Southern Blues Rocker Tinsley Ellis debuted his new side project Tinsley Ellis Blues Is Dead on April 9 at the three-day Skull and Roses Festival in Ventura, California alongside Melvin Seals and JGB, Leo Nocentelli, David Gans, Tom Constanten, Mark Karan and many other Grateful Dead-oriented acts.
Blues Is Dead focuses on the Blues and R&B songs performed and recorded by The Grateful Dead and other Fillmore era artists. Tinsley leads this lineup of Blues and Jam band veterans who dance the fine line between the Blues and improvisational Rock music. Tinsley has been a longtime guest of acts such as Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, Derek Trucks as well as Blues legends Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, James Cotton and Koko Taylor.
“I've been a fan of The Grateful Dead since 1972 when ‘Europe '72’ came out. My friends and I literally wore that album out, along with ‘The Allman Brothers Band Live Fillmore East.’ We all went to see The Dead in concert at Atlanta's Fox Theatre and were blown away. That was during the Keith and Donna years. I'm having a ball stretching out musically and jamming on Blues songs like ‘Spoonful,’ ‘Turn On Your Love Light’ and ‘Wang Dang Doodle’ with Blues Is Dead.”
Tinsley Ellis Blues Is Dead is booked worldwide by Barron Ruth at Crossover Touring in Decatur, Georgia.
Tinsley Ellis Blues Is Dead tour dates:
5/19 Blackhorse Pub, Knoxville, Tennessee
5/20 City Winery, Nashville, Tennessee
5/21 Old Rock House, St Louis, Missouri
5/23 State Room, Salt Lake City, Utah
5/24 Henry Strater Theater, Durango, Colorado
5/25 CO River Concert Series, Fruita, Colorado
5/26 Globe Hall, Denver, Colorado
5/27 Ute Theater, Rifle, Colorado
5/28 Reserve Casino Hotel, Central City, Colorado
8/4 Terminal West, Atlanta, Georgia
8/5 New Mountain Theatre, Asheville, North Carolina
8/19 Riverfront Nights, Chattanooga, Tennessee
