Winthrop R&B Festival

     From July 18th through the 21st, Washington's biggest and best blues festival, the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival, will be celebrating its 15th year of bringing the finest national and local talent to the NW. In the past this four-day festival has always been co-produced by Jim Smith and Cholo Willsin. This year, however, all those responsibilities fall exclusively on Cholo's very capable shoulders. As in the past, Willson has proved to be an outstanding stage manager and PR man, and from the looks of the schedule he is also very good at booking some of the best blues and R&B talent around. This award-winning festival is held at the "Blues Ranch," a fifty-acre stretch of land on the banks of the Methow River, at the foot of the majestic Cascade Mountains, one mile from the rustic town of Winthrop. Besides the music you'll find food booths, craft booths, the Winthrop R&B Fest T-shirt booth, a beer tent, plenty of water, portable restrooms, and even showers. Although most local hotels and B&Bs fill up quickly, there's plenty of camping nearby. Fans will also have a chance to become better acquainted with some fine Northwest area blues societies, which will also have booths there.

     The festivities begin Thursday at 7pm with the annual street dance in Winthrop. Scheduled to perform at the street dance are some of the Northwest's finest blues talent including Seattle's Crossroads Band, Tri-Cities' Perry Roper & The Howlers with trombone man Randy Oxford, and Mike Lynch's Harmonica Playboy & the Midnight Movers.

     On Friday, July19th starting at 4pm the Winthrop R&B Festival begins at the Blues Ranch. First to take the stage will be the fabulous Seattle blues quartet The Jelly Rollers, followed by Harmonica Playboy & the Midnight Movers. Portland guitar ace Jim Mesi and his band will start their set at 6:45, with Canadian guitar man David Gogo following. Headlining Friday night at 10:15pm is Texas bluesman Sonny Rhodes. A self-proclaimed "disciple of the blues", Sonny is a terrific guitar player and songwriter. He also played bass for the legendary Freddie King and Albert Collins. Sonny can also be seen at the Vancouver Island Music Fest on July 5 and at the New Orleans, in Seattle on July 18.

     The longest day of the festival begins at 11am Saturday with the acoustic guitar renderings of young Ryan Harder. Although the advertising might say Steve Bailey & the Blue Flames, the band scheduled for noon is actually The Crossroads Band. Crossroads' veteran band members include guitarist Pat McFarland, sax man Dennis Ellis, the solid rhythm section of Mark Dalton on bass and K.T. Tuttle on drums and of course the multi talented Steve Bailey. Beginning at 1:30pm will be the Canada-based Michael Pickett Band. Pickett is a masterful singer, songwriter harmonica player whose band was to play at last year's Winthrop R&B Fest but were not allowed across the border. Hopefully they'll have better luck this year. After an astounding performance last year, singer, guitar slinger Eddie Cotton will give another stellar exhibit at 3pm. Since its inception 15 years ago the Winthrop R&B Fest's one constant has always been a fantastic set by Too Slim & the Taildraggers. Tim Langford's (Too Slim) power trio represents some of the finest blues coming out of Eastern WA. Jasman Records artist Sugar Pie DeSanto shows off her powerful voice and earthy stage presence at 6:30. This 4' 11" dynamo not only belts out R&B, Sugar Pie sprinkles her show with some standup comedy and some gymnastic style dancing too. Soul/Blues singer and Telarc recording artist, Mighty Sam McClain begins his set at 8:30. McClain's awesome voice will mesmerize the crowd and show why Real Blues Magazine awarded him Soul/Blues Entertainer of the Year 3 years in a row. Sam is also scheduled to perform at EMP's Sky Church on July 19. Headlining the show Saturday night is award winning Malaco recording artist Denise LaSalle. As with many before her, Denise was born in Mississippi but first gained acclaim as a soul singer in Chicago. Ms. LaSalle's amazing vocals are equally proficient singing soul, blues, or gospel with an urban contemporary flavor.

      Sunday, the final day of the festival, Ryan Harder again opens the show at 11am. The festival then takes a turn towards Beale St. with Big Joe Turner's Memphis Blues Caravan, starting at noon. Turner has developed a reputation as one of the finest blues sidemen around, playing bass for Albert King, Little Milton, and BB King. With his super solid band, Turner and Co. will display what Memphis blues is all about. Big Jack Johnson & the Oilers take their turn at 1:45pm. This Handy Award-winning master of contemporary Delta blues from Clarksdale, MS has been tearing up juke joints in the Delta for decades. Big Jack formerly teamed up with blues icons Frank Frost and Sam Carr to form the Jelly Roll Kings and has just released "The Memphis Barbecue Sessions" on MC Records with the legendary Kim Wilson and Pinetop Perkins. Big Jack & the Oilers also play Larry's in Seattle on July 20. The amazing Baton Rouge pianist, vocalist Henry Gray and his band begin to put their spell on the crowd at 3:30pm. Henry's great piano licks can be heard on many Chess recordings from Chicago's golden era and was with the Howlin' Wolf Band until the late 60s when he moved back to Louisiana and set up with the likes of Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim and Sonny Landreth among others. Although well into his 70s, Henry still tours with his band The Cats featuring the great Louisiana guitarist Paul "Little Buck" Sinegal. Henry & the Cats will stay busy in the Northwest with dates at Seattle's New Orleans on the 19th, at Bellingham's Wild Buffalo on the 26th. They will then have a week in residence at the Port Townsend workshop and festival from July 29 to August 3 and will end their area stay at the Mt. Baker Blues Fest on August 4. The final offering from the 2002 Winthrop R&B Festival at 5:30pm is the sensational soul/funk horn band Tower of Power. For over 30 years this funky, horn laden band from Bump City has been astounding fans with their live shows and recordings and is a perfect ending to this fabulous festival.

     For those hard-core fans, the final event of the night moves back to the town of Winthrop and the Palace Hotel for the traditional after jam. This is a chance to witness an incredible collection of national and local artists tradin' licks and cuttin' chops together, all in the name of great blues.

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