The 23rd Annual Rollin' on the River
Friday and Saturday, August 19th - 20th, 2011
Keokuk, Victory Park located along the Mississippi River just below the Keokuk-Hamilton Bridge
Keokuk, Victory Park located along the Mississippi River just below the Keokuk-Hamilton Bridge
Rollin' on the River's 2011 lineup is one not to be missed! The same great performers who were going to play last year (before the tent blew down) will return this year! As some of you brave souls remember, Ben Cordes (then Pike Station and now King Benny) and William Elliott Whitmore braved the wind and rain and did play abbreviated sets Friday night. Thanks guys!
Click here to view this year's flyer with showtimes.
Friday night begins with King Benny bringing their rockin' style of blues, rock, R&B and soul. Check them out at reverbnation.com and search for King Benny or check out their MySpace page. King Benny is sponsored by Baxter's Vineyards.
Barbara Carr will then join King Benny for the second act of the evening. Barbara Carr, known as one of the finest female blues artists anywhere, brings her own upbeat, high energy style of blues to the show. She and King Benny Band will definitely rock the house. Be ready! Check Barbara out at these sites: www.stlblues.net/carr or www.soulbluesmusic.com. Barbara Carr is sponsored by 103.9 FOX Radio.
Lee County's own William Elliott Whitmore returns to close Friday night's show. With songs not only from the heart but from the heartland, Whitmore has perfected his own unique strain of rural folk blues. We are fortunate to have Will return to complete the Friday night show! Check him out at his website.
Mississippi Fever Blues Band (Visit their website)
Mississippi Fever is an upbeat blues band hailing from St. Louis, and from the first song it’s easy to see that they are high energy and demand attention with their stylish blend of blues and rock. Their song “Too Much Alcohol” from their debut album was selected to be included in the Blues Review magazine’s CD Sampler.
They were also recently featured in Buddy Guy’s Legends Bluesletter. Band members have shared the stage with the likes of Studabaker John, the Allman Brothers, Ike Turner, Little Milton & Chuck Berry. Mississippi Fever Blues Band is sponsored by Allied Blending.
The Candy Makers (Visit their Facebook Page)
2011 Iowa Blues Challenge winners, The Candy Makers will whet your palate with a tasty mix of funk, soul & blues tunes that will have you up on your feet! With a wide range of musical appeal, The Candy Makers offer a sound that is contemporary, yet keeps the essence of old-school groove bands of music past. The sound from this 8-piece band emulates not only from their individual talents, but also from blues greats such as Aretha Franklin, BB King and Ben Harper.
The culmination of this group is a mix of automatic musical chemistry, as well as an abundance of talent and technique. Though the band is well known for their strong and soulful vocals, they are anchored by the keyboard and percussionists robust and funky grooves. While the sultry horn section and the collaborative genius of their full-flavored blues driven guitarists add even more depth to the Candy Makers equation.
As recent winners of the Iowa Blues Challenge, you can expect to see and hear more from the Candy Makers. They are sponsored in part by Siemens.
Studebaker John (Visit his website.)
Studebaker John started playing harmonica at age 7 under the spell of music he heard on Maxwell Street, Chicago’s famed blues melting pot. His harmonica and slide guitar playing is a reflection of classic Chicago blues.
As a songwriter and musician, Studebaker John has emerged as a major creative force in the world of the blues today. He's ahead of the pack, with vision and foresight, creating a new standard and landscape for this music’s future. With John at the wheel, the future is now!
Jimmy Thackery (Visit his website.)
Jimmy Thackery started his recording carrier in 1972 with the Night Hawks and is one of the few blues guitarists who learned first hand from the masters of the blues and not off records or CD’s. Thackery has been on the road for 15 years doing nearly 300 shows a year proving each night that he is still the guitar powerhouse in the world of blues. Jimmy Thackery is sponsored by iWireless.
