Interviews and Features on Indie Blues Artists
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Shaun Murphy! I found my way to the Blues stage at the first Ann Arbor Blues Fest, and was completely smitten. Getting to play at such an important milestone festival had my head spinning. That was my awakening to the Blues, and I couldn’t have been among a […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Dustin Arbuckle Dustin Arbuckle and The Damnations are not a band you can easily associate with one specific genre, and that’s how they planned it. Arbuckle, a veteran of the progressive roots music scene whose singing and harmonica playing first came into prominence in Moreland & Arbuckle, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Kerry Kearney Kerry Kearney (pronounced “Car-Nee”), a slide guitar master, plays and works his instrument to limits that amaze even the most seasoned musician or cultured music fan. The sounds Kerry creates from his vintage, stock and custom made guitars are as unique as his song writing […]
HOME PAGE Gerry Casey Interviews Malaya Blue! For her third full-length studio album, UK contemporary blues singer/songwriter Malaya Blue collaborated with three-time Grammy winner Dennis Walker to co-write and produce the simply titled, “Still.” The pair brought together some of the finest musicians from the UK music scene including guitarist Nat Martin, keyboard wiz Stevie Watts, […]
HOMEPAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Clay Melton Having performed live in Houston since the age of 15, now 24, he has come a long way since Being named “One of the top 10 guitarist under 20” by the International Guitar Festival in Dallas when he was 16. Riding the success of his […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Malaya Blue! For her third full-length studio album, UK contemporary blues singer/songwriter Malaya Blue collaborated with three-time Grammy winner Dennis Walker to co-write and produce the simply titled, “Still.” The pair brought together some of the finest musicians from the UK music scene including guitarist Nat Martin, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with John Nemeth As a teenager in the early ‘90s growing up in the muddy potato fields of Idaho, John Németh was drawn to the hard-edged hip hop sounds and rock bands of the day, until a friend, Tom Moore, introduced him to the Junior Wells and […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Lucas Spinosa Lucas developed an interest in music by the age of eight years old and has been playing professionally since junior high school. By the time he reached nineteen, he had recorded his first album. He has a great interest in writing, including an expansive […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Vanessa Collier “There’s a young lady [Vanessa Collier] came onstage with me, I forget where I was, but she’s playing an alto saxophone, and man, she was amazing.” Those are the words of Buddy Guy in a recent issue of American Blues Scene, describing an impromptu […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Trevor Sewell Winner of 9 major awards in the U.S.A and 4 times nominated in the British Blues Awards. The past three years have seen Sewell continue to go from strength to strength particularly in America where his debut album ‘Calling Your Name’ spent a staggering […]
Home Page Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with Gerry Quigley Dublin guitar wizard and composer Gerry Quigley has returned home to Ireland after 30 successful years in Australia .. it’s no surprise that he is captivating the crowds where ever he plays – this is some serious stuff! When you hear Gerry Quigley […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Johnny Iguana Johnny Iguana grew up in Philadelphia, where he studied piano from age eight and played piano and organ in blues bands from age 16. He moved to New York City at age 22, where he met one of his greatest musical heroes, Junior Wells. […]
Home page Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Al Basile Al Basile grew up in a park in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He graduated from Phillips Academy in 1966, and in 1970 he was the first to receive a Master’s Degree from the Brown University Writing Program. He began his musical career as a cornet player […]
Medicine Head Info Making a Scene Presents – Gerry Casey Interviews John Fiddler of Medicine Head! All those years ago when two young boys met at school little did they know the musical journey they would embark on in the years that followed. John Fiddler one half of the iconic blues rock duo Medicine Head […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene presents an Interview with Dave Fields Fodera Guitar artist Dave Fields 6th and latest album Force of Will is ferocious mix of blues rock and beyond that stretches the boundaries. Force of Will will take you on a musical journey in a way that only Dave Fields can take you. […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Miss Freddye As Pittsburgh’s Lady Of Lady Of The Blues, Miss Freddye keeps the blues alive in her native hometown, She started singing in church at a young age. The influence of church and her mother’s love of the Blues gave Miss Freddye the beginning to […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Eric Johanson Combining influences from an array of genres and his work as a touring guitarist for Grammy winning bands, New Orleans artist Eric Johanson creates blues-based alternative roots rock in his rising solo career. Following years spent on the road as a guitarist, having […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Sandra Taylor and LAW of A Band Called Sam! The DNA of Blues icon Sam “Bluzman” Taylor resides in every note of this inspired recording. His disciples, A Band Called Sam – equipped with love, passion and virtuosity – execute Taylor’s compositions with an infectious joy […]
WEBSITE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Lisa Mann Lisa Mann hails from blues-soaked Portland, Oregon. Originally from West Virginia, Mann’s vocals effortlessly straddle the line between the honey sweet warmth of the south, and the force-of-nature sound Mann has cultivated by mastering everything from hard rock to rhythm and blues. Her clever […]
Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Nikki O’Neill For Nikki O’Neill, the musical highlights just kept on coming in 2019: recording at Royal Studios in Memphis; performing at AmericanaFest; getting her first interview in Guitar Player Magazine, and launching a guitar lesson channel on TrueFire.com called Nikki O’Neill’s Twang, Soul & Rock ‘n’ Roll. Her 2020 […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Bette Smith Wild rock & soul singer Bette Smith traces elements of her life-affirming new album ‘The Good, The Bad and The Bette’ to her childhood in rough Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Musically, it connects to the gospel music she heard in church and the soul music on […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with JW Jones Fresh off the heels of winning “Best Guitarist” at the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, popular Canadian blues artist JW-Jones was looking forward to a huge year before COVID-19 hit and halted his tour schedule. “I knew I had to do something productive […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Kirsten Thien Kirsten Thien’s unlikely path from a Georgetown University Business School graduate to a blues and roots rock singer/songwriter began just weeks before college graduation when she decided to forgo career on Wall Street for a life in music. Since then she has released four […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Sam Joyner Born and bred on Chicago Blues, Sam Joyner is internationally known for his Blues, R&B, Jazz, and Reggae Styling. “Spirits on Bourbon” in New Orleans and “Teddy’s Juke Joint” keeps him busy if not playing with his band and other prominent groups in the […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Peter Parcek Peter Parcek’s daring, incendiary and soulful style is a distinctive hybrid. He weaves rock, gypsy-jazz, country, folk, and blues– especially blues– into a tapestry of melody, harmony and daredevil solos that push those styles to their limits without sacrificing the warmth of his own […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Kat Riggins Inspired by the variety and abundance of music in her parents’ collection, it makes sense that her own music is peppered with hints of R&B, soul, country, gospel, hip-hop, and rock-n-roll. Make no mistake; however, Kat Riggins is undeniably a BLUES WOMAN! She travels […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Bart Ryan! Starlight and Tall Tales to be released via Blackbird Record Label, Sept 18th Bart Ryan is an LA-born/Nashville-based session guitarist and award-winning singer-songwriter who’s honed his performance chops across the U.S., Europe, and Japan. His experiences inform Starlight and Tall Tales, an ambitious album […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Crooked Eye Tommy Forged in the blood of brothers Tommy and Paddy Marsh, Crooked Eye Tommy casts a musical spell with the depths of joy and melancholy that can only result from a lifetime of playing music together. Since first entering the music scene in Ventura […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Anthony Geraci Pianist, Hammond organist and composer Anthony Geraci was born in New Haven, Conn. in 1954. His interest in playing piano began at age four when he told his parents “I want a piano!” Kind of an odd request when most kids want a […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Wily Bo Walker Wily Bo Walker is an award-winning solo artist, songwriter, composer and performer noted for his swaggering ‘live’ performances and is regarded as one of the top blues vocalists in Europe Renowned as being a diverse and prolific artist and hailing originally from Glasgow, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Cary Morin Described as “one of the best acoustic pickers on the scene today,” Cary Morin brings together the great musical traditions of America and beyond like no other. With deft fingerstyle guitar and vocals that alternately convey melodic elation and gritty world-weariness, Morin crafts an […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz of the Lucky Losers Accompanied by a dynamic four piece ensemble, veteran Bay Area artists, Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz deliver a truly signature sound, layering elements of Stax/Volt styled R&B, electric Americana, and psychedelic rock atop a Chicago and Texas […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with JD Taylor! JD Taylor grew up in Brownsville TN. never dreaming that at age 30 a gift of a harmonica would change his life forever. In just 3 short years of writing songs practicing harmonica, hanging out on Beale Street and and catching all the greats traveling […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jon Strahl We are a group of musicians interested in exploring the Blues and the many interweaving genres of American music. Our playing and songwriting is straightforward and heartfelt, always moving forward while remaining rooted in tradition. We continue to create, perform, and entertain on our […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Rick Berthod Rick started playing Blues Guitar in his late teens influenced by Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Rory Gallagher,Jeff Beck ,Jimi Hendrix ,& BB King. Rick played clubs in town even though he was barely old enough to get into a bar. While living in […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Jay Moonah One man. A suitcase kick-drum. A toolbox of harmonicas. A beat-up guitar. Also a mini-washboard, and a bit of kazoo for good measure. Broke Fuse is a one-man folk-blues band from Toronto, playing originals alongside classic songs by Willie Dixon, Jimmy Reed, Little Walter, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Gerald McClendon Gerald, known in Chicago as the “Soulkeeper.” One of the most reminiscent and versatile soul, R&B, singer/songwriter/performer in the recording industry. Gerald McClendon has graced the stage to sellout crowds to practically all the major entertainment venues throughout the Midwest area. In addition, his […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Mandalyn! Mandalyn hales from NW Indiana (the region). She was born with a love of music in her soul. Being classically trained, Mandalyn started competing in various competitions at a young age. In her late teens, she started performing at live venues. Mandalyn’s background includes studio […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Johnny Ryan of Johnny and the Mongrels Johnny & The Mongrels is a high-powered, New Orleans-influenced band that is “the perfect combination of a funk filled heart & a deep bayou soul.” Its founders, currently based in Fort Collins, Colorado, are singer/songwriter Johnny Ryan and singer/bassist/songwriter […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Hurricane Ruth LaMaster earned her “Hurricane” nickname because people had difficulty believing that her powerhouse vocals could be coming out of such a small woman. Ruth grew up in Beardstown, IL. Her father’s Glendale Tavern was her music school. “The bar featured live blues, jazz, and […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with CD Woodbury From a reputation as an ace sideman and “The Northwest’s best kept secret” in the Pacific NW blues scene; CD Woodbury is emerging as an internationally recognized singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The CD Woodbury Band album “Monday Night!” charted internationally in its genre, […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Gregg Martinez Gregg Martinez is an American rhythm and blues singer and purveyor of the south Louisiana genre called Swamp Pop. He is also referred to as “Mac Daddy” and is a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. His vocal style has been inspired and influenced by the soul […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an interview with Eric Hughes Eric Hughes has been called a “guaranteed crowd-pleaser” by Living Blues Magazine; his enthusiasm for Memphis music, and his authenticity, are obvious. Hughes was born and raised in Memphis and spent his weekends in Mississippi, where he came to cherish blues music. After a couple […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Marie Martens Swedish born and raised Marie Martens takes the intensity and feeling of blues and various rock n roll and roots music to a new level. With the help of a slide and a wah-wah she enhances the experience of funky roves from swamp pop to rock ‘n’ roll and of course that always present deep […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Ava Grace and Big Earl Matthews of Gravel and Grace Gravel & Grace is a seven-piece Blues and R&B outfit that plays a wide range of classic covers and original songs. The band features Big Earl Matthews on vocals, Ava Grace on vocals and keyboards, Issac […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Tim Langford of Too Slim and the Taildraggers Tim “Too Slim“ Langford is a monster guitarist and unabashed blues rocker whose influences run the gamut from Lightnin’ Hopkins, Freddy King, Duane Allman, and Lynyrd Skynyrd to Robin Trower. He is a prolific singer/songwriter whose songs have now yielded an impressive […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Johnny Burgin Johnny Burgin earns his name as The Worldwide West Side Guitar Man by performing up to 250 shows a year in Europe, Japan and coast to coast in the US. Johnny started his career in the rough and tumble neighborhood blues joints on Chicago’s West Side with […]
Home Page Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Mark Telesca! Mark Telesca is an American songwriter, singer, guitarist, bassist, band leader and author. He has started off the New Year of 2020 with a new solo acoustic CD titled “ Higher Vibrations” along with a new book titled “Love Music-Hate Cancer” “Higher Vibrations” is […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Zakiya Hooker Zakiya Hooker was born in the Motor City – Detroit, Michigan – but she was also born into the blues. You could even say she had a front-row seat to the best the genre had to offer, right in her own living room – […]
HOME PAGE Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Corey Lueck of the Smoke Wagon Blues Band! Featuring whisky-stained soul vocals, funky blues harmonica, slick R&B/roots guitar, swinging piano work, soulful organ, riveting saxophone, with a racy, taut rhythm section, The Smoke Wagon Blues Band has been performing on festival stages for over two decades. […]
