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forms covers of blues, R&B, jazz,
and Motown, fusing these genres
to create a unique chemistry and
musical expression. They are excited
to be releasing their first
CD, Knee Deep in the Blues.
Twice As Good
Clear Lake Blues Society
Twice As Good is Paul and Rich
Steward, son and father, Native
American, the ultimate blues
duo! Backed by their amazing
2XG band, they play the blues
and soul with dance grooves and
a hint of the Indian beat. Paul
sings and plays lead guitar, inspired
by the great B.B. King.
Pomo Indians of the Elem Indian
Colony in Clearlake Oaks, California,
they have won a West Coast
Blues Award, a Native American
Music Award, and an Indian Summer
Music Award. Founded in May
2003, the band has performed
all over the U.S.A. and been written
about in newspapers and
magazines. From humble beginnings
they have risen up, spreading
the good news of the blues.
Twyla Birdsong
Capital Area Blues Society
From the first moment Twyla Birdsong
sets free a deep, soulful
note, audiences are moved by the
raw talent and radiance that pours
from this incredible woman. Her
rich, resonant voice strikes a balance
of grit and power worthy of
the blues, yet she can deliver with
softness any blues ballad. “Everyone
lives the blues—but I love
singing the blues,” she says. “The
blues is raw and honest. I like it
rough—and every now and again,
a bit easy. I am a blues singer that
joyfully sings the blues, receiving
a rush from exciting the crowd and
making them feel what I feel.”
The Used Blues Band
Sacramento Blues Society
The Used Blues Band is a fivepiece,
high-energy guitar- and
harmonica-driven dance blues
band. This internationally recognized,
award-winning group features
great songwriting with catchy
hooks set to clever and authentic
blues licks. As one of the most
popular blues bands in Northern
California, the Used Blues Band
has competed at the IBC in 2012
as a duo act and in 2013 as a
full band, making it to the semifinals
both times. The band released
a self-produced CD in
early 2013 and was signed with
TMG Records in 2014, with a new
CD due out at the end of 2015.
The Used Blues Band is ready
to perform anywhere, anytime!
Vanessa Collier
Billtown Blues
Association
Dubbed an “old soul,” Vanessa
Collier is a multitalented saxophonist,
vocalist, and songwriter
packing soulful, bluesy vocals,
gritty saxophone solos, and masterful
musical skill into each incredible
high-energy performance.
Flashing her warm trademark
smile and humbly taking control of
the stage, Collier leads a remarkably
talented band through blues
standards and originals, paying
tribute to blues greats while bringing
her own twist to each song. In
2014 Collier released her debut
album, launched a debut tour,
and earned honors as a Best of
2014 Blues Breaker (Dan Aykroyd’s
BluesMobile) and a topthree
finalist in the John Lennon
Songwriting Competition. Come
watch her burn up the stage!
Vintage#18
Central Virginia
Blues Society
Vintage#18 is a soul blues band
based in the Washington, D.C.,
area. Robbin Kapsalis, Bill Holter,
Mark Chandler, and Alex Kuldell,
original members since 2013,
have a vintage sound created by
blending their edgy style with traditional
blues and soul. Kapsalis
and Holter met at a local blues
jam and immediately started
brainstorming on how to present
a different kind of band to the
local music scene. Their vintage
sound is influenced by Chicago
blues and a host of Stax artists.
The energy of Vintage#18 is undeniable,
and together they deliver
gritty soul blues rhythms. The band
is currently working on its debut
album of original music, with an
expected release date in 2016.
Vulgarxito
Colombian Blues Society
Vulgarxito is a rock and blues band
created in 1999 in Bogota, Colombia.
They have produced five CDs
over the past 15 years. Their musical
productions have evolved from
rock, punk, and blues into one
of the most recognizable bands
of blues-rock in Colombia. With
more than 1,500 performances
on concert tours and at festivals,
the band has a strong fan base in
Colombia. They have toured in Argentina,
Peru, and Ecuador, and
have been leading participants in
festivals such as Rock Al Parque
in Bogota, Altavoz in Medellin, and
the Blues and Folk Festival in Cali.
WellBad
Baltic Blues
WellBad plays blues for people
who didn’t even know that they
liked blues music! The young German
blues band convinces the
audience with an authentic, impulsive
sound! It’s stomping and
sentimental at the same time!
The 26-year-old singer and songwriter
Daniel Welbat fascinates
with his whisky-drenched, “stonewashed”
voice and his powerful
half-acoustic/half-electrified
band of five. WellBad’s second
album, Judgement Days, has
been in stores since May 2015.
White Knuckles Trio
Finnish Blues Society
Formed in 2011, White Knuckles
Trio rely on a vintage sound with
a stinging guitar and a pounding
piano instead of a bass. They take
a traditional recipe and add their
special flavor to it. With a repertoire
of not-worn-out blues classics
mixed with their own numbers, the
odd instrumental, and even gospel,
WKT keeps it authentic but
rocks it, too. Above all, they like to
keep their music rough around the
edges. They’re not re inventing any
wheels, but they’re not stale and
boring, either. Regardless of the
tempo, intensity is the key word.
Zach Day and
Full Throttle
Indy Crossroads Blues
Zach Day and Full Throttle are a
high-energy blues band out of a
small town called Summitville, Indiana.
Zach Day, at 21, is sure to
have the crowd on their feet with
his mesmerizing guitar solos and
soul-testifying vocals. Though Day
is young, he has surrounded himself
with veteran musicians who really
know what it takes. The sound
that comes from this fine group is
like no other. It has a heavy blues
base but has many other elements
mixed in, such as jazz and funk.
This makes for a very dynamic experience.
Zach Day and Full Throttle
just released their second CD,
Redefined, which takes these aspects
and mixes them to form their
own take on modern blues. This is
an act you do not want to miss.
Zack Linton Band
Blues at Bridgetown
Incorporated
The Zack Linton Band is a West
Australian blues-rock band that
formed in 2015 in the city of Perth,
comprising singer/songwriter
and guitarist Zack Linton, bassist
Dario Juritano, and drummer
Ryan Daunt. Performing their own
original songs, they have a unique
sound that captures hard-rock essence,
modern blues, and reminiscent
influences. The band’s
first single, “Maybe I’m in Love,”
released in February 2015, was
well received, getting over 17,000
downloads and being picked for
the Best of 2015 on Jamendo.
120 H BANDS
The Blues Foundation • blues.org
32nd International Blues Challenge
BANDS H 121