Blue Dogs

This email came in via the website on 2/10/17:

"You guys have been a part of my tears and cheers for over 20 years. I'm sitting here listening to you in my living room. (Half of my mistakes) thank you for being tangible. You make the great times amazing and the hard times not so hard. You guys will always be rich, even with a dollar in your pocket. (That is a quote from the times when all we could carry was cash. Before LOL and debit cards). Cheers, you guys are as real as a shot of warm crusty bourbon from the Windjammer after jamming with the the Georgia Satellites singer. Thank you Blue Dogs!"

Thank YOU. We are blessed with amazing fans. Onward...

Happy December!! We have a busy, busy month ahead, but we are closing it out with the event of the year including special guests Shawn Camp and Cary Hudson and many more. Get your tickets now! Proceeds are being donated to the Campaign for the MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital and the Press On Fund for pediatric cancer research. MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital has been caring for children for the past 28 years, however, they believe that they can do more and give more in order to better care for the children who struggle with cancer everyday. For this reason, MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital is teaming up with Press On Fund, 4Good, and Blue Dogs, along with all of our friends, to raise money to build a new building equipped with state of the art technology and staff in order to give the children a higher chance at beating their fight with cancer. Join us on December 27th and 28th as Ear For Music Presents 2nd Annual Super Goo Jam and Blue Dogs 4th Annual Homecoming & 28th Anniversary Concert with special guests Shawn Camp and Cary Hudson, during this season of giving, and help us raise money and bring awareness to this great cause! 

We are thrilled to have Grammy award winning artist producer Shawn Camp as one of our headliners for this year's event. He has earned wide respect as the top-tier penman behind #1 Billboard hits for George Strait (“River of Love”), Josh Turner (“Would You Go With Me”) and Brooks and Dunn (“How Long Gone”), in addition to the Brooks smash “Two Pina Coladas.” Camp frequently splits pages with legendary tunesmiths like Guy Clark (“Sis Draper,” “Magnolia Wind”) and Jim Lauderdale (“Forever Ain’t No Trouble Now). Shawn also penned Blake Shelton’s “Nobody But Me”. A true artist, Camp’s previous solo albums – including 1993’s Shawn Camp, 2004’s Live at the Station Inn and Fireball in 2006 – consistently have turned heads. The accomplished instrumentalist, who has accompanied luminaries including Guy Clark and John Prine, frequently backs seamless lyrics with his fiery fiddle, guitar and mandolin riffs. Shawn is also a talented producer; a skill that won him a Grammy nomination in 2013 and a Grammy win for 2014’s Best Folk Album of the Year (Guy Clark’s, My Favorite Picture Of You). Most recently, Shawn formed the band with NRBQ’s “Big Al” Anderson to make the World Famous Headliners (along with Pat McLaughlin, Greg Morrow and Michael Rhodes). Their debut album spent over 6 weeks in AMA’s top 20 and was named one of the Top 100 Americana Albums of 2012.

Along with our headliners, we are very pleased to announce that the lovely Danielle Howle will also be joining us for this event. Some artists have great vision, some great voices, and some a great story. Danielle Howle’s remarkable musical gift embodies all three. Her phrasing and vocals are unique: one word and you know you’re listening to THE Danielle Howle. Stylistically, she has run the gamut: jazz, punk, rock, soul, jam, folk, country; and her spirit embraces the truest sense of what we have come to know as Americana. Her voice is a stunning instrument which, intentionally or not, tugs at your heart strings – making you want to laugh, cry, and cut a rug all at the same time. During her tenure as a musician, she has backed, and been backed up by, musicians whose presence is clear when walking through the Rock and Country Music Halls of Fame. Where is our Americana Hall of Fame? Danielle would surely be one of the first initiates. Bob Dylan, The Indigo Girls, Steve Earl, Gillian Welch, Sam Bush, Peter Holsapple, Shawn Mullins, Ani DiFranco, Sara Lee Guthrie/Johnny Irion, Darius Rucker/Hootie and the Blowfish, and Edwin McCain are just a few of the musicians with whom she’s played. They’d probably all tell you she taught them a lesson or two….this is why the New York Times calls her “an extraordinary mind, a southern storyteller with a gorgeous sense of melody that should be pouring out of stereos everywhere. She is one to be treasured.”

Another artist set to perform at our event this year is the one and only, the great Papa Futch! Papa Futch is a raw, authentic, homegrown artist who is proud of his roots. The best way to learn about him is through his music. He captivates the audience with his relatable lyrics and makes everyone in the crowd feels like one big, loud, crazy family...but in the best way possible. Just check out the video below!

To round out our artist announcements for this week is the superb Ward Buckheister of Sol Driven Train. We don't know how he does it, but this man can do it all from guitar to trombone to vocalist of the band Sol Driven Train. He adds the perfect dosage of pop, americana, and folk. If you don't believe us just see for yourself in the video below! 

Finally, all of this couldn't be done without the help and generous donations from our wonderful sponsors, including our highlights for this week:  Langdon's and Opal Restaurant and Bar and Food For The Southern Soul. With their help, we are able to further the mission and vision of MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children's Hospital and Press On Foundation for pediatric cancer research. Stay tuned for next week's blog on more artists announcements and sponsor appreciation! Until then, stay howlin' my fellow Dog People.