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Eric Gales grew up in a musical family with four brothers, two of them who learned to play the guitar upside down and left-handed in the same fashion that Eric does. Eric released his first record at Age 16 for Elektra records to an amazing response from the media and music fans around the globe. Guitar World Magazine’s Reader’s Poll named Eric as “Best New Talent,” in 1991. After recording a second record for Elektra, all three brothers teamed up for The Gales Bros. “Left Hand Brand” which was recorded for the House of Blues label in 1996.
Through the years, it would not be unusual to look out in the audience and see artists like Carlos Santana, Eric Johnson, B. B. King, and Eric Clapton, looking on with interest as Eric took his guitar and worked crowd after crowd into a frenzy. The new millennium presented fresh opportunities for Eric. He was signed to a deal with Nightbird Records which was affiliated with the Hendrix family and distributed through MCA/Universal. Under this deal, Eric recorded the critically acclaimed record “That’s What I Am” in 2001 and hit the road, mesmerizing fans around the world with his uncanny connection to his guitar.
As both an African-American left-handed guitarist of extraordinary ability and an expressive vocalist, it is natural for people to compare Eric to Hendrix. But Eric has developed a unique hybrid blues/rock sound that also draws upon influences as diverse as Albert King and Frank Gambale. A unique amalgam of styles, Eric Gales stands head and shoulders among other guitarists in his genre.
Mathias Lattin
Mathias Lattin won the 2023 International Blues Challenge and Best Guitarist at the tender of 20-years old; conceivably making him the youngest to win both.
The grandson of NBA Hall of Famer, David “Big Daddy” Lattin, he displays his talent on the stage not the basketball court. He is a 2020 graduate of Houston’s acclaimed Kinder High School of Performing and Visual Arts. He began his foray into the Houston Blues scene when he was 12 years old. Jonn Del Toro Richardson invited him to attend the weekly Blues jam he hosted at The Big Easy. He garnered national attention when he joined the Keeshea Pratt Band (IBC 2018) in 2020. After touring with the Keeshea Pratt Band and joining Brazilian Bluesman Cris Crochemore for the 2022 IBC, Mathias decided to take a shot at the IBC as front man.
Ashes & Arrows, a dynamic country/rock band born from the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, and alps of Arrowtown, New Zealand, is making waves with their captivating blend of strong harmonies, poignant lyrics, and infectious on-stage presence.
Drawing inspiration from NEEDTOBREATHE, Judah & The Lion, & The Avett Brothers, Ashes & Arrows craft songs that are both uniquely original and authentically heartfelt.
Thier musical journey began at an open mic night in downtown Asheville in 2021, where their individual music paths converged. United by a shared passion for music, Ciaran McMeeken, Benjamin Voigt & Jonathan Calhoun rediscovered the joy of performing and together found their collective voice.
Launching their debut EP, 'Forward,' in the fall of 2022, they have swiftly captured the attention of audiences worldwide. The EP has garnered thousands of streams, while their engaging videos have amassed millions of views on TikTok and Facebook. This early success is a testament to the band's compelling musicality and their adeptness at connecting with vast and diverse audiences.
Now, with an upcoming album produced by the acclaimed Jamie Tate in Nashville, TN, they aim to contribute meaningfully and playfully to the global music landscape, aspiring to make a positive impact through their distinctive sound, playful nature and sincere expression.
Ashes & Arrows are offering a harmonious blend of influences that promises to resonate far beyond their mountainous origin
ZOSO Celebrates 28 Years as America’s Premier Led Zeppelin Tribute Band
Over the 28 years and over 4500 shows since ZOSO came together as a group in the mid-‘90s, the
seemingly tireless quartet has continued to earn its well-deserved reputation as being, in the words of The
L.A. Times, “head and shoulders above all other Led Zeppelin tributes.”
ZOSO doesn’t cut corners on either the look or sound of Led Zeppelin. Instead, the band draws
liberally and meticulously from Led Zeppelin’s recorded live and studio output to present a vivid performance
picture of the classic live Zeppelin of 1968-1977. No wonder the St. Petersburg Times noted that, in addition
to their virtuosity and spot-on visual presentation, ZOSO is also “the most exacting of all the Led Zeppelin
tributes.” The Chicago Sun-Times put it even more succinctly: “[ZOSO is] the closest to the original of any
Led Zeppelin tribute.”
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music band that emerged from San Francisco's North Beach club scene in 1957. With their unique sound and rich tradition of American folk music, the Trio quickly rose to fame during the late 50s and early 60s, influencing the musical tastes of a generation. Their unprecedented record sales and worldwide fame cemented their status as one of the most influential bands in music history. Today, The Kingston Trio continues to inspire and entertain audiences with their timeless music and captivating performances.
Beginnings - A Celebration of the Music of Chicago brings the magic of a live Chicago performance to
life and exceptionally recreates their enormous songbook of contemporary hits.
The music of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Chicago spans more than five decades and includes
five # 1 albums and over 20 top-ten hits. The band transports the listener back to a time of big arena
concerts with all the sound, excitement, and emotion generated from Chicago's extensive catalog of gold
and platinum recordings.
Beginnings has one of the most entertaining live performances you can see today. Expect a family-
friendly entertainment event that is pleasing to music lovers of all ages!
SHOW HIGHLIGHTS: Beginnings, Make Me Smile, 25 or 6 to 4, Call on Me, Saturday in the Park, Old Days,
You're the Inspiration, Alive Again, Color My World, Just You and Me, I've Been Searchin' So Long, Free,
Hard to Say I'm Sorry, and many, many more!
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.beginningslive.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/BeginningsTributeBand
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/beginningstribute/
TWITTER: twitter.com/Beginnings_Live
YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5525O46vGYWFlpxIkg1xvw
Hosted by retired NCIS Special Agent Joe Kennedy, Cold Case Live is an evening for True Crime fans nationwide - in depth
insight into some of America’s most notorious cold cases.
Prepare for an evening of shocking revelations and first-hand investigator insight as our host walks us through the process of solving a cold case. Over a 90 min period, our host will delve into four crimes - two that have been solved and two that remain unsolved. The first three are well known - The Zodiac Killer, The Golden State Killer and The Black Dahlia.
We will explore the reasons these cases went cold for so long and what happened to bring them back to life. The fourth is a case that has remained cold and is less well known and will remain a mystery.
This is a show that will be full of shock revelations, audience interactivity and amazing insight. In a time
when True Crime has never been more popular, this first-ever event will explore the depths of cold cases
like no other event before.
Also available (additional ticket required)
Meet & Greet Package - $100 (this is an add-on. This does not include your ticket (ticket to the performance must be purchased first)
Music is a powerful means of expression, and rarely has a young performer displayed better command than singer-songwriter Maggie Rose. Unencumbered by genre, she does everything completely and with unflinching honesty. Showcasing a strong, warm voice that is alternately playful or poignant, her gift for penning insightful songs and delivering them with emotional punch is evident. Known for her blend of rock, soul and Americana-folk stylings, she has crafted albums filled with potent songs, each one anchored by her riveting vocals.
Patterson Hood is a prolific writer and performer whose character-driven stories arepacked with political subtext. He is best known asfront man, singer, songwriter, and guitarplayer for the critically acclaimed rock and roll band Drive-By Truckers, but is also a writerof essays, columns, and short stories as well as a solo performer and producer.
In the past few years, he has written an op-ed on the on-going controversies surroundingthe confederate flag for The New York Times Magazine, a piece on Vic Chesnutt for TheOxford American's annual music issue, and retrospectives on David Bowie for AmericanSongwriter and Merle Haggard for NPR. Most recently in October of 2016, Pattersonpublished his first short story featured in "The Highway Kind," a car-themed crime fictionanthology.
Drive-By Truckers have released 14 studio albums and played well over 2,500 shows in thepast twenty-eight years. They also released a 35-song, career-spanning box set in 2015 thatwas recorded live at The Fillmore in San Francisco. They released a trilogyof studio albums,American Band (ATO Records, 2016), The Unraveling (ATO Records, 2020) and The New OK(ATO Records, 2020) have seen the band move into a more direct political and topicalsphere of writing garnering praise from critics and fans around theglobe. In 2022 theyreleased Welcome 2 Club XIII (ATO) which reflected on their formative years, juxtaposingthe wild follies of youth with the joys and hardships of raising kids who are now the ages heand partner Mike Cooley were when they began playingtogether in 1985.
In addition to the rave reviews from NPR, Rolling Stone, The Independent, UNCUT, MOJO,Pitchfork, Chicago Tribune and The Guardian, Hood and Cooley appeared on CNN'sReliable Sources where they were interviewed by John Avion. The Unraveling entered thecharts as the #1 Americana Album in the UK. In the US it was the #1 album on theIndependent Chart, #1 Americana / Folk, #2 Rock, #2 Vinyl and #10 on Billboard's TopAlbums chart and #65 on the Billboard 200. They are about to release a deluxe reissue oftheir breakthrough album Southern Rock Opera and embark on a massive US tour playing itin its entirety for the first time in 22 years.
In addition to his work with Drive-By Truckers, Patterson has amassed three solo albums.He is currently completing a fourth solo album with plans to release it in early 2025. He hasco-produced or played on additional albums by Jerry Joseph, Bettye LaVette, Booker T.Jones and The Dexateens. As a speaker and lecturer, he has spoken and conducted classesat Princeton,IndianaUniversity, The University of Georgia, and The University of Alabama.In 2015, he spoke at the Frank and Kula Lumpuris Distinguished Lecture Series at theWilliam J. Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, and delivered thecommencement address to thegraduating class of 2015 at the University of NorthernAlabama.
A 7-foot clown walks into a bar. He motions for a soda water and sits there staring at his drink. The year was 1998 and Puddles had wandered into the Star Community Bar in Atlanta, GA where bartender Big Mike Geier first laid eyes on the sad, silent clown.
“There was a heaviness about him,” says Geier. “I could tell he wasn’t in the mood to chat, so I pretty much left him alone except to pass him the mustard when he pulled an onion and a heel of bread out of his pocket. A couple weeks later, he came by the bar and gave me a flyer to a show he was doing at a flea market. The sound system at that flea market was crap, but his voice was something else. I’ve been in my share of bands and wasn’t expecting much from a clown singing karaoke from a boombox. But I’ll be damned if his singing didn’t get me all choked up.”
The two soon became close friends, with Big Mike acting somewhat as a confidant, and the pair travel all over with Puddles Pity Party, Mike speaking on behalf of Puddles since the clown chooses to stay silent.
Originally from River City before kicking around Atlanta, the sulking serenader gained momentum after hitting the road as guest performer on the 2010 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live tour and 2013 Eels tour and making special appearances at Seattle’s Teatro ZinZanni and NYC’s Sleep No More.
It was Halloween 2013 when Puddles then collaborated with Postmodern Jukebox to record an epic version of Lorde’s hit song “Royals,” which instantly went viral on YouTube, having received over 34 million views so far. You may also recognize Puddles as quarter-finalist from Season 12 of America’s Got Talent and most recently on AGT’s The Champions 2020. The “sad clown with the golden voice” has captivated audiences and media from around the world, building a fan base of more than 495,000 on Facebook and nearly 900,000 subscribers to the Puddles Pity Party YouTube channel.
Puddles has since performed around the planet, garnering rave reviews at festivals like Edinburgh Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Perth Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Fest, Belgium’s Gent Fest, Just For Laughs, Festival Supreme, Outside Lands, SketchFest and the Kennedy Center’s District of Comedy Festival. And he has sold out shows all over from Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Revolution Hall in Portland, The Fonda in L.A., The Vic Chicago, Wilbur Theatre Boston, Gramercy Theatre NYC and Soho Theatre London. Puddles was a feature performer in La Soiree’s 2014 Southbank show in London, which won the Olivier Award. He was handpicked by Neil Patrick Harris to perform Just for Laugh’s “Circus Awesomeus,” gala filmed for HBO Canada and in 2019, he enjoyed a Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace.
In 2020, with touring and live concerts halted in the wake of the pandemic, Puddles stayed busy producing more than a dozen episodes of his Still Sequestered Show, a musical variety show online series that features lots of special guests like Jack Black, Weird Al, Penn Jillette, Tim Heidecker, Mark Ryden, Neil Hamburger, Rebekah Del Rio, Sid Krofft, Michael Des Barres, Petra Haden, David Dastmalchian, Cait O’Riordan, Michael Stipe, Patton Oswalt, Nicole Atkins, El Vez, Mastodon, Amy LaVere, Jake La Botz and Jolie Holland. You can watch these episodes via the Video On Demand page of this website.
In 2022, Puddles performed a duet with the iconic Eric Idle in Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon filmed for CBS and was a surprise guest on the Season 4 finale of ABC’s The Conners. He also toured with Tenacious D and landed the coveted John Lewis Holiday advert in the UK with a cover of “All the Small Things” that he recorded with Postmodern Jukebox. In 2023, Puddles was a performer on The Joco Cruise and later that year, Puddles sang “Maids Can’t Mop Up Memories” on Neil Hamburger’s star-studded album Seasonal Depression Suite. Another notable Neil, Mr. Gaiman, featured Puddles as guest performer in his specially curated gala for The Art of Elysium in Los Angeles in 2024. And Tool’s Maynard James Keenan invited Puddles to perform on stage with him during the Sessanta Tour.
“Puddles gives an emotive performance that resonates with all kinds of folks,” says Geier. “The crowd really responds to him. There’s something about a giant sad singing clown that comforts us, let’s us know it’s ok to feel, to show our feelings. It’s a sad and beautiful world, and we’re all in it together, even when we’re totally alone.”
THE BELLAMY BROTHERS: THE LOVE STILL FLOWS…
Howard and David continue to prove that the trail they’ve ridden to fame has been as unique as their music itself—music that is now celebrating over 40 years of success.
The road that started on the pop music charts in the ‘70’s, took a winding turn into country music in the ‘80’s, paving the way for duos to come, such as Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich and previously—The Judds. But before the road forked into country, the musical odyssey of brothers Bellamy started creatively smoldering in their home state of Florida, before exploding nationally amidst the ’70’s pop music culture of L.A.
The brothers first official gig was in 1968, playing a free show with their father at the Rattlesnake Roundup in San Antonio, Florida. They honed their early skills playing Black clubs throughout the south, and singing backup for artists such as Percy Sledge, Eddie Floyd and Little Anthony & The Imperials. Within a few months, the brothers moved north, immersing themselves and their rock/country sound in the Atlanta market, where the Allman Brothers were the emerging kings of the music world.
With the dawning of the Age of Aquarius on the horizon, and America embroiled in a smoke haze of drugs, civil unrest and an unpopular war, The Bellamy's music picked-up the hard driving edge that bespoke the times. Songwriting had become David Bellamy’s drug of choice during the long road gigs he and Howard were regularly pulling bodies and equipment to and from. It was his songwriting that was posed to soon provide the duo a national breakout.
The break came in the form of the hit, “Spiders & Snakes,” written by David and recorded by Jim Stafford. The song became a smash, eventually selling more than three million units worldwide. It became the catapult that rocketed the brothers onto the L.A. music scene. Young and impressionable, Howard and David fell into the musical circle of the greats of the day: Bob Dylan, James Taylor and Van Morrison, as well as West Coast based country rockers like Poco and the Byrds.
It was a creative shoe that fit.
Now known by their music and the company they were keeping, The Bellamys officially lifted off the launch pad in 1976 when their single, “Let Your Love Flow,” became an instant smash in both the U.S. and Europe. It stayed on the international charts long enough to build a huge international fan base for the hip young brothers that endures to this day. In Germany alone it perched at No. 1 for more than two months. The love was indeed flowing as The Bellamys jammed for audiences on their sold-out concerts and shared stages with the likes of Loggins & Messina, the Doobie Brothers and the Beach Boys with their patented blend of rock/country music. True to their musical roots, their style and their songwriting was moving steadily more towards their raising.
By the late ‘70’s The Bellamys were emerging on the country charts with another bona fide smash. “If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body (Would You Hold It Against Me),” originally scrawled on a dinner napkin by David, rocketed them to the top of the country charts the way “Let Your Love Flow,” had done in the pop market just a few years earlier. It proved to be the first of a string of fourteen No. 1 singles in the U.S. alone.
Success followed success: “Dancing Cowboys,” “Sugar Daddy,” “You Ain’t Just Whistlin’ Dixie,” “Lovers Live Longer,” “Do You Love As Good As You Look,” “Redneck Girl,” “For All The Wrong Reasons,” “I Love Her Mind,” “I Need More Of You,” “Old Hippie,” “Too Much Is Not Enough,” “Kids Of The Baby Boom,” “Reggae Cowboy” and “Crazy From The Heart,”…all have lined the corridors of the Bellamy’s musical history and their walls with platinum and gold.
Along the way, Howard and David created a patent on the newly cool “duo” category in country music. In the era of the 2000’s, The Bellamy Brothers hold the record in both the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Country Music Association Awards (CMA) for the most duo nominations. Numerous GRAMMY nods have also been directed toward the brothers. Internationally, the story has been the same—though the titles may be different. The Bellamys have released more than two-dozen hit songs outside the U.S. that were never released here. With a sharp eye on the songwriting skills that have been the bedrock of their success, Howard and David concur that their career is unique in their international finesse for matching their songs to the market.
“For the international releases, you have to have a strong melody,” notes David. “The lyric is very important, but internationally the melody is something fans can lock into, even if they can’t understand the lyrics.” Howard and David continue to perform and film TV specials in Europe and around the world.
These days when the subject turns to touring, The Bellamys are showing a new generation of country music how it’s done. Country superstar Blake Shelton has helped introduce a new era of fans to the hits of The Bellamy Brothers during his annual Friends And Heroes Tour, where they continue to captivate arena audiences around the country. “We’re old road dogs,” grins Howard when asked about the motivation behind the brothers 200 plus concert dates each year. Adds David: “Our live draw is bigger than it was in the ‘80’s. I think the same people that grew up with us and with our music in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s obviously have raised a whole new generation of Bellamy fans who started toddling to our music. Now they’re turning up at our concerts as college kids, who are really turned on and tuned in to us and our music….it’s a great feeling.”
On the infrequent off days from the road, Howard and David head the bus back to their 150-acre family ranch in Darby, Florida just north of Tampa. A working ranch, the spread consists of Purebred Brahman Cattle and quarter horses. The Bellamys are opening up their lives to television audiences with their hit reality show “Honky Tonk Ranch.” Each episode of “Honky Tonk Ranch” enthralls viewers with the unpredictable misadventures of the Bellamys attempting to balance their globe-trotting touring schedule while also running their sprawling family ranch in south Florida. The show was originally broadcast on “The Cowboy Channel” (a subsidy of RFD-TV) and streamed around the world. Season two of “Honky Tonk Ranch” airs now on Thursday evenings at 8:30 p.m. ET on the Circle Network and will also be available for worldwide streaming in the very near future.
The Bellamy Brothers celebrated their 40th anniversary with the release of a two-CD collection, 40 years, an ambitious project containing 20 of their biggest hits and 20 brand-new songs. In 2019, the Bellamys released Over the Moon as well as their first book Let Your Love Flow – the Life and Times of The Bellamy Brothers. The book is about two Florida cowboys who journeyed from country poverty to worldwide musical stardom because they had the talent and because it never occurred to them, they couldn’t make it.
Their most recent project, Bucket List, debuted in July of 2020 with “Rednecks (Lookin’ for Paychecks),” a timely take on the current situation, leading the EP. Bucket List also includes “No Country Music For Old Men,” a collaboration with longtime friend John Anderson inspired by the loss of Kenny Rogers, and more light-hearted songs like “Lay Low, Stay High,” which ties into Howard and David’s recent partnership with the Florida-based medical marijuana company, Trulieve, on their flower product line Old Hippie Stash.
Homegrown Music Series: Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee
Drawing inspiration from many great string bands along the Virginia-Carolina Blue Ridge, The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee bring together the best elements of old time mountain music and traditional bluegrass to produce a uniquely authentic old time sound. The Floyd County-based string band plays regularly for dances and festivals around the country and in 2021 they won the old time band contest at the 85th Annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax, VA. Featuring Ashlee Watkins (guitar/banjo), Andrew Small (fiddle/ mandolin), Trevor Holder (banjo), Conner Vlietstra (guitar/fiddle/mandolin), and Marshall Willborn (bass), The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee’s powerful harmony singing and energetic instrumentals have made them one of Southwest Virginia’s favorite string bands.
Take a journey back in time to the life and music of “The Man in Black” performed by Cash Unchained. The band has been nationally sought after while touring all over US bringing the sights and sounds of the legendary Johnny Cash.
Johnny Cash may not have been the greatest singer or musical technician, but his sound was unforgettable. Steady like a train, sharp like a razor, with the perfect blend of country, rock ‘n’ roll, and folk music, Cash paved the way for artists of all genres for years to come. Without Johnny Cash, we wouldn’t have some of the finest music we’ve all enjoyed over the past 6 decades. Performed by some of the finest musicians in the state of Virginia, James Tamelcoff III captures Cash’s trademark baritone voice, while his band delivers the infectious, driving rhythm of the Tennessee Three.
In her first 25 years alone, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Sierra Hull hit more milestones than many musicians accomplish in a lifetime. After making her Grand Ole Opry debut at the age of 10, the Tennessee-bred virtuoso mandolinist played Carnegie Hall at age 12, then landed a deal with Rounder Records just a year later. Now 28-years-old, Hull is set to deliver her fourth full- length for Rounder: an elegantly inventive and endlessly captivating album called 25 Trips.
Revealing her profound warmth as a storyteller, 25 Trips finds Hull shedding light on the beauty and chaos and sometimes sorrow of growing up and getting older. To that end, the album’s title nods to a particularly momentous year of her life, including her marriage to fellow bluegrass musician Justin Moses and the release of her widely acclaimed album Weighted Mind—a Béla Fleck- produced effort nominated for Best Folk Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
“There’s a lot of push-and-pull on this record, where in some moments I feel like everything’s happening so fast and I wish I could slow it all down so I can really enjoy it,” Hull points out. “But then there are also times where I’m looking forward to the day when the craziness has died down a bit, and life’s a little calmer.”
Made with producer/engineer Shani Gandhi (Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Sarah Jarosz, Alison Krauss), 25 Trips continues the musical journey begun on Weighted Mind, a body of work that built off Hull’s bluegrass roots and ventured into entirely new terrain. But while its predecessor assumed a sparse and stripped-back palette, 25 Trips embodies a far more intricately arranged sound—an effect achieved with the help of peers like guitarist Mike Seal, bassist Ethan Jodziewicz, violinist Alex Hargreaves, and fiddler Christian Sedelmyer, as well as several musicians that Hull has long admired (including bassist Viktor Krauss, guitarist Bryan Sutton, and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Duncan). Along with integrating electric instrumentation and percussion into her material for the first time, Hull dreamed up the album’s eclectic textures by embracing a free-flowing process that often gave way to lightning-in-a-bottle improvisation.
“This is a band you know would be killer live”
-Robin Hilton, All Songs Considered, 2024
Established in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Palmyra explores the fusion of traditional folk string instruments, lush harmony, and earnest songwriting. The trio, now based in Richmond, captures the collective spirit of three Virginia natives: Teddy Chipouras, Mānoa Bell, and Sasha Landon. Often described as a distant cousin to The Avett Brothers and The Wood Brothers, Palmyra nods toward Appalachian and Midwestern Americana, with intricate arrangements that create the illusion of a full, larger-than-three ensemble.
The breakout folk trio has worked diligently to cement themselves as an unmistakable force in the Americana music landscape at large. Their forward momentum is propelled by their craftsmanship and dedication to an intimate performance experience; at the heart of the Palmyra is the evident love and regard that the three musicians share for each other and their craft.
Palmyra has directly supported Watchhouse, Mipso, and Illiterate Light, and has won honors and recognition from institutions including the historic Newport Folk Festival, American Songwriter, The Boston Globe, NPR, Under The Radar Magazine, Americanafest, and Merlefest. They were named one of NPR’s “Best New Artists of 2024”.
Shinyribs defies genres as a sonic melting pot of Texas Blues, New Orleans R&B funk, horn- driven Memphis Soul, country twang, border music, big band swing, and roots-rock. The Austin-based nine-piece (sometimes 10-piece) supergroup is led by Kevin Russell, the charismatic frontman with colorful suits and extravagant shoes who continuously swaps out an electric guitar for a ukulele and never falls short of creating a cinematic experience with on- stage antics that often include him donning a light-up cloak or leading a conga line through the crowd.
Shinyribs was named ‘Best Austin Band’ at the Austin Chronicle’s Austin Music Awards in 2017 and 2018.
DISCOGRAPHY:
Well After Awhile (2010)
Gulf Coast Museum (2013)
Okra Candy (2015)
I Got your Medicine (2017)
The Kringle Tingle (2018)
Fog & Bling (2019)
Late Night TV Gold (2021)
Transit Damage (2023)
Must be 13+ to attend
Unlock the mind of a murderer.
Join forensic psychologist Dr. Rachel Toles for an illuminating journey into the darkest corners of a killer’s psyche. In The Psychology of a Murderer, Dr. Toles delves deep into the twisted minds and motives of infamous killers, including Jeffrey Dahmer, Aaron Hernandez, Chris Watts, Aileen Wuornos, the Menendez Brothers, and more.
Discover the psychological factors that drive individuals to commit these heinous acts, and explore the complex interplay of trauma, environment, and mental health. Through gripping case studies, expert analysis, and audience Q&A, you'll gain a deeper understanding of what turns ordinary people into murderers.
Whether you’re a true crime aficionado or simply curious about the human mind, The Psychology of a Murderer promises to be an unforgettable experience. Don't miss this captivating evening of insight, discussion, and reflection.
WEBSITE:
SOCIAL CHANNELS:
https://www.instagram.com/psychologyofamurderer/
https://www.facebook.com/psychologyofamurderer/
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@thepsychofamurderer?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Grace Bowers was baptized by rock ‘n’ roll music. She cut her teeth on sweat soaked stages inside dive bars and found fellowship in the divine playing of B.B. King. She once studied six-string scripture – written by Slash and Leslie West – for hours a day, mastering her favorite riffs on a ‘61 cherry-finished Gibson SG.
As an up-and-comer in Nashville, Dolly Parton recruited her for a network television special and Tyler Childers requested that she join him on stage. She’s played with a who’s-who of three-chord storytellers and guitar-pickin’ torchbearers – Lainey Wilson, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Susan Tedeschi, to name a few.
And she’s not yet old enough to graduate high school. Phenom? Wunderkind? … Prodigy? No matter what label may be pinned to Bowers, she’s just a teenager who’s putting her faith in rock ‘n’ roll – one song at a time.
“[It’s] a cool thing,” Bowers said. “It blows people’s minds that I’m a 17-year-old girl, playing guitar. And as much as I hate being labeled as that, it’s true.”
But Bowers isn’t just a sought-after 17-year-old guitarist storming jam sessions with her Gibson and a gold-blonde mop of shoulder-length curls, of course. She’s a bandleader and songwriter preparing to leave her mark on some of the biggest stages in music. Her debut album, Wine On Venus – produced by ace guitarist and songwriter John Osborne (of hitmaking country group Brothers Osborne) – hits turntables and streaming services later this year.
Listeners get a first taste of the album on lead single and standout number “Tell Me Why U Do That,” where Bowers and her band – affectionately called The Hodge Podge – deliver a throwback, feel-good tune that comes jam-packed with funk grooves, soul-inspired melodies and a stop-you-in-your-tracks guitar solo. It’s the type of song that dares listeners not to stand up and sing along.
Bowers co-wrote “Tell Me Why U Do That” alongside Osborne and his singer-songwriter wife Lucie Silvas, plus Nashville artist-songwriters Meg Mcree and Ben Chapman.
“I hope this is the one that gets stuck in people’s heads,” Bowers said, with a laugh.
“Tell Me Why U Do That” and the rest of Wine On Venus showcases Bowers’ journey from a teenager who livestreamed bedroom practice sessions on Reddit – sometimes to 20,000+ viewers, no less – to a bona fide album-maker with more than 200,000 followers on Instagram. She picked up the acoustic guitar as a nine-year-old obsessed with so-called “cheesy” hair metal videos. A few years later, her fandom progressed to blues music after she stumbled across B.B. King while shuffling through radio stations in her mom’s car. The proverbial floodgates opened, leading her to discover essential blues artists Mississippi John Hurt, T. Bone Walker and others.
A native of Northern California, Bowers and her family relocated to Nashville two-and-a-half years ago, weeks before her freshman year of high school (Bowers now studies online). Not yet old enough to drive, she continued to grow her audience on social media, becoming a Gibson-endorsed artist by age 14.
She found her way to performing live, taking her skills to dive bars and pay-at-the-door rock clubs before graduating to guest spots at Newport Folk Festival, Nashville’s Big Bash New Year’s Eve concert and her own fundraising gig for victims of the city’s Covenant School shooting in 2023, among others.
How did one teenager cover so much musical ground in such a short time? “Lots of practice,” she said. “Lots of cutting teeth. Lots of not saying ‘no’ to people when I should’ve. Just being stubborn and persistent. I have worked my ass off to make this happen. Just hard work.”
On the album, Bowers and The Hodge Podge graduate from traditional rock and blues influence to sounds inspired by Parliament-Funkadelic and Sly and the Family Stone, she said. The group takes its name from a mixed bag of players that Bowers would invite to share the stage with on a given night. Despite now being a solidified group, the name stuck. The Hodge Podge includes vocalist Esther Okai-Tetteh, bassist Eric Fortaleza, drummer Brandon Combs, guitarist Prince Parker and keys player Joshua Blaylock.
Bowers co-wrote most of Wine On Venus in songwriting circles – a creative exercise that took her “a hot second” to comfortably navigate. But listeners wouldn’t know a first-timer was behind much of Wine On Venus; that’s clear on “Holding On To Something,” a savvy and confident number anchored by a riff Bowers began toying with years ago, she said. The song features a slow-building solo that culminates with harmonized playing and a high-flying howl from Okai-Tetteh.
“I never forgot [that riff] and I was jamming on it one day with a friend of mine. We were writing some lyrics to it and we called over Esther,” she said. “This was the first time we had ever written [together]. It turned out to be that song.”
And Wine On Venus features a cover of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Dance To The Music” that takes on a Hodge Podge twist.
“It was just fun,” Bowers said, recalling the cover session with a laugh. “If you listen to it, you can hear all of our voices in the background throughout the entire song, which I thought was a cool thing to keep in. That one took us a couple hours to knock out. It was a fun, easy song.”
This year, Bowers and the band take Wine On Venus on the road for a run of dream-making festival shows, including slots at BottleRock Napa Valley, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bourbon & Beyond and Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, among others.
But a booked schedule doesn’t mean Bowers isn’t already thinking about the next project. Like most people who believe in something, she wants to find out where this rock ‘n’ roll journey leads her.
“I love it,” she said. “Seeing where I can go with it, I still have so much to learn.”