Blues to Benefit the Bothwell: How Blue Can You Get June 1, 2012

A special night of Blues to Benefit the Bothwell begins with folk and blues icon Barbara Dane sharing more than half a century of music, from the classics of Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey to her own acoustic comments on life, accompanied on piano by the highly-sought after Tammy Hall and backed up by the acclaimed and talented Angela Wellman on trombone. Then, bringing us straight into the future of the blues, west coast innovators Big Cat & the Hipnotics, featuring Allen Vega on guitar, take us on a romp through their exciting electric world of rhythm and blues.

Barbara Dane's remarkable blues, jazz and folk music career spans more than 60 years. Her first concert was in 1947, sharing a folk stage with Pete Seeger. In 1959, she sang hot jazz on TV with Louis Armstrong and toured with Jack Teagarden. For a year she sang blues with Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim as her back-up, and took over Muddy Waters' band when he became ill. In 1971 she sang before tens of thousands on the Washington Mall in protest of the Vietnam War. She recorded mainstream jazz with Earl "Fatha" Hines, blues with Lightnin' Hopkins, and traditional jazz with her own band.

Big Cat and the Hypnotics, featuring lead singer Big Cat Tolefree with Allen Vega on guitar, is known throughout the West Coast music scene. They recently opened for B.B. King, and in the past, Tolefree opened for the Temptations, Jimmy McCracklin and others. In 2011 Tolefree was named "Male Blues Vocalist of the Year." Lead musician Vega plays a smokin' gun of a blues guitar, and Vega's former band, Smokin' Gun, won a Bay Area Music Battle of the Bands. Vega has opened for Bobby "Blue" Bland, Etta James, Buddy Guy, and the list goes on.

The Bothwell Arts Center is a project of the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center, a not-for-profit corporation.

Official Website: http://bankheadtheater.org