Rocket 88 - Rob Rio

Known by some as the "Boss of the Boogie", pianoman/vocalist ROB RIO plays the boogie-woogie and jump blues of the 40's and 50's with a virtuosity and elan that has excited audiences around the world for more than 30 years. RIO was inducted into the Boogie Woogie Hall Of Fame in 2008. He has appeared with many of the original blues greats, such as Muddy Waters, Willy Dixon, Charles Brown, Joe Cocker, Paul Butterfield and many more, and has recorded with Mick Jagger, Canned Heat, Billy Boy Arnold, William Clarke, Coco Montoya, Finas Tasby, Walter Trout, Phillip Walker, Jody Williams, among others.

Born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y., Rio now resides in Los Angeles and currently performs at festivals, events and clubs at home and on the road and has been a favorite attraction throughout the Southland for the last 25 years, either as a solo performer or with his 5-piece band, THE REVOLVERS. His main influences include Otis Spann, Memphis Slim, Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Meades Lux Lewis, Jimmy Yancy, and Roosevelt Sykes. In 2011, Rio will continue to record and perform festivals and events nationally and internationally.