For all of October I’ve been touring around and really enjoying playing songs
from my latest album, Memphis Song.
I have to say being that live shows are about keeping the energy up and flow going, I have felt that I have not done an adequate job portraying to audiences just how meaningful this album is to me and could be to them!
I hope that the title track, which captures the spirit of the album, speaks for itself. It does, I think. That said, so if you have the album I encourage you to take a look at the note on the inside cover that begins,
“I hear you calling, “You been too long gone.
Come on home and sing a Memphis song.”
The October Memphis Song tour started off with a run to Georgia to work with the Augusta Blues Company – a couple of blues education programs and a concert at the gorgeous Hardin Auditorium!
Much thanks to Mike Galucci for pulling all that together.
Our return to Birmingham’s Daniel Day Gallery/Dream Mecca Studio was an outstanding afternoon playing on the outdoor stage for our Alabama friends. Our hosts, Daniel and Melody Day put together another great southern picnic-style event.
Green Room At Dream Mecca Studio
We then popped into visit with an old friend, Bob Rosinsky in Asheville, NC and played a cool venue there – The Block off Biltmore, before heading back north to play two great events.
The Canal Bank Shuffle in Thorold, Ontario, a three-day fest, was a blast and then, right across the Peace Bridge we played for
Buffalo’s WBFO Blues Blast.
We shared the bill with Joanna Connor whom I recently
met at a gig in Chicago. She’s awesome!
photo: mick kolassa
Back to much welcome warmer climes, we played a new venue in
Tupelo, MS, The Blue Canoe, and got to hang with friend Mick Kolassa.
Then to the legendary Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee. It was a killer night with a full house. 
Gary and Kim Anton are to be commended for pulling of the new renovations while maintaining the charm and vibe that has made this place famous!
The Camping with the Blues Fest was up next. It was real treat to meet up with friends Brandon Santini and Amanda Fish, with whom we had a blast jamming at the end of the day.
photo: emily hallock
Always cool to hang with Marcia & Mark Adams,
from The Villages Blues Society
Hats off to the Benjamin/Herndon team for another great event.
Bouncing over to the Atlantic Coast, the band was treated to a wonderful meal at The House Of Bluezz with Peter 'Bluezzman' and Rose Lauro.
photo: rose lauro
After the meal we headed to the epic Funky Biscuit jam, hosted by Mark Telesca and is always an outstanding evening of music including our being joined on stage by Eliza Neals.
Special thanks to Mark & Karene Telesca for their hospitality.
...and thanks to j skolnick for the great photos
photo: sonny rock
The Barrel Room in Ft. Myers is a fave club to play and
it was great to get back there.
photo: sonny rock
A new venue for us, Bank and Blues in Daytona was something special.
We finished things up with stops in Gulf Breeze at The Paradise Bar & Grill, Pensacola, FL, for the NW Florida Blues Society Jam and Mobile, AL at The Blues Tavern, before heading back north to Charlotte, NC to play for The Charlotte Blues Society folks there at The Rabbit Hole and hang with our friends Mike and Rose Armstrong.
Paradise Inn - photo: sonny rock
Sonny & Mike Bounds - President NWFBS
All in all a very successful run. The crowds were bigger and excitement about the new album, Memphis Song was tremendous. Folks loved the new songs, especially the title track, Heal My Soul and Queen of Hearts and were eager to take home a copy –
OH YEAH! Much thanks to everyone who helped make this a success –
Vinny Marini, Road Dawg Touring and especially the band –
Sonny Rock, Colin Beatty and Gabe Stillman.
So, November and December will find the souls staying relatively close to home. In addition to playing gigs on the home turf (relatively speaking) I’ll be working up some new recording projects – more on that to come.
We are thrilled to be playing for our
friends in Pittsburgh on New Year’s Eve.
The annual Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania extravaganza
will be epic!
And WEST COAST....We are coming your way in early 2019!
