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“The Blues in History”: A Musical Presentation by The King Bees Duo at Watauga Public Library

The King Bees, also known as “Hound Dog” and “Queen Bee,” will be at Watauga County Public Library July 7th.

By Hailey Blevins

Catch The King Bees at Watauga County Public Library this Saturday, July 7th at 2 p.m. Husband and wife duo Rob Baskerville and Penny Zamagni are Todd, North Carolina based. Their presentation on Saturday is free and open to all ages. The presentation will be held in the Meeting Room at Watauga County Public Library.

The duo calls the mountains of North Carolina home but travel the world performing and spreading their Blues and American Roots music as their audiences swing along to the rhythmic blues they produce. The library says the duo “will bring their musical virtuosity to the library in a program combining performance with background on the history, evolution and cultural significance of blues music in the United States and around the world.”

Zamagni, “Queen Bee,” is a singer, bassist and songwriter and Baskerville, “Hound Dog,” is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. This year is the band’s 31st anniversary and “the duo has decades of experience in learning from and playing with greats from the American blues scene.”

The King Bees are known for “their professionalism and exuberant, soulful performances…” with which they “…take the stage and touch hearts and mightily move spirits.”

If you miss this chance to swing along with them and learn more about the background of their music, you can also catch them at the following upcoming, local performances this month:
July 4th – Liberty Parade in Todd, NC at 11 a.m.
July 20th – Concert in the Backstreet Park in West Jefferson, NC at 5:40 p.m.
July 20th – Hotel Tavern in West Jefferson, NC at 8 p.m.
July 24th – The Bayou, King Bees Duo in Banner Elk, NC at 5:30 p.m.
July 29th – Beech Alpen Inn, On the Lawn at Sugar Mountain, NC at 5:30 p.m.

The King Bees will also be at the 16th Annual New River Blues Festival on September 2nd. This festival is annually held in their home, Ashe County.

The duo doesn’t just pay tribute to the roots of blues; they push the genre forward with their music, embracing the traditional power and creative potential it brings. This earned them respect from elder blues artists, leading to friendships and mentors as the duo got their start so long ago. Blues legends like Carey Bell, Jerry McCain, Nappy Brown and “many other lions and legends.”