In case you missed them during the summer concerts on the lawn, or if you were left wanting an encore, the King Bees will return to the Jones House for an indoor concert on Friday, November 15 at 7:30 PM. This Blue Ridge Blues Revue will also feature Virginia Piedmont-style picker Lynn Foddrell. These two powerhouse acts come together to showcase a wealth of mountain blues music here in Appalachia.
American roots and blues duo, the King Bees, first got together in the mid-1980s, made up of Rob “Hound Dog” Baskerville and Penny “Queen Bee” Zamagni. In that time the pair have performed internationally at festivals and venues large and small and have shared the bill and collaborated with hall-of-fame caliber legends like Bo Didley, James Brown, Leon Russell, and a host of others. The combination of Baskerville’s masterful riffs on the guitar with Zamagni’s scrumptious sultry vocals make this pair a true blues music dynamo.
For the past 17 years, the King Bees have hosted and produced the New River Blues Festival, held annually in their home of Ashe County. With the picturesque backdrop of the grassy banks of the New River, this festival celebrates a wealth of musical heritage, bringing some of the most talented southern blues artists to the North Carolina mountains. Likewise, the King Bees are certainly no stranger to the Jones House, having performed there on a number of occasions and regularly taking part in the weekly Thursday night jam sessions. Their exuberant, soulful performances are sure to get your feet moving – and your spirit stirring.
Lynn Foddrell was a crowd favorite at the New River Blues Festival this past August with his lively set and soulful delivery. Playing alongside the King Bees once again, Foddrell promises to bring this same caliber of performance to the Jones House. Blurring the line of mainstream blues music, Foddrell’s influences include elements of gospel, roots, folk, and mountain styles.
A member of the aptly named First Family of Piedmont Blues, Lynn Foddrell carries on the musical legacy of three generations of instrumentalists, a tradition that dates back to the 1880s. A part of the renowned Foddrell family of Stuart, Virginia, Lynn Foddrell is the last of a blues dynasty. Having performed at some of the country’s biggest venues and festivals – including the World’s Fair, the Festival of American Folklife, the Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall – Foddrell has been shaping the landscape of mountain blues music for nearly four decades.
Tickets to see the Blue Ridge Blues Revue are $20 and limited seating is available. To preorder tickets, you may stop by or call the Jones House at 828-268-6280 or email brandon.holder@townofboone.net. For more information about indoor concerts and other events at the Jones House please visit joneshouse.org.
This event is being produced by the Town of Boone’s Cultural Resources Department and is sponsored by Black and Global Roots Concerts, Appalachian State University, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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