An Evening with Tinsley Ellis
Tinsley Ellis According to Atlanta-based blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Tinsley Ellis, his new, first-ever solo acoustic album, Naked Truth, is both “a departure and an arrival.” Ellis has been recording and travelling the world for over four decades, delivering his feral, guitar-fueled, original electric blues-rock to ever-growing audiences at concert halls, festivals, and clubs. Naked Truth is steeped in the folk blues traditions of Muddy Waters, Skip James, Son House, Robert Johnson and even Leo Kottke. To the casual fan, this might seem to be a new direction, but for Ellis, it’s an extension of his music, as he taps into the raw essence of the blues. “This is a record I’ve always wanted to make, and one that my longtime fans have been asking for,” he says, noting he’s included an acoustic mini-set in his concert performances for years. In the last 12 months, Ellis has already performed over 100 solo shows, many as co-bills with his Alligator label-mate Marcia Ball. “I’m having so much fun playing these shows,” he says.On Naked Truth, Ellis swaps his blistering, guitar-fueled full band workouts for equally passionate, soul-searching acoustic folk blues. His famed guitar chops and musical creativity are on full display throughout the album’s 12 songs, including nine newly written originals. The album was recorded live in the studio using Ellis’ beloved 1969 Martin D-35 (a gift from his father) and his 1937 National Steel O Series guitars. Whether intricately fingerpicking the Martin or playing hair-raising slide on the National Steel, Ellis delivers each song with unvarnished intimacy.Tinsley Ellis has been immersed in music his whole life. Born in Atlanta 1957 and raised in southern Florida, he acquired his first guitar at age seven, inspired by seeing The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. He took to guitar instantly, developing and sharpening his skills as he grew up. Like many kids his age, Ellis discovered the blues through the back door of British Invasion bands like The Yardbirds, The Animals, Cream and The Rolling Stones as well as Southern rockers like The Allman Brothers. One afternoon after high school in 1972, he and a friend were listening to Al Kooper and Michael Bloomfield’s Super Session record when his friend’s older brother told them that, if they liked Super Session, they should go see B.B. King, who was in town that week. Tinsley saw that show from the very front row. Tinsley Ellis has brought his music to fans live in person to all 50 United States, as well as in Canada, across Europe, Australia and South America. He’s earned the love and respect of many of his fellow musicians, having shared stages with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Allman Brothers, Warren Haynes, Oliver Wood, Buddy Guy, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, and more. Over the years, legends including Otis Rush, James Cotton, Gregg Allman, Jimmy Buffett, Son Seals, Koko Taylor and Albert Collins invited Ellis to join them on stage. Mega-star guitarist Joe Bonamassa calls Ellis “a national treasure.” Now, with Naked Truth, Ellis will bring his music directly to his fans. “Two guitars and a car,” he says of the simplicity of his North American touring situation. “When folks come to see me, I’ll have the guitars I used on the record with me, so what fans hear on the album is what they’ll get live. It’s not easy. Now I’m the whole band and there’s nowhere to hide. It’s scary every single time I go up on stage alone. But nothing could be more honest.”
Donnie Iris & The Cruisers
The King of Cool is Back Donnie Iris & The Cruisers with Special Guest drummers;Joe Vitale and Joe Vitale Jr. Donnie Iris Donnie Iris found his early successes while performing with The Jaggerz ” The Rapper” and Wild Cherry. While with Wild Cherry in the late 70’s Donnie Iris found his identity as such, after performing under his birth name Dominic Lerace for the earlier part of his career. Struggling to build off the success of “Play that Funky Music”, Wild Cherry would break up in 1979. Nevertheless, Iris had already sunk his teeth into another project with fellow bandmate Mark Avsec. Their first release saw the disco-influenced single “Bring on the Eighties” in 1979; however, it failed to garner attention. Iris and Avsec decided to go in a harder direction for their next release and returned to the studio with guitarist Marty Lee, bassist Albritton McClain and drummer Kevin Valentine, who were in the band Breathless with Avsec, to record his first album. This line-up would form what would become – Donnie Iris and the Cruisers. They released the first album in July of 1980, “Back on The Streets” through Midwest Records based out of Cleveland, Ohio. Thanks to the track “Ah! Leah!” receiving airplay in Boston, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, MCA Records signed Iris to a five-album deal then re-releasing the album nationally. Since then, Donnie Iris & The Cruisers have gone through line-up changes including current bassist, Paul Goll. They continue on – releasing eleven studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums. and continue to tour throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio. Joe Vitale Born in Canton, Ohio, Vitale is a veteran musician and drummer whose career has spanned over 55 years of touring, recording, song writing, and producing with legendary and Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame artists. Along with vocals, he also plays percussion, keyboards and flute. A dedicated professional, his quality of performance is evident in his resume. He has recorded and toured with Buffalo Springfield, Ted Nugent, Joe Walsh, Dan Fogelberg, Peter Frampton, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and CSNY to name a few. In addition, he recorded with Rick Derringer, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood, Van Morrison, Carl Wilson, Don Felder, Boz Scaggs, John Entwhistle and many others. Joe Vitale Jr. Music is in his blood – literally. This multi-instrumentalist is the son of Joe Vitale, and spent his early years cutting his teeth on the road with Joe Walsh, The Stephen Stills Blues Band, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. The revolution is expanding… His award-winning, self-directed video for “Never Look Back” has over 300-thousand YouTube views and Joe’s band Ravenwood performs on a regular basis
Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band – Kent Kabin Fever Concert
KENT KABIN FEVER CELEBRATION featuring CARLOS JONES & The PLUS Band and special guests MS BBC & DI QUEENDOM *** This show uses TKS Hybird Seating *** The front is General Admission – You can stand in front of the stage and the first couple of rows. RESERVED seating starts at Row F This way, those who want to stand & dance in front of the stage can do so. AND If you want to sit and watch the show – you can without staring at someone’s … back all night! Both sections are the same price. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Carlos Jones has been entertaining audiences for over 40 years throughout the eastern half of the United States, first as a member of the roots-reggae group “I-Tal”, and then with the legendary “First Light”, before finally pursuing a solo career with his most recent group – the Peace, Love, Unity Syndicate (aka “PLUS” or “The PLUS Band”).Carlos is the landed gentry of Cleveland reggae. He has been involved in every important reggae project in Cleveland since the days of I-Tal and First Light in the 1980’s, when Cleveland had the most vibrant reggae scene in the Midwest. He has released 3 full length CD’s plus one Live CD, 1 EP, and numerous singles in his solo career alone on Little Fish Records. He has had his music appear in movies, textbooks and greeting cards, receiving airplay nationally and internationally, including on Sirius XM radio. The band’s gift of groovy music provides beautiful positivity and healing vibes, with spiritual and mystical overtones…and the message is one of PEACE-LOVE-and UNITY!
JD Simo & Luther Dickinson – Do The Rump Tour
JD Simo & Luther Dickinson – Do The Rump Tour! When JD Simo and Luther Dickinson hit the stage with drummer Adam Abrashoff, it’s not just a show; it’s a greasy, groove-soaked resurrection of Hill Country blues. The trio is a rare convergence of three masters pushing roots music into the now. Their 2024 album Do The Rump! debuted to rave reviews, with No Depression calling it “a swamp stomper’s paradise” and Americana Highways praising their “fearless climb into new mountains of sound.” Their single “Come On” topped SiriusXM’s Bluesville chart, proving their sound resonates far beyond tradition. The trio’s much anticipated second record is forthcoming. Luther Dickinson, four-time Grammy nominee and co-founder of the North Mississippi Allstars, brings deep Southern lineage and slide-drenched soul. JD Simo adds his signature fusion of psych-blues and virtuosity, with credits ranging from Phil Lesh to Beyoncé. Adam Abrashoff’s deep-pocket drumming fuses it all with electrified momentum. This trio only performs a handful of select dates each year. Each one is a high-octane celebration of improvisation, soul, and swampy swagger -a modern blues experience like no other.
Rumpke Mountain Boys & Duprees Dead Band
THE RUMPKE MOUNTAIN BOYS offer an unparalleled musical journey filled with emotional vocals, impressive command of various string instruments, and captivating special effects. This energetic quartet takes a unique approach to their performance, relying on the energy of the crowd and intuitive improvisational flow to guide their music in real time. David Gans, host of the Grateful Dead Hour, praises the honesty and authenticity of the Rumpke Mountain Boys, who, much like Donna the Buffalo and the Grateful Dead, don’t rely on setlists or rehearsals. The four members write their own songs, drawing inspiration from a diverse range of sources. In this way, they constantly expand their musical abilities. This talented band has made a name for themselves with electrifying performances at festivals across the country, such as the Northwest String Summit and the John Hartford Memorial Festival. They have collaborated with various renowned artists, including Leftover Salmon, Del McCoury, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Ralph Stanley. With an ever-growing fan base, the Rumpke Mountain Boys show no signs of slowing down.
Soul Asylum Acoustic
Grammy award-winning and multi-platinum selling rock band SOUL ASYLUM started as Minneapolis’ punk younger brothers to the Replacements and Husker Dü. Their 1992 breakthrough album Grave Dancers Union featured the international hits “Runaway Train”, “Black Gold” and “ Somebody to Shove”. “Runaway Train” won a Grammy, and its groundbreaking music video brought nearly two dozen missing and exploited children and teens around the world home to their families. SOUL ASYLUM has released 13 original albums – including their most recent, 2024’s Slowly But Shirley – with multiple live albums and assorted Greatest Hits collections. Their famous 1993 MTV Unplugged performance was released for the first time on vinyl as a coveted Record Store Day exclusive, and November 2025 also saw the 30-year-anniversary reissue of their Let Your Dim Light Shine album. This upcoming show offers a rare opportunity to see SOUL ASYLUM’s Dave Pirner and Ryan Smith perform an intimate, one-of-a-kind acoustic set.
Carbon Leaf
For Carbon Leaf, we have instituted a new hybrid seating arrangement. – A combination of Reserve and GA ticket options. There are 200 GA tickets available. The GA section is in front of the Stage with a five row separation between the reserved seats Reserved seats start at row H. This way, those who want to dance can and if you want a reserve seat, you can still get one and see the band without someone being right in front of you! Carbon Leaf’s fifteenth studio album, Time is the Playground is both a call to action and an embrace of the moment. Marrying nostalgic storytelling to nuanced, folk-infused indie rock, the Richmond, Virginia band embroiders heartfelt melody and harmony with acoustic and electric instrumentation to create a 12-song rumination on time, love and personal growth that’s equal parts urgent epiphany and contented exhalation. Originally formed as a college cover band in 1992 and with over 3,500 famously enthused liveshows together, Carbon Leaf helped to define the aughts indie rock that they ultimately outgrew and outlasted. They first earned national recognition with “The Boxer,” a song that won the American Music Awards 2002 New Music Award and made Carbon Leaf the first unsigned band to perform before millions on the AMAs After a trio of charting albums for Vanguard Records, multiple songwriting awards and headlining shows, Carbon Leaf opted to return to the complete creative control of their indie roots. Guitarist Terry Clark, who co-founded the band with Privett and multi-instrumentalist Carter Gravatt, converted his garage into the band’s Two-Car Studio, where they’ve recorded releases for their own Constant Ivy imprint ever since. Carbon Leaf’s DIY spirit even extended to re-recording their three Vanguard albums in order to regain the rights. Due in September, Time is the Playgrounds Carbon Leaf’s first full-length album in a decade, during which they released two EPS and a 27-song live performance album and Blu-ray. Time is the Playground gathers the best of songs written, in fits and starts, over 15 years, alongside brand-new ideas. Privett dusted off old demos and shut himself away for months to finish their stories, while also honing recent compositions. With Clark engineering, Carbon Leaf – completed by longtime bassist Jon Markel and drummer Jesse Humphrey – spent a year and a half recording and mixing the resulting songs Masterfully melding saturated AC/DC guitar and squelchy Cars synth, “Backmask 1983” is a funflipbook of evocative era emblems – Farah Fawcett, “Satanic Panic,” Time Life Books, Bigfoot and more – that traverses the simultaneous nexus of Privett’s childhood/adolescence and the world’s analog/digital ages. It’s about morphing into a new person and a new planet with wide-eyed wonder and a longing to believe. “Without a whole lot of information, the mystery of things felt so heightened,” recalled Privett of growing up pre-Internet. “I wanted to capture some of that but also have fun with it.”“I want what we create to resonate with ourselves, to the level that we want to play it for a longtime to come, and where we want others to hear it and experience it,” Privett concluded.“Hopefully, listeners can glean the pieces from it that they identify with.
Jim Messina
An undisputed expert in the fine art of making hit music, JIM MESSINA’s legacy of musical genius spans five decades, three super groups, a vibrant solo career and scores of producing and engineering credits. While acting as producer/audio engineer for Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Buffalo Springfield, Messina ultimately joined the band as its bass player. When “the Springfield” disbanded in 1968, Jim and fellow bandmate Richie Furay formed Poco. With Jim on lead guitar, Poco defined a new musical genre, Country Rock. After three successful albums, Jim was ready for a change and left to return to his passion for producing music. He signed as an independent producer with Columbia Records. In November 1970, Columbia asked Jim to work with an unknown Kenny Loggins. While helping Kenny get ready for a record and touring, the two discovered that they worked well together and Jim agreed to sit in on Kenny’s first album. Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin’ In was released in November of 1971 and an accidental duo was formed. Over the next seven years, Loggins & Messina released eight hit albums, had scores of hit songs and sold over 16 million albums. They had become one of rock’s most successful recording duos ever, but it was time for the duo to go their separate ways. After a series of celebrated solo acoustic tours, Jim formed a band made of acclaimed musicians who have played with him at various points in his career. With his new band, The Road Runners, Jim released his latest live album Here, There & Everywhere. Touring the country and playing sold-out shows, Jim says that he’s enjoying discovering who he is, where he’s been and, most significantly, where he’s going.
The Triumphant Return of Albert Lee
The Triumphant Return of Albert Lee Albert Lee has played with everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis to Eric Clapton, to Emmylou Harris. He was a member of The Crickets in the post-Buddy Holly era, and forged an impressive solo career along the way. Albert is out on the road in 2025/26 with a new album, “Lay It Down” recorded at the legendary Konk Studios in London. From Mark Knopfler’s blistering Setting Me Up to Jimmy Webb’s soaring piano ballad Too Young To Die, to The Everly Brothers’ storming hit The Price Of Love, Albert’s latest album sees his triumphant return to the studio, recording live, as one of the greatest guitarists ever. Don’t miss the man known as “Mr. Telecaster,” one of the legendary guitarists of rock and roll, rockabilly and country music. “The ultimate virtuoso. His skill is extraordinary, his ear is extraordinary and he’s gifted on just about every level.” – Eric Clapton “When Saint Peter asks me to chronicle my time down here on earth, I’ll be able to say – with pride if that’s allowed – that for a while I played rhythm guitar in a band with Albert Lee.” – Emmylou Harris
Matt Anderson, Colin James, Terra Lightfoot – Coast to Coast
Colin James With 21 studio albums, 8 Juno Awards, 31 Maple Blues Awards and multi-platinum record sales, Colin James remains at the top of his game, continuing to challenge himself musically. His current release, Chasing the Sun, finds the blues-rock singer-songwriter’s electrifying new album featuring the kind of towering musical guests typically found on the other side of velvet ropes. Co-produced by Colin Linden, guest artists include Americana icon Lucinda Williams, bassist Darryl Jones and drummer Charley Drayton (who have backed Miles Davis and The Rolling Stones) plus American harmonica ace Charlie Musselwhite and gospel greats Ann and Regina McCrary. For over 35 years, Colin has been a consummate professional, a superb guitarist, and a musician’s musician. The confidence that comes with maturity can be heard in his voice and seen in his electrifying stage performance. He does what comes naturally – he always has – he knows no other way and no other life. Recently celebrating his 60th birthday, he still finds joy in making music and touring and loves what he does. Matt Andersen When Matt Andersen steps on stage, he brings a lifetime of music to every note he plays. His latest album, The Hammer & The Rose, is a veritable garden of heart; a (mostly) delicate collection of tender folk and stirring soul numbers that find the New Brunswick-born songwriter thoughtfully tending to the most important things in life. Andersen’s stage presence is informed by decades of cutting his teeth in dusty clubs, dim-lit bars, and grand theatres all over the world, delivering moving performances that run the gamut from intimate to wallshaking. In the studio, he’s always brought the same attention to detail and commitment to craft as he has to his live show, and the result – a multi-faceted and poignant body of work – has led him to amass over 33 million streams on Spotify and 30 million views on YouTube. In addition to headlining major festivals, clubs and theatres throughout North America, Europe, and Australia, he has shared the stage and toured with Marcus King, Beth Hart, Marty Stuart, Greg Allman, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Randy Bachman, Serena Ryder, Tab Benoit, and more. Andersen nabbed the 2013 and 2016 European Blues Awards for Best Solo/Acoustic Act, was the first ever Canadian to take home top honours in the solo category at the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, won the CIMA Road Gold award in 2015, and has won multiple Maple Blues Awards. Matt Andersen & The Big Bottle of Joy was nominated for a Juno Award in 2024. Terra Lightfoot With 2023’s Healing Power, Terra Lightfoot showcases her considerable clout as a pop songsmith, guitarist and vocalist, delivering a dozen stunning tracks that together represent a career high. To describe Lightfoot’s decade-plus musical evolution as astonishing is an understatement. On top of a pair of JUNO nominations and pair of long-list Polaris nods, her marathon tours have touched down in eight countries across four continents (including support slots for Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Sheepdogs, and Willie Nelson). The set captures the crackling chemistry of the core live trio and Lightfoot’s artistic range is again on full display. Healing Power delivers the peerless pop-rock album that fans have long known she’s always