About the Artists
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Tommy Castro
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Tommy Castro (born April 15, 1955, San Jose, California, United States) is an American blues, R&B and rock guitarist and singer. He has been recording since the mid-1990s. His music has taken him from local stages to national and international touring. His popularity, was marked by his winning the 2008 Blues Music Award for Entertainer of the Year.
Castro began playing guitar at the age of 10 and was influenced and inspired by electric blues, Chicago blues, West Coast blues, soul music, 1960s rock and roll and Southern rock. His style has always been a hybrid of all his favorite genres. He names Mike Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Elmore James and Freddie King as guitar influences and Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and James Brown as vocal influences.
He began playing professionally in Bay Area cover-song bands in the 1970s. In the 1980s he joined the Warner Bros. Records' band The Dynatones. Since 1991, he has led his own bands, featuring a drummer, bass guitar player and saxophone player (Keith Crossan has held the saxophone position for many years). As of 2009, he had added trumpeter Tom Poole and keyboards to the band. He was signed to Blind Pig Records label and released Exception to the Rule in late 1996. It won the 1997 Bay Area Music Award for Outstanding Blues Album, and Castro also took the award for Outstanding Blues Musician that same year. In the mid-1990s The Tommy Castro Band served as the house band for three seasons on NBC Television's Comedy Showcase (airing right after Saturday Night Live), bringing him in front of millions of viewers every week.
In 2001 and 2002, B.B. King asked Castro to open his summer concert tours. Castro received an open invitation to join King on stage for the nightly finale.
In May 2010, The Blues Foundation awarded Castro multiple Blues Music Award honors for Blues Male Artist of the Year, Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, and with his band, Band of the Year.
In 2011, Castro stripped down his band to a four-piece unit called the Painkillers, including keyboards, bass and drums as well as his own guitar and vocals. His most recent album, 2013's The Devil You Know, was recorded with this lineup plus guest appearances by Marcia Ball, Tab Benoit, Joe Bonamassa, The Holmes Brothers and Magic Dick. The album was reviewed by Allmusic.com, saying "Castro brings fiery garage energy to everything. His guitar playing is fired up and roaring with a renewed sharpness that keeps the pot boiling. His voice is a soulful and versatile blue-collar growl. This album is full of the blues, but it's also like a full-charged blue-eyed R&B and soul review, making this one of Castro's finest releases.”
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Shemekia Copeland
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Shemekia Copeland was born in Harlem, New York City, United States. She is the daughter of Texas blues guitarist and singer Johnny Copeland. She began to pursue a singing career in earnest at age 16, when her father's health began to decline; he took Shemekia on tour as his opening act, which helped establish her name on the blues circuit.
She landed a recording contract with Alligator Records, which issued her debut album, Turn the Heat Up! in 1998, following it up with a tour of the blues festival circuit in America and Europe. Her second album, Wicked, was released in 2000 and featured a duet with one of her heroes, Ruth Brown. It earned her three Blues Music Awards.
The follow-up record, Talking to Strangers, was produced by Dr. John, and in 2005 she released The Soul Truth, produced by Steve Cropper.
In 2008, Copeland signed with Telarc International, and released her first album, Never Going Back with that label in February 2009. She won the "Rising Star - Blues Artist" in Down Beat magazine's critics poll announced in the December 2009 issue.
Copeland participated in the Efes Pilsen Blues Festival in 2009. On June 12, 2011 at the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival, Copeland was presented Koko Taylor's crown, and officially given the honor as the new "Queen of the Blues" by Koko Taylor's daughter, Cookie Taylor.
In 2013, Copeland was nominated for a Blues Music Award in the Contemporary Blues Female Artist' category and is currently nominated for a 2015 Blues Music Award in that same category as a result of the popularity of her current release “33 1/3”.
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Divas on Fire
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Divas on Fire is a super-group unlike any other -- a unique collaboration of ten of the most successful women blues artists in the south who have come together to create a powerhouse sound. The group's live performances give audiences no relief as their show ignites and burns red hot from first to final note. Their collective history includes a Memphis Sun Studios recording artist, several Northwest Arkansas Music Awards winners, several Arkansas competition winners for the International Blues Competition, an Arkansas Blues Hall of Famer. And yet a few others have more recently started their musical journey while quickly collecting awards, accolades, and fan loyalty. The name Divas on Fire is more of a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that they have all been called musical divas, but in reality each puts the music and each other first.
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Earl & Them
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Earl & Them - The band’s leader is legendary guitar player Earl Cate, who was listed in Steve Cropper’s top ten guitar players of all time. Earl has been writing and performing music for five decades now.
He has a unique style of playing which sets him apart from the rest. His level of experience and professionalism is unmatched. Earl has played and toured with The Band, Crosby Stills and Nash, Bo Diddley, Little Feat and many others. His bands have shared the stage with Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Boz Scaggs, Elvin Bishop, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many other rock legends of our time.
Jason Davis, guitarist and vocalist has made his home in Northwest Arkansas over the past ten years or so, hailing from the Lincoln, Nebraska area where he cut his teeth in the Midwest blues scene. He toured 10 years with his trio “Baby Jason and the Spankers”. During that period, they played some of the top blues venues in the country, including Buddy Guy’s Legends, Antones, the Grand Emporium, the Zoo Bar and Blue on Grand.
Upon arriving in Arkansas Jason played with the esteemed Arkansas Tablerockers for seven years before joining up to help create Earl and Them. Over the years he has had the honor to play with the likes of Magic Slim, Sue Foley, James Harmans, Jimmy Thackery, Tab Benoit, and Indigenous. To date one of his highest personal achievement has been to play the South Loop River Blues Festival in Nebraska for seventeen consecutive years.
Drummer and vocalist for the group is Terry Cagle. Terry is from Springdale, Arkansas and still makes his home there. Terry got into the music business in 1966 when he was only 15 years old. He joined Earl and Ernie Cate when his uncle Levon Helm left the Cate’s Gang for Canada to join Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, and Rick Danko in what was to become the legendary rock group “The Band”. Levon had recommended his nephew for the job as a great young drummer.
Terry fondly says that his mother let him play gigs while still in high school because the Cate Brothers had a reputation as being clean cut and they did not drink and party like the other bands of the era. That began a long relationship with the Cate Brothers Band and now Earl and Them. Terry was the drummer and vocalist with the Cates in their heyday in the 1970’s and 80’s appearing on American Bandstand and Austin City Limits. They also toured with the Band for a couple of years in the early eighties. Earl reveals that there were times on the tour that Levon was unable to sing and Terry sang his parts and no one knew in the audience. His voice is similar to his famous uncle’s and many would say better.
Bass player John Davies is the newest addition to the band. John is one of those good ole south Arkansas boys that you can’t help but like. Raised in Camden, AR he grew up loving the blues. He played bass for the Cate Brothers band for ten years during the 1990’s and played on several of their albums including Radioland and the classic Cate Brothers Live CD. During the early 2000’s John played tour dates with notables Son Seals, Guitar Shorty, and Dr. Hector and the Groove Injectors. John was also the bass player for the Michael Burkes Band for several years and toured nationally and internationally with Michael. We are lucky and thankful to have John now with the Earl and Them band.
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Nikki Hill
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Those who have seen Carolina girl Nikki Hill sing her ass off agree—this isn’t just another newcomer on the scene, this is a ‘whiplash’ moment. Where did this fireball come from? Why haven’t I heard of her before? If you haven’t heard of Nikki Hill yet, you soon will, and once you see her perform, you won’t forget her.
Hill and her band have been touring extensively following the independent release of debut album ‘Here’s Nikki Hill’ in 2013 leaving jaws on the floor along the way. With a no-filter energy, and explosive live show, they deliver a sound that will make you believe in rock ‘n’ roll again! Nikki’s unique voice with raw rock and soul dynamics mixed with the strength, passion, and honesty of blues shouters of the past, steers the driving guitar from Matt Hill, and a tight rhythm section provided by Ed Strohsahl (bass) and Joe Meyer (drums, percussion), to create a breath of fresh air with their authentic approach to American roots music.
Nikki Hill’s self-titled, independently released EP in June of 2012 created a heavy and sudden international underground buzz that the band has traveled with from state to state and overseas to Europe and Australia. Those 4 tunes penned by Hill combined with memorable live performances, has drawn a wide range of people from every avenue and musical tastes to their shows. One club advertisement will call Nikki “The Southern Fireball”, “the New Soul Sensation”, “amazing R&B Shouter”, and even “the new Queen of Rock n’ Roll”.
If you haven’t heard of her yet, prepare for your ‘whiplash moment’—you have been warned!
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Kelley Hunt
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Kelley Hunt is an American blues pianist, singer, and songwriter. Hunt's own musical influences came from a diverse range, including the work of Ruth Brown, Ann Peebles, Wanda Jackson, Jay McShann and Mary Lou Williams amongst others.
Her self-titled debut album, which was released in 1995, featured the bassist Reggie McBride and saxophonist Wilton Felder. In 1998, Hunt's song "If I Don't Dance" from her debut album, was used in the film, Dance with Me. The album Inspiration, followed in October 2000. Her 2004 album, New Shades of Blue, which was produced by Garth Fundis and Gary Nicholson, peaked at number 9 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. Her fourth album, Mercy was issued in 2009, and the Star Tribune noted "Surprises don't often crop up on the well-trodden blues circuit. This Kansan is a full-blown phenomenon: powerhouse singer, hard boogieing pianist, polished songwriter…"
In 2011, Gravity Loves You was released which included twelve new songs. As well as her own tracks, several were co-written with Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg. The St. Louis Beacon stated "Hunt's songwriting shines on powerful, moving compositions like 'Deep Old Love', 'This Fall', 'In the End' and the title cut. And she proves she can shine on the keyboard as well - with dynamic inspired playing throughout". She also released the single "Heartland", with Hunt on piano and vocals, plus the mandolin player Sam Bush.
Hunt made her debut as an actress in Bunker Hill (2008), where she also contributed music to the film's soundtrack.
She has variously performed at the Omaha Blues, Jazz, & Gospel Festival, Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival (2013), Memphis in May, Austin City Limits Music Festival, and Thursday at the Square. In addition, she has appeared six times on A Prairie Home Companion.
Hunt's sixth album, The Beautiful Bones, was released in May 2014.
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Isayah Warford
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Isayah Warford of Isayah’s Allstars will be brining some of the best musicians in Northwest Arkansas to pay tribute to the Allman Brothers at this year’s Blues in the Natural State Music Festival.
Isayah leads an always changing troupe of musicians providing his audiences with a variety of musical styles to fit the venue and the ocasion.
Isayah has represented the Ozark Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and has played with Mountain of Venus, Bee Spears from the Willie Nelson Band, and Hadden Sayers and just about every one of note in Northwest Arkansas.
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Castro Coleman a-k-a Mr. Sipp
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Castro Coleman a-k-a Mr. Sipp "The Mississippi Blues Child". Born August 25, 1976 to Johnelle and the late Vera Coleman in the small town of McComb, MS. He began playing the guitar at the tender age of 6. Due to hard work and perseverance, Mr. Sipp has become an awesome vocalist, songwriter, musician, composer, producer and entertainer. Above all of that, Mr. Sipp is a God fearing family man.
Castro has over 125 credits and has played on over 50 national recordings with several Grammy nominated projects. He has traveled to Russia, Germany and other countries spreading his gift of music.
Mr. Sipp is the 2014 International Blues Challenge Winner, 2014 Gibson Best Guitarist Award Winner, 2014 Jus' Blues Bobby Rush Entertainers Award Recipient. Mr. Sipp was also casted in the recently released James Brown movie, "Get on Up". Mr. Sipp's favorite quote, "I'm living to love the life that I live, Music!!!!"
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Steve Pryor
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Steve Pryor - In 1978 Muddy Waters told Steve, "Don't ever put that guitar down!" Since that time he has shared the stage with John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Greg Allman, and Dr. John, Johnny Winter, to name a few. His tours with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, and countless performances in concerts, night clubs, and blues festivals have left enduring impressions on all who attended.
Steve's guitar style and singing encompass a history of Blues Americana without compromising his love for extreme, rocking Stratocaster guitar tones. The Steve Pryor band provides plenty of material for the blues purist, however, unlike many strict bluesmen, they see nothing wrong with tapping the roots of rock 'n 'roll to get their message across. Songs like John Hiatt's "Paper Thin," and Keith Richard's "Before They Make Me Run," seem to draw a very fine line between blues and rock (and even country) thereby demonstrating the similarity between the styles while reaffirming Pryor's own versatility.
Steve's rich history also includes his performance in and contributions to the soundtrack of "The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag" as well as projects by Dennis Hopper, (Chasers"), HBO, Filmwerks, and Melrose Place.
Pryor co-produced his most recent CD, "Cardboard Luck," (available on itunes) with Grammy Award winning David Teegarden (drums). It contains six original songs plus covers by Kim Wilson and Mark Knopfler.
Steve was once described as, “Gene Autry stepping off a UFO with a Stratocaster in his hand and an Elmore James song in his heart.” With their unique sound, which taps not only into blues but also rock 'n roll & red dirt, The Steve Pryor Band is sure to satisfy all who listen.
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Amanda Rey & West Street Blues Band
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Amanda Rey & West Street Blues Band are the Ozark Blues Society's 2014 Blues Challenge Blues Winner - Amanda Rey is no stranger to the blues scene, Amanda was born in Memphis, TN and spent most of her youth in between family homes in Holmes County, Mississippi and Washington County, Arkansas (Fayetteville) finally making the Ozark area her permanent home in 2003.
Performing from a very early age in church and piano recitals, music always has been her passion and drive. Influences include Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Nina Simone, Stevie Nicks, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and Ray Charles.
What started as a 'fill-in' gig turned into a reunion of sorts, and now a band that can stand on its own, delivering traditional blues and R & B with a decidedly modern twist..
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Buddy Shute
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Buddy Shute, the Ozark Blues Society's 2014 Blues Challenge Solo Winner was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, where he started playing the bar scene when he was 16. He drifted to New Orleans where he played everywhere and with everybody. He played piano in a burlesque house and had a regular gig on a paddle wheeler.
He has been living and playing in the Northwest Arkansas area for the last thirty years.
In songwriting and in performing, Buddy goes for the feeling you get when you listen to the older Blues Masters.
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Keith Nicholson Trio
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KN3 is a Northwest Arkansas based trio, who are equal parts traditional contemporary blues - as they are roots singer/songwriters. Add in a little swamp flavor (reflecting Keith's Louisiana upbringing), and that's KN3! |