Page 76 - Blues Festival Guide Magazine 2014

Mark Hummel stands beside his
trusty tour van
Photo Courtesy Mark Hummel

nowhere, come a roomful
of people ready to hear real
music – pumped and ready
to rock out all night. This
place is magic in the middle
of a cornfield. I love Byron’s
– it helps keep the music
alive!” — Kelly Richey
The inviting comfort of a true rural roadhouse does make it
all worthwhile. However, like Forest Gump’s proverbial box of
chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get until you
open the door:
“As strange as it is, I assure you, this story is true. I had
booked a gig at a bar in Shreveport, Louisiana the night before I
was to perform at the King Biscuit Festival in Helena, Arkansas. I
had never played there before and had no idea what to expect.
I drove into the parking lot, went into the club, set up and started
the first set. I could hear people in an adjacent room, but thought
it was odd that no one came into the bar area.
After a bit, we took a break and wandered into the next room.
We found they had their regular weekly transvestite drag show
going on. Their show took a break and the full party came in to
see my band for the second set. When their show started again,
they were gone, heading back to their regular festivities. The nice
thing about it was we made some new fans, sold a bunch of CDs
and were invited back to play there again sometime.”
— Eddie Turner
The lesson is, you never know who your target audience
might be but they can be fans willing to support you on the road,
no matter how their mama dressed ‘em. On other occasions, the
variety of fans you catch on a day of multiple gigs can cover a
wide swath of style:
“Sometimes gig opportunities seem to bunch up at one time.
Went I got started in the blues, my first band, Plan B, played three
full shows in one day. We did a BBQ competition and blues fest
in Albert Lea, Minnesota at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds
in the morning. We moved on to Marcussen Ball Park in Austin,
Minnesota in the afternoon for another outdoor event. Finally, we
ended the day playing a formal wedding in Owatonna, Minnesota
that evening. Our audiences that day ranged from guys in bib
overalls setting up their BBQ smokers, to families hanging out on
picnic blankets, to fancy guys and gals in wedding attire. It was
a diverse and fun day of music!” — Sena Ehrhardt
Sharing the joy with the audience is one of the benefits of
a traveling band. Other times, unexpectedly, we may share a
world-changing experience that will define the rest of our lives.
Who can forget where they were on a fateful day in 2001:
“I was flying out of Los Angeles to meet up with the band
for some shows, like I’d done so many times before. This time
was different and I was scared. Before even getting near the

74 Blues Festival Guide 2014