Bettye Lavette - Great soul singer from Detroit. Will come with her regular band leader Robert Hodge, who will bring a band, including horns and back up singers from the Motor City. We are proud to have her on our show and consider her to be the best singer in her line of music. Her hits include: "My Man - He's A Lovin' Man" and "Let Me Down Easy".
Chris Ardoin and Double Clutchin' - A young zydeco singer/accordion player from Louisiana. The band includes his brother Sean as a vocalist/drummer. They had a very surprising CD on Rounder last year. The Ardoin brothers are 4th generation recording artists in the zydeco and pre-zydeco field of music, grandfather Bois Sec Ardoin being the most well known.
Guitar Gable and King Karl with C.C. Adcock accompanied by the Musical Kings - For the occasion, Lafayette rock musician and blues lover C.C. Adcock will assemble Gable, King Karl, Fats Perodin, 'Jockey' Etienne and John Hart to play a classic set of Louisiana R&B as he has done on a few previous occasions. Not to be missed by fans of swamp blues and pop. They will do a set of their classic recordings.
Lazy Lester - Legendary Louisiana harp player and singer. His Excello records, produced by Jay Miller are classics in the field of blues by any standards.
Roscoe Chenier and The Inner-City Band - Roscoe has a new and much stranger band than before. Since he is no slouch as a singer and guitar player we're glad to have him back. Besides he is one of the last of the torch bearers of the blues of Louisiana. He grew up with people like Lonesome Sundown and his first cousin, Leroy Washington, around him musically.
Spot Barnett and The 20th Century Orchestra - This saxophone player from San Antonio has reunited with some of his old musical friends to recreate the music they made in the late '50's, early 60's. This was the music that got people like Doug Sahm started on the blues. This outfit will include people like vocalist Garland Davis and piano player Dotty White among others.
Joe Weaver and The New Blue Notes - Legendary vocalist and piano player from Detroit has reformed his old R&B orchestra, including Johnny Bassett on guitar, one of the original members. Try to listen to Regency CD that features his classic Fortune recordings to see what he is all about. Pianist, singer, songwriter and bandleader, Joe Weaver put his first band together while still at Northwestern High School in Detroit, Michigan. His guitarist, Johnnie Bassett, was a grade below him. Together with saxophonist Jesse Ulmer and various combos of drummers and bass players, Joe and the Bluenotes won most every talent show in the Detroit area. In those days theaters all over the city featured talent shows. The Bluenotes started their professional careers backing featured artists that didn't bring a band. Some of the folks they backed were Big Joe Turner, Dinah Washington, Little Jimmy Scott, Ruth Brown and Big Maybelle. They toured behind Faye Adams and also Lowell Fulsun. Around the same time, Joe and the Bluenotes started doing recording sessions. 15:40 Special was a big seller for the Deluxe label, a subsidiary of King Records in Cincinnati. Joe also recorded for the Jaguar, Hi-Q and the Daco labels, but it was with Detroit's Fortune Records that the Bluenotes found their greatest success. Joe's biggest hit for Fortune was "Baby I Love You So" which sold well in Detroit. Joe played piano with the Bluenotes for many Fortune sides, becoming the "house band" for their R & B artists. After the heyday of Fortune, the next hot R & B label in Detroit was Motown. Joe and the Bluenotes are on the first Smokey Robinson and the Miracles sides. Joe played piano with the Motown house band. In that capacity he recorded with Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye and Barrett Strong. Besides studio work, Joe played piano on the road with the Four Tops, worked in Florida with Nancy Wilson, and played blues gigs with Bobo Jenkins and John Lee Hooker. As the disco craze swept over our nation, and Motown moved to Los Angeles, genuine rhythm and blues artists like Joe Weaver had to look elsewhere for work. Next year Joe will retire from Ford Motor Company. Ceding to p[opular demand, Joe and Johnnie Bassett have returned to the Bluenotes. He is looking to play more and get back out, playing live and recording.
A Tribute To Sound Stage 7, with Roscoe Robinson and Earl Gaines - A Nashville show produced by, Fred James, who also leads the band. This show will celebrate the sound of this legendary Nashville record label, owned by the late John R. One of the participating singers will be Earl Gaines, who appeard at previous Blues Estafettes showcasing his blues songs. This time he will concentrate on his so called soul material. Roscoe Robinson, recorded classic sides for Paula as well as Sound Stage 7. records.
Al Garner - Another ediscovery by Fred James, a true blues detective, from Nashville. Had records on Excello and Champion and was part of the much underrated blues scene in Nashville in the 50's and '60's. Check out some of his old records on several reissues on Nashville music on the British Ace label. Al Garner started his career on Champion Records in 1958. His first disc "Real Good Man" was released under his nickname "Murfreesboro". This first record created enough stir to land him a contract with the much larger Excello Records. Excello was one of the great post war Blues labels and had enough muscle to get Al substantial radio play. Though he never had a big hit, records like "Leavin' Tennessee" and "You Must Be Crazy" made enough noise to keep him busy on the "chitlin circuit" through the decade. He also worked as a drummer behind other artists until disco wiped out Blues and R&B in the mid 70's. Al quietly retireds from the music business. With the Blues boom of the 1990's, Al soon discovered that his early work was being reissued on CD. Blues fans were wondering what ever became of this great performer. Enter the Roadrunners. The band was in the market for a new lead singer, and Al needed a band. It was a match made in heaven. Al Garner and the Roadrunners are perfect together. These guys really know their stuff. The band features former members of Canned Heat, John Mayall's Blues Breakers and they've worked as side men for Eric Clapton, Gatemouth Brown, Roscoe Shelton, Earl Gaines, Sam Lay and Frank Frost to name a few. They tour Europe and America regularly and have had several hit records on the Beach Music Top 40 and the Fish Fry Top 40. These guys can really rock the house! The Roadrunners play the Blues like it's supposed to be played. With fire!
Tucker and Thomas - Former rhythm section of Phillip Walker's band, who started a singing career of their own. They call themselves the Sam and Dave of the blues, and feature duet singing in blues format, making them different. They have a nice CD out on Hightone.
Little Buster and The Soul Brothers - A bluesy soul, cum soulfull blues band from the New York area. Their Rounder CD from a couple of years ago aroused much interest in this fine artist, resulting in the reissue of his old sides from Josie/Jubilee in England. Rounder will issue a new CD on him this year.
Flash Terry - singer/guitar player from Tulsa, Oklahoma. A legend for his few 45's issued in the 60's. Still going strong and resuming his musical career after retiring from his day job. Flash Terry's site on the Internet is at http://www.javanet.com/users/dustin/FLASH.HTM.
Rosco Shelton Nashville, Tennessee. Great singer from Nashville, will do a blues set on the "small" stage.