More Blues For Food Info

Trudy Lynn

The Mighty Org

Holland K. Smith

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE






BLUES FOR FOOD BENEFIT, SUNDAY NOVEMBER 13TH, THE SHAKESPEARE PUB, 14129

MEMORIAL DRIVE, HOUSTON, TX 77079



CONTACT: SONNY BOY TERRY, OFFICE: 713.869.7746, MOBILE: 713.822.0437,

EMAIL: SBT@SONNYBOYTERRY.COM SBT@HOUSTONHARMONICALESSONS.COM WEB SITE:

WWW.SONNYBOYTERRY.COM WWW.SHAKESPEAREPUB.NET







BLUES COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR 21ST ANNUAL BLUES FOR FOOD BENEFIT FOR

HOUSTON FOOD BANK







By Ida Mae McLemore

Here it is, once again folks BLUES FOR FOOD 2011 is upon us. Every year, on

the second Sunday of November the Houston blues community takes their

perpetually joined hands and moves over for their next great cause at

Houston’s oldest blues club, The Shakespeare Pub. Ironically located on

Memorial Drive in west Houston and always benevolent to the blues, The

Shakespeare Pub has hosted BLUES FOR FOOD since it’s inception in 1991. This

year, BLUES FOR FOOD takes place on Sunday, November 13th at Shakespeare

Pub at 14129 Memorial Drive with a dynamic array of Texas blues talent from

Holland K Smith from Dallas, Erin Jaimes and Chris Ruest from Austin to The

Mighty Orq, Trudy Lynn, Tommy Dardar and Texas Johnny Brown, all hailing

from Houston and the gulf coast. Music kicks off at 1PM and goes until the

wee wee hours of 2AM.

Initially, BLUES FOR FOOD was the brainchild of lowdown blues singer and

KPFT 90.1FM Sunday morning deejay Big Roger Collins. Big Roger, who despite

the suit and tie image, was a rough edged bluesman who could sing so loud,

he would overdrive most any microphone creating a mad rush to the sound

system when he stepped up on a stage. Aside from being a radio deejay and

band leader, Roger was known for years producing many benefits and revues in

the region. Hired regularly by the blues-friendly Shakespeare Pub, Roger was

able to use his voice on KPFT to publicize his causes and gigs. As history

recollects, BLUES FOR FOOD started in 1991. Big Roger, known as the “king of

benefits” would bring his BBQ pit and kettles cooking all night in the

parking lot. As funky as BLUES FOR FOOD started out, it was a also formal

charity right off. Representatives from the Houston Food Bank would go on

KPFT then drop by the day of, endorsing BLUES FOR FOOD while making sure

the truck for donations was always dropped off. Roger would have every blues

and zydeco band in town on the bill from young acts like DA and the

Prosecutors to Sweet Mama Cotton, Joe Guitar Hughes, Mean Gene Kelton, Lonny

Mitchell, The Zydeco Dots and Pete Mayes. Admission was any can or bag of

non perishable food items or cash and patrons were served free soul food BBQ

or perhaps some very interesting gumbo by Big Roger himself when he wasn’t

singing or emceeing. It was in many respects, a big chaotic beautiful mess

of music, intense partying and mayhem all for a great cause.

With all the regular promotion and sponsorship from KPFT’s Sunday blues

shows, plus a nightclub like The Shakespeare Pub, who supported the music

with open arms, and many of the most relevant blues musicians on the Texas

scene, BLUES FOR FOOD is now an institution, where the entire Houston blues

scene takes stewardship, pride and fiduciary responsibility to keep the

annual tradition of BLUES FOR FOOD going for many years to come.

Fast forwarding to 2011, in all it’s years, BLUES FOR FOOD has raised close

to 200 thousand pounds of non perishable foots items and over 100 thousand

dollars in cash while serving over 40 thousand plates of BBQ to

participants. As each year passes BLUES FOR FOOD keeps growing. It’s now

officially sponsored by Beans Café, KPFT 90.1 FM, Music News, The Houston

Blues Society and Shakespeare Pub’s patrons serving food and loading the

truck while vendors chip in donating items for the silent auction and

raffles. The Shakespeare Pub has seen four owners now, but BLUES FOR FOOD

keeps on keepin’ on bringing new life and inspiration to the Houston blues

tradition. New owner Kyle Soltis is as committed as ever. BLUES FOR FOOD

even has its logo design, banners, posters and T-shirts to commemorate the

event.

Big Roger Collins died in 2000 and former Joe Guitar Hughes sideman Sonny

Boy Terry now coordinates the music. All day, bands are showcased in 30

minute sets and perform as if lives depend on it, because well, in a sense,

lives do depend on it. Music fans and benefactors get a huge bang for their

buck with top drawer performances of deep Texas blues from bands hell bent

on taking house. Yes, this is a huge block party of sorts but feeding

families, children, the elderly and even the homeless reminds us all this is

serious business. It’s just human nature for people to step up even more if

we all know our charity is making a real difference. Everyone has a serious

good time. That friends, is what BLUES FOR FOOD is all about.

So please join us on Sunday, November 13th at Shakespeare Pub’s 21st annual

BLUES FOR FOOD FEST. If you have never been part of the Houston blues scene

and would like to check it out, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.

The line up bands is as dynamic as it is intense from start to finish with a

healthy representation of up and comers, seasoned musicians and legends. You

can visit www.houstonbluessociety.org or www.shakespearepub.net for more

details. Shakespeare Pub is located at 14129 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX

77079. You may also call 281.497.4625.

Here is the list of bands and their time slots for the whole day:

1PM – 1:30PM – THE MIGHTY ORQ SOLO ACOUSTIC

1:45PM – 2:15PM – HOLLAND K SMITH BAND (DALLAS)

2:30PM – 3PM – DON KESEE AND THE BLUESMASTERS W/POPS STEWART, PEE WEE

STEVENS

3:15PM – 4PM - ERIN JAMES BAND/CHRIS RUEST (AUSTIN)

4:15PM – 4:45PM - TEXAS JOHNNY BROWN AND THE QUALITY BLUES BAND

5:00PM – 5:30PM - STEVE KRASE AND THE IN CROWD/TRUDY LYNN

5:45PM – 6:15PM – JONN RICHARDSON/RICH DELGROSSO BAND

6:30PM – 7:00PM – SONNY BOY TERRY BAND

7:15PM – 7:45PM – JOHN MCVEY AND THE STUMBLE W/TOMMY DARDAR

8:00PM – 8:30PM – MOJOFROMOPOLIS

8:45PM – 9:15PM – SNIT’S DOG AND PONY SHOW

10PM – 2AM - SPARE TIME MURRAY AND THE HONEYMAKERS’ WORLD FAMOUS BLUES JAM

W/SCREAMIN KENNY, LITTLE TERRY ROGERS, MARK DUFRENE, OTHERS. ALL BLUES

MUSICIANS WELCOME.

2011 Blues for Food

Here's a couple of posters that should stir a bit of interest for a most worthy cause. Lots of marvelous donated blues talent being shared for donated food.

Diunna Greenleaf @ The Rhythm Room

I snatched this from Bob Corritore's weekly newsletter. This is for those who aren't familiar with Diunna Greenleaf's talent, or for that matter, Bob Corritore's harp blowing. 'Course, everyone should be familiar with Bob Margolin and he's smokin' on the guitar here. Corritore's Rhythm Room is one of the premier blues clubs on the planet, situated way out yonder in Phoenix. He's been keeping the blues alive for many years in that neck of the woods and has showcased the finest blues musicians on his stage.