THE CIGAR BOX GUITAR EXTRAVAGANZA!
Friday, May 20, 2005 at 7pm
As
a reaction to the sterile, digital, midi, pre-programmed, loop driven
world of today's music scene, there is currently an INTERNATIONAL
resurgence in the Home-made Instrument movement. Professional musicians
from around the world are giving up their store-bought guitars for
the opportunity to make their own music on their own self-made instruments!
Join
us for a celebration of The Cigar Box Guitar Movement with prominent
artists from around the US converging at the Flying Monkey for this
monumental roots music event.
RICHARD
JOHNSTON
Richard
Johnston may be the most recognized street musician in America. Winning
the 2001 International Blues Challenge, he became the first person
in it's 17 year history to simultaneously win both 1st place and the
Albert King award for most promising blues guitarist. His Handy nominated,
self-produced debut album entitled, "FOOT HILL STOMP" has become one
of the top-selling independent blues albums in history.
Johnston's
ferocious one-man-band performances have secured him invitations to
play blues and music festivals around the world, including Belgium,
Canada, Finland, France, Norway, Italy and scores of festivals in
the states, but he always returns to where he started and will forever
be remembered as "the Tramp King of Beale Street". Playing to festival
sized audiences every weekend from his regular spot in front of the
New Daisy Theater on Memphis's famous Beale Street, Johnston has used
the power of the Internet to establish the largest fan base in the
history of independent blues musicians.
In
2005 Johnston gained even more notoriety as the subject of a PBS Documentary
"RICHARD JOHNSTON: HILL COUNTRY TROUBADOUR", which aired recently
on Alabama Public Television and is due to air again May 18.
Website:
richardjohnston.com
JOHNNY
LOWEBOW
is the stage name of John Lowe, a Memphis, TN, based musician who's
one man band performances became a fixture on world famous Beale Street.
His live shows have been described as "brutal blues blasts"
with set lists containing everything from Johnny Cash to punk pioneer,
Iggy Pop. Lowe's set-up is a mixture of old drum parts, milk crates,
guitar amps and his ever present Lowebow, a cigar box guitar made
from two oak dowel rods, a wooden cigar box, three guitar strings
and a bass string. It is played with a slide in the old blues tradition,
but that's about the only thing traditional about it. Lowe co-designed
the designed the instrument with another musician, Richard Johnston,
who used it to win a major blues competition in Memphis. Since then,
Lowe has attained a cult status among blues aficionados and has adopted
the Lowebow as his main instrument. He currently plays in Clarksdale
and in Memphis area rock clubs. website: www.geocities.com/lowebow
CIGAR
BOX SLIM
Proud
Purveyor of Homemade Boogie
Slim was born in Texas and raised right on the Louisiana state line.
He got the best of Texas swing/blues and Cajun music growing up. He
incorporates a little of both into his style of music. At the heart
of his sound you will find Slim's homemade double neck, seven string
electrified cigar box guitar. It features a 3 string "Blues"
neck and a 4 string lap steel neck. With this combination Ol' Slim
can crank out anything from The Rolling Stones to Merle Haggard! website:
www.cigarboxslim.com
STACY
PUCKETT
Singer/songwriter Stacy Puckett was born and raised in a small town
in southwest Virginia. Over the last decade he has lived and gigged
regularly in California, Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, Mississippi,
and all points in between at times. His music fuses strong Appalachian
folk and delta blues influences into a mix of contemporary folk, rock
and blues with a sound that's all his own. Many of his newer recordings
feature his handmade Cigar Box Guitars, and a host of other primitive
instruments have become his sonic palette of choice. www.soundclick.com/stacypuckett
GERRY
THOMPSON & JIM FARRIS
Gerry Thompson plays "backyard Americana" on a variety of
cigarbox guitar. "I am not a musician " says Gerry who admits
to being a "storyteller", adding that a storyteller without
music is just a liar...hence the need for the instrument. "I
sing sad songs for sunny days" says Gerry...."I think I'm
one of the only hillbillies from a flat state...NEW JERSEY. South
Jersey...that is....not north. Gerry will be traveling 18 hours to
perform at this show.
Accompanying Gerry (for the ride and on stage) will be Jim Farris,
a former pro bluegrass picker and builder of the DoJimBro, a Dobro
type cigar box guitar, and other unique stringed instruments. website:
jimfrets.com
TOMI-O and RHYTHM BOARD RAY
Cigar Box Guitar player and builder Tom Hartwell, a.k.a. Tomi-O, of
Hinton, WV, will be performing as well as displaying his handiwork
at the show. Joining him on percussion will be "Rhythm Board
Ray" Nutter. Also of Hinton, Nutter is a self-proclaimed washboard
enthusiast and builder of quality "home-made" percussion
instruments including the "RU Rhythm Board®", a miniature
drum-set-like washboard instrument. website: www.orange-enterprises.com
MATT
CRUNK
Local artist and musician Matt Crunk is the event's organizer and
host. Huntsville and Handy Festival audiences may remember Crunk as
vocalist and guitarist of the blues showband The Mudcats.
BOZ
Boz will be flying in from his home state of Michigan just to do this
show. Now that's dedication to the art form.
Discounted
hotel rooms available at La Quinta, ask
for the musician's special rate for the festival.
Bring a beverage if you wish,
or soft drink and snack concessions will be available.
Admission is only $10
Tickets available at:
Ink
City Tattoo (Decatur)
NoneSuch Gifts
(Huntsville)
The show will be held at Flying
Monkey Arts Center
2211 Seminole Drive
