Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

August 23 , 2007 issue


Jefferson Landing Hosts 5th Annual New River Blues Festival September 1

Story by David Brewer

The waters of the New River may not be all that muddy, but that doesn’t mean that the blues won’t run deep when the 5th annual New River Blues Festival kicks off on Saturday, September 1, at Ashe County’s Jefferson Landing.

Settling into its new riverside digs at last year’s event, the New River Blues Festival is organized by locally based international blues artists The King Bees. The festival was originally held in their hometown of Todd before making the move to Jefferson Landing.

This year’s festival lineup is perhaps the most diverse in the event’s history. From the low-down Windy City sound of Chicago Bob Nelson, the husky vocals and clever writing of award-winning multi-instrumentalist Ann Rabson and the grooving soul and blues of Roy Roberts to the beach boogie soul of Clifford Curry, the folky Appalachian style of Howard Colbert and the swinging, soulful style of The King Bees, there will be plenty of styles to choose from.

Veteran harmonica player Chicago Bob Nelson has shared the stage with everyone from John Lee Hooker to Slim Harpo and Lazy Lester. Chicago Bob Nelson

Born in Louisiana, Chicago Bob learned swamp-drenched blues from his musician father before moving to Chicago as a teen. Nelson played harp with a cavalcade of Chi-town powerhouses, as well as doing a five-year stint with John Lee Hooker. It was Muddy Waters who gave Nelson his moniker after seeing the young man perform in every Chicago blues venue with many top blues artists.

 

 

 

A rousing vocalist and piano and guitar player, Ann Rabson has been nominated for eight W.C. Handy awards.Ann Rabson

Ann Rabson is a triple-threat blues artist, armed with a two-fisted barrelhouse piano and rousing Piedmont guitar styles, as well as her full-throttle vocals. Rabson has been performing her exuberant originals and classic blues covers for nearly 50 years. Known for being an integral part of the popular blues trio Saffire, she is also loved the world over as a solo artist. Elegant, powerful, warm and razor sharp, Rabson is an eight-time W.C. Handy Award nominee.

 

Roy Roberts

Roy Roberts is pure southern r&b. With his soul-drenched vocals and searing guitar, Roberts takes you on a no-holds-barred Chitlin Circuit tour. Roberts got his start in the 1960s as the bandleader for such luminaries as Solomon Burke and Otis Redding before shedding his sideman role to has become one of the most prolific and internationally respected southern bluesmen ever. Roberts’ experience as a player, songwriter and producer keeps the Tennessee native busier than ever.

 

A member of the Beach Music Hall of Fame, Clifford Curry scored a #1 hit in the late 1960s with “She Shot a Hole in My Soul.”Clifford Curry

Clifford Curry career began in the 1950s when he formed and fronted the seminal doo-wop group The Five Pennies. The group recorded on the legendary Savoy Records. Curry went on to record for the historic Excello Records label. He emerged in the ‘60s as a soul singer to be reckoned with and had everyone dancing with his hit “She Shot a Hole In My Soul.” Through the decades, Curry has been a beach and blues music favorite and was inducted into the Beach Music Hall of Fame.

Howard Colbert

Authentic bluesmen don’t get more real than Howard Colbert. The Caldwell County native has been playing his mountain foothills music since the age of 10 and has developed his own rousing brand of blues. Colbert grew up in the same neighborhood and was a musical associate of the late Etta Baker. From deep slide guitar stylings to Piedmont picking, Colbert is one of the last Appalachian African-Americans to keep these traditions alive. He is a member of the Music Maker Foundation.

The King Bees

The King Bees have been internationally revered in their own right, stinging and swinging from New York City’s Lincoln Center to the capitals of Europe. "Queen Bee" Penny Zamagni lays down the rock-solid bass line, writes the originals and belts it out with the best while "Hound Dog" Baskerville erupts with fiery but tasty guitar and “Jumpin’” Joe Orr lays down the big blues beat.

In addition to rocking their own material, The King Bees will be backing all of the day’s performers individually and will lead the festival finale when they welcome all the performers on stage for a rousing blues-soaked finish.

Food and beverages, including beer and wine, will be provided throughout the day by Jefferson Landing kitchens.

Festival gates open at noon and music lovers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Tickets are $10 for adults and will be available at the gate. Children 12 and under may enter free of charge. The event will take place rain or shine and no coolers or pets are allowed.

The festival is sponsored by Jefferson Landing, AF Bank, Blue Ridge Electric, Holiday Inn Express-Boone, Mast General Store and The Mountain Times. For more info including directions, click to www.newriverbluesfestival.info.

Want To Go?

Date: Saturday, September 1
Time: 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Jefferson Landing, Ashe County
Cost: $10 for adults/Free for children 12 and under