Blues for MS II Benefit Concert March 4, 2012, at the Roseland

Come join us on Sunday March 4^th at the Roseland Theater for MSSP’s second annual Blues for MS concert. Cascade Blues Association is co-sponsoring the event and CBA’s President Greg Johnson has put together a spectacular line up.

This year, two great guitars are up for raffle: First, we thank Pioneer Music and Martin Guitars for a wonderful American made Martin 000-15M all solid mahogany acoustic Bluesman’s (or Blues-person’s, if you like) Special. The 000-15M is a re-issue of the smaller body acoustic favored by the traveling Delta Bluesmen of days gone by.

Second, we thank Fender Music for providing a Buddy Guy Signature Stratocaster in Buddy’s trademark Black with white polka dot finish. Here is one better: Buddy personally signed this guitar for the Blues for MS raffle. What a class guy (and Guy)!

Raffle ticket price for each guitar will be $5 per ticket, 6 for $25 and 15 for $50. The winning tickets will be selected following Randy Oxford’s set and the lucky ticket holders need not be present to win. Go to www.blues4ms.org to purchase raffle tickets.

The fun starts at 3pm and will conclude around 9pm.

Here are the great folks who will be sharing their talents, in order of appearance:

Gunnar Roads Band – This young outfit, led by teenaged guitarist Alex Gunnar Rolfs, has been building quite a reputation up and down the West Coast, receiving nominations for the Cascade Blues Association Muddy Awards and the Portland Music Award for Outstanding Achievement in Blues along the way. This is one genuinely talented young musician bringing you great music well beyond his years.

Chad Rupp & The Ruppshakers – A fairly new band that features multi-instrumentalist Chad Rupp and talented guitarist Dallas Breed alongside the solid rhythm section of Calen Uhlig and Ashbolt Stewart. Nominated by the Cascade Blues Association for the New Act Muddy Award in 2011.

A.C. Porter & The Live Wires – With The Live Wires what you receive is straight-ahead traditional electric blues. No jazz, no rock. Just blues, as it should be played. Armed with the dual guitar attack of A.C. Porter and Stu Kinzel, this all-star unit received the Cascade Blues Association Muddy Award as New Act this past year.

Boogie Bone – Highly powerful and energetic, Boogie Bone has amassed a strong following of fans known simply as “Boneheads” who swarm to wherever they’re playing. Fronted by the strong vocals of Howlin’ Jake Johnson and the sizzling guitar licks of Steven Dee Williams, the band also includes Oregon Music Hall of Famer Steve Snyder on saxophone and harmonica.

Robbie Laws Band – Winners of the Cascade Blues Association’s Journey to Memphis, the Robbie Laws Band recently competed in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis where they made it to the semi-finals. Robbie Laws is a 9-time recipient of the Muddy Award for Electric Guitarist and they received the Portland Music Award in 2011 for Outstanding Achievement in Blues. By heavy request, they are making their encore performance at the Blues For MS.

Duffy Bishop Band – One of the most beloved performers in the Northwest, Duffy Bishop takes an audience by the hand and leads them on an exciting joyride whenever she takes the stage. Making sure that everybody has a fun time is the most important aspect of this band’s shows and they deliver on that quest every time. A Muddy Award Hall of Famer and Lifetime Achievement winner, Duffy Bishop and her outstanding band are guaranteed to bring a memorable performance to the Blues For MS concert.

Randy Oxford Band – It’s not every day you come across a blues band fronted by a trombonist. Or a horn player with as much energy that just watching him will leave you breathless. But that is exactly what you get from the Tacoma-based Randy Oxford Band. Add into the mix the sensational vocals of Jada Amy and you can understand why this group has been in demand at venues and festivals across the country. Finalists in the 2011 International Blues Challenge, Randy Oxford has also been a jam leader on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruises for several seasons. Excitement is always in store with the Randy Oxford Band.

Between sets, Dave Dahl of Dave’s Killer Bread will perform ‘The Blues Bun Blues’ and Justus Reece will come on stage to show off his guitar chops with the Fender American Standard Strat he won at last year’s B4MS I raffle (when he was just 14).

The concert will offer free admission, however concertgoer’s will have plenty of opportunity throughout the six hour event to donate to the MSSP. The wonderful thing about cash donations is that all of the proceeds will be used by the MS Society of Portland to help improve the quality of life for those living with MS, including family members and caregivers. We help take care of the here and now needs.

Come prepared to have a great time listening to some of the best blues talent around. In the meantime, go to www.blues4ms.org or call 503-297-9544 for more information.

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