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the lineup

Canned Heat - Magic Slim - Little Ed - Jackie Payne
Sista Monica - Erica Brown Band - Lionel Young -


Canned Heat was started as a jug band in Nov. 1965, in Northridge, California by a group of “musicologists” who loved blues music. Soon they evolved into an electrified blues/rock band with the uncanny ability to interpret and create modern version of the blues. Musical trends come and go. Canned Heat’s “boogie music” has been at the forefront of popularizing blues music, as exemplified by such hits as “On the Road Again”, “Goin’ Up the Country”, “Let’s Work Together”, “Amphetamine Annie”, “Refried Boogie and “Bull Blues”.

Their debut album was released on the Liberty label in 1967 just in time to make a major appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival. The band's image as the bad boys of rock eventually led to their becoming a favorite of many California biker clubs. For their second album, Al Wilson wrote”On the Road Again," which featured Wilson's high-pitched vocals. In 1968, the band released their next effort, a two record set "Living the Blues", that featured "Going Up the Country" which was to many a highpoint of the legendary Woodstock festival. Wilbert "Kansas City" Harrison's "Let's Work Together," pumped up the charts about the same time Canned Heat was playing the Isle of Wight festival.

Canned Heat has toured extensively throughout the world and performed at numerous festivals including the original Woodstock, Monterey Pop, Newport Pop, the Isle of Wight Festival in England, the Sturgis Motorcycle Run U.S.A. to mention just a few. They have performed at world-renowned venues such as the Olympia in Paris, both Fillmore Auditoriums, The Avalon Ballroom, The Family Dog in Denver, The Kaleidoscope, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden and Royal Albert Hall. Their music has been featured on television and in films like "Woodstock", "1969", "Flashback", and "Forrest Gump".

Now, more than forty years later and with thirty-six albums to their credit, Canned Heat is still going strong. Anchored throughout by the steady hand of drummer/band leader Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra (a member since 1967) and with one of their strongest lineups ever, Canned Heat is well on track to carry the boogie-blues it made famous, well into the 21st Century. Starting out 2007, the lineup has Fito on drums, Greg Kage on bass and vocals, Barry Levenson on guitar and legendary bluesman, Robert Lucas on guitar, harmonica and lead vocals.



Magic Slim is the greatest living proponent of the intense, electrified, Mississippi-to-Chicago blues style that spawned much of the music played by modern blues artists and rockers. It's no wonder that Magic Slim and the Teardrops, considered by many "the last real Chicago blues band," have become one of the busiest and best-loved blues bands around. As Blues Revue wrote, "Whoever the house band in blues heaven may be, even money says they're wearing out Magic Slim albums trying to get that Teardrops sound down cold."

Slim's live performances have become legendary. Standing well over six feet, Slim cuts a commanding figure on stage, prowling the boards in his large cowboy hat, filling the room with his slash and burn guitar and booming vocals, commenting on the action throughout, slipping occasionally into a feral, Howlin' Wolf-like voice. Slim has an encyclopedic repertoire of hundreds of blues songs in his head, giving the live shows a charming impromptu quality.

In the mid-70's Slim began to hit his stride as a guitarist, performer, bandleader, and recording artist, launching a career that has taken him across the country and overseas to national and international recognition and acclaim. He began touring Europe, where his rough and tumble authenticity was well appreciated. Today he's one of the most sought-after headliners for festivals in the U.K., Poland, Scandinavia, France, Holland, Belgium, and Greece. The press said he stole the show from the likes of Buddy Guy, Etta James, and Albert Collins. He's returned several times to Brazil, easily selling out all venues. Slim's live shows are so electrifying that Eddie Vetter invited Slim to open Pearl Jam's concert in Chicago after catching the Teardrops' performance at a local nightclub.

In 2003 Magic Slim and the Teardrops were officially recognized as the finest blues band in the land when they won the coveted W.C. Handy Award as "Blues Band Of The Year." It was the sixth time Slim has won a Handy Award, considered the highest honor in the blues field. And now that the Teardrops' live show is preserved on 2005's Anything Can Happen, Slim's slashing guitar lines and greasy, gutbucket vocals can take blues fans around the world on a back-alley excursion in true, visceral blues.



Lil’ Ed boasts a direct bloodline to blues history — his uncle and musical mentor was the great Chicago slide guitarist and recording artist J.B. Hutto. According to The Chicago Tribune, “Williams represents one of the few remaining authentic links to the raucous but pure Chicago blues.” The Associated Press agreed, stating, “Williams fills Chicago’s biggest shoes with more life and heat than anyone on stage today.” Adding to the legend is Ed’s storybook rise, taking him from working in a car wash to entertaining thousands of his fans all over the world, to an appearance on Late Night With Conan O’Brien (in a hilarious film with Lil’ Ed teaching Conan how to play the blues) culminating with Lil’ Ed on stage with O’Brien in front of a televised audience in the millions.

Born in Chicago on April 4, 1955, Ed grew up surrounded by the blues. He was playing guitar, then drums and bass, by the time he was 12. Along with his half-brother Pookie, Ed received lessons and support from their famous blues-playing uncle, J.B. Hutto. “J.B. taught me everything I know,” says Ed. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”

The Washington Post described Williams’ music as “contagious wildness.” The Philadelphia Inquirer expressed it as “raucous and hugely entertaining.” But no matter how you describe it, Lil’ Ed’s seriously inspired music will take you on a fast trip from your chair to your feet. Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials will continue to shake, rattle and roll into the hearts, minds and dancing shoes of old-school blues fans everywhere.



Jackie Payne , The Man with too Much Soul to Control!

Jackie's singing career began over forty years ago with his father's gospel choir in Athens , Georgia . Payne spent his formative years hanging out with his harmonica playing uncle, Georgia bluesman, Neal Pattman . "I first heard Sonny Boy Williamson and Little Walter from my uncle. He would take me around when I was about four or five and I would sit on his shoulder. He only had one arm and I would sit and hold on and he would blow his harp and let me sing." Payne began singing professionally with the Allen Swing Band out of Atlanta at age thirteen and later joined the R&B group, The Serenaders .

In 1963, at age 17, he moved to Houston where he worked with many Blues and R&B legends including: T-Bone Walker , Johnny Clyde Copeland , Clarence Hollimon , Albert Collins , Wayne Bennett , Otis Redding , Gatemouth Brown , Lowell Fulson , Buddy Ace , Freddy King , Gladys Knight , Etta James and more. Jackie had his first regional hit, “ Go Go Train ” b/w “ I'll Be Home ,” on the Jetstream label in 1965. The success of that single led to a 45 city tour with the Stax revue featuring Otis Redding , Sam & Dave and Rufus& Carla Thomas . After a stint in the Army in 1968, Payne settled in Culver City , California . A job at the Cover Girl Club found Payne paired with Pee Wee Crayton . The gig lasted four years, and during that time Payne garnered four Entertainer of the Year awards. In addition, Jackie was the lead singer for the Johnny Otis Show for 15 years, and has appeared on the Johnny Otis Saturday morning radio show broadcast live on KPFA-FM. The University of Indiana has entered 700 of these tapes into their musical library, making the pairing of Johnny Otis and Jackie Payne a part of musical history forever. "Spirit of the Black Territory Bands," recorded by The Johnny Otis Orchestra, featured Jackie on vocals and was nominated for a 1993 Grammy Award. Jackie has headlined shows in the U.S. , Sweden , Belgium , France , Thailand , and Japan . Jackie currently performs with his musical partner, Steve Edmonson as The Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band. The pair has released two critically acclaimed CD's, “ Partners in the Blues ” (Burnside 049,) and “ Master of the Game ” (Delta Groove DGPCD110.) Jackie & Steve won The Contemporary Blues Award for Best Soul Blues Album of 2006 for the “Master of the Game” CD on Delta Groove.



Sista Monica was born and raised in Gary, Ind. and at the age of 7, she began putting down her gospel roots singing and touring with her church’s gospel choir. This early exposure to gospel music stuck with her, but it wasn't until later that she turned this early love of music into her life's calling and most recently, her redeemer. At the age of 12, Monica started participating in the choirs’ mini-tours between Gary, Chicago and Detroit soaking up the rich melodies of soul, rhythm & blues and gospel music.

"I consider myself a vessel. I sing blues, but I also sing soul, R&B, funk and gospel. I rarely use a set list. I just turn around and cue the band based on how the crowd is and how I feel. I may stop in the middle of a set and break into a gospel song if I'm moved to do that," said Sista Monica.

In a preamble to Monica’s current status of festival favorite and leader among the next generation of great blues women, she once came to what the Associated Press headlined a “Rockin’ Rescue” when she stood in for her idol Etta James at the San Jose Americas Festival when Ms. James was hospitalized the day of the performance. Sista Monica first calmed and ultimately enthralled 15,000 ready and rowdy fans. On a separate occasion at Milwaukee’s SummerFest, Sista Monica was asked to stand in for an ill Koko Taylor and finished the headlining set with two encores and standing ovations.

Sista Monica Parker as singer/songwriter, record producer and dynamic performer is one of the most sought after and admired women Blues, Soul and Gospel singers on the international music scene today. In December of 2007 she was nominated for a W.C. Handy Blues Award in the category of BEST SOUL BLUES FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR by The Blues Foundation in Memphis, TN. This award is the Grammy of the blues.



The Erica Brown Band has been delivering high-energy blues since its inception in 1998. The band’s impeccable vocals and performance have made them a favorite of festival and concert circuits all over the country. The band’s releases Body Work (2000), and Rough Cut Stone (2003) have received airplay and been the subject of favorable reviews in Europe, South America, and Australia as well as BluesWax, the largest online blues publication in the world. Special guest artist blues great Kenny Neal contributed his special second-line feel to the tracks “Crying and Trying” and the title track of “Body Work”. Both CD’s are currently in regular rotation in major television and radio outlets nationwide.

Artists the band has played shows with include B.B. King, Al Green, Buddy Guy, Marcia Ball, Delbert McClinton, John Mayall, Tab Benoit, Tommy Castro, Bob Margolin, Tinsley Ellis, Coco Montoya Buddy Guy, Marcia Ball, Big Bill Morganfield, Bernard Allison and Larry McCray

The Erica Brown Band competed in the 2007 Colorado International Blues Challenge, "Journey to Memphis" and won the Blues Band category. They represent their great fans, Colorado and the Colorado Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January, 2008.



Lionel Young was born in Rochester, New York, and began taking violin lessons at the age of six with Anastasia Jempelis at the Eastman School of Music. His family moved to Pittsburgh where he studied violin with Herbert Greenburgh, who was the associate concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony then and is the concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony now. He won a music scholarship to the University of Indiana where he studied with Josef Gingold. He came back to Pittsburgh and went to Carnegie-Mellon University to study violin with Fritz Seigal, the Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony and served as Concertmaster at University orchestra for two years, one of which was with Keith Lochhart who is now the conductor & music director of the Boston Pops. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Opera-Ballet Orchestra and the National Repertory Orchestra which commissioned him to play bluegrass and blues for their summer festival and on a tour of Japan, Taiwan, and Korea during the 1988 Summer Olympic Music Festival.

Throughout his career, Lionel Young has won numerous awards including: The Young Artist Award (Pittsburgh Symphony); The Concerto Contest (Carnegie-Mellon); The Passamenic Award (Branchwood String Quartet); and the award for the Best Blues Band in Westword's Best of Denver in 1989 for his band The Last Fair Deal. In 1992 he won a position with The Denver Chamber Orchestra and premiered a solo piece by William Hill with them in 1994. Also, he won another award for Best Blues Band in Westword's Best of Denver in 1996 and 1997 for his current band, The Lionel Young Band.

The Lionel Young Band has released it's first CD, "As the Sun Goes Down" . The release has received excellent reviews regionally & nationally.

Lionel competed in the 2007 Colorado International Blues Challenge, "Journey to Memphis" and won the Individual/Duo category. He represents Colorado and the Colorado Blues Society in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January, 2008.

Tickets are on sale online at the Colorado Blues Society store.
Major sponsors of this year's festival include The Greeley Tribune, The City of Greeley and Coors Brewing Company.

Our festival moved to Saturday, June 14th from its previous August date to avoid conflicts with other area events. It is a family oriented day with children 12 and under admitted free with an adult (but children must have a ticket issued). The BlueSkool stage features educational workshops teaching music techniques to all ages and children's activities are offered. There are two stages inside the arena offering continuous music from open to close. The interior of the arena is sodded for a relaxed atmosphere. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome.

There are live blues at various downtown Greeley venues on Friday evening, June 13th to kick-off a weekend of great entertainment. More details to follow....