Band Spotlight

This nationally renowned blues/roots musician is hitting the road as part of his “Fire and the Fury Tour” and preparing for the latest release of a new album that’s the follow-up to his acclaimed 2014 release, Durty Howlin’ Blues. The road trip included an appearance at the Tremblant International Blues Festival in Quebec last weekend, […]

It seems just like yesteryear! In 1997, Troy Roark and Doug Gholson broke on the scene as Mr. Opporknockity with “Lisa’s Shirt,” a bona fide, local hit song on WDBR-FM from the acoustic guitar-powered, high-energy vocal duo. The addition of Mark Sanders on drums and Tom Irwin on bass put them in the band category […]

Hell-bent on being about as rough and tumble as a gal can be, while simultaneously coming across as a contemporary country cat out to even the score with every lowdown dog around, Sarah Shook seems heaven-sent in this day of pre-programmed computer music. Along with her longtime cohort Eric Peterson (electric guitar) and bandmates John […]

Hailing from the river town of Quincy, this blues, country, Southern rock and classic rock quintet takes on songs familiar to average Midwest music lovers, then gives the tunes a slight twist to make ‘em their own with tight vocal harmonies and experienced music-making. Popular acts cited as influences by bandmates Todd Rost (vocals), Eric […]

Growing up in the suburbs of Cincinnati, a young Greg Finger became fascinated by the sounds he created on an old, out-of-tune upright piano his parents purchased for him while he was still in grade school. The possibilities contained in the mysteries of music-making drove him to learn different instruments and dream of what could […]

Hailing from Oakland, California, bandmates Stanley Martinez (guitar, vocals, violin), Eve Hannan (bass, vocals), Alexa Pantalone (drums, synth) and Troy Hewitt (guitar, organ, piano, synth) are now on a month-long jaunt across America. Starting in Chicago and covering the Midwest, they’re working their way to Brooklyn and back, playing every day, somewhere, somehow from June […]

Hailing from Peoria and recently signed to Green Show Records in East Peoria, Ms. Colgan is making waves in the regional music scene and heading for bigger things. She’s performed VIP pre-shows or opening slots for artists such as Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Shania Twain, RaeLynn, Rodney Atkins and Lee Greenwood. Aileeah grabbed first […]

You won’t find a better band replicating the sounds of Cajun and Zydeco through original songs and traditional tunes, but these dashing and daring musicians of high caliber cheerfully toss in a taste of contemporary blues and swamp rock to keep the party rolling. Led by acclaimed Creole-related, French-speaking-and-singing fiddler and accordionist Dennis Stroughmatt and […]

Considered one of Canada’s most acclaimed blues artists since being nominated for the “Best New Artist” award in 2011 at the Maple Blues Awards, guitar-playing and songwriting bluesman Chris Antonik (pronounced “AN-tah-nick,” not “tonic”) is out and about promoting a new record titled Monarch. Called “big R&B filtered through a Canadian cloth captured with perfect […]

A nationally-acclaimed singer-songwriter, folklorist, musician and producer, Chris Vallillo has cultivated a status as the go-to guy for original and traditional folk-based song-playing during his 30-some years performing music. Along with several recordings of original songs that focus on the “people and places of ‘un-metropolitan’ America,” CV also produced and performed a couple of outstanding […]

Sometimes the best descriptions come from the artists themselves, and in this case we get: “Alec James is a musician and songwriter in the central Illinois area. He plays guitar, harmonica and has a particular affinity for acoustic folk music.” We could stop right there and that should be enough to intrigue a soul, but […]

A force on the national scene for several years now, what started as a lark with a band called Uptown Sound has morphed into a major career of increasing proportions for JC Brooks. Based out of Chicago (and formerly on the city’s Bloodshot Records label) Brooks, as lead vocalist, along with band mates Alec Lehrman […]