Shelton Powe's album available now - and don't miss out on Capitol Blues!

Don't miss out on Capitol Blues in DC! MMRF artists Ironing Board Sam, Captain Luke, Big Ron Hunter, and Shelton Powe will be at Clyde's of Gallery Place to rock out from 7pm to 10pm on March 27th. You'll want to make sure you see this show! Tickets are $100 and include beer and wine, hors d'oeuvres, and an awesome evening of blues! Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the elderly and impoverished Blues musicians throughout the South who are served by Music Maker. Buy your tickets here - don't wait, they're selling fast! Leyla McCalla returns to NC March 23rd! Don't miss Leyla McCalla withCary Morin, opening for Celtic band Lunasa at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro on March 23rd! Leyla's sultry vocals and rhythmically lilting cello will be complimented by Cary's guitar, ensuring a memorable evening for the audience. Don't wait, get your tickets today! Photo of the week Jerry "Boogie" McCain by Gregg Roth Quick Links: Website Merch Music Shelton Powe's album available now! MMRF artist Shelton Powe has released his first album, Carolina Blues and Gospel, and it's now available for purchase! The album melds together the fresh and the traditional, combining intricate melodies with a feel of spontaneity. Born in 1957 in Charlotte, N.C., Powe grew up on the tent revival circuit, surrounded by a family of Gospel musicians. The music he learned from his family still heavily inspires him, but his style and delivery are all his own. Check out tracks from the album on Shelton's page - or go to the Music Maker store to order! Listen: Robert Belfour - Black Mattie Diggin': Matt tells us about "Black Mattie" Robert "Wolfman" Belfour haunts me. It couldn't have been more than two years ago that I drove up Western Mississippi's Highway 61 into Clarksdale. I had never heard of Wolfman or listened to his style of Hill Country finger-picking before, but after a couple of hours with the guys at Cat Head Folk Art & Blues I had Wolfman's rhythmic, mournful "Black Mattie" stuck in my head and developed a permanent fascination with North Mississippi Hill Country blues. Robert "Wolfman" Belfour was born in the town of Red Banks, Mississippi, in 1940. His style of acoustic picking centers around repetitive, driving bass lines, open tunings, minimal chord changes, and deep, clear vocal refrains. He's percussive without using percussion. And as a drummer, that really hooked me. Check out Wolfman's version of "Black Mattie" above. Just see how long it takes for your foot to start stomping. -- Matt Matt Dailey, a Music Maker intern, hails from N.J. and is a graduate student of Library Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events 3/23 - Leyla McCalla - The ArtsCenter, Carrboro, N.C. 3/27 - Ironing Board Sam, Captain Luke, Big Ron Hunter, Shelton Powe - Capitol Blues Night, D.C. 3/29 - Ironing Board Sam - Art with a Heart, Washington D.C. 4/13 - SOOTS 6th Annual Blues Review featuring John Dee Holeman, Tad Walters, & Justin Robinson & the Mary Annettes 4/14 - Big Ron Hunter - North Dakota Museum of Art 4/27 - Guitar Lightnin' Lee, Leyla McCalla - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/28 - Carolina Chocolate Drops - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/29 - Ironing Board Sam - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.