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y his teens he was focusing on
The band captivates audiences sota, in the mid-’70 s, and eventually
100 H BANDS The Blues Foundation • blues.org while staying true to the original
moved to Indiana to work
100 H art form. Whether it be jump with a show band there. She
or Chicago/country blues, the moved to Missouri in the early
Blues Crusaders do a tremendous
’90s to sing and play drums in
job of sharing their excit-
a Branson show. There she met
ing take on these blues gems! her longtime partner and guitar
player, Burl Williams, who introduced
her to the blues style
Blues Expressions of music. Together they formed
Prairie Crossroads a local blues band, which Meyer
Blues Society
says has been the most fulfilling
Blues Expressions was formed in genre of music in her singing experience.
2007 by bassist Adrian Muex Sr.
She now fronts her band,
The band performs a variety of performing a blend of traditional
blues with a twist that leaves a and rock-style blues featuring
lasting impression. Members include
slide guitar on her original songs.
Charles Tiner on keys and
vocals, John Virgin on lead guitar,
Muex on bass guitar, Marcus Bridget Kelly Band
Taylor on drums, Archer Logan
North Central Florida
on sax, and Shayla Logan on
Blues Society
sax. The band is led by front man Inspired by classic and electric
Tony Young, who provides an experience
blues, the Bridget Kelly Band
that is unmatched. (2015 IBC semifinalists) have
placed their unique stamp on the
genre with high-energy performances
that blend Texas blues
Bobby BlackHat Band
Natchel’ Blues Network with various Southern blues traditions.
The sultry vocals of Bridget
Bobby “BlackHat” Walters, coastal
Virginia blues recording artist, Kelly and incendiary lead guitar
harp player, vocalist, songwriter, work of Tim Fik forge a signature
and actor, has been playing harp sound, held together by drummer
for over 40 years and is a retired Alex Klausner and bassist Mark
Coast Guard officer. Band members
include Walters (harp, vo-
in Blues CD was a top-four pick
Armbrecht. The group’s Forever
cals), Tom Euler (guitar), Michael by the International Blues Broadcasters
Association, and No. 1 on
Behlmar (drums), and Von Jose
Roberts (bass). Bobby BlackHat the blues debut chart, with airplay
on Sirius XM and blues radio
performs original, classic, and contemporary
blues tunes that will shows around the globe. The
keep your toes tappin’ and your Bridget Kelly Band ranked No. 3 in
hips shakin’ all night long. Walters
has released five albums, and ducted by Blues-E-News magazine.
a 2015 Women in Music poll con-
his song “I Hear Mama’s Voice”
won the 2012 Blewzzy Award for
Celso Salim
Song of the Year. His latest release
is titled Accidental Blues. The
Southern California
Blues Society
Bobby BlackHat Band advanced
to the 2015 IBC semifinals. Brazilian guitarist Celso Salim is
a rare example of a performer
Brenda Meyer Band
who can effortlessly cross genre
boundaries to create something
Buffalo River
that is personal and compelling.
Blues Society
His music takes on a bevy of
Brenda Meyer and her band have genres, mixing deep blues with
been serving up the blues for over hints of jazz, soul, honky-tonk,
15 years. Meyer started singing and even touches of classic rock.
and playing drums with her first He is a modern bluesman rooted
band, from Rochester, Minne-
in the past. Salim started playing
guitar at the age of 6, and
early blues artists. At age 17 he
moved to the United States, where
he studied a variety of American
styles. Now, with five solo albums
out, Salim has established
a solid and productive career, becoming
one of the busiest and
most respected blues artists residing
in Southern California.
Charlie Love and the
Silky Smooth Band
Windy City Blues Society
Charlie Love’s blues-loving parents
introduced him to blues at
an early age. Born on Chicago’s
gritty South Side in 1956, Love
celebrates the human spirit with
his music. His silky smooth vocals
confirm for his audiences that
blues is one of life’s great elixirs,
simultaneously healing what ails
you and touching you spiritually.
Charlie Love and the Silky Smooth
Band, a mainstay of Chicago’s
vibrant blues community, offers
audiences 100 percent authentic
Chicago blues. Equally comfortable
on guitar and harmonica,
Love has a repertoire that spans
a wide range, from soul-drenched
blues to house-rockin’ boogie.
Whenever this consummate showman
is in the house, the audience
just can’t stay in their seats.
The Chris Canas Band
Detroit Blues Society
The Chris Canas Band brings you
classic and soul-infused blues
from the Midwest. Influenced by
the blues masters of old, the CCB
is keeping the blues alive all over
Michigan and beyond by writing
and arranging music that honors
the traditional roots of the
past with the unique Chris Canas
style. Whether dark, playful, or
in-your-face jammin’, this band
sets the mood and commands
attention when headlining festivals
and venues. CCB members
add their special touch to create
a dynamic mix onstage for the
blues to move you inside and out.
Canas leads the pack on lead guitar
and vocals, with Kevin Schoepke
on bass, Chris Nordman on
piano and organ, Michael Scott on
drums, and Angie C. on vocals.
Christine Jude and
the Gentlemen Callers
Oklahoma Blues Society
Christine Jude’s powerful voice
and magnetic stage presence have
made her a mainstay of the Tulsa
rock scene throughout the early
2000s. After growing weary of the
cover-band circuit and group politics,
she decided to go out on her
own and develop a sound closer
to her heart. The shift was a resounding
success, as the Oklahoma
Blues Society crowned her
(along with guitarist Chris Brown)
as winner of the duo category in
2013 and 2014. Now using the
moniker Christine Jude and the
Gentlemen Callers, the band has
expanded into a high-energy sixpiece
ensemble, versatile enough
to cover a variety of blues styles
from across the country. Simply
put, they are some of Oklahoma’s
finest, and not to be missed!
Chuck Strong
and SRBQ
Santa Clarita Valley
Blues Society
The Strong Rock’n Blues Quest,
fronted by stand-up drummer/
singer Chuck Strong, hail from the
Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society
in Southern California. Guitarists
John Davis and Paul Marshall
team up with bassist David Grover
and sax man Jim Scimonetti to
round out the SRBQ team. Scimonetti
also doubles on organ, while
Strong’s stand-up drumming style
and unique voice add a dimension
that sets them apart from
other blues bands. With a deep
groove, a ton of talent, and a trainload
of soul, Chuck Strong and
SRBQ will not disappoint you!
32nd International Blues Challenge
BANDS H 101