Past Blues Blasts

Blues Blast 2012 was a year of change for our festival. The Phoenix Blues Society moved Blues Blast to M.T. Hance Park in Phoenix. By centralizing our location, we were able to attract Blues lovers from the East and West Valley. The park was an amazing venue, and the decision was made to make this the new home of Blues Blast, where local brewery Four Peaks became our very first sponsor at the new venue.  Artists included Common Grown Blues Band, George Bowman & Lucius Parr w/the Baddboyz Blues Band, Big Daddy D and the Dynamites,, The Sugar Thieves, Dave Riley & Bob Corritore, with headliner Sugar Ray and the Bluetones.

Blues Blast 2011 battled the raindrops throughout the day, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the die hard fans there to watch The Tommy Castro Band, Deanna Bogart,Trampled Under Foot, Cold Shott & the Hurricane Horns, and Krimson Chord.

Blues Blast 2010 featured the theme “Doing the Blues Blast Bop,” with participation from the Arizona Lindy Hop Society. The show was headlined by Chicago ensembleBig James Montgomery & The Chicago Playboys. Also appearing were Candy Kane,The Insomniacs, The Jump Back Brothers, and Arthur Migliazza & Tom Walbank.

Blues Blast 2009 was headlined by former Phoenix native Janiva Magness. Also on the bill were Omar & the Howlers, The Juke Joint Duo, The Sugar Thieves, Kathy Mabry, and Kevin Casenhiser.

Blues Blast 2009 was headlined by former Phoenix native Janiva Magness. Also on the bill were Omar & the Howlers, The Juke Joint Duo, The Sugar Thieves, Kathy Mabry, and Kevin Casenhiser.

Blues Blast 2008 was the first time the main event was held on a Saturday afternoon, and it was a big success. Appearing were Walter Trout, Deanna Bogart, Harper,Eden Brent, Chuck Hall, Delta Highway, Big Daddy D & the Dynamites, andSoulcatcher.

Blues Blast 2007 took place on a beautiful Sunday afternoon with PBS favorite Sista Monica headlining the show. Also appearing were Albert Cummings, Zac Harmon,Big Nick & the Gila Monsters, Tommy Dukes and the Soul Kings, and Mikel Lander.

Blues Blast 2006 was dedicated to the memory of PBS member Randy Rogers, who died in a hiking accident at the Grand Canyon the previous year. Appearing were several of Randy’s favorite bands. The lineup on this incredible show included Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, Tommy Castro Band, Nora Jean Bruso, Tom Walbank & the Ambassadors, Sam Taylor and Heather Hardy, and Danny Rhodes.

There was no doubt in anyone’s mind who was the star of the show at Blues Blast 2005, as singer Bettye Lavette knocked out everyone with her dynamic performance that will be hard to top! Top-notch performances were also turned in by Little Charlie and the Nightcats and Michael Burks, as well as local artists Sistah Blue, Jim Glass Band, and Hans Olson.

Blues Blast 2004 was the first (and hopefully last) time that we faced inclement weather on the day of the show, with colder than usual temperatures and some mid-afternoon light rain. But the show went on, and just when we thought the rest of the day would have to be moved indoors, the clouds parted and the sun returned. The star of the show was Otis Clay, who never slowed down his show during the rainfall. Also on the bill were Tab Benoit, Johnny Rawls with guest Destini Rawls, Sistah Blue,Buzz and the Soul Senders, and Lisa Otey and Kathleen Williamson.

Blues Blast 2003 is now being hailed as the best show in the history of the event. Appearing were The Holmes Brothers, Tommy Castro Band, Trudy Lynn, Roy Gaines,Bad News Blues Band, The Rhythm Room All-Stars with Mr. Boogie Woogie, Midnite Blues, and Paris James.

Blues Blast 2002 featured legendary blues singer / guitarist Little Milton, plus appearances by Joe Louis Walker, The Delgado Brothers with Juke Logan, Cold Shott & the Hurricane Horns featuring Small Paul, Honeyboy Dupree and the Smokehouse Players, and Scotty Spenner.

Blues Blast 2001 was highlighted by an appearance from one of the finest harmonica players of our day in Kim Wilson, accompanied by his blues ensemble. Almost stealing the show was Northern California-based singer Sista Monica. Also on the bill were Jimmy Morello & the JSP All Stars featuring Carol Fran, Sistah Blue, Stefan George, and the Cadillac Mike Moses Blues Band.

Blues Blast 2000 was regarded as one of the hottest festivals yet, headlined by the ever-popular Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials. Also on the bill were fellow Chicago veterans Eddie Shaw & the Wolfgang, Colorado-based songstress Nina Storey, aswell as Bob Corritore’s All-Star Blues Revue featuring Henry Gray, Kid Ramos, Chico Chism, King Karl, Johnny Rapp and Paul Thomas. Arizona acts were George Bowman, Lucius Parr & Nightlife and Cold Shott & the Hurricane Horns featuring Small Paul.

Blues Blast ’99 was a celebration for the Phoenix Blues Society’s 10th anniversary, and the event turned into a family reunion atmosphere, with many of our best friends and favorite acts from past Blues Blasts making return appearances. The acts included Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets featuring Sam Myers, Guitar Shorty,Carol Fran & Clarence Hollimon, Roy Gaines, Bob Margolin, Johnny Dyer, Big Nick & The Gila Monsters, Hans Olson, Chico Chism, and Lisa Otey. Longtime blues society members hailed Blues Blast ’99 as the best ever!

The final Saturday Night Dance Party, again held in the Superstition Ballroom, featured Roy Gaines, Midnite Blues, and Two Flavor Blues featuring George Bowman & Scotty Spenner. The Board of the Phoenix Blues Society elected to discontinue this event after 1999 in lieu of performances at area blues clubs.

The zydeco sounds of Terrance Simien & The Mallet Playboys brought Blues Blast ’98 to an exciting conclusion.Other acts on the bill included Smokin’ Joe Kubek Band featuring B’Nois King , Big Jack Johnson & The Oilers, The Johnny Rawls Revue, Bad News Blues Band, and Sweet Jeffrey & Friends.

In ’98 we moved the Saturday Night Dance Party back into the more intimate confines of the Superstition Ballroom, and swingin’ sax legend Big Jay McNeely had everyone hoppin’. Also appearing were The Rocket 88s and Phonoroyale.

Blues Blast ’97 was highlighted by an appearance from British blues master John Mayall. Also on the bill were local favorite Francine Reed, Chris Cain, Texas blues cat Robert Ealey, The Rocket 88s, and Sistah Blue.

Headlining the Saturday Night Dance Party was the always-hot Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers. Their L.A. buddy Johnny Dyer also appeared, as did The Hoodoo Kingsand local legend Chico Chism.

Blues Blast ’96 will forever be remembered for the wonderful performance by blues piano legend Charles Brown. Also on the show were Angela Strehli with The Soul Drivers, W.C. Clark,Rob Rio, The Sam Taylor Band featuring Heather Hardy, and Phoenix favorites Big Nick & The Gila Monsters. 1996 also marked the first year Best Buy participated as a major sponsor.

The Saturday Night Dance Party in ’96 featured a killer guitar showdown as Little Charlie & The Nightcats co-starred with Mike Morgan & The Crawl. Opening the show was Lucius Parr & First Choice featuring George Bowman. The guitar duel at the end of the night between Little Charlie Baty and Mike Morgan was alone worth the price of admission.

Blues Blast ’95 marked an expansion to a two-day format with the addition of the Saturday Night Dance Party. The festival featured a musically-diverse lineup headlined by Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, along with Keb’ Mo’, Miss Lavelle White,Teddy Morgan & The Sevilles, and Coco Montoya. Locals Hans Olson, The Carvin Jones Band, and Buddy Reed & The Rip It Ups rounded out the bill.

1995′s Saturday Night Dance Party featured The Loved Ones, William Clarke, andBig Pete Pearson & The Blues Sevilles.

Hot guitarists dominated the day at Blues Blast ’94, as we brought to the Valley of the Sun Elvin Bishop, Joe Louis Walker, and Guitar Shorty. Quite frankly, Shorty stole the show with his stinging blues guitar licks and onstage acrobatics. Phoenix area bands included Cold Shot and the Hurricane Horns, who backed Guitar Shorty and hosted a tribute to late Phoenix music legend Bob Tate, and The Chuck Hall Band.

Blues Blast ’93 is still fondly recalled by longtime Phoenix Blues Society board members as one of those special times when everything came together just right. The national acts that year were all Black Top Records artists, and the gathering of old friends made for a special day of music. Appearing were Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets featuring Sam Myers, Carol Fran & Clarence Hollimon, and local stalwarts The Rocket 88s, Hans Olson, Big Pete Pearson & The Blues Sevilles, The Carvin Jones Band, and The Blue Dynamos.

The Phoenix Blues Society held the first official Blues Blast in February 1992 at the Mesa Amphitheatre. Blues Blast ’92 followed a tradition established by Nancy Wolter of the Mesa Arts Center, who for several years had been presenting a smaller blues festival each February.

Blues Blast ’92 also marked the first year of sponsorship by both Bud Light (Hensley & Company) and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. The headliner that year was singer Nappy Brown, who thrilled the crowd by leaving the stage to walk through the seating area singing without the aid of a microphone. Also on that show were harmonica player Snooky Pryor, guitarist Bob Margolin, Chico Chism’s Chicago Blues Band, The Hoodoo Kings, and Dave Andrews & The Method.