothing short of a rich and multi-dimensional musical journey thus far. Before making a home in West Side Chicago and Memphis style blues, Ledbetter set his feet in various genres ranging from soul, gospel, pop, jazz, and even spent the better part of a decade performing on Chicago opera stages. Spending eight years under the tutelage of his mentor, Nick Moss, Ledbetter recorded and toured the world with Moss as his lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. In this short time, he has made more than a lasting impression and developed a legion of fans. He's also worked with and earned the respect of many of his heroes and influences (Anson Funderburgh, Barrelhouse Chuck, Billy Flynn, Curtis Salgado, Jimmy Johnson, Lazy Lester, Ronnie Earl) as a member of the new school of blues/soul musician whose style is cemented in its Golden Era. On Sunday, June 12, 2016, Welch and Ledbetter took part in a special tribute to the legendary Otis Rush at the 33rd Annual Chicago Blues Festival. The chemistry between these two was so instantaneous and such a natural fit, that it became readily apparent that an album together must soon follow. Right Place, Right Time is the result of this inspired collaboration, born out of a mutual love and respect for the classic blues era of the ‘50s and ‘60s and artists such as Otis Rush, Magic Sam, Elmore James and B.B. King. Accompanying Welch and Ledbetter is an all-star cast featuring pianist/organist Anthony Geraci, bassist Ronnie James Weber and drummer Marty Richards, along with special guests Laura Chavez on guitar and saxophonists Doug James and Sax Gordon. For Monster Mike Welch and Mike Ledbetter this album is not just about being in the right place at the right time, but knowing what to do with it when you find yourselves there. “Welch is becoming an all-around guitar master…” – Living Blues Magazine “An ass-kicking, axe-picking bluesman with a wide range of mood and colour.” – Mojo (UK) “…Michael Ledbetter is an inventive and charismatic singer. One vocal note uttered by him and he has got the audience in the palm of his hands.” – Chicago Blues Guide “(Michael Ledbetter’s) operatic training has given his voice a tone and timber that is unmatched.” – Blues Blast Magazine LEARN MORE MONSTER MIKE WELCH & MIKE LEDBETTER - TOUR DATES: 05/10/17: Memphis, TN – The Warehouse “Big Llou’s 5th Annual Blues Hall of Fame Tribute Show” 05/11/17: Memphis, TN – Blues Music Awards 05/12/17: Memphis, TN – Hard Rock Café “Pay It Forward Fundraiser for HART” 05/12/17: Memphis, TN – B.B. King’s Memphis “Bobby Blue Bland Tribute Show” 05/13/17: Clarksdale, MS – Ground Zero “5th Annual Pinetop Boogie and Crawfish Boil” 05/20/17: Dana Point, CA – 20th Annual Doheny Blues Festival 08/12/17: Gloucester, MA – Gloucester Blues Festival 08/27/17: Edmonton, Canada – Edmonton Blues Festival (with Anthony Geraci’s Boston Blues All-Stars) 09/07/17: Las Vegas, NV – Big Blues Bender 09/08/17: Las Vegas, NV – Big Blues Bender 09/09/17: Las Vegas, NV – Big Blues Bender 09/10/17: Las Vegas, NV – Big Blues Bender RECENT RELEASES FROM DELTA GROOVE MITCH KASHMAR “West Coast Toast” Featuring: Junior Watson, Fred Kaplan, Bill Stuve & Marty Dodson “What you have with West Coast Toast is a keeper of a recording that you’re going to want to place next to all your favorites. It’ll grow consistently on you with each listen and you’ll easily feel it belongs among the best go-to discs in your collection. Hands down, Mitch Kashmar has created a remarkable album that is sure to stand the test of time.”  – Cascade Blues Association “This one hits right from the git go…” – Mark Thompson / Blues Music Magazine “…Californian Kashmar bursts out…drawing intensity out of original material about women and drink as skillfully as anyone emoting through Marine Bands today.”  – Downbeat “This toast goes out to Mitch Kashmar and company for making an album that sits comfortably next to the finest recordings ever made on the west coast or anywhere else for that matter. West Coast Toast receives my highest recommendation and is an obvious contender for BLUES JUNCTION album of the year.”  – David Mac / BLUES JUNCTION Productions LEARN MORE JOHN LONG "STAND YOUR GROUND" Featuring: Fred Kaplan, Bill Stuve and Washington Rucker "Long doesn't sample the old country blues; he inhabits it." - All Music Guide "John Long is a NATIONAL TREASURE."  - Al Blake / Hollywood Blue Flames “If you wanted to make an argument for reincarnation, John is it.” – Zach Zunis LEARN MORE BIG JON ATKINSON & BOB CORRITORE “House Party at Big Jon's” With Guests: Willie Buck, Alabama Mike,Dave Riley, Tomcat Courtney & more! “Nobody gets it done better than Bob Corritore.” – No Depression "Big Jon is truly the future of the blues.” – Kim Wilson LEARN MORE