Tommy Katona

Artist Bio:

Tommy Katona (Tamas Katona), born August 15th 1984, was raised in Pecs, Hungary. At the early age of four, the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan became one of his biggest musical influences. It began one day, while he was watching one of his father’s videos of the Texan legend playing. Tommy’s father, Tamas Katona Sr., is also a great blues guitarist. When Tommy saw his father performing live, it inspired him to pursue music as his path in life.

At the age of nine Tommy started playing with his dad’s band and was regarded as a child prodigy. In the mid 90’s, he had numerous successful shows, as well as TV and radio performances in Hungary. As he was growing up, Tommy’s infatuation with playing the blues developed. One day, Tommy’s dad told him about the sudden and tragic passing of Stevie Ray Vaughan. Tommy then decided to learn more about Stevie’s music and life so that he could follow in his footsteps. During this time he was also studying the music of the old great blues musicians. His inspirations were: T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins, BB King, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Freddie King, Jimi Hendrix and at last but not least his father Tamas Sr. Even though Tommy spent over four years in music school learning to read and write music, he always learns and composes by ear. American blues music, especially Stevie Ray Vaughan’s, highly influenced the young player.

A few highlights of his early life were: opening for Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones, playing with Memphis blues legend Eb Davis, sharing a stage with Muddy Water’s son, Big Bill Morganfield and the great Chicago harmonica player Sugar Blue.

Tommy’s big dream was that someday he could go to Texas to play the blues. Just a few years later his dream came true. His first visit to Texas was in 2006. He attended the Stevie Ray Vaughan fan club tour and the SRV Ride and concert in Dallas. He was able to play with local Texas greats such as Wes Jeans, Texas Slim, Jim Suhler, Cheryl Arena and Alan Haynes. After his three week trip to Texas he went back to Hungary bearing many great experiences. Texas was pulling at his heartstrings and he was ready to go back.
Meanwhile, Tommy recorded and released his first original album “Let Your Fingers Bleed”. He began touring in the spring of 2007. Tommy and his Hungarian band “Full Blast” were fortunate enough to play at the Puisto Blues Festival in Finland. They had the prodigious opportunity to open for the great Johnny Winter. They also played in Italy and opened for Cyril Neville of the Neville Brothers. After the summer tour Tommy decided to return to Texas to try and start a new life. As an only child it was very hard to say goodbye to his parents. Knowing well this was his only chance to be a successful musician, Tommy’s parents released him to his destiny.

Tommy landed in Dallas on October 3. 2007. Stevie Ray’s birthday. A chance circumstance!
After living with a close friend for a year and a half, Tommy found the love of his life, Rachel. They got married on September 1. 2009. While in Texas, Tommy played with many musicians and had different musical projects. One more of his dreams came true when he played with Double Trouble bassist Tommy Shannon at the Granada Theater in Dallas! As well as constant performances, Tommy also teaches guitar during the day. His favorite guitar always has, and always will be a Fender Stratocaster!

Thanks for listening! - Bluesdaddy

Killer” Ray Allison

ARTIST SUMMARY
Genres: Blues / Rhythm and Blues /Soul / Electronica
Management: Azure Music Group, Odysseus E. Johnson III M.Div.
Official Site: Killer Ray Allison

ARTIST BIO

“Killer” Ray Allison first broke into the blues during the early 1970's. Now a regular on the Chicago Blues scene for over four decades, "Killer" Ray has been an integral tour-de-force in bands by Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells.

With a reputation as the hardest hitting drummer in the blues world, "Killer" has turned down gig offers from Eric Clapton, John Mayall and the late Gary Moore, so he could fully focus his energies toward leading a band. In 1998 and 2000, Ray was nominated for the W. C. Handy award as an instrumentalist.

In 1995 he appeared in the movie Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead with Andy Garcia, and in 1998 he played for Hilary Clinton’s birthday party in Chicago. From South Side holes in the wall to the Chicago Blues Fest and around the world, Ray never fails to please crowds of any age with his energetic shows, and his quick-draw staging gets audiences of kids clapping and singing along.  When he takes a guitar to school, the kids all want to try their hand at it. Killer Ray says, “Right away the kids see it takes a lot of know-how, skill and strength in your hands to play the right chords and get into the rhythms. Learning music gives them something to work on.”

Thanks for listening - Bluesdaddy

Rick Derringer

ARTIST SUMMARY
Genres: Blues / Rock / Jazz
Label: Shrapnel Label Group / Blues Bureau International
Official Site: http://www.rickderringer.com/

ARTIST BIO

Young guitar great, vocalist and entertainer Rick Derringer was just 17 when his band The McCoys(TM)recorded the No.1 hit "Hang On Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, knocking "Yesterday" by The Beatles out of the top spot. The McCoys had enjoyed four years of successful touring, when Rick merged his talents with Johnny Winter in 1969 forming Johnny Winter And (And referring to The McCoys).
Rick was the only producer of all gold and platinum Winter Brothers recordings.

In '71 Rick was featured on three records, "Johnny Winter And", "Johnny Winter And-Live" and "Edgar Winter's White Trash". "And" featured the first version of Derringer's "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" which was also released as a single, then selected again for "And - Live". Eventually, the busy Derringer joined Edgar Winter's White Trash full-time and produced the gold LP, "Roadwork". Derringer's solo album, All American Boy was released in '73 with the now already popular "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo", this time as a 'hit' single.

Read more at http://www.rickderringer.com/rd-biography.html

Janiva Magness

ARTIST SUMMARY
Genres: Blues / Memphis Soul / Americana
Label: Alligator, Alligator Records, Northern Blues
Official Site: http://www.janivamagness.com/

ARTIST BIO

“As I move forward,” says award-winning vocalist Janiva Magness, “I’m more willing to put myself on the line. I’m less willing to burden myself with unnecessary problems, less willing to care what people say about me. As it turns out, the more vulnerable I allow myself to be, the more strength I draw from that.” That vulnerability and strength is on full display on Magness’ powerful new album, Stronger For It. Magness, through her passionate vocals and, for the first time, through her own original songs, delivers the most moving and intimate album of her career.

Produced by Dave Darling (Brian Setzer, Meredith Brooks, Dan Hicks, John Waite), Stronger For It is Janiva’s declaration of independence. Having recently come through an intensely difficult period in her life, Magness has found new strength in her music. On these performances, she lays her soul bare, singing of loss and recovery, pain and redemption, hurt and healing, looking back and moving forward. Recording Stronger For It was as cathartic for Magness as listening to it will be for her fans. “Every human being goes through times of huge upheaval and personal transition,” Magness says. “I think everyone can relate.”

Magness, known primarily as a musical interpreter, co-wrote three remarkable, autobiographical songs for the album, including the poignant and melodic Whistling In The Dark, the riveting I Won’t Cry and the take-no-guff showstopper There It Is. Of her songwriting, Magness says, “Writing songs for me is laying out my experiences for everyone to see. It’s another level of vulnerability.”

Thanks for listening! - Bluesdaddy

Robben Ford

ARTIST SUMMARY
Genres: Blues
Official Site: http://www.myspace.com/robbenford

ARTIST BIO

Robben Ford is one of the premiere electric guitarists today, particularly known for his blues playing as well as his ability to be comfortable in a variety of musical contexts. A four-time Grammy nominee, he has played with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Witherspoon, Miles Davis, George Harrison, Phil Lesh, Bonnie Raitt, Claus Ogerman, Michael McDonald, and many, many others.

Born in 1951 in Ukaih, California, Robben was the third of four sons in a musical family. His father Charles was a country and western singer and guitarist before entering the army and marrying Kathryn, who played piano and had a lovely singing voice. Robben’s first chosen instrument was the saxophone, which he began to play at age ten and continued to play until his early twenties. He began to teach himself guitar at age thriteen upon hearing the two guitarists from The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop. In the late 1960’s, Ford frequented the Filmore  and Winterland Auditoriums in San Francisco to see Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Albert King, B.B. King and all of the progenitors of blues. “It was an incredible time for electric guitar,” Ford recalls.

On his interest in jazz, Ford says,” I fell in love with the sax playing of Paul Desmond and The Dave Brubeck Quartet, and before long found Ornette Coleman, Archie Shepp, Yusaf Lateef, Roland Kirk, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and of course, Miles Davis.” These influences have stayed with Ford, playing a large part in his particular blend of jazz and blues that define him as a guitarist and allow him to play in a wide variety of settings.

Thanks for listening! - Bluesdaddy