Blues News

Cigarbox Guitar Documentary to Air in Alabama

2009-04-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

2008 Fingerlakes Fest

2008-10-06T07:26:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Fingerlakes Cigar Box Guitar Festival is all over - a successful first effort.

Upcoming CBG Fest

2008-09-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

CBG Fest, Canandaigua NY, Oct 3-4, 2008. Be there!

CD Rekease

2008-05-21T05:43:00.000-07:00

Doctor Oakroot ~ Shroud for the Dead

"Dr Oakroot has a true and unique voice that, like Tom Waits, has a way of identifying him as the performer as soon as he sings the first words. Laid back but with a rich texture of hard living his voice expertly carries the story along."

~ Matt Borczon, Uncle Enos Magazine

Click here for more information.

2007 Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza

2007-06-01T05:41:00.000-07:00

It's time again for the annual Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza in Huntsville, AL. The show starts about noon on Saturday, June 9th 2007 and runs well into the night.

This wonderfully fun show takes place outside at the Flying Monkey Arts Center in Huntsville. Featured performers include Microwave Dave, Ben Prestage, Johnny Lowebow, Doctor Oakroot, Buckeye, Low Country Messiahs, Shane Speal, Timothy Renner, David Williams, and more... $15 at the gate.

Also, classes in cigar box guitar building and playing technique by Bill Jehle and Shane Speal.

Don't miss this show!

Click HERE for more info.

Check out the Video

2006-09-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

Check out the video!

Huntsville 2006: live at the flying monkey

2006-08-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Sunny Side Down Records is proud to announce the release of Doctor Oakroot - Huntsville 2006: live at the flying monkey. This new release is a live recording of Oakroot's appearance at the 2nd Annual Cigarbox Guitar Extravaganza at the Flying Monkey Arts Center in Huntsville, AL.

Check it out at CDbaby

Play drums? Guitar? Just wanna hang out with the band?

2006-05-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

Sunny Side Down Records is seeking some local support - drums, lead guitar, gig management for folk-rock artist Michael Earl.

Earl plays edgy acoustic songs with themes ranging from love to his quest for spiritual growth (Earl is an unorthodox Christian, but has followed other paths as well).

If you're in the Tucson AZ area and think you might fit in as part of Earl's team, SSD Records would like to hear from you. Email david.smith.ii (at) gmail.com .

Blues and Magic Wow Crowd

2005-09-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

Carrboro, NC. Audience members at the Carrboro Music Festival, Sunday night, gasped as bluesman Doctor Oakroot waved his hand over an apple and transformed it into a silk scarf.

Fans of Oakroot were pleased and surprised by the new addition to the act. For the first time in a local show, Oakroot performed amazing magic tricks in addition to his usual acoustic blues.

Reached onstage after the performance at Padgett Station on Main Street, Oakroot said, “The tricks tonight – restoring a cut necktie and changing an apple into a silk scarf – were just a preview of things to come. I plan to incorporate grand illusion into future shows.”

Grand illusion is the art of making people and large objects appear and disappear or do otherwise impossible things.

Oakroot continued, “The point here is not just to throw in some magic tricks, but to tell a story that ties in with the songs and illustrate the story with magic tricks.”

Oakroot will perform his blues and magic show again at his Halloween party, October 30 at a venue to be announced. Check at www.doctoroakroot.com for more information as the date approaches.

Red Lion Street Fair

2005-08-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

Doc's Note: Just got back from playing a streetfair in Red Lion, PA on a cigarbox guitar stage organized by Shane Speal. Here's Shane's review of my set:

Red Lion - 6th Act - Doctor Oakroot

by Shane Speal

I missed most of Oak's performance last year in Carrolton, so I was really excited to catch him in Red Lion. He took the stage after a very hot afternoon. His performance followed my Jug Fusion hard rock set and Johnny Lowebow's punk set...and Doc knew how to deliver the goods. THIS GUY IS SOOOOOOO SMOOTH. I just sat back and took his music in like an ice cold beer. I kept saying to those around me, "I can't believe how smooth he is." Doc blew me away.

His smoothness can be attributed to several awesome ingredients in a perfect mix: his baritone voice + the use of nylon strings on his cigar box guitars. While most of us are stringing our CBGs with steel strings, Doctor Oakroot uses weedwhacker string and fishing line...and it's perfect for his performance.

Also, Doc is technically amazing in his guitar playing. This guy is pulling out big ol' jazz chords in finger-twisting 9th and augmented chords. He's a total original. He also keeps a tic-tac box kazoo (his own invention) tucked between his fingers and whips it to his mouth in the middle of songs.

I can't think of a better person to wind down the show. He was incredible. On top of everything else, he gave away one of his own cbgs to a lucky attendee.

Totally smooth. Technically brilliant. Pure class. Period.

Thanks Doc. It was an incredible concert. Can't wait to see you again in Hinton.

Despite Rain, Show a Success

2005-07-18T05:03:00.000-07:00

Hinton, WV. Fifteen minutes before the start of the Hinton Music in the Park series show Saturday, July 16, 2005, it was pouring rain. Then as a nearby church bell tolled noon, the rain stopped. Bluesman Doctor Oakroot quickly uncovered his homemade instruments, plugged everything back in, and started the show.

The initial audience was small, but as the summer sun dried the ground, passersby were attracted into the Towne Square Park by Oakroot's music. A good time was had by all.

As is customary at his shows, Oakroot presented a handmade "dulcijo" cigar box guitar to a randomly chosen member of the audience. Saturday's lucky winner was Hinton resident, Russel Bragg.

The Music in the Park series is sponsored by the City of Hinton in an attempt to revitalize downtown. "The hope is," says series coordinator Ray Nutter, "that people will come for the music and stay to shop."

Doctor Oakroot (r) presents "dulcijo" cigar box guitar to audience member Russel Bragg
Click here for high resolution image.

Tony Whetstone in Chapel Hill

2005-04-05T03:01:00.000-07:00

A new music series, the Chapel Hill House Jam, debuts Sunday, April 17, 2005 at the Skylight Exchange in Chapel Hill, NC. Music starts at 4:00pm in an open mic format, ending with a featured artist beginning at 6:00pm.

The first show features piedmont blues musician Tony Whetstone of Greenville, NC.

The series will continue with shows on the third Sunday of each month.

Johnny Lang in Durham

2005-03-24T16:36:00.000-08:00

I've only heard Johnny Lang once and I was very impressed by his voice - definitely a strong blues voice. I was less impressed with his guitar playing - sort of SRV-light. Not bad, just not my favorite thing.

Now apparently, he's doing acoustic blues... and coming to the Carolina Theater in Durham NC, March 31, 8 pm. I'm looking forward to hearing his great blues voice in an acoustic setting.

It's Back...

2005-03-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

Howard Boutte, president of Mississippi Action and Community Education Inc. (MACE), said of the 2005 Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival, "I assure you it will happen."

Last year's festival was cancelled due to lack of money - which could mean lack of popularity. But now it's coming back showing that the blues will never die :o)

The Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage Festival will take place Sept 17, 2005 at the Delta Blues Festival Park on Mississippi 1 South at Route 454 south of Greenville.

Look for Bobby Rush, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Shirley Brown, Denise LaSalle, Anson Funderburgh, Sam Myers & The Rockets, and others to perform.

B.B. King's Ultimate Collection

2005-02-24T02:47:00.000-08:00

B.B. King joins Ben E. King, Freddie King, and Albert King by releasing an album titled Ulimate Collection. Now I don't mean those other guys are playing on King's CD... just that they each also released an album with that title. :o)

I guess "Ultimate Collection" is the new "Best of...".

And that's what it is... a collection of some of King's tracks over the years. OK, so it's a cheap way to put out a CD, but still, it should be good. And, if you're new to the blues, King is certainly a highly accessible entry point.

Check it out!

Skylight House Jam

2005-02-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

Looks like it's gonna happen.

Doctor Oakroot and Rebekah will be hosting an open mic/house concert at the Skylight Exchange in Chapel Hill, NC, the third Sunday of every month starting April 17.

Come check it out. Bring your guitar.