4 Big Festival Days of Live Music, Good Food and Good Times! 100+ performances on 7 stages!
A Four Day Weekend… Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday! With Many Special Performances!
Tommy Castro and The Painkillers Join Us on Sunday
Throughout his long, constantly evolving career, guitarist, singer and songwriter Tommy Castro has always remained true to himself while exploring, growing and creating new music, and he has taken his thousands of devoted fans right along with him. Since his solo debut in 1994, he’s made 16 albums. Ranging from horn-fueled R&B to piping hot blues to fiery, stripped-down rock ‘n’ roll, each release is solidly built upon Castro’s unshakable musical foundation—a dynamic mix of 1960s-influenced guitar-fueled blues, testifying Memphis-soaked blue-eyed soul and Latin-tinged East San Jose funk, all driven by Castro’s grab-you-by-the-collar vocals and passionate guitar work.
Born in San Jose, California in 1955, Tommy Castro first picked up a guitar at age 10. Almost every major rock and soul act toured through the area, and Castro was at every show. Mixing the blues and rock and roll he loved and the soul music he heard blasting from lowriders in his neighborhood Tommy started to create his own personal sound and style. He honed his guitar skills and intense, gritty vocals, as he performed on San Francisco’s highly competitive club scene. As his reputation spread, Tommy played in a variety of Bay Area bands, soon making a name for himself as a hotter-than-hot live artist bursting at the seams with talent. He formed the first Tommy Castro Band in 1992 and has not stopped touring since.
In 2012, Castro stripped his music down to its raw essence, creating a high-energy, larger-than-life sound with the formation of The Painkillers. Castro’s newest album, a roots music odyssey entitled Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, tells the story of a young man working on his family farm who gets bitten by the blues bug. He masters the guitar and heads out on the road seeking fame and fortune, only to find what he’s left behind is the treasure he’s been looking for. TommyCastro.com
Thursday May 9th – Western Swing & Rockabilly Extravaganza – Kick Off Party
The Thursday night kickoff of Gator By the Bay is going to be one big Western Swing and Rockabilly par-tay!! So, put on your most comfortable dance shoes or cowboy boots, grab your partner, and get ready to burn up the dance floor!
Next up, Northern California favorite Mitch Polzak & the Royal Deuces return to Gator By the Bay by popular demand. With larger than life energy, Mitch is a performer, guitarist, singer, banjoist, songwriter, composer, entertainer, musical historian and teacher. He and the band perform rockabilly and 60’s country music with the religious fervor of Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash and deliver a Honky Tonk ballad with the sincerity of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings.
Roots and Rockabilly band Deke Dickerson & the Whippersnapers are the third artists in the Thursday night lineup. Deke Dickerson has devoted his long career to keeping America’s roots music alive while interjecting new creativity into genres of music that flourished in decades past— a pursuit that earned him the Ameripolitan Music Award for Musician of the Year in 2019. He has provided rootsy music for a slew of television shows and movie projects, and two of Dickerson’s songs are featured in the Disneyland ride, Cars Land, at Disney’s California Adventure theme park.
Guitarist Rosie Flores, Thursday night’s headliner, has enjoyed a career spanning more than four decades, and in that time Flores has proven to be a musical chameleon. She has embraced punk rock, country of both the Bakersfield and Nashville varieties, the Texas singer/songwriter scene, Alt-Country, straight-up Rock, and Rockabilly. These days, there’s a strong Blues component in her repertoire. Named one of the “Top 75 Greatest Female Guitarists of All Time” by Venuszine, in her adopted home of Austin, TX, she is recognized as one of that city’s most celebrated musicians. And in a music town like Austin, that means a lot!
Thursday evening at the 2024 edition of Gator By the Bay promises to embody the festival’s motto—Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (Let the Good Times Roll). So let’s just go ahead and get this party started, darlin’!
Over the years, Flores has been profiled in Guitar World, Premiere Guitar and Guitar Player magazines. Venuszine cited Flores as one of the “Top 75 Greatest Female Guitarists of All Time”. In 2007, she won a Peabody Award for her narration of the rockabilly documentary, Whole Lotta Shakin’. Though she has toured around the world, Flores always returns to her adopted hometown of Austin, Texas, where she was honored with Rosie Flores day in 2006 (an honor she was accorded once again in 2017). Cover stories in the Austin Chronicle and Austin Woman magazine have codified her status as one of the city’s most celebrated musicians. RosieFlores.com
Dickerson has provided rootsy music for a slew of television shows and movie projects,and has his own signature guitar, manufactured by the Hallmark Guitar Company of Maryland. In 2019 Dickerson won the Ameripolitan Music Award for Musician of the Year. Two of Dickerson’s songs are featured in the newest Disneyland ride, Cars Land, at Disney’s California Adventure theme park. DekeDickerson.com
Founded in Northern California in 1999, Mitch Polzak & The Royal Deuces have been entertaining audiences worldwide with their highly original sound and show, playing a wide representation of American Roots Music, from Rockabilly to Honky Tonk, with influences as diverse as Cajun, Bluegrass and Surf.
Mitch’s ability to engage, connect with and entertain an audience is something that runs deep in the family history as Mitch is a direct descendant of August Ringling of the Ringling Bros. Circus and nephew of the renowned Chicago-based jazz pianist, Peter Polzak. Polzak’s abundant joy in communicating with people through music leaps off the stage through every fiber of his being. His near-constant genuine smile can be seen clear across the room and invites you in without any pretense or judgements. Underneath that smile is a deep and reverent respect for the history and integrity of the music and musicians who came before him and created the sounds and told their stories. MitchPolzak.com
Friday May 10th – Paying Tribute to Clifton Chenier
A very special Friday night show is being presented in celebration of the 100th birthday of the late Clifton Chenier. Playing together at 9:20 PM on the Festival Stage as Bayou Boogie will be CJ Chenier, Sonny Landreth and Marcia Ball.
It could truthfully be said that Clifton Chenier (1925-1987) brought zydeco to the world. Although the word “zydeco”, used to describe the music and dance of the French-speaking Black Creoles in Southwest Louisiana and Houston, TX, had been around since the early 1950s, few outside of that community had heard it. Chenier, the self-proclaimed “King of Zydeco”, took that music, a highly syncopated blend of what was once known as “LaLa” combined with contemporary R&B and Delta Blues influences, and gave it legitimacy as a genre when he recorded several hits on Specialty Records and later on Arhoolie, leading his Red Hot Louisana Band with the full, electrified sound of his piano accordion. Chenier is also credited with redesigning the crimped tin washboard into the vest frottoir, aka rub board or scrub board, an instrument that would easily hang from the shoulders and today is a key component of the zydeco sound.
Clifton Chenier began his recording career in 1954, and achieved his first national hit a year later. In 1983, he won a GRAMMY for his album I’m Here!, the first Grammy for his new label Alligator Records. He was the 2nd Louisiana Creole (following Queen Ida) to ever win a GRAMMY. In the 1980s, at the height of their popularity, Chenier and his band toured the world, bringing the joy of zydeco everywhere.
On Friday night, May 10, on the Festival Stage at Gator By the Bay, Clifton’s son CJ, a zydeco luminary in his own right, will lead a tribute to his late father in a celebration of Clifton’s upcoming 100th birthday. The show will feature a never-before-seen musical combo headlined by CJ Chenier and his Red Hot Louisiana Band, joined by the great Sonny Landreth, dubbed the “King of Slydeco” for his highly skilled slide guitar technique, and blues and boogie-woogie legend Marcia Ball.
CJ says of his dad, “From my perspective, there would be no zydeco genre without my dad. He took what was called ‘French music’ and put some boogie, some blues, some Ray Charles in it, and called it zydeco. He was one of the first to put the piano accordion upfront, rather than playing the more common push button diatonic type.” CJ credits his dad with changing his life and making him the musician he is today. “In all honesty, if he hadn’t brought me out of Port Arthur, TX, where I grew up, and put me in the band, I’d probably still be stuck working in an oil refinery in Port Arthur, instead of traveling the world playing the music I love.”
Sonny was just in his 20s when Clifton invited him to join his band, and almost 50 years later, Sonny still still counts Chenier as one of his early mentors. In the deeply segregated South of the time, Sonny was the first white member to ever play in Clifton Chenier’s band.
Of Marcia Ball, CJ says “in the early ‘80s, our musical careers seemed to be very intertwined. We’d appear on a lot of the same bills, and there was a strong Austin (TX) connection. She loved my dad’s sound and would recommend him for gigs, and partly due to her influence, my dad’s band was the first act to play at Antone‘s, a soon-to-be-legendary blues club in Austin.
In addition to the Clifton Chenier Tribute on Friday night, each of the three artists will appear individually for their own sets on Saturday, May 11 at Gator By the Bay.
There are few families more closely associated with zydeco than the Broussards. Jeffery Broussard (born March 10, 1967) was just 8 years old when he debuted on drums in his father’s band, Delton Broussard and the Lawtell Playboys. In the decades since, Jeffery Broussard has been a torchbearer for zydeco, influencing young musicians with a traditional Creole music he learned decades ago.
Jeffery Broussard co-founded Zydeco Force in the late 1980s, a band that became an icon on the zydeco scene at the forefront of the nouveau zydeco movement. The band provided a template for a new generation of artists. Now, Jeffery has come full circle in his career. He grew up in the traditional zydeco, brought in a new sound in the 1980s and has now returned to his roots.
Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys deliver great, pack the floor renditions of Creole Classics. The Creole Cowboys create incredible music and outstanding performances, cultivating and inspiring new generations of Creole Zydeco fans. CreoleCowboys.com
The band’s eventual leader, Ori Naftaly, grew up in Israel and relocated to Memphis in 2013 to compete for Israel in the International Blues Challenge competition. After advancing to the IBC Semi-Finals (the highest an Israeli artist had placed at that point in time), Naftaly made the move permanent and later met the Memphis native Tierinii Jackson, a vocalist who introduced him to her drumming sister, Tikyra. Other musicians joined the fledgling outfit in 2015. They toured the United States and in Europe, appearing at several music festivals and competed themselves at the International Blues Challenge in January 2016, representing Memphis. Less than a year after their formation, they signed a recording contract with Stax Records. SouthernAvenueMusic.com
The Daiquiri Queens bring a fresh new take and style to traditional Louisiana French music. Born out of close friendships and a mutual love of classic Cajun dance music, the Daiquiri Queens made their debut at the 2017 South Louisiana Blackpot Festival & Cookoff. They have since gone on to become local Louisiana favorites for late-night dances and major festivals alike, performing at The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, The Old Tone Roots Music Festival in upstate NY and Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette. TheDaiquiriQueens.com
Hailing from Durham, North Carolina, Nikki Hill sang gospel in the church choir from childhood through her early teenage years. Gradually, she developed her ears for garage rock, rock n’ roll, blues and roots, while also picking up influence from living along the legendary Mississippi River – in St. Louis, Missouri, New Orleans, Louisiana, and currently Memphis, Tennessee. In Nikki’s mind, a fertile mix of all the different types of music she had heard arose, and gradually these merged into something quite special, as she found her own voice with her distinctive vocals and energetic stage performance. On her third self-produced and self-released album, Feline Roots, she lets her soul rip. Nikki and her band take a muscular groove — celebrating and wailing over love, transgressions, the hard times, and wild freedom — and inject it with timeless effect, giving Nikki a foundation on which to build. It’s her version of rock n’ roll that can only come from her stories. NikkiHillRocks.com
Dennis Gruenling, Moss’ friend of over 20 years, is considered among today’s most innovative and creative blues harmonica players. His high-energy, full-throttle reed work has earned him comparisons to many of the greats, including the late James Cotton. A self-taught player and a natural entertainer with seven solo albums and numerous guest appearances to his credit, Gruenling’s giant, fat-toned harp work, raw-boned singing and untamed energy are a perfect foil for Moss’ inspired guitar playing and straight-from-the-shoulder blues vocals. NickMossBand.com
Local Blues Legend Chet Cannon To Be Honored at Gator By The Bay
It would be hard to imagine the San Diego blues scene without Chet Cannon. Since forming his first band in 1998, there has hardly been a roots music event in San Diego that he hasn’t been an integral part of, whether performing at, organizing for, or donating his talent and time to. Chet, who counts among his earliest inspirations “real blues cats” like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, is widely admired not only as one of the area’s finest musicians, but as a pretty decent human being as well.
On Friday, May 10, Chet Cannon will be presented with the 1st inaugural Gator By the Bay Blues Shouter Award, in recognition and appreciation for 30 years of dedication and support of the blues and the San Diego Blues Community. The presentation will take place at 4pm on the Fountain Stage at the Gator By the Bay Festival.
Nominated over the years for multiple San Diego Music Awards, Chet and his band, The Committee, have always been known as a San Diego favorite swingin’ good time blues and rockin’ boogie band. They have performed at venues ranging from the Ocean Beach Street Fair to Yuma Arizona, from San Felipe in Baja to Long Beach, Palm Springs to downtown San Diego and all points in between. Chet is known for hosting the longest running blues jam in Southern California—14 years of Sundays at The Downtown Cafe. He’s sung on the streets in La Mesa, and has opened for the likes of James Harman, Candye Kane, Little Charlie and The Nightcats, Savoy Brown, John Hammond and others. Chet is frequently featured at such festivals as Spring Harp Fest in La Mesa, Baja Blues in Rosarito, and the Julian Blues Festival in Julian, CA. And, of course, almost yearly at Gator By the Bay.
“I consider myself dedicated to, and full of love for, my fellow musicians,” Cannon points out. “There is nothing I love more than the feeling of the Blues washing over my soul and bringing that out everytime I play.”
Chet Cannon also possesses a streak of altruism that runs deep. He is a consistent supporter of those he feels needs his help, and estimates he has helped various organizations raise at least $100,000 over the course of his career. His charitable endeavors have included hosting food drives for military families, Blanket and Beanie collections for unhoused families, and many fundraising concerts for his fellow musicians in need.
Chet & the Committee today includes Fred Lawson, Marcus Bashore, John Flynn, Justice Guevara, Brian Strickler, and, of course, Chet, a self-described “terminal blues fan” who once attended 26 blues concerts in 29 days.
Please join Gator By the Bay in honoring Chet for all he has done for the local blues community and beyond.
Hall’s journey as a singer/songwriter/guitarist began in 2001 as he recounted his first performances. “I jammed with a couple other of my military roommates on acoustic guitars back then,” he recalled. “I wrote my first song in 2001 and started doing solo acoustic shows when I was stationed in Italy, before I eventually hooked up with fellow Marine Josh Rubenstein, who played and sang a ton of cover tunes. He prompted me to start playing lead guitar behind him and told me to just figure it out. Our band name was “Spoonfed Cool.” After Josh moved back to New Jersey, I hooked up with another guy, Dave Loris, in a similar duo format before I left Italy and came home to form the Side Project, which was just me and a drummer. I like that format a lot,” he said.
Hall gradually made his presence known as a full-time working musician in Southern California upon his return to civilian life in 2013. Local radio host and concert promoter Cathryn Beeks was one of the first contacts Hall made upon his return to begin his full-time musical sojourn: “I booked him at the House of Blues and he slayed,” Beeks recalled. “He instantly became a favorite on my Listen Local radio show. There are only good things to say about Shane…he’s talented, humble, and a cool guy.”
Eventually his persistence and talent paid off as Hall became a popular performing artist on many high visibility venues across San Diego County, including the Belly Up, Java Joe’s, the Casbah, the Pour House, Tin Roof, and the Music Box, often expanding his band to include keyboardists, violinists, and backup singers, one being violinist Anna Zinova, who said, “He’s one of the hardest working musicians I’ve ever known and is always an absolute joy to spend time with.”
“Each year I try to find a way to elevate [my music] higher with my brand on stage and in the recording studio. Every year yields new opportunities and I feel that I have the ability to roll one opportunity into another. The business side of things is almost equally as fun as the music side of things. Most people don’t have both the artistic brain and the business brain, but I do,” he stated confidently.
Hall concluded with some instructive words to those out there within public earshot. “Stay tuned and commit to going to your favorite musicians’ shows. It doesn’t work unless you buy tickets and support their music. If you like what you hear, tell your friends…it’s all about a community bonding together.”
https://www.shanehallofficial.com/
Courtesy of San Diego Troubadour
Those who know him know his fierce spirit toward traditional country music and his contributions to The Blasters, Dwight Yoakam, Dale Watson, and others. He dubbed vocals for Johnny Depp in the movie Cry Baby and dueted with Reese Witherspoon for the movie Walk The Line. His place in the Hollywood scene was that of a player who would pop up for a session with Bob Dylan and show up on TV with Levon Helm and Kinky Friedman. James is causing a stir here and now. Having been well received on the first ever Outlaw Country Cruise West, and helping produce “Palomania” – the definitive documentary on The Palomino Club and the untold history of California country, James has joined Mule Kick Productions’ record label and stable of artists for the release of his latest record, Let’s Talk It Out. JamesIntveld.com
Ash Easton has spent much of her life perfecting her craft. From vocal training of various styles and genres to national and international shows, she is well rounded in the art of music. She pulls creativity from artists like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Whitney Houston, Brandi Carlile, and Chris Stapleton. As a Puerto Rican, ASH also finds inspiration from the Latin community. Her writing isn’t for the faint of heart: she serves it raw and real, but pulls you in with authentic connection, believing that is the point of music.
Easton is the kind of musician to light your fire: “Her voice is like a shot of whiskey in a snow storm…” one fan says. And with her highly acclaimed band, referred to as “The Proper,” they’re bringing heat like you’ve never had before. From ballads to straight rock and roll, Ash Easton & The Proper perfectly embodies southern rock, and brings new flavor to the genre. Find out for yourself.
Ash is 2023 San Diego Music Award Winning Best New Artist, & 2024 San Diego Music Award Nominated Best Rock Artist. asheaston.com
Performing around San Diego under the moniker Ginger Cowgirl, she hit the scene in 2014 after the award-winning vocalist took a shine to some old country LPs. Already a professional jazz and rock vocalist, country music was a new adventure, but it paid off: soon her new band was performing regularly throughout the area. In 2017 Stacy moved to Nashville to record her self-titled debut EP, which was released in 2019. In 2022, under her own name, she released the full length album, Always the Outsider, an eclectic, otherworldly Americana collection of “outsider anthems” exploring concepts like alien romance and past lives as well as everyday emotions like isolation and disconnectedness. StacyAntonel.com
With a debut full-length album on the rise for early 2024, expect more throwback songs gravitating towards the genres she loves the most and all things 1960— the singer-songwriter’s collection of work heavily committed to the vibe of traditional country, reverbed out western riffs, old-fashioned rock-n-roll, and hints of California psychedelia. KimmieBitter.com
Known worldwide as the Queen of Boogie Woogie, Sultana of Swing, and Lady Who Skates on the 88s, Sue Palmer has been a presence on the live music scene in San Diego and the world for over 30 years. She was inducted into the San Diego Music Hall of Fame in 2018, had a day named after her by the city in 2008, and won numerous San Diego Music Awards for her bands and albums. She has recorded over 12 albums under her own name, securing an international award from The International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis for Best Self Produced Album. She was the beehive wearing music director and longtime pianist for blues diva Candye Kane through the 90s, appearing on many of her albums, touring world wide as well as all over the US and parts of Canada.
For this Louisiana-themed festival Palmer is putting together an all-women lineup for Gator by the Bay, with Blues guitarist Laura Chavez, 3 powerhouse singers: Mercedes Moore, Liz Ajuzie, and Ruth Ajuzie, 4 trombone players: April West, Jonesy Jones, Shirley Coggan, and Rebecca McKinley, and a rhythm section led by Sue on piano, her longtime drummer Sharon Shufelt, and Jodie Hill on upright bass. She believes it is important to support younger musicians, especially after struggling to make her start in the blues and jazz genres. SuePalmer.com
Carl Sonny Leyland was born & raised on the South Coast of England, and as a child was drawn to the American music which he heard on his dad’s LP records. He developed an appreciation for Dixieland jazz, the rock & roll of the 1950s & the country music of Jimmie Rodgers & Hank Williams,but at 15 Leyland discovered boogie woogie. Captivated and inspired, he sat down at the piano and began on a path that would become his life’s purpose. Within 3 months he was performing in public & soon became a member of a respected local group. In 1988 Leyland moved to New Orleans
Where he quickly gained a reputation for his authentic blues and early rock & roll stylings and toured with the Dallas based band Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets. In 1997, Leyland relocated to Southern California, joining the famous rockabilly and Western swing band Big Sandy & His Flyrite Boys.
His repertoire has expanded to include ragtime & early jazz styles, and he became part of the traditional jazz scene around Los Angeles & San Diego.
Leyland has also continued his involvement with the both the blues and rockabilly scenes, displaying an infectious spontaneity. His repertoire spans the Ragtime era to the 1950s & includes a number of self written material. CarlSonnyLeyland.com
Manny Cepeda Orchestra was selected as one of the artists on Pandora Radio and as a Spotify Artist in 2018. In 2020, Apple Music and YouTube music added the Manny Cepeda Orchestra to their catalog. One of the most popular Salsa groups of the Manny Cepeda Orchestra conglomerate is the MCO 11- piece band. Their professional demeanor and stellar performance rank them as the # 1 Salsa Band in San Diego. In 2010 Manny began a series of very popular public concerts called “Salsa Under the Stars,” and today he currently hosts 5 Salsa Under the Stars in downtown San Diego. MannyCepeda.com
The Fellas’ 3rd CD, Third Flagon, won “Best Local Recording” at the prestigious 2023 San Diego Music Awards. AssPocketWhiskeyFellas.com
In November 2006 Eric developed a neurological condition known as Focal Dystonia, which caused him to lose coordination in his right hand. But playing guitar is an addiction for Eric and he couldn’t force himself to stop . So he kept the band going, playing mostly small local gigs, while doing everything possible to overcome his Focal Dystonia, spending 5 hours per day for 15 years retraining himself how to play. And while he’s still not one hundred percent cured, he thinks he’s about ninety five percent back to normal and is still spending those five hours a day working towards getting back to a hundred percent. Blue Largo’s 2018 release, Before The Devil Steals Your Soul, contains 10 original songs addressing life’s big issues, and with the completely organic and unforced stylistic change from playing vintage blues covers to writing their own original material. Blue Largo finished their fifth album entitled Got To Believe, which Eric firmly believes is the band’s best to date. The songs range from vintage soul to Americana, reggae, blues and country, and yet the album flows seamlessly. Moreover, the songs’ messages of love, hope and unity are most certainly something the world can very much use right now.
Bluelargoblues.com
Billy is an entertainer extraordinaire, a harmonica player capable of throwing down a blues show that can be infectiously hilarious and convincingly nasty. His energy as a frontman is relentless, his vocals inspiring, and his harp work musically outstanding. Billy’s repertoire ranges from creepy grooves, grinding shuffles, to fast boogies and swings. Billy’s show reminds modern audiences that blues music can be lowdown, but that in the end it’s all about having some fun, dancing, and forgetting about your worries. Billy Watson.com
Jeff Berkley & The Banned’s core lineup includes Berkley on guitar and lead vocals, Rick Nash on bass, Josh Weinstein on keys, Josh Hermsmeier on drums, Ted Stern on pedal steel, Jason Cox on percussion, and Cathryn Beeks on backing vocals, with occasional guest appearances by Sandi King and Joshua Taylor on additional backing vocals. This veteran band delivers Berkley’s classic Americana songwriting with an unapologetically exploratory improvisational flare. JeffBerkley.com
Johnny Vernazza, Anthony Cullens & The Extraordinary Gentlemen
Generations Apart, Musically In Sync
In the 40 years that he’s been playing guitar, multiple gold recording artist Johnny Vernazzi has had a long and storied career, playing lead and slide guitar with some of the hottest names in the business. At 23, Anthony Cullins, AKA The Fallbrook Kid, has already been raking in the honors and accolades for his blistering axe work for years, including being named “Best Blues Artist” at the 2023 San Diego Music Awards and currently nominated for the same category in 2024. In a match-up that spans the generations, Johnny and Anthony will be appearing together at Gator By the Bay, along with The Extraordinary Gentleman, a band created just for this gig. They will be appearing on the Bourbon Street Stage on Sunday, May 12, at 5:20 pm.
Johnny V explains, “I’ve known Anthony for quite a while and have watched his talent grow over the years. Musically, we get along fantastically, it’s as if we are conversing from our hearts and souls, via our guitars. We play what we feel like playing—it’s not all traditional blues, and, ironically, we are both up for the same category at this year’s San Diego Music Awards.”
Rather than having Johnny playing with Anthony’s band, or vice verse, the guitarists decided to put together an accompanying band specifically chosen for their set at Gator by the Bay. It includes Mike Burnham on bass, Edward Cleveland on drums, and Josh Wienstien on keyboards.
Adds Anthony, “I’m pretty excited about playing with Johnny V. We’ve only played together a couple of times, but it felt like we totally meshed when we did. I really feel like this will be a great experience, not only for us, but definitely for the audience as well.”
Anthony is also greatly looking forward to playing with Earl Thomas earlier in the day on the Mardi Gras Stage.
With a new project in the works and four recordings to date, Euphoria Brass Band has received 11 San Diego Music Award nominations since 2011. In 2019 and 2020 Euphoria received the San Diego Music Award for “Best Jazz”. In addition, in 2019 the band won CityBeat Magazine’s “ San Diego’s Best Band” award.
Embracing the exciting spirit of improvisation with hard edge funk, Euphoria Brass Band has become known for their joyous high energy live shows and ability to connect with an audience. EuphoriaBrassBand.com
With endearing stage presence, evocative lyrics, masterful guitar work and warm voice, Gregory Page seamlessly draws from imagination and experience transcending traditions of folk, Celtic, Armenian, American Roots, ragtime, blues, swing and French Romanticism into his own signature idiom that has been described as “Americeltic.” His album, One Hell of a Memory won both Best Album of the Year & Best Pop Album at the 2021 San Diego Music Awards and his latest album, Modern Man, has been nominated for Best Pop Album by the 2024 San Diego Music Awards. The timely and timeless music of this ardent dreamer resonates with audiences everywhere as Songsmith Gregory Page paints a better world one song at a time. GregoryPage.com
https://whiskeyburlap.bandcamp.com/album/questioning-why
Robin Henkel’s amazing guitar playing encompasses the blues, jazz, funk, country swing, Hawaiian and Latin music. Always one to shake things up, he borrows from all of those styles in his performances. When he picks up that sawed-off pipe fitting and puts it on his baby finger and then lays it on the strings of a resonator or Dobro, suddenly the awkward kid from Serra Mesa is transformed into the man who commands everyone;s attention Those who have seen him know to expect the unexpected and enjoy the pleasant surprises of the musical directions his songs take. RobinHenkel.com
Herman has his feet firmly planted in the soil of zydeco music and
Louisiana Creole culture— he’s been writing about the Louisiana music
scene for a number of Southwest Louisiana’s top publications for over 30
years and is the author of the book Ghosts of Good Times: South
Louisiana Dance Halls Past and Present, which examines the world of
historical Cajun dance halls, Zydeco clubs, Chitlin’ Circuit R&B
nightclubs, Swamp-Pop Honkytonks and other venues that at one time were
prevalent throughout the region. He is the long-time host and producer
of The Zydeco Stomp, and for the past 5 years has been the executive
director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission in Opelousas, LA
(the birthplace of zydeco music). On Saturday afternoon on the Bayou
Grove Stage, Herman will sit down with zydeco accordionist and pioneer
Jeffery Broussard for a conversation and workshop on zydeco accordion
stylings, and will also be giving several presentations throughout the
festival about the Louisiana culture behind the music.
Vince, a talented singer and guitar player with over 40 years of experience playing blues, draws heavily from the West Coast blues scene that originated in Southern California during the 1940s and 1950s and had a significant impact on the British blues boom of the 1960s. Sophie Lord, Vince’s partner and bass player, also has a strong connection to the American blues scene. After moving to London and becoming a full-time musician, she honed her skills playing with many American blues musicians who were touring Europe. Her experiences playing with these musicians have greatly influenced her playing style and helped her to develop a deep understanding of the blues.
Together, Vince Lee & Sophie Lord have built a significant following on social media, with their viral music videos reaching fans all around the world. Their performance at Gator By The Bay promises to be an unforgettable experience for blues lovers and music fans alike. vinceleebigcombo.co.uk/