New York writer Dave Rubin wrote that, “[i]f Tim “Too Slim” Langford only played slide guitar, he would slither around most other blues guitarists and take a ferocious bite out of their pride. But as the sole six-string slinger, songwriter and lead vocalist of the power trio Too Slim and the Taildraggers, Langford is a force of nature leaving musical tracks others try to follow”.

Creating an eclectic style of blues and rock that has become a genre all its own, Tim “Too Slim” Langford’s ever-evolving musical direction cannot easily be classified. Too Slim and the Taildraggers effortlessly cross genres, flavoring Blues with Rock and Americana, they appeal to audiences of varying musical tastes.

Tim Langford has won multiple individual awards for Best Guitarist, Best Slide Guitarist, and Best Songwriter and the band are in the Hall of Fame in three Northwest blues societies including the Cascade Blues Association. The band’s 2013 release “Blue Heart” reached as high as #3 on the BillBoard Top Blues Album Chart and Shiver,the bands previous release was a 2012 Blues Music Award nominee for “Blues Rock Recording of the Year”.

Too Slim and the Taildraggers current rhythm section consists of Nashville bassist Eric “Stretch” Hanson and drummer Jeff “Shakey” Fowlkes (Kid Rock, Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise).

Join Too Slim & The Taildraggers as the perform an afternoon show on Sunday, September 3 starting at 3:00 pm at The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202 in Birkenfeld.  Advance tickets can be purchased at Tickettomato.com for $15.00. Admission at the door is $20.00.

“[Seth Walker] is pure talent, a masterful blues guitarist, a singer with some swing in his voice and a writer whose (songs) sound less composed than unleashed.” – Austin American-Statesman.

Over the past 10 years, Seth Walker has become one of the most revered modern roots artists in the United States — a three-dimensional talent combining a gift for melody and lyric, a rich, Gospel-drenched, Southern-inflected voice, and a true blue knack for getting around on the guitar. His latest studio album, Gotta Get Back, is yet another masterwork that further enhances  this reputation.

Growing up on a commune in rural North Carolina as the son of classically trained musicians, Seth Walker played cello long before discovering the six-string in his 20s. When his introduction to the blues, his fate was forever sealed. Instantaneously, Seth was looking to artists like T-Bone Walker, Snooks Eaglin, and B.B. King as wellsprings of endless inspiration. The rest is history.

Perhaps Country Standard Time put it best: “If you subscribe to the Big Tent theory of Americana, then Seth Walker –with his blend of blues, gospel, pop, R&B, rock, and a dash country—just might be your poster boy.”

The Seth Walker Band will be performing at The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202 in Birkenfeld, Friday, September 1, taking the stage at 7:30 pm. Advance tickets can be found at Tickettomato.com for $10.00 advance, with admission at the door going for $15.00.

The Paladins from San Diego, California are the preeminent blues/rockabilly band in America. Founded in the early 1980s by guitarist Dave Gonzalez and his high school friend and double bass player Thomas Yearsley, they have recorded five singles, nine full-length studio records, and three live albums. They helped pave the way for the rockabilly craze of the early 1980s, with their tagline at the time “Western & Bop”, as they played a combination of rockabilly and vintage country together with a blues groove. Along the way they built a solid reputation as one of America’s hardest-working and best live bands.

Thirty-seven years later and The Paladins are still at the top of their game with dynamic performances that draw huge crowds. The band will be heading to Oregon for a pair of shows not to be missed.

On Thursday, September 28, The Paladins will be heading to Portland for a show at Dante’s, 350 W Burnside. Show time is 9:00 pm, contact the venue (866) 777-8932 or check their website Danteslive.com for admission prices. Tickets to be available at Ticketweb.com.

Then on Friday, September 29, head out to Hood River as The Paladins will be playing a free customer appreciation show at Double Mountain Brewery, on 8 Fourth Street. Show information is forthcoming so contact the venue at 541-387-0042 and watch their website Doublemountainbrewery.com for updates on show time.

Also, head over to Music Millennium, 3158 E Burnside, on Thursday, September 28 for a short in-store appearance by The Paladins at 6:00 pm. While you’re there, make sure to check out the band’s discography and pick up an album or two.

“Piper has the kind of voice that lulls men to their doom. It’s soft and sweet when it wants to be, scared and vulnerable a moment later, then ripping through you like a razor… Piper commands songs utterly.” – Jeremy Loome, The Edmondton Sun

One listen will tell you why in her homeland Anni Piper is known as the First Lady of Blues. Not only is she a sultry vocalist, but an insightful composer, accomplished bass player, and show stopping performer. Born and raised in Australia, her passion for blues was ignited by the sound of Stevie Ray Vaughan. Picking up a bass guitar at age 14, Piper completed a Bachelor of Contemporary Music degree at 19 years of age. Finding it difficult to resume her performing career following the birth of her son, Piper recorded her debut album ‘Jailbait’ in 2004. She was immediately signed to Black Market Music, Australia’s most prestigious blues label and began touring throughout the country. She has since been honored with multiple nominations and awards from the Australian Blues Music Awards, ABC Radio “Fresh Air” contest, and songwriting contests in both Australia and the UK. Piper has since recorded with the American label Blue Leaf Records and most recently released her newest album, More Guitars Than Friends, on her own Sugar Daddy Records label. Now living in the US, she has toured 35 states, playing in major venues such as The House of Blues and BB King’s.

Anni Piper will be heading to Oregon in mid-August, with her first ever appearance at The Birk on Friday, August 11. Show time is at 6:00 pm with tickets available in advance at TicketTomato.com for $10.00. Admission at the door is $15.00. The Birk is located at 11139 Hwy 202 in Birkenfeld.

On Saturday, August 12, Anni Piper will be performing at the Bronze Blues & Brews Festival in Joseph, Oregon.

The Claudettes fuse Windy City piano blues with the full-throttle energy of rockabilly and punk, jazz-age echoes of burlesque and vaudeville, and the sultriness of ’60s pop-soul to write a thrilling new chapter in American roots music. Group founder Johnny Iguana mashes the piano alongside singer Berit Ulseth, bassist/singer Zach Verdoorn, and drummer Matt Torre. Johnny, who has toured and recorded with blues legends Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, and James Cotton is also a member of two Grammy-nominated groups: Chicago Blues–A Living History and the Muddy Waters 100 Band.

When The Claudettes perform, they roam through a wide range of dynamics, often following a stomping rocker with a ballad offering the mellowest of mellow tones. They’ve created their own fanatical fusion of blues and soul-jazz, like Ray Charles on a punk kick. Imagine an amped-up piano hybrid of Otis Spann, Ray Charles, and Mose Allison, joined by a jolly madman drummer and conducted in gonzo fashion by Raymond Scott. There’s plenty of Chicago-style piano pounding, but it’s also an adventure in melting-pot music, with punk/rockabilly energy as well as lush soulful vocals. It’s definitely a performance to be witnessed and one that you’ll soon not forget.

You have the chance to catch The Claudettes as they wind their tour through Portland on Wednesday, August 9 at Catfish Lou’s, 2460 NW 24^th Avenue. Show time for this 21 & over performance is 9:00 pm, with a $8.00 admission at the door, with tickets available in advance only $5.00 through TicketTomato.com.