The collaborators – his song is on her latest album, the Grammy-nominated The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster; and her voice is on his 2008 release, Get Onboard – are each critically acclaimed for creating their own unique voice within a blend of soul, blues, gospel and R&B. They appear in Clayton as part of the 2009-2010 Palladian Series.
Bibb has deep roots in the American blues and folk tradition. As the godson of Paul Robeson, the nephew of John Lewis, and the son of Leon Bibb, singer/guitarist Eric Bibb was raised in an environment where music mattered crucially. He brings that same intensity, along with what critics have called “grace, elegance and gentleness,” to the concert stage as a mature and increasingly popular performer.
Although, he has enjoyed wide success in Europe, Bibb is becoming a familiar face – and voice – in the United States. His recently released CD, Booker’s Guitar, is hailed as his strongest work to date, and his accomplishments include a GRAMMY nomination, nine W.C. Handy Blues Music Award nominations, and an International Artist of the Year nomination in the 2009 Maple Blues Awards. Bibb’s rich and sensitive vocals and lyrics provide a perfect balance to his fine finger-picking technique. He blends various genres effortlessly, melding a traditional rootsy American style with a subtle, contemporary sensibility.
A prodigiously gifted singer/songwriter, Ruthie Foster's blend of gospel, blues, folk and soul has drawn comparisons to Aretha Franklin, Tracy Chapman and Joan Armatrading. Her recent fast-track growth now sees her schedule filled with worldwide touring – headlining her own concerts, being featured at the world's most prestigious festivals, and collaborating with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Warren Haynes, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Derek Trucks. O: The Oprah Magazine hails her as a “blues powerhouse,” and her live performances have been called “powerfully transfiguring.”
Eric Bibb will be joined by Grant Dermody on the blues harp. Ruthie Foster will perform as a quartet. Tickets for the 8 p.m. Blues Bash are $25 plus service fees. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 919-553-1737, at The Clayton Center Box Office, 111 E. Second Street in downtown Clayton, from 10 a.m. until noon and from 1 until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.theclaytoncenter.com.
Blues Bash V received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Johnston County Arts Council is the North Carolina Arts Council’s Designated County Partner for Johnston County.
The Palladian Series continues on March 26 with the cool jazz stylings of singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli.
Other popular artists presented in past seasons at The Clayton Center include Kathy Mattea, Johnny Winter, Jesse Cook, Jim Brickman, Doc Watson, Eileen Ivers, Riders In the Sky, the Harlem Gospel Choir and David Sedaris.
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