Line-Up 2008
| MAIN STAGE | |||||||||||||||||
| Friday, July 11 | Saturday, July 12 | ||||||||||||||||
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| BACK PORCH STAGE | |
| Friday, July 11 | Saturday, July 12 |
7:30pm LONNIE SHIELDS 6:00pm MIKEY JR. ACOUSTIC BLUES REVUE 4:45pm MARK ARMSTRONG 4:00pm NEON SOUL SESSION |
7:30pm LONNIE SHIELDS 6:00pm BRET ALEXANDER 4:30pm DONOVAN ROBERTS 3:30pm NEON SOUL SESSION |
Friday July 11, 2008 Line-Up Details
NORA JEAN BRUSO |
Friday at 9:30 pm |
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Watch a video of Nora Jean Bruso by clicking here Listen to an audio sample of When You Leave Don't Take Nothing |
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The Blues Music Awards are universally recognized as the highest honor given to Blues artists. Nora Jean Bruso and Big George Brock, our Friday and Saturday night headliners, have both been nominated this year. Nora Jean Bruso for Traditional Blues Artist of the Year and Big George Brock for Traditional Blues Album of the Year.
Nora Jean Bruso, a Chicago Blues singer with deep Delta roots, was recently named one of the ten great women in Chicago Blues by Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
Nora Jean Bruso (nee Wallace) was born to sing the blues. Like so many blues greats she hails from the Delta of Mississippi, and was born and raised in Greenwood, a town in the heart of this blues rich region. From birth her father, Bobby Lee Wallace, a professional blues singer and sharecropper, and her Uncle, Henry "Son" Wallace, a blues singer and guitar player, infused the blues in her soul. Contributing to her musical education as well was her mother, Ida Lee Wallace, a gospel singer, and her grandmother, Mary, who ran a juke house.
Over the last ten years Briggs Farm has featured some of the worlds greatest female blues vocalists such as Alexis P. Suter, Sharrie Williams and E.C. Scott and as you will soon see, Nora is simply one of very best blues vocalists there is.
JOHNNY RAWLS |
Friday at 7:45 pm |
Watch a video of Johnny Rawls by clicking here
Listen to an audio sample of Good Lovin' Going On
Johnny Rawls, born in Columbia, Mississippi in 1951 and raised in Purvis and Gulfport, began playing professionally while still in high school with such stars as ZZ Hill, Little Johnny Taylor, Joe Tex and the Sweet Inspirations. In the mid-70´s, Johnny went to work for OV Wright as Wright´s band director. Recording under Touch Records, Rooster Blues, Rock House, Reach and JSP Records, Johnny has done it all from producing, songwriting, horn arranging, Rhythm, Lead and Bass guitar, keyboard, vocals and background vocals. Johnny started his own record company, Deep South Soul, in 2002 and has released his CD´s Lucky Man; Live in Montana, and The Best of Johnny Rawls. His newest CD entitled "Heart and Soul" was nominated for a Blues Music Award for "Best Soul Blues Album of the Year (2007)".
Johnny has appeared on the cover of the Living Blues Magazine and has been nominated four times for a Blues Music Award (formally the W.C. Handy Award). His most recent award came from the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame for RB Male Vocalist of the Year 2006.
BOBBY KYLE |
Friday at 6:15 pm |
Listen to an audio sample of Spider and the Fly
Start All Over Again
Let's Straighten it Out
"Bobby Kyle may be one of the best male blues singers in the business. Yes, he really is that good and proves it time and again." Blues Revue Magazine
One of the most promising of the next generation of blues artists on the scene today,
Bobby´s singular guitar styling, blunt and to the point, resonates with maturity, talent and inspiration; bringing us a genesis of contemporary music that is characteristically all his own.
In 1984, Handy Award winner Eddie Kirkland invited Bobby to join his band. After six years with Eddie, Bobby joined the band of Grammy Award winner Johnny "Clyde" Copeland. Bobby performed with this legendary Texas bluesman on major-label recordings, and in concerts, festivals, and clubs worldwide until Johnny´s death in 1997.
Now performing with his own band, Bobby´s emotional, soulful voice rings true, and is forged with a raw, distinctive quality all his own.
Listen to Bobby Kyle´s song samples on his website and you will understand why we are bringing this unique voice to Briggs Farm this year.
KELLY RICHEY |
Friday at 4:30 pm |
Watch a video of Kelly Richey by clicking here
"Stevie Ray Vaughn trapped in a woman´s body with Janis Joplin screaming to get out."
This is how one critic describes Kelly Richey, a blues-based rock virtuoso. Buoyed by critical praise and fiercely loyal fans, The Kelly Richey Band tours extensively bringing their electric live experience to venues throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. The attention centers on this Kentucky native´s guitar playing; Richey´s proficiency has earned her comparisons to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan while gaining her a place on stage with blues legends, Albert King and Lonnie Mack. Richey has opened for artists such as James Brown, Johnny and Edgar Winter, and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
A national and international touring band, the Kelly Richey Band is backed by Shane Frye on drums and Jimmy Valdez on bass, each accomplished musicians in their own right. In her adopted hometown of Cincinnati, OH, Richey and her band have won multiple awards including Best Blues/RB Band, Best Rock Band, Best Musician and Best Band.
Kelly plays these awesome live extended renditions that make my fingers ache just seeing and hearing this crazy cut-loose style. The reason she is so great as a true strat-o-master is that she lets it all fly out without pulling any punches.
One thing for sure there will be no half-hearted performances on opening night of the 11th Annual Briggs Farm Blues Festival.
Saturday July 12, 2008 Line-Up Details
BIG GEORGE BROCK |
Saturday at 9:30pm |
www.cathead.biz/biggeorge.html
Watch a video of Big George Brock by Clicking Here
Listen to an audio sample of Mr. Wal-Mart
"Not many of us left of the old school, but they don´t come any better (than) Big George Brock" Sonny Payne - King Biscuit Time radio show.
Today there are more blues festivals than at any other time in the history of the world, with plenty of excellent blues players available to perform. But how many Blues MEN are left? You know, the real deal. Watching Big George is like stepping back in time.
Big George learned the blues from the guys who just about invented blues. Born in Grenada, Mississippi in 1932, Big George spent much of his youth in Clarksdale, sharecropping, boxing and playing blues on the weekends. He has played shows with everyone from Muddy Waters and Howlin´ Wolf to Jimmy Reed and Albert King. "I knew them all."
Big George says his music is "those old blues from back behind Grandma´s house, taking people back to the cotton fields and then bringing them on up to the big city. If you want to hear real blues the way people used to play them, you come and see Big George Brock."
Roger Stolle, owner of Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art, Clarksdale, Mississippi told us that, "We walked up to this place, and you could just feel the building shaking from the music. The band warmed up first and then suddenly, there was this huge harmonica sound coming out of nowhere. After about 30 seconds, we turned around, and here comes this oversized guy in a killer suit walking up the steps and the crowd went nuts. It was a real scene." In 2006 Brock performed at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis. He hit the stage wearing a big shiny cape over his always-stunning suit. By the end of the song, he was rolling around on the floor blowing harp as two dozen photographers pressed against the stage.
Big George Brock has been nominated for three 2007, Blues Music Awards (a.k.a.) W. C. Handy awards) for "Instrumentalist - Harmonica", "Traditional Blues Album of the year", and "Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year" and in 2008 he has been nominated for "Traditional Blues Artist of the Year"
Briggs Farm is thrilled and honored to have Big George take the stage as our Saturday night headliner. WOW!
CLARENCE SPADY |
Saturday at 7:30pm |
www.myspace.com/clarencespadyband
Listen to an audio sample of Be Your Enough
The former W.C. Handy Nominee for Best New Artist ´97 has been an underground marvel since his initial and only worldwide release "Nature of the Beast" in ´96. He received international recognition as one of Living Blues Magazine's "Top 40 Blues Artist Under 40", and received the ´98 France Blues Trophy for Best International Blues Artist of the Year.
Once you´ve seen and heard Clarence, you know you´ve been witness to one of the great guitar players of our time. He plays with a depth & sensitivity that can´t be taught. Effortlessly combining blues, jazz, funk, and rock. The music seems to emanate from his soul, flow through his guitar, & encompass the audience. Clarence is one of those artists that can actually move people. He brings out a range of emotions in you throughout his performances and recordings.
Briggs Farm heard an advance mix of Clarence´s new CD called "Just Between Us". It´s all new stuff and every bit as smoothly earth shattering as "Nature of the Beast" was 10 years ago. His compelling and emotional live performances are what we are about and Briggs Farm is in for a very very special treat this year! Don´t miss this one!
COLIN JOHN & MICHAEL HILL |
Saturday at 5:45pm |
www.myspace.com/freshfolkblues
Watch a videos of Colin John & Michael Hill in their last music projects by clicking here
Listen to an audio sample of 11 months and 29 days
Armed with flattop, resonator and Weissenborn guitars, various slides and a rich batch of original tunes, Michael Hill and Colin John have stepped away from their electric proclivities to create a most exciting, imaginative brew of acoustic sounds and stories. Guitars´sparkle and sing with the phrasing and dynamics of Colin´s open tuned finger styling and Michael´s chromatically blue note choices. Hill´s acclaimed songwriting and John´s own considerable skills as a tunesmith merge in heartfelt tales told with the warmly affectionate musical and vocal interaction that are a hallmark of their live performances. "Fresh Folk Blues" reaches out to transform the listener into a colleague in the sharing of songs between friends, and that´s one of the very best things that folk, blues or any music can do.
In 2006 the Colin John Band played at Briggs Farm on their world tour and people have been asking to have him back ever since. Colin´s laid-back character must fit well here on the farm. Michael Hill from Michael Hill´s Blues Mob is recognized as "one of modern blues most talented songwriters and guitarists" -Living Blues-. Colin and Michael will be sharing their engaging personal blend of warmth, conviction and humor as "Fresh Folk Blues" with you from the main stage at Briggs Farm this summer.
SARAH AYERS BAND |
Saturday at 4:00pm |
Listen to an audio sample of Red Dress
Alaska
Mockingbird
Sarah has sung opera with a wide range of companies from the Reading Orchestra to the Anchorage Opera Company. It was in Anchorage, Alaska that Sarah got her first taste of the blues, singing Janis Joplin, Etta James, and Koko Taylor covers with the 76th Street Blues Band and Paul Byrd and the Escalators. Sarah got her start in the local blues scene when she filled in for six months for lead singer Beverly Conklin of BC & The Blues Crew, one of Lehigh Valley´s most respected and talented blues bands. Today she leads The Sarah Ayers Band, Sarah´s Acoustic Brew and is one-third of the blues/roots trio The Girls who performed at Briggs Farm in 2006.
Their spicy recipe for funky, kick-ass, butt-shaking blues has rocketed them right through the usual rites of passage for a new blues band, performing at the Lehigh Valley Blues and Jazz Festival, competing in the regional and national International Blues Challenge, and performing in the Best of the Lehigh Valley Festival. Sarah has been awarded Best Female Vocalist at the Lehigh Valley Music Awards every year since 2003. In each year she has also taken home 25 additional awards in other categories, including: best original band, best blues vocalist, best all around performer, best original song Body Says Yes, and best Overall CD in 2007 for 3 AM Epiphany.
