GIRLS GOT THE BLUES
GIRLS GOT THE BLUES is an all-star, female blues band showcasing talented blues women in the Bay Area, led by San Jose’s multi-talented “Empress of the Blues,” Lara Price. When these musicians aren’t busy touring with international headliners, teaching music, or tending to their own projects, they come together to produce a truly magical experience of blues mastery. This team of veteran blues stars includes: guitar playersLaura Chavez and Jeni Day; bass players Ruth Davies and Jan Martinelli; saxplayer/vocalist Dolly Rappaport; keyboard players/vocalists Pamela Arthur and Janice Maxie Reid; drummer Robin Roth; vocalists Pam Hawkins, Annie Sampson and Lara Price; and back-up vocalists Sue McCracklin and Maureen Smith. The Fountain Blues Festival encourages everyone to show up early to catch this not-to-be-missed all-star band, which kicks off the festival at noon.
ROY ROGERS & the Delta Rhythm Kings
Redding, California native Roy Rogers is considered one of the world’s premier slide guitarists performing today. Rogers will be returning to the Fountain Blues Festival stage for the 7th time, and has the noteworthy honor of having kicked off the festival in its’ inaugural year on the San Jose State University Campus in 1981.
With 8 Grammy nominations as producer and performer, Rogers is also an internationally acclaimed producer, having produced recordings for John Lee Hooker (4 Grammy Nominations and 2 Grammy Awards) and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (2 Grammy Nominations). Rogers has received numerous accolades for his songwriting (Grammy Nomination for ‘Song for Jessica’, Grammy nomination for Bonnie Raitt for Best Rock Female Vocal on “Gnawin On It” which he co-wrote), as well as his work on movie soundtracks and television. Split Decision, is his latest studio recording with his band, The Delta Rhythm Kings, which was released by Blind Pig in 2009. In May of 2011, Rogers released a collaboration with The Doors Keyboardist, Ray Manzarek entitled Translucent Blues also available on Blind Pig, which debuted #6 on the Billboard charts, and reached #1 on the American Roots Rock Chart. This year – with 5 countries on the radar screen and touring the U.S. and Canada – he continues to ignite and inspire audiences across the globe… including a not-to-be missed San Jose stop for a rollicking 2 p.m. set.
RUTHIE FOSTER
Back by popular demand, RUTHIE FOSTER will be making a repeat performance at the Fountain Blues Festival after a crowd pleasing, standing ovation set at last year’s festival. This past year has been a big year for Foster – she won the 2012 Blues Music Awards DVD of the Year (for Live at Antone’s); The Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year (which she also won in 2011); a 2012 Grammy nomination for Best Blues Album (for Let it Burn) and was named Austin’s Best Female Vocalist for 2013.
With a naturally expressive voice that has drawn comparisons to greats like Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald, Texas-based singer and songwriter Foster mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk, and soul into her music, and her live performances are powerfully transfiguring. Foster’s latest release ‘Let it Burn’ (2012), features stellar special guests including: The Blind Boys of Alabama, the rhythm section of the Funky Meters, soul legend William Bell, and renowned saxophonist James Rivers and organist Ike Stubblefield (Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Eric Clapton). An engaging live performer, Foster continues to tour regularly, wowing audiences with her powerful voice, stylistic range and remarkable touring band. We’re more than pleased to have Ms. Foster back to rock the stage at 4 p.m. http://www.ruthiefoster.com
John Mayall
Headliner JOHN MAYALL will make his first-ever appearance in
the 33-year history of the Fountain Blues Festival. John Mayall is a pioneering
English blues singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Since the 1960′s,
Mayall and the Bluesbreakers toured with a revolving lineup of famous blues and
rock musicians that has included: Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Green, Mark
Almond, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Larry Taylor,
Don “Sugarcane” Harris, Coco Montoya, Johnny Almond and Dave Navarro – to
name a few.
Click here to listen to Mayall’s personal picks of Top 10 Bluesbreakers songs
that represent a career that spans four decades:
http://www.johnmayall.com/listen.html
Mayall was born into a musical family – his father Murray was a guitarist and
jazz music enthusiast. From an early age, Mayall was drawn to the sounds
of American blues players such as Leadbelly, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Smith
and Eddie Lang, and eventually taught himself to play the piano, guitar and
harmonica. He continued to play part-time in bands while attending Manchester
College of Art, eventually opting to become a full time musician in 1963 when
he moved to London. He eventually moved to the U.S. in the late ’60s, where he
resides today when he’s not helping spread the blues across the globe.
In November 2008, Mayall – now an elder statesman of the blues – announced
he disbanded the Bluesbreakers to cut back on his heavy workload and give
himself freedom to work with other musicians. That didn’t last long however, as
he found himself touring three months later with a stellar lineup that has stayed
together and continues to tour: Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass and
Jay Davenport on drums.
Texan Rocky Athas hasn’t only received accolades from such noted guitarists
as Eric Johnson, Johnny Winter, Jimmy Vaughn and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, but
the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy wrote the song “Cocky Rocky” after hearing Rocky
play one night at “Mother Blues,” a local Dallas club. Queen guitarist Brian May
was also on hand for those performances and was so floored by Rocky’s finger-
tapping style that he incorporated it on the next Queen album and later revealed
that it was Athas who first introduced him to the style, well before Eddie Van
Halen became famous for this style.
Jay Davenport brings a special blend of Chicago style blues to the rhythm
section. He paid his dues for decades with such greats as Sugar Blue, Junior
Wells, Valerie Wellington, Pinetop Perkins, Jimmie Johnson and Melvin Taylor.
Bassist Greg Rzab is also a Chicago area native and began playing bass at age
15, earning accolades in both the blues and rock circles playing with such greats
as: Otis Rush, Albert Collins, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells, Buddy
Guy, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, The Allman Brothers,
Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Black Crowes and Gov’t Mule.
