Another successful year for the Blue Ridge Blues Society and their annual Blue Ridge Blues and BBQ Festival. There was a first in the contest to see which band the society will send to the International Blues Challenge early next year. An individual won the entire competition! Since he will have to be placed in the solo/duo event in Memphis, the organizers decided to send the second place winner, a band, as well.
The solo act was Owen Poteat from North Carolina or North Kackalacky as Kerry Hurley was heard to say.
Owen Poteat wins the contest!
The Skinny Velvet Band came in second and will be representing the blues society as a band competitor.
Skinny Velvet Band at the Blue Ridge Blues and BBQ Festival
I helped out as official scorekeeper which gave me a great seat for the competition!
Judges and scorekeeper hard at work!
After the competition, last years winner, Clarence the Blues Man Turner and his band played, followed by Albert Castiglia and his band and finally Tommy Castro and his band finished up the evening. There was an after jam at the Pine Room and many of the performers attended. I saw Little Roger, the winner from Roanoke a few years ago, and he hasn’t lost his touch! Sure would like to see him back in a band and playing regularly.
I am in the process of posting a bunch of video to my YouTube channel. Most of it won”t be up until tomorrow, even with a DSL connection, but check it out if you get a chance!
I know you all are on the edge of your seats…was there beer there? Yes there was. A little Heavy Seas, some Shock Top, a Victory Stout, and the usual mainstream culprits.
Here's where the beer comes from, the Budwieser truck.
If you missed this year, be sure to mark your calendar for next year ’cause this is a great event! Plenty of parking, great food, great music and pretty good beer!
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Hey… thanks for the love and support yesterday. It was an honor for me to be the first solo to win the band competition and I can’t wait to represent you guys in February in Memphis. I appreciate you setting the record straight on my accomplishment. Announcements yesterday were a little vague… I understand that it’s never happened before and folks didn’t know how to react. It is something I am very, very proud of, as is many other one-man-bands in the land who have already hit me up with lots of great comments. I’ll look for the videos and look forward to a long friendship with you guys.
BTW, either my eyesight is as tired as I am or that is Clarence in the picture labeled as me instead of me. I’ve been told I have a lot of soul and that my ancestry definitely crosses lines but I’m pretty sure that’s the Guitar Man himself in that picture.
Owen
Owen Poteat
http://www.OwenPoteat.com
Hey Owen, I got some old eyes too! I took all those pictures from a distance I will check it out and make corrections as needed. My lovely editor is out of the country on business as well so the blog is not getting the review it usually does. Thanks for the help!
You were right, guess I’ll have to do another post to use the Clarence Picture. Borrowed a picture From Dave Bluzndablood, hope he doesn’t mind!