Mount Helena Music Festival

Johnny Rawls was born in Columbia, Mississippi in 1951 and raised in Purvis and Gulfport, Mississippi. He acquired an early interest in music when hearing his grandfather play the blues guitar one Christmas morning. He began playing professionally while still in high school with such stars as ZZ Hill, Little Johnny Taylor, Joe Tex and the Sweet Inspirations. In the mid-70's, Johnny went to work for OV Wright as Wright's band director. After Wright's death in 1980, Johnny led Little Johnny Taylor's band until 1985, when he began touring as a solo artist and made his first solo recording under the Rainbow label.

Recording under Touch Records, Rooster Blues, Rock House, Reach and JSP Records, Johnny has done it all from producing, songwriting, horn arranging, Rhythm, Lead and Bass guitar, keyboard, vocals and background vocals. Johnny started his own record company, Deep South Soul, in 2002 and has released his CD's Lucky Man, Live in Montana, and The Best of Johnny Rawls. His newest CD entitled Heart and Soul was released in October 2006 and has been nominated for "Best Soul Blues Album of the Year (2007)" by the Blues Foundation . No Boundaries was released under the TopCat, Catfood and Deep South Soul labels in 2005.

Johnny has appeared on the cover of the April 2002 Living Blues Magazine and has been nominated four times for the W.C. Handy Award. His most recent award came from the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame for RB Male Vocalist of the Year 2006.

Johnny has performed at the Chicago Blues Festival twice, The Russian River Blues Festival, The King Biscuit Blues Festival, The Portland Waterfront Blues Festival, Poconos, as well as festivals in Sweden and Poland. He tours constantly, playing well over 200 dates a year. He can also be heard on XM radio's Bluesville. Whether he is playing in a small club or a large blues festival, Johnny gives it his all and the crowds love him!

Additional biographies can be read at: All Music Guide, Catfood Records, Russian River Blues Festival, and the Liner Notes to My Turn to Win

www.johnnyrawlsblues.com

The group of musicians that eventually formed the Clumsy Lovers didn't really intend to start a band. They'd just play out around their home base of Vancouver, spinning their folky, often riotous take on rock in pubs, basements, and backyard parties. But people noticed and starting clamoring for more than just the weekend gigging, and the band was officially born. Between 2000 and 2002 the Clumsy Lovers self-released a series of recordings that blended their Celtic, bluegrass, and rock influences. Still, they were primarily a live band. That changed with 2004's After the Flood, which they made in a studio for a label (the Canadian powerhouse Nettwerk). The similarly studio-crafted Smart Kid followed a year later, and the Clumsy Lovers supported it with a lengthy tour schedule. By that point the band's lineup had solidified around vocalist and bassist Chris Joad, flame-fingered fiddler Andrea Lewis, guitarist and harmonica player Trevor Rogers, banjoist Jason Horney, and drummer Gord Robert. Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide

www.clumsylovers.com

Important Schedule Change Info:
Looking forward to seeing 2008 Grammy Award Winner Terrance Simien? As you know, he will be at the Mount Helena Music Festival this Satuday, June 27th at 9 pm. What you may not know is that you have the chance to see Terrance perform twice in Helena! It's true. You can also catch Terrance at the Mount Helena Music Festival on Friday night, also at 9 pm. Originally, Lil' Brian and the Zydeco Travelers were scheduled to perform on Friday's time slot, but Brian's young daughter just had a terrible accident. Terrance Simien and his band did not hesitate to step in and cover for their friend and fellow musician. So...why not treat yourself to the best two nights of music in Montana -The Mount Helena Music Festival - Downtown Helena - Live to play with the Best!

9:00 pm

For more than 2 decades Grammy award winning artist Terrance Simien, 8th generation Louisiana Creole has been shattering the myths about what his indigenous Creole Zydeco music is and is not. Leading his Zydeco Experience Band, Simien has become a highly respected, internationally recognized touring and recording artist and Cultural Ambassador for his state. He has presented thousands of performances, toured millions of miles to over 40 countries and reached at least a million people during his eventful 25 year career.

Born (appropriately!) in 1965 into the hippie folk and soul music era, Simien grew artistically being influenced by all of the great music that has defined our country’s musical legacy, including music from that era. He was as influenced by Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel as he was by Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke and the Meters. And of course hailing from one of the first Creole families documented to have settled St. Landry Parish he was deeply affected by the great Zydeco music pioneers like Chenier, Delafose, Chavis, Ardoin and Fontenot to name a few. He counts himself one of the fortunate, as he is the last generation with a direct link to these pioneers, some of whom mentored him as an emerging artist. In turn he has assumed that same role to a new generation of young Zydeco talents as he understands how critical mentoring is to the survival of the music that is so critical to the cultural identity of Louisiana.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

12 noon Triple Cross

1:30 pm Scott Holt
Scott Holt was guitar player for the legendary Buddy Guy for 10 years, from 1989 to 99. Add the influences of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn and BB King. Scott has become a true virtuoso guitarist. He is now supporing his fifth record release under his own name and has earned a following throughout the US and Canada.

3:00 Warsaw Poland Brothers

Warsaw Poland Bros. have played everywhere, with everyone in most of North America and Hawaii. They have released four nationally distributed cds through Burnside Distribution fueled by their own indie start up label, Invisible Mass Records. Their love for live performance and touring has kept them on the road for over eight years. Jumping from town to town, night after night, their hoby-job-lifestyle has been their soul, mantra and reason to share their music.To call this band the hardest working band in the business would be a drastic understatement. With over 300 shows a year, multiple gigs a day and merely days off in between they are true road dogs. They have gone through many changes since the original lineup, but they've never slowed down. Warsaw is the ultimate definition of the DIY attitude, taking everything in-house from booking to engineering and producing their music. Since collaborating with people all over the world and recording in every setting imaginable, from a backstage green room to the Warsaw 1 (Warsaw's van), Warsaw infuses the Invisible Mass label with international talent. With their dedicated street team, their unmatchable live show and talent, Warsaw is a testament to an unmatchable DIY lifestyle. Warsaw also offers assistance in the areas of booking, pre and post production, street team, and brings the best party to your town!

RubberBand is a perfect name for Ryan Shupe and his band of amazing musicians. The group is known for its ability to stretch out musically in all directions, pinging back and forth with a joyful spontaneity most bands could barely imagine, let alone achieve. Each member possesses years of experience on his respective instrument and when the band comes together on tunes like the bouncy “Don’t Leave Me Lonely,” or the frenetically fun title track, “Last Man Standing,” their collective talent is explosive and undeniable.

The five man band, hailing from the Salt Lake City, Utah, is a breath of fresh air in an age where much of the music is over-produced, “practically to death,” and their organic approach to performing has built them quite a following, not only through the West but around the rest of the country as well. Lead singer Ryan Shupe originally formed the band as an outlet for his songwriting but it soon took on a life all its own, becoming bigger than anything he could have originally imagined.

Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat have been on the music scene now for over twelve years, and have built a fan base worldwide. They are well known for their "no-holds-barred" approach to blues-inspired rock and roll. Their three Lucky Seven releases have shown an amazing depth of songwriting and playing, and their constant touring in both the USA and Europe has garnered many admirers. Jim is also well known as the lead guitarist for George Thorogood and The Destroyers, and has often been included in "Top Ten Guitarists" lists of various music publications.
But now comes their best release ever! In a manner of speaking, Starvation Box is a double album, for it contains two distinct elements, both "The Best of Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat" AND six brand new tracks, each deserving in its own right to be included in anyone's "Best Of". The coolest, most popular tracks from their first three alubms - Radio Mojo, Shake and Bad Juju - are all included in one convenient package, and as a bonus, the band also presents six great new songs, including their arrangements of Elmore James' classic "U Gotta Move," Lightnin' Hopkins' "Lonesome Dog Blues", and four new Suhler originals. So once again, make sure the back door is locked tight, becauuse here come three of the hardest-rocking musicians you'll ever encounter - Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat!

Ticket Info - Weekend Rates
Adult (15 & older) Weekend Pass
$18 advance
$20 gate

Youth (8-14) $6

Kids ages 7 and Under are FREE!