Mississippi Blues - Mary Flower and Thad Beckman

Mary Flower is an award-winning American musician and music educator on the independent Yellow Dog Records label. A blues and ragtime fingerstyle guitarist and vocalist, she combines intricate syncopated Piedmont style fingerpicking with lap-slide guitar.

In 2000 and 2003, Flower placed in the top three at the National Finger Style Guitar Championship, the only female to do this twice for guitar.

She’s performed with Jorma Kaukonen, guitarist/songwriter Pat Donohue, Hot Rize founder Tim O’Brien, singer Molly O’Brien, guitarist/songwriter Geoff Muldaur, and the Campbell Brothers. As a songwriter, arranger and educator she has several musical and instructional releases to her credit.

A professional musician for more than 20 years, Thad Beckman has paid his dues on these same dusty roads which run from California to New Jersey and points in between. His finely-crafted original songs are the story of life, the voice of modern America...from the growling delta blues of the Deep South to evocative contemporary folk...bound by the common thread of experience gleaned from the road . You can hear it in his voice....he's been there.

From an admittedly non-musical family, Thad started out as a teenager playing in Portland, Oregon high school bands, joined the Air Force during Vietnam and ended up studying classical guitar in Florida. One day the blues got a hold of him and have yet to let go. Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, Gatemouth Brown, Buddy Guy, T - Bone Walker, Freddie King and Albert King have all left their mark on Thad's early development as a guitarist. You can feel it in his playing.

Moving from Portland to northern California in the late 1980's, Thad was quickly recognized by music promoters as an exceptional talent. As a guitarist, Thad Beckman has been hired by Bo Diddley, The Shirelles and Earl Thomas. As a bandleader he soon found himself sharing the stage with such renowned artists as B.B. King, Albert Collins, James Cotton, The Band, Emmylou Harris, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks. During this time, Thad also recorded three self-produced album projects, all of which received outstanding local press.

Thad returned to his hometown roots in Portland, OR where he is a popular guitar instructor and continues to perform locally, abroad, in the midwest, Texas and California. In 2002, Thad released his CD "Thad Beckman" which also received critical acclaim. His new project "Blues Gone By" was just released and features Write on our Facebook Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! -  Here