featuring Maria Muldaur, Steve James, Barbara Dane, Marc Silber, Chris O’Connell, Eric & Suzy Thompson, Catfish Keith, Will Scarlett & other special guests.

Sometimes the tides of fortune run in our favor. And sometimes the rip currents pull us out into treacherous waters. Everybody hits a little hard luck sometimes. A star-studded group of Bay Area acoustic blues musicians are teaming with the Freight to help two beloved bluesmen, Paul Geremia and Juke Joint Johnny Harper, both of whom have been battling serious health challenges in recent months. The kinds of health challenges that eat through your bankroll in a flash.
 
Maria Muldaur is a superstar in the firmament of American music, best known for her hit “Midnight At the Oasis.” A dangerous switch-hitter, Maria can slide from a searing Memphis Minnie blues to a hip Lieber and Stoller jazz tune to a jug band classic—all without missing a beat. She started her career in the 1960s as featured vocalist with the legendary Kweskin Jug Band.

Steve James has been a long-time mainstay in the Austin, Texas roots music scene. Known for his fiery storytelling, he is an ace on both guitar and mandolin and has played with Howard Armstrong, Bo Diddley, John Hammond, Maria Muldaur, and Furry Lewis. Elijah Wald calls him "a great instrumentalist, a prolific composer, and a dynamic stage presence."
 
Barbara Dane is a Bay Area treasure. Blues writer Lee Hildebrand calls her "perhaps the finest living interpreter of the classic blues of the '20's." Now in her 80s, she has sung with all the greats from Pete Seeger to Lightnin' Hopkins, the Chambers Brothers, Louis Armstrong, and more. A new radio documentary, A Wild Woman Sings the Blues, tells her amazing story.
 
Marc Silber is a true songster, whose seamless and personal way of blending his own music with the old songs is informed by many years of close interaction with older-generation bluesmen like Rev. Gary Davis and Mississippi John Hurt. Well known for his pioneering work with vintage instruments, Marc had a music store in Greenwich Village that was the epicenter of the 1960s folk music scene, with folks like Bob Dylan, Doc Watson, and Joseph Spence dropping by to hang out and pick.

Chris O'Connell was Asleep At the Wheel's original vocalist and toured with the Wheel for 15 years. Her repertoire ranges from Bob Wills to Moon Mullican, hitting all points in between. After a long residency in Austin, Chris has recently returned to the Bay Area and is singing at the absolute top of her game.

Eric & Suzy Thompson are at the epicenter of the Bay Area’s roots music scene. Eric played with Jerry Garcia in several bluegrass bands in the 1960s, and later in Mother Macree’s Uptown Jug Champions. Suzy was a founding member of Any Old Time, and together they have been at the core of many other bands including the California Cajun Orchestra, Bluegrass Intentions, and Blue Flame Stringband. Suzy and Eric’s newest group, Blue Diamond Strings, is an all-star blues/bluegrass/oldtime romp with Jody Stecher, Kate Brislin, Paul Shelasky and Paul Knight.

Catfish Keith is a cutting-edge blues singer, songwriter, and bottleneck slide guitarist—and a two-time nominee for the WC Handy Best Acoustic Blues Album award. His foot-stomping, deep delta blues, and American roots music has held audiences spellbound the world over, especially on the European blues circuit.
 
Berkeley harmonica ace Will Scarlett has played with everyone from Brownie McGhee to Hot Tuna, James Cotton to Doc Watson, David Bromberg to David Grisman, Jerry Garcia to Rosalie Sorrels. He navigated full throttle through the 1960s and lived to tell about it!
 
Please join these fabulous artists as they celebrate the spirit of the blues and help out their old friends!