MySpace a place for friends

.. NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL 2009 PERFORMERS:..

..SANDRA HALL~ ~~EMPRESS OF THE BLUES

..BIG RON HUNTER

..POP FERGUSON

..THE KING BEES REVUE featuring JUMPIN' JOE ORR

..BOB THAMES

..MUCH MORE!!

..

.. *SANDRA HALL~ EMPRESS OF THE BLUES! As a teenager Sandra led The Exotics. People thought they were the Supremes, they were that good! They opened for Otis Redding, Joe Tex, Johnny Taylor, B.B. King, Jerry Butler, the Temptations, the O’Jays and many more greats at the legendary Royal Peacock on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta. She soon went solo and immersed herself in the Blues... Sandra has performed all over the world. This dazzling singer has been the featured artist at the world's most prestigious venues including the MONTREAUX JAZZ FESTIVAL. She has performed in the capitals of Europe --London, Paris, Rome--and taken her sizzling show from country juke joints to Russia, always to wild acclaim. Ms. Hall takes the Blues from rightious to raunchy, soulful to sassy....she makes damn sure her audience has a grand time!

.. *BIG RON HUNTER grew up in rural North Carolina and began playing guitar and singing as a child. As a teenager with a strong affinity for the blues, he apprenticed to the revered Carolina blues man, Niles Jones, aka Guitar Gabriel. Hunter's insightful and deeply felt self-penned songs have won accolades. Big Ron can play it all from deep acoustic stylings of Robert Johnson to his up-town, funky, electric originals. Over the past several years Big Ron has become a hit on the international blues scene performing at major festivals and renowned blues venues world-wide. Gritty guitar, exuberant vocals and down-home spirit that touch and inspire audiences!

.. "Ron is a completely unique guitar player, singer, and songwriter..his music is steeped in blues but crosses over to folk and gospel. Ron calls it New Blues... He is an artist that represents hope for the genre." Scott M. Bock Living Blues (USA) Juke (UK) Soul Bag (France)

.. *THE KING BEES REVUE: For over 20 years the High County's own King Bees have been stinging and swinging their originals and soul-stirring covers over this wide country and many others. They have performed at major festivals in Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and other world-class cities..Queen Bee Zamagni has been hailed in the International press as a dynamically gifted singer/song-writer/bassist. Hound Dog Baskerville raises the roof and shakes the foundation with his incendiary guitar and keys...They will be joined by stellar friends from the Blues World and will be featuring *JUMPIN' JOE ORR drummer and blues shouter who started his career with Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and has worked with all the best in blues including Grammy Award Winner Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin and scores of others.

.. Kenneth Johnson, THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: "The King Bees are led by the sassy Penny Zamagni on bass and vocals; she can belt it out with the best of them. She’s backed by a superb band highlighted by the burning riffing of guitarist Rob Baskerville." ..

.. *POP FERGUSON & CLYDE JR. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! POP (Clyde, Sr.) FERGUSON has been playing guitar for nearly 70 years! A native of the foothills of North Carolina, Pop developed a unique approach that reflects Appalachian and Piedmont roots with a foundation of pure, deep Blues. Close your eyes and you know you are in the room with Blind Boy Fuller and John Lee Hooker! Pop can also lay down righteous Chicago Blues ala Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf. Through the years Pop performed at numerous cafes and juke joints from South Carolina to West Virginia, from Baltimore to Detroit to Japan. His assorted adventures took him from church to prison and back to church, and from alcohol dependence to sobriety. He was a friend and performing partner of Blues violinist Papa John Creech and the great Etta Baker. A MUST SEE PERFORMER! ..

.. .. *BOB THAMES Pianist, harmonica player, singer/songwriter Bob Thames grew up in Daytona Beach and was influenced by the abundance of talented musicians in his community, notably family friend, Duane Allman. In the 1980's Bob got the call to be staff writer and keyboardist for the legendary Southern blues label, Kingsnake Records. During his 15 year tenure at Kingsnake Bob recorded with or wrote songs for luminaries such as James Taylor, Kenny Neal, Lucky Peterson, Floyd Miles, Sonny Rhodes and many others. The multitalented Thames is a core member of The Daytona Beach Blues Society Allstars. He has entertained audiences from the Carribean to Canada, Nashville and New York to London. His warm vocals, supple piano work and infectious harp playing infuse his performances with a goodtime, crowd pleasing blues mood... A mood that is the perfect match for a joyous day of music in a mountain meadow!

.. AND SO MUCH MORE!!

.. THANK YOU FOR MAKING NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL 2008 a total success and a beautiful day beyond every one's dreams!! Check out highlights below...