The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society (PBPS) is excited to announce a partial lineup of acts secured for the 28th Annual Carolina Blues Festival in association with YES! Weekly. The all-day event is being held under the big tent at Festival Park in downtown Greensboro, NC, May 17, 2014.
Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers - California-based blues bandleader, harmonica player, and singer, Rod Piazza's stratospheric harmonica wailings owe a heavy debt to both Little Walter and George "Harmonica" Smith. During his 47-year career in the genre, Piazza, 66, has won or been nominated for almost every blues award out there. He has played thousands of gigs around the world and released more than a dozen well-known albums. Since 1973, he's also performed alongside his wife, boogie pianist Honey Piazza, which Rod says has been a big plus. Piazza's music continues to grow stronger as continues his blues odyssey with no signs of stopping anytime soon. He recently signed a deal with Blind Pig Records, one of the larger record companies for blues musicians, and expects to produce a CD with them later this year. In the meantime, his current tour schedule includes stops in Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Canada, and Belgium.
Carl Weathersby - Weathersby was Albert King's rhythm guitarist between 1979 and 1982, and then spent some 15 years with Billy Branch's Sons of Blues as lead guitarist before striking out on his own. His debut solo album on Evidence Records, 'Don't Lay Your Blues On Me', was nominated for the W.C. Handy 'Blues Album of the Year' award. Mixing Southern charm, soulful vocals, and fierce guitar-playing, Carl plays the blues, from down-and-dirty to scintillating Albert King influenced chops. This is one powerful blues performer that will leave you amazed and thoroughly entertained.
Beverly “Guitar” Watkins with The King Bees - Beverly "Guitar" Watkins is the Georgia Music Legend Award Winner. If you’ve never seen a 74 year old blues lady who can play guitar behind her head, belt out powerful songs, and lay down James Brown steps, you’ve never been in the audience when Beverly Guitar Watkins was burning down the house. As a teen she teamed up with the legendary Piano Red and has rocked venues with the best of them for 5 decades. Through the years Beverly “Guitar” Watkins has stolen the hearts and blown the minds of audiences internationally. Beverly Guitar means business!
The King Bees have been stingin' and swingin' to international acclaim for 25 years and are led by blues dynamo bassist/vocalist Penny "Queen Bee" Zamagni and guitarist extraordinaire, Rob “Hound Dog” Baskerville.
Lawyers Guns & Money – Local favorites and winners of the 2013 PBPS Blues Challenge, Lawyers Guns & Money, comprised of Terry VunCannon (guitar, lap steel), Steve Headen (bass, vocals) and Mike Thomas (drums), will get the festival started with their unique sound that is clean and balanced. They perform the blues and their own originals, showcasing guitar, lap steel, and strong vocals. LGM has one CD out, "Make Up Another Lie", and has had two singles to reach #1 on the Cashbox Magazine Roadhouse Blues Charts.
The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society also announces its anticipation of the POP! Downtown Greensboro series of temporary Art installations to appear in un-occupied storefront windows from mid-March to the end of May 2014. Downtown Greensboro, Inc., in collaboration with Open Art Society (OAS) will feature up to 10 artists from around the region responding to the theme “BLUES.”
The blues theme came to be as OAS recognized that iconic musicians developed the Piedmont Blues style right in our “backyard”, a sound that took hold in the south and influenced music around the world. The project will also celebrate the Carolina Blues Festival produced by Piedmont Blues Preservation Society held May 17, 2014. For more information: http://bit.ly/1hEAPh8
For tickets, the latest information, or festival updates, go to: http://fest.piedmontblues.org or http://piedmontblues.org.
About the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society
From our love of music and our belief that music is best shared in a community, came the founding of the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society in 1985. Our non-profit organization works to cultivate and preserve the tradition of blues music. Our mission is to help the youth of our community discover the wonder and joy of music by raising awareness and providing music education to our community.
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