Riverbend Preview, Monday June 8th (Bessie Smith Strut)

My favorite night at Riverbend is always the Strut, though I wonder if I'm the only one left who goes for the music.

I'll admit, the Strut's lineup has gotten more spotty over recent years.

But there's always some great party band playing, and I'm really geeked about this year's crowd.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS:

Bernard Allison returns to The Strut after taking a few years off.  I've never been disappointed by one of his shows before.  No reason to think we will be this time.  His dad taught him at an early age how to please a crowd.

For the spice pick, I've got to go with the guitar prodigy from the Isle of Wight, Davey Knowles.

THE PREVIEWS:

Daddy Mack Blues Band

7:00-8:45

Miller Plaza Stage

They're still playing the blues on Beale Street in Memphis, and no one plays it better than Daddy Mack.

His band has been at it now since 1988.

He's a prime reason why Memphis Music has made a comeback.

Meet Daddy Mack:

7:00- 8:45

Miller Plaza Stage

As I said in Sunday's preview, a blast of Mississippi Hill Country Blues.

If you're not familiar, this is a different sound from the standard Chicago variety.  It's more of a groove-thing.  The beat out the groove,  work it to a sweat,   and moan some words.   They don't make this music for the radio.  They make it to keep people moving late into the night in Mississippi Juke Joints.

No one was better at it than the late, great R. L. Burnside.

Now his grandson is back, keeping the music alive.

5:15-6:30

MLK Stage 

It's amazing to see what the humans can do.

Atlanta's Jason Williams was born without a right hand.

But by age four, he was already strumming a guitar.

With the encouragement of his family, Jason figured it out.

He's been self-taught ever since.

Bernard Allison

6:45-8:00

MLK Stage

The Allison family brand has a long history now with the Strut.

I first saw the legendary Luther Allison here, taking that big guitar of his into the MLK crowd (that was when the Strut could book the top blues artists in the country).

His son, Bernard, has the same commitment to strong live performances.

This will be his third appearance at the Strut.

I've seen everyone of them, and will see this one too.

Bernard brings a smoking guitar.  His band plays a hard version of the blues with a rock edge.

7:00- 8:15

Bessie Smith Hall

The Strut headliner brings another smoking guitar slinger to MLK.

As noted in the Sunday preview, 22-year old Davey Knowles is a Brit with a fixation on Robert Cray.

His band, Backdoor Slam, played both Nightfall and Bonnaroo last year.

That band broke up over the winter, but a new version is coming to town this year with possibly the hottest young blues guitarist in the world right now.

Here is Knowles, alone and acoustic,  previewing a song from the album.