Blues for a Cause

Memphis blues singer Redd Velvet belts out the blues with the Jack Rowell, Jr. Band. Accompanying Velvet (from left) are: Jack Rowell, Jr., guitar; Leo Goff, bass, and Bob Horn, guitar. The event is the Blues for a Cause 2013 July 4th Concert and Benefit at the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Regional Park in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Blues for a Cause, a non-profit organization here in my hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas is developing a good habit of presenting a day-long blues festival and concert here on Independence Day. City commissions, associations, and local merchants throw their support behind the event which raises money to benefit families with little or no insurance who are facing huge bills due to catastrophic illnesses.

Click on headliner Anthony Gomes for more concert pics and info

The event which started at 12:45 p.m. on July 4, featured five bands performing like a house on fire until 9:00 p.m. when the Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation Department ignited a fireworks spectacular to cap the night off in correct form.

The park fronts on our slack-water harbor created by the Arkansas River so folks can take in a few rays and a dip while they listen to the blues. See more of the headliner act, Anthony Gomes on the Photo of the Week page at Corndancer dot-com. We’ll wait here.

The headliner for the concert was the energetic, and entertaining Anthony Gomes. I was sitting on a bucket shooting his performance from the corner of the stage when he wandered over and good naturedly put his guitar in my face. We were both grinning from ear-to-ear. The drummer got a good laugh out of it as well. Fun au go-go.

The performing bands were:

• The Brian Austin Band
• The Saints of Yesterday
• The Joe Pitts Band
• The Jack Rowell, Jr. Band
• Anthony Gomes

My guess is that you are looking at more than a century of blues performing experience here. These dudes have been there and done that. From left: Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms, harp; Leo Goff, bass; Bob Horn, guitar, and  band leader and guitarist, Jack Rowell, Jr.

Guitarist Bennett South hits a final lick, while bassist Rusty Rhodes gives a lively kick and drummer Mike Parrish just finishes a big boom with a flourish as the Saints of Yesterday complete a tune. Guitarist John Hugen and vocalist/harpist Adam Varnell are off camera.

Multi-tasking vocalist, and guitarist Brian Austin of the band of the same name adds “harpist” to his job description.

World-class band leader, guitarist, and vocalist Joe Pitts smiles as plays to an appreciative audience in his home town.

The veteran bass player with the Brian Austin Band seems pleased to be framed by Old Glory.

The drummer with the Jack Rowell, Jr. band looks through a jungle-gym of cymbals and drums and he provides the rhythmic foundation for everyone else.

While I was shooting, a guy approached me and said he had something cool for me to shoot. Turns out it was his fine collection of French Harps. Yep, it is cool.

We’ve uploaded pictures of the concert in galleries highlighting each band’s performances. We’ve attempted to show all band members in these pictures. There is also a gallery of a few folks who attended the event and were in a good place to shoot,

• The Brian Austin Band Gallery

• The Saints of Yesterday Gallery

• The Joe Pitts Band Gallery

• The Jack Rowell, Jr. Band Gallery

• Anthony Gomes Gallery

• Folks at the concert gallery

Blues for a Cause is the brain child of Joe Powell and Sandra Sallings. They put the organization together to present first-class blues concerts to raise money for families with little or no health insurance who are facing the expenses of treating a catastrophic illness. Powell and his wife, Tracey Dempsey Powell do most of the grunt work to keep the organization percolating. They are ably assisted and/or distracted by my grandchildren, Peyton Madison Dempsey and James Joseph Dempsey.

Folks, in the good ol’ USA, it is hard to beat a good hometown July 4th celebration and this was a “goodun.”

Thanks for dropping by,
Joe Dempsey

Weekly Grist for the Eyes and Mind.

http://www.joedempseyphoto.com/
http://www.joedempseycommunications.com/
http://www.corndancer.com/joephoto/photohome.html

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