This week, we had the opportunity to sit down with Johnny Buck, the executive director and co-founder of Rooster Walk, to discuss the upcoming Rooster Walk 14. The festival began in 2009 as a tribute to late high school friends Edwin Penn ('the rooster') and Walker Shank. From its inception, the festival has focused on supporting a charity that grants college scholarships to deserving seniors at Martinsville High School and provides instruments and funding to enhance local school band programs.

The High Sierra Music Festival, one of California's longest-running annual music festivals, is celebrating its 32nd year on July 4-7, 2024, in the golden Sierra hills of Quincy. Headliners this year include Ziggy Marley, Primus, and Greensky Bluegrass. They will be joined by a wide variety of bluegrass, jam, Americana, funk, folk, and worldbeat acts on multiple stages at the Plumas County Fairgrounds.

Steve Winwood first captured the public's imagination as a teenage prodigy with the Spencer Davis Group in the mid-1960s, churning out hits like "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man." His formidable talent as both a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist soon steered him towards new creative ventures, notably the formation of Traffic. Alongside fellow luminaries like Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood, and Dave Mason, Traffic melded rock, jazz, and folk elements into a fluid and compelling sound, yielding classics such as "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys."

Eggy, the jam rock quartet from Connecticut, returned to The Warehouse at FTC in Fairfield, CT, on May 4, 2024, for their seventh performance at this gem of a venue in the Constitution State. They sold out the show, as they have been doing quite frequently in the Northeast this year. They also crushed this special two-set show on their home turf and brought the lucky fans in attendance along for the ride.

My first visit to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (a.k.a. "Jazzfest") was sort of a happy accident. In 1988, I was a young 20-something Grateful Dead tourhead, and I heard rumors that Little Feat was going to play their first show since the death of Lowell George a decade earlier. The allure was heightened by the fact that the reformed band would play on a riverboat floating on the Mississippi in New Orleans.

On this day, May 11th, 2024, we celebrate the birthday of Irving Berlin, one of the greatest songwriters in American history. His profound influence on music is as vast as it is deep, resonating through generations and across genres. As we reflect on his incredible legacy, it's clear that Berlin's work not only shaped the landscape of American music but also left an enduring impact worldwide.

The Latin Dead, the innovative 11-piece ensemble known for their vibrant fusion of Grateful Dead classics with Latin rhythms, are scheduled to perform on May 16, 2024. This much-anticipated event will celebrate the inaugural night of Dead and Company’s Sphere residency at Backstage Bar and Billiards, located at 601 Fremont St., Las Vegas.

Westchester County-based singer-songwriter Sean Lippin is set to captivate audiences with the release of his latest single, "Run Away." Known for his emotive lyrics and smooth vocals, Lippin's newest track promises to resonate deeply with listeners around the globe.

The Blues Foundation announced the winners of the 45th Annual Blues Music Awards on May 9 in Memphis.

Guitarist Christone "Kingfish" Ingram emerged as the night's biggest winner, securing four awards, including "Album of the Year" for Live In London. Mike Zito, Bobby Rush, Ruthie Foster, and John Primer also received multiple awards. Congratulations to all of this year's winners!

ND THE WINNERS ARE...(Bold Type; In BOLD)

Terrapin Crossroads Presents has announced that Phil Lesh & Friends will headline their third ‘Sunday Daydream’ Festival at McNears Beach Park in San Rafael, CA, on July 21, 2024. The band, and all musical acts at Sunday Daydream Vol. 3, will celebrate the 50 year anniversary of ‘Grateful Dead at the Hollywood Bowl on 7/21/74’, an iconic show from the band at the height of their musical prowess and innovation.