Sonoma County Blues Festival Returns with Hometown Heroes and Fine Art

Tickets On Sale Friday, May 19 at 10am

Charlie Musslewhite, Doyle Bramhall II, Ms Taylor P Collins, The Sons of the Soul Revivers, The Blues Defenders w/ Levi Lloyd & Volker Strifler– Saturday, August 19th

ROHNERT PARK, CA (May 15, 2017) – Second Octave, Bill Bowker, Notable Talent and the 2017 SOMO Concert Series are pleased to announce the third summer show at SOMO Village in Rohnert Park. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 19th.

On Saturday, August 19th, SOMO Concerts invites you to a day long pop-up festival filled with nationally acclaimed Sonoma grown blues and a beautifully curated fine art gallery. Patrons will be delighted by the main stage featuring legendary local living bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, vocalist, guitarist, composer, producer and Santa Rosa High School Alumnus Doyle Bramhall II, Award Winning Bay area Blues vocalist Ms Taylor P Collins and Vallejo-based gospel sensations The Sons of The Soul Revivers. In the Redwood Grove our second stage welcomes “Electric Chicago Blues from Muddy to Buddy” with Sonoma County’s stalwart The Blues Defenders and Special Guest veteran guitarists Levi Lloyd and Volker Strifler. Kathleen McCallum, a long-time North Bay artist, arts advocate and event producer has joined the Sonoma County Blues Festival as the Director of this year’s new Juried Art Show. “I’m thrilled to help incorporate the visual arts into this great Blues Festival. There is a special synergy that happens between visual arts and music that creates a happening magical environment. This is Art and Wine Country and this year’s Sonoma County Blues Festival will splash a fresh twist into the Sonoma County Art scene.” says McCallum. Doors open at 2pm with a 3pm show start. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at ticketfly.com/event/1489276-sonoma-county-blues-festival-rohnert-park/

with a month long $10 off early bird discount.

Charlie Musselwhite

With an induction into the Blues Music Hall of Fame, 35 Blues Music Awards and 11 Grammy nominations, American electric blues harmonica player and bandleader Charlie Musselwhite has truly earned legendary status as one of blues music’s most important artists. One of the non-black bluesmen who came to prominence in the early 1960s (alongside Mike Bloomfield and Paul Butterfield, among others), He was born in Mississippi but spent his formative years in Memphis, TN during the period when rockabilly, western swing, electric blues and other forms of African American music were combining to give birth to rock and roll.

Doyle Bramhall II

Doyle Bramhall II is one of the most distinctive vocalists, guitarists, composers and producers in contemporary music. Indeed, none other than Eric Clapton, with whom Bramhall has worked for more than a decade, lauds him as one of the most gifted guitarists he has ever encountered. Bramhall is a rare and distinctive guitarist who plays left-handed, but with his instrument strung for a right-hander and flipped backwards. In addition to his work with Clapton, Bramhall became an in demand composer, guitarist and producer. He has enjoyed high profile collaborations as a producer, with a broad range of major artists, including T-Bone Burnett, Elton John, Gary Clark, Jr., Gregg Allman, Dr. John, Robert Randolph, Allen Toussaint, Billy Preston, Erykah Badu, Questlove, Meshell Ndegeocello and Sheryl Crow.

Ms Taylor P Collins

Mentored by her dear friend Miss Ruth Brown, Taylor created her own unique style and brings a fresh sound to the Blues presented as only she can. The Northern California Entertainers Music Awards recognized her talent and nominated Taylor and her incredible 7 piece band (which is mostly female) in two categories for the 2016 awards: Female Blues Artist of the Year and Blues Band of the Year. She is also one of the Northern California Blues Artists to be featured in the upcoming documentary “Every Day We Gots the Blues”. Now for the second year,Taylor has been nominated in three categories: the Northern California Female Blues Artist of the Year, Blues Band of the Year, and Female Entertainer of the Year for the 2017 Northern California Entertainers Music Awards.

The Sons of the Soul Revivers

Vallejo-based gospel sensations The Sons Of The Soul Revivers is led by Walter Morgan Jr., and his two brothers Dwayne and James Morgan. Formed in the 1970s to continue the vocal quartet tradition that the brothers’ father, Walter Sr., and his brothers started with the original Soul Revivers in the 1960s. In 1986, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 they were awarded the title Best Quartet by the Bay Area Gospel Academy Awards Association. Walter Morgan Jr. notes, “We’re thrilled to be just a small part of what’s made up the Bay Area music scene. It’s our goal to bring positivity to the world. We want to bring good news to people of all nationalities and make them happy through our music. Really, we’re just regular people who have normal jobs, but when we step up onto the stage, you better watch out and hold your hat. We always give God our best performance every night.”

The Blues Defenders

Sonoma County’s local band “The Blues Defenders” are dazzling crowds with their “gritty” roadhouse style of passionate West Coast Blues. Individually, they have played with some of the greats in blues music from Tower of Power, Doobie Brothers, Boz Skaggs, Cold Blood, Johnny Lee, and other legendary greats who shaped the world of blues music. The Blues Defenders can “hold their own” on any stage, and are the West Coast support band for the great Mississippi Blues-man “Johnny Rawls”. Jeff Piche’s gritty vocals and soulful harmonica front the funky bass sounds of Donny Mederos, Mighty Mike Rippee on drums, David Scott's smooth blues saxophone, and Matt Silva's wailing guitar keep the crowd on their feet all night long.

Levi Lloyd

Levi Lloyd on Guitar & Vocals is a blues veteran. He's played with B. B. King, John Lee Hooker and toured worldwide as the longtime guitarist for the legendary Joe Louis Walker. Levi's well-worn '68 Les Paul guitar and lowdown vocals tell it all.

Volker Strifler

This German-born guitarist-singer plays with a perfect blend of fire and restraint and with the clarity of Duane Allman. Volker Strifler’s creative style of Blues/Roots are innovative explorations into Rock, Jazz, and Latin rhythms, with several stops in New Orleans along the way!

Second Octave/ SOMO

The team at Second Octave are committed to promoting high-end quality events, outdoor concerts and festivals in the North Bay with shows for all ages in a safe environment that supports local creativity, collaboration and commerce. Each SOMO Concerts event is a pop-up festival with local artists, vendors, food and more. The SOMO Concert Series is managed by high-level music executives working alongside Sonoma County young professionals to create a regional destination and home base for great musical experiences.

The SOMO Village Event Center, found at 1100 Valley House Dr. Rohnert Park, CA, 94928, is solar powered and features the latest sound technology custom designed for the venue’s outdoor 1200-square-foot stage. It is located in the heart of SOMO Village, an environmentally friendly 200-acre, planned mixed-use community in Rohnert Park, CA, forty miles north of San Francisco.

LINKS:

Charlie Musselwhite: charliemusselwhite.com/

Doyle Bramhall II: db2music.com/

Ms Taylor P Collins: facebook.com/thetaylorpcollinsband/

The Sons of The Soul Revivers: facebook.com/TheSonsOfTheSoulReviversOfSanFranciscoCA/

The Blues Defenders: bluesdefenders.com/

SOMO Concerts: somoconcerts.com

Second Octave Entertainment: secondoctave.com

SOMO Village: somovillage.com

Notable Talent: www.notabletalent.com/