2008
Honesdale Roots & Rhythm
Music & Arts Festival

Friday Night "Kick-Off" Party.
Friday, June 20, 2008
At The Fireside Restaurant, 5 Oregon Turnpike, Honesdale PA 18431 (570) 253-0141
Music starts at 8 pm - Studebaker John & the Hawks
Event co-sponsored by Roots & Rhythm and 95.3 DNH, Thunder & Sunny 105

Main Stage - Central Park

The Holmes Brothers

The spine-tingling harmonies, boundless energy and telepathic musicianship of The Holmes Brothers mix Saturday night’s roadhouse rock with the gospel fervor and harmonies of Sunday’s church service. Their chilling harmonies resonate with a passion and conviction matched only by their inspired musicianship and their ability to perform sanctified gospel, low-down roadhouse blues, deep soul, Americana/country and pure pop—all in one set. Rooted in blues and gospel, The Holmes Brothers’ sound is all their own. The rhythmic foundation laid down by Sherman’s bass playing and Popsy’s drumming perfectly compliment Wendell’s hard-driving guitar solos. But even more gripping than their instrumental prowess is their amazing three-part harmony singing, mixing Wendell’s gruff and gravelly vocals with Popsy’s soaring falsetto and Sherman’s rich baritone creating a multi-layered and ornately textured sound, bringing the soul of gospel music into everything they perform.   www.theholmesbrothers.com

Dale Watson

Dale Watson isn’t one to uphold the music industry’s status quo. He’s moving forward on his own terms and true to his own convictions. Even with the frequent proclamations declaring him one of country music’s last authentic voices. Fans declare he plays country like country was when country was country. Watson is done with the “C” word and what it’s come to represent in modern times. So much so that he’s created his own genre, simply called Ameripolitan, meaning original music with “prominent roots influence.”  www.dalewatson.com
 

Roy Wilson & The Buzzards

 Roy Wilson and the Buzzards have been performing their brand of rockabilly and honky tonk music in the US for more than six years. They are veterans of the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend, the Rockabilly Rebel Weekend in Indiana, Heavy Rebel Weekend in North Carolina, etc. They were honored to perform for the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Memphis at the 50th anniversary of Elvis's first sold out performance. From the top of his greasy pompadour, down through his tattooed arms (Hank Williams and Johnny Cash stand out), past his all original 1958 Gretsch, to his worn boots, Wilson wears his American roots with pride. It's always a party when the Buzzards hit the stage!

 

The Evan Goodrow Band

If James Brown had a white son who cut his teeth playing the chitlin’ circuit, you might get something like Evan Goodrow, a soul-singing, blues guitar playing powerhouse. Music is about life. Music is about passion. Music is about warmth. “It’s supposed to feel good, and nothing made me feel as good as the soul music I was raised on as a child,” Goodrow states emphatically. “Soul music is feel good music by Definition. When you hear old Motown classics, or even just when that rhythm hits you, you can’t help but smile. And that’s the feeling I want to bring people with my music.”    www.evangoodrow.com
 

9th Street Stage

Studebaker John & The Hawks

John Grimaldi was born in an Italian-American section of Chicago and started playing harmonica at age 7. Under the spell of music he heard on Maxwell Street, Chicago’s famed blues melting pot, Grimaldi began performing as Studebaker John and the Hawks in the ‘70s.

John began playing guitar after a life-changing experience of seeing Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers perform. “…Hound Dog started playing, hitting notes that sent chills up and down my spine. He was versatile and powerful and would play rhythm as well as leads. I left there knowing what I wanted to do. I had to play slide guitar.”  After playing at various Chicago clubs, John recorded his first record, Straight No Chaser, released on Retread Records. His second recording, Rocking the Blues, was released in 1985 on Avanti Records. Nothin’ But Fun is released in Europe on Belgium’s Double Trouble label. A European tour follows in support of this recording. Due to the success of this release, Born to Win, also on Double Trouble, is released in 1990 resulting in more European tours. Many other records were released up to and including Self Made Man which contains nearly 80 minutes of all original steamy blues and smokin’ blues-rock, incorporating Chicago, boogie, swamp, swing, and harmonica blues As a songwriter and musician, Studebaker John has emerged as a major creative force in the world of the blues today. Ahead of the pack, with vision and foresight, creating a new standard and landscape for this music’s future… with John at the wheel, the future is now!  www.studebakerjohn.com
 

Downtown Musicians & Locations
June 21, 2008

10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  "BIG DADDY DEX" (swing blues)
Honesdale Antique Emporium
1040 Main Street.

"ROBERT TELLEFSEN TRIO" (open tuning guitar style)
City Hall (by the flag pole)
958 Main Street.

"KAT" (percussive guitar)
Art's for Babies
Main Street.

"ROUTE 66" (six piece old country)
The Fred Miller Pavilion
Main Street.

"JT FOLK" (folk duo)
Quality Printing & Copying
533 Main Street.

"ERIC LANGBERG & BLUESTONE" (r&b,blues & rock & roll) Meagher Professional Bldg
416 Main St & 4th Street.

Saturday Night  Concert
Post - Central Park
June 21, 2008
 
 7PM - 9PM
"ROUTE 66"
St John's Block Party
Main Street & 5th Street.

SATURDAY NIGHT POST FESTIVAL
EVAN GOODROW BAND
10PM - MIDNIGHT
NO COVER
JJ MACK'S Dam & Miller Roads
(across from the Wayne County Fair Grounds)