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Here you will find pictures from a number of festivals and the musicians that play at these events are so exciting and talented,
it makes my head spin.
White Mountain Boogie and Blues Festival is in August:
I wanted to show you more of where the festival is and what it has to offer this year (2001).
John Lee Hooker, Jr. was much more entertaining and musical than I had anticipated. He really got the crowd going. Oh, and his guitar player was very good and won cutest guy at the festival (for me anyways).
A sniper walks in the afternoon light
looking for people eating french fries to rob.
CB Roy, DJ showed up and to kill two birds with one stone, here he is with his friend and I wanted you to see the vendors and all the goings on up on the hill at WMBBF. This is only part of the vendor tents.
Always popular Fried Dough (too bad that isn’t money- dough, get it?)
The climbing wall is a big hit with the kids and kid-like adults,
P.S. that’s John Lee Hooker, Jr. performing.
My old bandmate, Arthur James and Northbound, winners of the Granite State Blues Society’s Blues Challenge (going to Memphis to compete this winter) started off the Saturday line-up.
News to me, Sonny Moorman was really tough and played a flying “V” as well as this lap steel, he has a deep voice and plays powerful guitar.
Joe Louis Walker is one funky guy and he has Murali Coryelle touring with him. Murali is the son of Larry Coryelle, Jazz guitar player, and he has inherited his great talent and uses it for good (like a super hero).
My understated t-shirt on a very handsome subscriber.
My booth, Thanks to Brad and Mike for letting me set up here, it is a prime location. I get to meet all the musicians as they sign CDs and all that.
They are very kind to me, (I do help sell tickets) and it is always fun to see my subscribers at these events.
Someday I want to BE Eden Brent. She has so much fun, she is so talented and why didn’t I learn anything after 3 years of piano lessions?
If she had been my teacher, I would have…
The Barnfull of Blues Festival August 2010
TJ Wheeler and the Hoochie Coochie kids (from the Webster House)
TJ Wheeler and Monique
Dan on our funky washtub Bass and Brent on harmonica
Yo Boogie Chillen!
Great Job from all y’all yesterday afternoon! I’m so proud of everybody.
Due to time considerations, I had to cut a couple of short remaining songs at the last minute, from the Webster House kids set and a couple from Connor’s trio set. None the less, Connor and Kyle REALLY shined on those two songs and
really turned a lot of heads!
Chris Fitz, one of the more renown electric Blues Rock players in NE came over,
almost running, to see who the heck was doing that extended guitar solo
(one of the longest and best of the entire day).
Kyle’s drum solo on “Wipe Out” was killer diller. The addition of Robert McClung on electric bass was a real contrbution to us getting our mojo on, and offered a nice, contrast to Dan on our funky washtub Bass player
( kinda like..before & after, historically speaking.)
To top things off, Rob, no less, also did a pretty mean Snoopy dance!
Monique really wowed everybody with her soulful voice, dancing and overall stage presence! People, for the rest of day, kept asking me about her, including the musicians. Speaking of musicians, Daren showed off just how much he had learned over the last few months so tastefully, played a great guitar solo as well as terrific rhythm guitar. Brent found some sweet notes on the harmonica and had a good energy the entire time on & off the stage. Dan, was rock steady on the washtub as always, and Alex surprised everyone with his wonderful, rousing version of La Bamba. The young man with long hair (also from Webster house, whose names escapes me , taking pictures was quite helpful by documenting our performance and was a great all around, volunteer along with the tireless energy of our main man Lou Catano, who seemed to be everywhere at once all day long!
Many Thanks to you al,l as well as to all the parents, Webster house volunteers, Blues Audience, & my wife Nadine for all of their support. Last but not least, a big shout out of thanks to the Granite State Blues Association, Raising the Blues, The Blues Bank Collective, the National Endowment on the Arts & of course, our own, NH State Council on the Arts (for making TJ’s residency at
the Webster house financially possible)!
Keep On Keepin On
Tj Wheeler
Lydia Warren solo performance
Dave Glannon
Tom Ballerini Band
What a wonderful day it was, beautiful, not tooooo hot and very friendly!
The First Vermont Blues Festival August 2009- photos by Diana ShonkGuy Davis started out the day with stories and jokes and country Blues.
Mavis Staples continued the Sunday Gospel feeling.
Shemekia was lovely and soulful as she talked about her Dad. What a great band with Arthur Neilson on guitar. They have been togehter for years. Paul Benjamin told me that Shemkia is getting married soon, I noticed that she has slimmed down, maybe that is why.
Magic Slim and The Teardrops were about a Chicago Blues as you can get anywhere. He may be from Mississippi, but he has that Chicago Blues down and dirty really funky Blues, it is just part of him!
I am a big fan and couldn’t resist getting a word with him as he drank his Jack Daniels.
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Barnful of Blues Festival
2009 New Boston, NH- photos by Diana Shonk
Luther “Gtr. Jr.” Johnson did an acoustic set with Big Jack Ward and Otis Doncaster
He held court in my tent all day, it was such a pleasure to see all the LOVE!
Thrilling as always, Chris Fitz made the crowd yell for MORE!!!
He had Ken Clark on Hammond B-3 and he was a dynamic addition.
That crazy organ, 1962 I believe, has all its tubes on display! It was inspiring watching him move that thing! It must weigh a thousand pounds, but I am so glad he made it, super cool!
Jackie Lee did one of my favorite songs, “Louise.”
Arthur James and Northbound did a great version of “Crosscut Saw”
Chris Noyes- notice the BEAUTIFUL guitar!!!
Local celebrity guitar player, Skip Philbrick was there for the show.
The Boston Horns were ever so FUNKY!
Luther closed out the show with the help of The Boston Horns.
2009 New Boston, NH
What a SHOW in little New Boston, NH.
WHO KNEW??
I should be beaten for never having been there before, well, that is remedied now!
AND the brand new GRANITE STATE BLUES SOCIETY was born!!!
Past Blues Festival reviews
2006 North Atlantic Blues Festival featured Otis Rush
The White Mountain Boogie and Blues Festival- Thornton, NH
Making a move to three days of blues and music was a big step for the WMBBF. It has grown because of the great feeling and easy going presentation this festival offers. It is very down home, in a big field in the middle of a farm in central NH. There are lots of vendors and a climbing wall, which directly benefits Blues In The Schools Programs. Their approach is unique in that they have the bands do 90 minutes instead of the usual 60 minute set. “We know, from having a our own band, that is takes a little bit to get warmed up and comfortable.” Brad Benton, organizer, told me. “We want it to be about the great music.” You get a really full picture of the artists he brings to the mountains. They can really stretch out. And stretch out they did! Award winning bands from Chris Fitz (opener),<click on the link to see a short video of his performance, four time performer at the festival you’ll see why in the video clip. Blues Superstar, Anna Popovich, Czechoslovakian closed the show, they got to dig deep into the blues. They bring up the wonderful bands like Mission of Blues and The Love Dogs, Albert Cummings, Nicole Nelson and Mighty Sam McClain served up on a platter for the hungry blues lovers. Good thing there is plenty of great food, or they might have eaten these tasty acts. One more thing, this year Rick and I got to see the fireworks display on Saturday night and it was SPECTACULAR!
