The Southeast Iowa Blues Society (SIBS) welcomes Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys with Westside Andy to the Best Western Fairfield Inn on Saturday, November 18.
Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys play traditional blues, straight-up with a big dose of passion. With their smoking grooves, served up with hot harmonica and smooth, stinging guitar, it’s not unusual for the band to bring nightclub crowds to their feet—even the tough ones. Reverend Raven and his band are currently touring the U.S., Canada, and the Virgin Islands in support of their latest album Live at Big Bull, released on Nevermore Records.
Winners of a plethora of blues awards—including seven for Best Blues Band from Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI), three People’s Choice awards, and four awards for Best Blues Band in Milwaukee from the Shepherd Express Reader’s Poll—the Reverend and his band have also been nominated by Blues Blast Magazine Awards for Best Blues Band, Song of The Year, and Best Live CD, and were featured on a Grammy-nominated blues compilation in 2007. And the band features the one-and-only Westside Andy Linderman on harmonica, who’s got a Grammy nomination of his own.
Born and raised on south side of Chicago, Reverend Raven has been playing the blues since 1971 when he first saw Freddy King at the Kinetic Playground in Chicago. Since 1990 he has opened for B.B. King, Gatemouth Brown, Pinetop Perkins, Koko Taylor, Junior Wells, Billy Branch, Magic Slim, Elvin Bishop, Sugar Blue, Lonnie Brooks, William Clarke, Lefty Dizz, Canned Heat, and numerous others at festivals, nightclubs, and at Buddy Guy’s Legends.
Kicking off the evening will be the Jeff Co Blues Explosion, featuring finger-pickin’ licks and gritty vocals by Steve McLain, blended perfectly with Kevin Riley on harp.
Doors open on November 18 at 6:30 p.m., with music starting at 7 p.m. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $12 in advance (and for SIBS members) or $15 at the door, available at the Classic 96 Studio in Fairfield, at Morgan’s Bar & Grill in Ottumwa, or by calling (641) 919-7477. Best Western Fairfield Inn is located at 2200 W. Burlington Ave. in Fairfield.
For more info, visit SoutheastIowaBluesSociety.org.