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| Freddie Vanderford |
Never heard of the Piedmont Blues? Me neither. Well, Mr. Freddie Vanderford played the shit outta some harp with the Piedmont Blues last night. The South Carolina state legislature has even given him a "Folk Heritage Award" for it (or I assume it's for it). I still gotta
lot to learn about regional music. I was invited down to "
The Showroom" in downtown Spartanburg, SC Friday by Steve Long. 5 years ago or so he started Hub-Bub.com (non-profit organization) that promotes and accommodates shows like this but also the organization does many things to promote local artists, be it musicians or artists as in "artists"(painters and such). They also put on plays as well at this venue. The venue is a great listening environment (check out the pics). But the thing that impressed me the most was that this organization has an "artist in residence" program that is impressive as hell. I'm clueless to the "ins and outs" of it but you can check it all out here:
http://www.hub-bub.com/air/ . This is WAY outta my realm of knowledge and I don't know anything about these typa things but I wanted to share that with who
ever reads this damn blog in order to just pass along the good word and it's a
damn good word.
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| The Showroom |
Steve said that I needed to go down to Nu-Way Lounge, as well. I stopped by there after the Freddie show and had to leave before I'd gotten to the place of no return. Something about GREAT blues playing (
Shane Pruitt) that makes me wanna drink a HELLUVA lotta beer. The 3 piece band was just freaking great! Straight ahead blues. Nothing fancy or nuthin that you have to think about. I have NO idea why that shit makes me thirsty, but it sure does and I always have to slam on the beer drinking brakes.
Nu-Way Lounge was just a funky old smoky bar that the band just sat in the corner and rocked. I MEAN these guys were a hell of a blues band. Keyboard player was in the original Steve Miller bands (late 60's). The drummer was local and absoLUTELY solid!
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| The Shane Pruitt Band |
Good GOD, I smelled like the butt of a cigarette this morning.
Sneaking into North Carolina for a show tonight but headed back down to the SC after that...
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| Nu-Way Lounge |
I have heard Freddie play and sing in many places over the past 20 years - he always gives you more than your money's worth.
ReplyDeleteSeveral videos of Freddie Vanderford with Brandon Turner (duo) or with The Shades (group) can be seen at www.youtube.com/muddyleeperkins
ReplyDeleteScott,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for coming to my gig at The Showroom. I really do appreciate it. Thanks also for the compliment on my harp playing. I hope to see you again down the road.
Please let folks know seat belts do save lives! I was in a bad crash the night before you saw me, flipping a van a time or two with equipment. I'm sure the belts saved mine!
Be safe everyone & take care!
Freddie Vanderford