ENTERTAINMENT

Live Music...smokin' rock 'n roll, blues, jazz, and rhythm & blues all on one stage.

*=Artists and performance dates
and times are subject to change.

Rick Browne

Rick Browne is creator and host of Barbecue America (produced by Wishing Wells Productions, in association with Iowa Public Broadcasting and distributed by American Public Television) as well as an accomplished author, photographer, pitmaster, restaurant critic and consultant, who holds an honorary Doctorate of Barbecue Philosophy degree. He has more than 25 years of assignments spanning the globe contributing articles and photography, mainly on travel and culinary subjects, to a wide variety of domestic and foreign magazines, including Newsweek, People, Canadian Living, Islands, Travel Holiday, Reader's Digest, Maclean's, Sunset, Burda, AQUA, Wine Spectator, Geo, Diversion, Saveur, Saturday Night and Travel & Leisure.

Book Rick Browne as a spokesman or for your event, contact Rick at rick@barbecueamerica.com or 360,607,8550.

Rick Browne the “Dr. of BBQ”
www.barbecueamerica.com

California Cowboys

R. W. Smith and the California Cowboys deliver a powerful sound, with the clear punch of tight three-part harmonies. And such rowdy, foot stompin’ original songs as “We Ride’em We Rope’em” and “Timberline”, it’s easy to see this band will always go over in a big way with any audience.  As lead singer and songwriter, R.W. is the polished showman. He dances and jokes with the audience while delivering top billing entertainment.  Together with drummer Hal Atkinson guitar player Gary Potterton (producer of “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer”), and bass player Cary Atkinson; these fine musicians form one of California’s most successful country-western bands.  With a solid draw and non-stop show, promoters and sponsors know the Cowboys can fill the seats with cheering audiences.  Appearing on concert billings with such country favorites as Alabama, Big & Rich, Dwight Yoakam, Merle Haggard, Clint Black, George Jones, Joe Diffe, Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, The Bellamy Brothers, Restless Heart, Travis Tritt, Doug Stone,
Alan Jackson, George Strait, and many other country stars.
www.californiacowboys.com

Texas Hold'Em

A Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute stage show, celebrating the music of Stevie Ray, covering songs all the way from his early career right up to his final album.  “Wailin”Michael Weldon Osborn-guitar and vocals.  “WW” has been entertaining crowds since the age of sixteen with his fretboard wizardry and soulfull, growling vocals. He has performed across the country - Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles. He has years of experience performing Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute shows including an offer to tour New Zealand.  Seemingly possessed by the spirit of the late master, you’ll think you went back in time and are watching SRV himself at a Texas Holdem show!!!!!   For more band information visit
www.michaelosbornmusic.com

Miko Marks

People Magazine names her one of “Nashville’s Hottest New Country Stars”, while Ebony recognizes her as “The Storyteller”, and one who is “Breaking the Sound Barriers” in music! Whatever the case, all can agree that Miko Marks is an artist in sync with the times. On the frontlines of change, Ms. Marks is blazing an unprecedented trail and ushering in a new generation!

Named "Best New Country Artist" by New Music Weekly, Miko’s debut album, “Freeway Bound”, also received honors as the "2007 Country Album of the Year", at The Independent Music Awards. Amongst the judges were country icons, Wynonna Judd, and Patti Loveless, of The Grand Ole Opry. Miko is the first and only African American woman in the history of country music to receive such high honors. Her newly released CD, “It Feels Good” is also gaining much acclaim. 
www.mikomarks.com

Stone Foxes

The Stone Foxes are a rock and roll band based in San Francisco, CA. Heavily influenced by the great rock, blues, folk and country stars of the 60s and 70s, the Stone Foxes play unique brand of loose rock and roll and heavy dirty blues that is lacking in today’s music scene. Spence, Aaron and Shannon grew up in the hills of California’s Central Valley, with nothing better to do than play music in their spare time, and today things still haven’t changed. After relocating to San Francisco, the three met Los Angeles native/musician Avi Vinocur, and they all moved into a house in the Sunset, quickly converting the garage into their practice space. With two years in the San Francisco rock and roll scene under their belts, the Stone Foxes have contributed in keeping the spirit of San Francisco’s music scene alive. Quickly making friends with local bands and music fans, the Foxes have been gaining more attention for their live shows that pack a punch of personality and chops to match. With warm overdriven amps, saturated bass, thumping drums, smokey vocals and a wailing blues harp, the Stone Foxes bring it down low and crank it up when the groove gets tight.
www.thestonefoxes.com

Silver Creek

SILVER CREEK is a high energy four piece band that performs mostly popular country music and is versatile enough to play rock, metal, rap or funk. Members of SILVER CREEK have performed on the same stage with Alabama, Billy Ray Cyrus, Restless Heart, Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, George Strait, Merle Haggard, The Judds, Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam, among many others. Among SILVER CREEK's many accomplishments are, winning the California Country Music Association Horizon Award, opening for and performing with Steve Wariner, Carlene Carter, Larry Stewart (Restless Heart) and Timothy B. Schmidt (Eagles) at Tony La Russa's "Stars to the Rescue" Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) benefit concert, and opening for Boy Howdy, Patti Loveless, Little Texas and Confederate Railroad on the main stage at Country Fest at the Mt. View Shoreline Amphitheater (BGP). www.bandsilvercreek.com

Papa's Garage

From reworked and retwisted revisiones of old blues joints from greats like Muddy Waters, Freddy King and Buddy Guy... To revamped and rearranged rockin' blues of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hendrix, Clapton and ZZ Top... PAPA'S GARAGE is the band that will redefine the direction of Blues for the next generation of the genre. A powerful and talented group of musicians with a searing hot energy level which emenates from their electric Rockin' Blues backboned sounds, PAPA'S GARAGE will have you out of your seat and movin' 'cross the floor from the first moment of they hit it 'til they quit it... you'll feel it sho' 'nuff on this revelrous night of funky blues music redefined by 'PAPA'S GARAGE' !!!Papa's Garage is not just a band, their show is a true experience. www.papasgarage.com

JC Smith

J. C. Smith, 2006 Bay Area Blues Society West Coast Blues Band of the Year award winner is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area.  He is an outstanding performer noted for his energy and charisma.  Prior to playing guitar, he was the drummer for the Back to Back Blues Band.  The Back to Back Blues Band released two CDs that were well received by Blues lovers and critics alike.  In 2000, he emerged from behind his drums, armed with a Gibson 335.  J. C. attacks the Blues as if he is being guided by the masters like T-Bone Walker, Albert King, and Johnnie Guitar Watson.  The J. C. Smith Band’s Midnight Creeper CD has been applauded throughout the United States, Eastern Europe and Mexico. www.jcsmithband.org

Jerry Sauceda

Cool funk, hot soul, smoky jazz, sizzling rock are the sounds of Jerry Sauceda who has been performing professionally as a guitarist, vocalist and all-round entertainer in the Bay Area since 1993. At 28, Jerry created his own stage show as a soloist utilizing background midi tracks. Jerry has opened for many popular acts including Malo, Tierra, Clifford Coulter, The Drifters and Sam Butera. He has shared the stage with such performers as Tony Lindsey from the Carlos Santana Band and Danny Hull from The Doobie Brothers and today performs with his own three-piece band The Jerry Sauceda Trio. He also wrote the music score for the documentary “ Soldados ” which was aired nationally on PBS in 2004 . Jerry draws upon every type of genre and his love and passion for music has never limited itself to a specific category; this is obvious from his renditions of Frank Sinatra, Garth Brooks to Santana songs.
www.jerrysauceda.com

Bernard Anderson

Bernard Anderson is a consummate sax artist, at home in both the worlds of rock and jazz. Bernard "Doctor B" Anderson studied music throughout public school, and continued his music studies at Alameda and Laney Colleges in Oakland. He spent several years on the road in top-40's bands and returned to the blues scene working with Sonny Rhodes, Charles Brown, Joe Henderson, Jimmy McCracklin, John Handy, Taj Mahal, Carla Thomas, Mary Wells, Al Wilson, and Queen Ida.
www.coplanpixels.com/bernard.htm

Mazacote

Mazacote is the hard-swinging, old-school salsa group led by legendary percussionist Louie Romero, who came to fans' attention as the longtime timbales player for famed salsero "El Cantante" Hector Lavoe. Louie is also renowned for his work with Willie Colón, Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, Ron Carter, and other salsa and jazz stars in his native New York.  Based in San Francisco, Mazacote plays a crowd-pleasing, high-energy mixture of classic salsa favorites and original latin jazz tunes. It's no wonder that Latin Beat magazine called Mazacote "one of the premier salsa ensembles in Northern California.”  Recently, the band released the album "Timbalero." Its title track is a fresh take on Louie's classic 1972 recording of the song with Hector Lavoe and Willie Colón. The album -- filled with soulful and danceable salsa, cha-cha, latin jazz, Cuban guajira, and bomba -- is receiving rave reviews from dancers, DJs, and music critics alike.
www.mazacote.com

Big Cat

From the inner-city limits of beautiful Oakland, California, Big Cat Tolefree and his cool Hipnotic Blues Band has single-handedly transformed the West Coast blues and soul sound with his trend-setting music and vocal style. Name drops aren’t needed for the multi award winning, 3rd. generation Russell City blues singer. Big Cat has the skills and sex appeal to stand on his own for decades to come. Big Cat Tolefree opened shows for The Temptations, BB King, Jimmy McCracklin, Pinetop Perkins, Suga Pie DeSanto, Sonny Rhodes, Big-Time Sarrah, Filmore Slim and Bobby Rush. Big Cat has rocked audiences at the Monterey Blues Festival, Biscuits & Blues and BB Kings Blues Cafe in N.Y., including premiere festivals and concert venues coast to coast. Big Cat has earned “New Blues Artist of the Year”, “Male Blues Vocalist of the Year” and Europe’s “Best Traditional Blues Artist” all in one amazing year.
www.bigcatentertainment.com

Full on Flyhead

"Full On Flyhead is a shot across the bow of genre rock. Packing a powerful punch, their songs are simultaneously driving and moving - ten minute epics of heroism compliment funky crowd moving grooves. Flyhead's music has an uncanny widespread appeal lacking the bounds of age, background, or musical preference."
www.myspace.com/fullonflyhead

The Caravan of Allstars

The Caravan of Allstars is a powerhouse revue put together to showcase some of the unsung heroes of West Coast Blues.  The Caravan has a loyal following due to their high profile performances at Bill Graham Presents New Orleans by the Bay, special appearance at the California Music Awards, AT&T San Jose Jazz Festival, Portland Waterfront Blues Festival, five consecutive appearances at the Monterey Bay Blues Festival, command performance for President Bill Clinton and first fundraising performances in Thailand for tsunami survivors.  The Caravan has just released their second CD on 50/50 Records entitled The Music They Played on 7th Street.  The band consists of Ronnie Stewart, lead guitar; Ron Joseph, bass guitar; Rich Forman and Rob Gordon, keyboards; Frank Lemon on drums; John Middleton, Carl Green and Sahar Miller, the “Sweet Meat Horn Section”.
www.bayareabluessociety.net

Con Funk Shun

Con Funk Shun is a star-quality attraction delivering a superb, high-energy show with electrifying choreography, glistening six-part vocal harmonies, and a dash of humor.

They are, unquestionably, among the heroes of Funk with romantic ballads and dance-party hits galore. Memorable melodies, inventive horn arrangements and clav-guitar woven grooves, make the group absolutely essential to the evolution of funk.

They charted four - consecutive Gold's and one Platinum album. Their 20 hit singles included 8 Top Ten R&B Hits and one #1 R&B smash between '77-'86. With finesse and consistency they legitimized what came following them: high-profile, commercial explosions featuring their hits in countless rap/hip-hop samples, exposed them to a new generation, now in their thirties.

In response, Mercury/Polygram released the” Best of Con Funk Shun" in '93 on their "Funk Essentials" Series.
www.confunkshunusa.com