BOBB 2008 Results
On Sunday July 20th the Magic City Blues Society held its annual Battle of the Blues Bands competition at Matthews Bar on Morris Avenue There were a record thirteen entrants: three in the solo/duo category and ten in the band category. The quality of the music was unbelievable this year. Every band was a winner for achieving such a high standard.
The entry’s can only be from the state of Alabama. The winner in each class will go to Memphis February 4-7, 2009 to represent our State and compete against other contest winners from across the USA and abroad.
The winner in the Band category was Po Monkey an amazing tight eight piece band consisting of a three piece brass section (trumpet, trombone, and saxophone) , drummer, bass guitar, keyboard player, lead guitar and harmonica playing vocalist. Who would have thought it, but the talented Bruce Andrews, the harmonica playing vocalist was last years contest winner in the duo category! Bruce was backed up by a team of truly talented musicians. To mention only a couple, lead guitarist Ross Roberts a 30 year veteran was the force behind locally known Dick’s Hat Band which played in the area from 1989 to 1996. Incidentally Ross founded Vent Records that at one time signed Topper Price. On keyboards was Clay Swafford who at 24 is the youngest of the band members. Although Clay has 19 years experience having started playing keyboards at only five, he is well respected as one of the top up and coming blues piano players today. The other talented members of the band are Lewis Ross (drums), Shelley Keeton (bass), Mike Lingo (Trombone), Jon Remley (Saxophone), and Rick White (Trumpet).
Winner of the solo/duo was Michael Carpenter, a man who is not only a talented musician, but a talented song writer and an artist with a brush. Michael wrote his own songs and presented them with attitude. Kicking over his stool and stamping his feet to the music, he certainly caught the attention of the judges and the audience and elevated him in the “entertainer” category.
You can see some pictures here.
Results
Solo/duo
1st place – Michael Carpenter
2nd Place – Soul Collision
3rd Place – Sam Pointer
Band
1st Place – Po Monkey
2nd Place Erin Mitchell Band
3rd Place – Electric Voodoo
Posted by bluesy on 08/08 at 06:07 PM
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