Meet the 2009 Barbecue Festival entertainers

Main Stage 2009
Friday June 12th

12:00-1:00        Mitch Barrett
One of Kentucky’s most sought-after and talented singer/songwriters and winner of songwriting competitions at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Merlefest (2 times) and Kerrville New Folk, Mitch spins tall tales that have everyone wanting more.


1:30-3:45      KingPup Radio Show  www.radioyur.com
The KingPup Radio Showm hosted by Polk County’s own Phil & Gaye Johnson, has introduced hundreds of “roots music” artists to enthusiastic audiences at venues throughout the region and over the airwaves of 56 broadcasters worldwide. This year, KingPup’s broadcaste from the Main Stage at the Blue Ridge Barbecue and Music Festival features: 
                       1:30 Dehlia Low
                       2:30 Cane Creek
                       3:30 Sweet Potato Pie

4:15-5:30     Peggy Ratusz & Daddy Longlegs
Austin transplant Peggy Ratusz has brought a sound to Asheville that transmits heartache, love and all matters sensual.  Backed by her stellar band, Peggy and Daddy Longlegs have taken Best Blues Band honors in the Western North Carolina “Best of” readers poll for several years running.


6:00-7:15     Peter Karp & Roadshow
Karp, his whiskey-worn voice, deadly sense of humor and killer band combine folk-flavored funk and blues with sharp-witted lyrics of working-class angst to get you laughing and dancing and having one rockin’ good time. Karp is a skilled songwriter as well as a gifted guitarist. His band, Roadshow, is a hand-picked group of road-tested veterans who have backed artists such as Bo Didley, Debbie Harry, Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne and Little Feat.

7:45-9:00    Ryan Montbleau Band
Sweet, sweet, sweet. This boy from Boston rocks a pure, sweet soul with lyrics that touch your soul, open your heart and lighten the load.  Montbleau and his band weave a tapestry of rock-steady, country, gypsy jazz, cocktail music and psychedelia that has you dancing on the inside and outside. A true treat for Tryon, not to be missed. 

9:30-11:00    Lil’ Malcolm and the Zydeco House Rockers
Lil’ Malcolm & The House Rockers personify two closely related terms: family and tradition. This five-man band centers on guitarist Percy Walker and his two sons. Inspired by Zydeco legends like Buckwheat Zydeco and Rockin’ Dopsie, the band’s steady focus on tradition sets them apart from the newest wave of “pop Zydeco” bands. By honoring the musical styles that were successfully established by legendary Zydeco figures, the House Rockers get the whole house rockin’—guaranteed.

Main Stage
Saturday June 13th
11:00-12:15    Lone Derangers
Noted for the great harmonies and unique arrangements on both their originals and covers, this local favorite plays an eclectic repertoire that embraces Americana and folk/rock.
 

12:45-2:00     Rock & Roll Reunion
Based out of Spartanburg, SC, "Rock and Roll Reunion" has been playing the best in classic rock, beach and blues for15 years. "Rock and Roll Reunion's" front man is guitarist Tom Crabtree, one of the best-known television news anchors (Channel 7/WSPA-TV) in the Carolinas.

2:30-3:45       Gigi Dover and the Big Love
A soulful, southern songstress and a brilliant songwriter, Gigi is a breath of fresh air. Through imagery and melody, Dover brings sonic warmth, mystery, charm  and even a bit of humor into her music, then delivers it with the passion, conviction and presence of a veteran rock chic.  Rolling under the title Gigi Dover & the Big Love, the music blurs the lines of rock, r&b, country  (not new or alternative) and jazz, with a Southern, soulful  vein consistently running through the middle

4:15-5:30       Shane Pruitt Band
One of the most explosive blues acts coming out of the Southeast today, the Shane Pruitt Band from Spartanburg, SC, embodies a regional tradition while bringing its original tone and flare to every performance. Lead man, Shane Pruitt, has been named Spartanburg’s instrumentalist of the year for seven years running.  Picking up momentum with every performance, Shane Pruitt and his trio drive towards uncharted waters and wow critics everywhere they play.

6:00-7:15       Eilen Jewell
Boise-born and Boston-based, Jewell is a rising star of a new generation of roots musicians. Her first two albums, Boundary County (2006) and Letters from Sinners and Strangers (2007) were met with great acclaim. Her latest release “Sea of Tears” (2009) weds her elegantly unflinching songwriting with a rustic, pre-Beatles swagger that encapsulates vintage R&B, Midwestern garage rock, Chicago blues, and early rock and rockabilly—all while maintaining the haunting, folk-inspired purity that first made her an artist to watch. See for yourself.

7:45-9:00        Seth Walker
"The first time I heard Seth Walker at a small club in Nashville I was impressed like I haven't been impressed in 30 years, with performance, presence, and great songs." - Delbert McClinton
Enough said!  Austin based (though he grew up here in North Carolina), Walker is one of the fastest rising stars in blues and roots’ music. His 2009 release “Leap of Faith” is quickly climbing it to the top of the America charts and for good reason. It’s fun, smart, goodtime music.  

9:30-11:00       Randall Bramblett Band
From early days playing with Gregg Allman and Sea Level, to later tours with Traffic and Widespread Panic, Randall Bramblett has been recognized as a great musician and a true songwriting talent. In fact, the Allman Brothers, Widespread Panic, R.E.M. and Chuck Leavell have called Bramblett one of the finest southern rockers ever As you can imagine with a resume such as his, Bramblett’s band is an extraordinary group of pros from the Athens/Atlanta area—each a successful session player and producer in his own right. This is a live experience you won’t forget.


Riverside Stage 2009
Friday June 12th
1:00-1:50    Bob Sinclair
“My mother used to make a Sunday, after-church meal for our family. We’d eat too much, sop up the last of the gravy with the corner of a biscuit and then lean back in our chairs to tell silly jokes and laugh at ourselves. It was a time when you could feel safe and included and completely satisfied with the world. That’s the way I feel about the BBQ fest. It is a special place for me, and I’m always satisfied in that Sunday afternoon kinda way. I’ll be playing my original songs, hosting the Riverside Stage and looking forward to a visit with you. See you there”

2:00-2:50    Jane & Anna of Barrell House Mamas
The amazing vocals and brilliant songwriting of Jane Edens and  Anna Baumann Smith from the Barrel House Mamas can make a grown man cry, and so are sure to delight music fans of all ages.

3:00-3:50     Mitch Barrett
See Friday Main Stage

4:00-4:50     Dehlia Low
Since 2007, the Southeast has quickly become familiar with Dehlia Low’s sounds of early roots country and the ghosts of bluegrass past.  With their first release receiving national and international radio play, their new release Tellico just released and a full
performance schedule, Dehlia Low is poised to advance into the national bluegrass scene in 2009.

5:00-5:50     Ryan Montbleau
See main stage description

6:00-6:50    Stephaniesid
This emotional-yet-buoyant pop band was recently voted "Best Rock Band" and "Best Indie Band" for the second year in a row in their hometown of Asheville. 

The band possesses remarkable technical prowess, lending all the proper tools needed to create well-crafted songs and beautiful recordings. Their much-lauded performance at Bonnaroo last year cemented the band’s reputation as one of the best live acts in the region.

Riverside Stage
Saturday June 13th
11:00-11:50   Wavy Space
The sweet harmonious juju that is Wavy Space began around a campfire in north Georgia in 2008. Though strangers, the vocals of the fiery Shana Blake and the riffs of funky guitarist Arrie Bozeman synchronized and synergised into the soul of a new alliance. The two recruited bassist Jeanine Conroy, drummer Jamie Brock, and saxophonist Brady Butler to complement the sound that critics have proclimaed one of Charlotte’s most promising new musical acts.

12:00-12:50   Caleb Hawley
Caleb Hawley is a singer/songwriter from New York City, though he is based out of his car mostly.  In the past year he, along with his merch-dog Fargo, have delighted more than 150 audiences with a soulful voice and killer guitar chops. When asked to play at the Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival.  His response:  "Food is my first passion and music is my second, so count me in!"  Hawley placed fifth out of 4,000 in the 2008 New York  Songwriter’s Circle Showcase.

1:00-1:50     Beaucoup Blue
The Americana Philadelphia-based, father/son duo of David Mowry and Adrian Mowry bridges many gaps in American music. Although blues is their staple, they base their love in music from folk, soul, R&B, jazz, country and bluegrass. All these interests and influences come out in their original songwriting. A handsome range of instruments combine with two soulful voices to produce a rich and honest feel.

2:00-2:50       Matt Nakoa
Born a backwoods boy in the hills of Upstate New York, Matt Nakoa is an up and coming singer/songwriter who daringly blends swanky mod-rock with a dark classicism to produce a  dangerously infectious sound.

3:00-3:50      Mitch Barrett
See Main Stage

4:00-4:50      The New Familiars
From the foothills of North Carolina come The New Familiars—four gentelmen with an amazing passion for harmony, multi-instrumental talent and an uncanny ability for storytelling. 

5:00-5:50     Jimmy Brown & the Badly Loved
With a vibe that mingles Irish and folk and soul with some bluesy undertones, Jimmy Brown & The Badly-Loved play an impressive set of tunes that promises to capture the festival crowd.

6:00-6:50       Gigi Dover
See Main Stage