Tab Benoit Announces WHISKEY BAYOU WEDNESDAYS Live on Tab’s Facebook, featuring artists from Benoit’s record label, Whiskey Bayou Records. Artists scheduled to appear: JP Soars, Alastair Greene, Josh Garrett, Jeff McCarty, Eric McFadden, Damon Fowler, and Eric Johanson. This talented roster of artists, hand-picked by Benoit, will rotate streaming LIVE from Tab’s Facebook page showcasing the extraordinary musicians on his label. Will the multi-Grammy® nominated Benoit himself make a live appearance via social media eventually, as well? You’ll have to stayed tuned in to find out! Meanwhile, check-in to Tab’s Facebook page each Wednesday at 7pm CT and support Tab’s artists as they perform live for you!
JP Soars:
LET GO OF THE REINS showcases one of the Blues World’s premier talents, JP Soars, with incredible style as a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. A two-time Blues Music Awards nominee, Soars draws from many styles and blends them into a sound that is all his own. Produced by Tab Benoit – LET GO OF THE REINS is a landmark CD for Soars and Benoit as they stretch boundaries while delivering solid songwriting craftsmanship on their “swampish” endeavor. J.P. is psyched about this latest release that was recorded during a whirlwind weeklong session at Tab Benoit’s Whiskey Bayou studios, with a band featuring Red Hot’s drummer Chris Peet on bass, and Benoit on drums. They recorded twelve songs in five days – eight originals which they wrote on the spot, plus four choice covers. The inspiration for the album came from the many nights they all spent jamming into the wee hours on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise and at the Big Blues Bender, and as expected, they captured many magical musical moments.
In the decade since he burst upon the national scene by winning 1st place in the Blues Foundation’s 2009 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN with his band the Red Hots (and the prestigious Albert King Award as best guitarist), Arkansas native J.P. Soars has toured extensively through the United States, Canada, South America and Europe, and released an impressive catalog of powerful music. In addition to his work with his own Red Hots, Soars has been part of the regional all-star blues act Southern Hospitality, also featuring Tampa vocalist/guitarist Damon Fowler and 2019 Grammy nominee, Memphis vocalist/keyboardist Victor Wainwright, plus Red Hots drummer Chris Peet and Wainwright’s bassist Terrance Grayson.
Alastair Greene:
Guitarist, singer and songwriter Alastair Greene will be releasing an exciting new record on Tab Benoit’s Whiskey Bayou Records. Known as a rocking guitarist with a strong blues background, Greene has released eight previous records. In addition to many years with his own band, he toured internationally for over 7 years with the Alan Parsons Project, and has spent the past year as the guitarist in the Sugaray Rayford Band, nominated for a Blues Music Award this year for BAND OF THE YEAR. Greene’s musical journey has been anything but traditional. His combination of Blues, Southern Rock, and Jam Band sensibilities has been thrilling audiences for nearly two decades. With recent performances at the Chicago Blues Festival and the Big Blues Bender in Las Vegas as well as recent tours filling in on guitar with Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, and many guest appearances with such luminaries as Eric Burdon, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, Savoy Brown, John Nemeth, and Debbie Davies, it’s crystal clear….. Alastair Greene’s star is on the rise.
Alastair and Tab got to know each other on some annual gigs at the Big Blues Bender, and soon become friends as well as musical compadres, so when Tab asked Alastair to join his Whiskey Bayou Records label, it was a natural fit. Greene traveled to Whiskey Bayou Studios in Houma Louisiana with a handful of songs. Tab helped arrange and produce, they did some co-writing, and wound up with 11 original songs. With Greene on guitar and vocals, Tab on drums and harmony vocals, and Corey Duplechin on bass and harmony vocals they recorded most tracks live in the studio. Greene notes that these songs reflect more straight-up blues than his last couple of records, while the songwriting does stretch in to some different territories — Blues Rock filtered through a funky Louisiana Rhythm section. The new record will be coming in 2020. Stay tuned!
Josh Garrett:
Garrett is a triple-threat singer, songwriter, guitarist with a growing reputation as an exciting genre-crossing performer from New Roads, LA. He and his family relocated to Houma, LA when Josh was a child. He picked up his father’s guitar when he was 12 years old and started writing songs soon after. By age 20, Garrett was performing several times a week in Houma, LA. At age 24, he recorded his first album entitled, Changed Man and never looked back. In 2008, he relocated to Nashville, TN. While there, he recorded his second album, Live on Printer’s Alley – a double album. Two years later Josh returned home to Louisiana and began work on his third album. String of Problems, released Aug 2011, which hit #1 on the Roots Music Louisiana Blues Charts and hit the #1 Spot two weeks in a row on American Blues Scene “Blues Top Five”. Josh still resides in his home state of Louisiana near Baton Rouge.
