On Saturday, March 4, the non-profit West Valley Community Campus will be holding their first ever Old School Music Festival & Sleep-Over. Located in the old Willamina Union High School, this event will feature a variety of some of the finest regional musicians covering the gamut from rock, blues, folk, bluegrass and punk. Artists scheduled to appear include Hillstomp, Root Jack, Cedar Teeth, The Jackalope Saints, The John Dough Boys, Ezra Bell and An Unquiet Grave. This unique festival will take place indoors and as the name implies you can camp out in the gymnasium setting up your tents just like in grade school or hook-up your RVs outside.

Tickets for the Old School Music Festival & Sleep-Over are available at westvalleycommunitycampus.or starting at $25.00, with children under 12 for free. You can also purchase tent and RV reservations. The West Valley Community Center is located at 226 SE Washington Street in Willamina, Oregon. It all starts at 4:00 pm on March 4 and continues until 2:00 pm Sunday, March 5.

In the cold winter months, live music lovers usually have to wait for the summer festival season to kick up their heels and dance to local and nationally acclaimed acts. LeeAnn Gibbons had an idea, with humble beginnings over a conversation at the kitchen table, to counteract the dreary days of winter with music, while at the same time benefitting charity.

Now in its sixth year, the Winter Blues Festival offers some of the best local and national acts, highlighting some of the biggest stars of the West Coast from California to Washington.

• Lloyd Jones, Portland’s award-winning total package when it comes to the blues and roots music. A much sought after entertainer throughout the United States, he is also known as one of the founding members of the blues in the area as it is known today.
• Cee Cee James, based in Washington, is as raw and real as it gets. Capable of bringing an audience to its knees with her performances, she is a gifted songwriter and she’ll bring THE MISSION OF S.O.U.L. to the Winter Blues Festival stage.
• Rae Gordon & The Backseat Drivers, fresh back from competing in the International Blues Challenge and capturing 3^rd place overall in an event that saw more than 260 acts from around the world. Rae is a Cascade Blues Association Muddy Hall of Fame inductee, winning the “Duffy Bishop” Female Vocalist award the past three years.
• Guitarist and singer/songwriter CD Woodbury is an 8-time winner of Washington Blues Society awards and has had his recordings continue to rise on charts.
• Long-time local favorite and nationally acclaimed musicians, Bill Rhoades & The Party Kings/Queens will finish the night with a special All-Star jam. Harmonica player Bill Rhoades is known as the “Godfather” of the Northwest Blues” and has long been credited with being one of the reasons the Northwest scene is well known for good blues throughout the world.
• California-based band Jim Gustin and Truth Jones is a high energy soulful, blues act that has been turning heads wherever they go. The mix of the smoky raspy vocals from Big Jim Gustin paired with the strong and lovely voice of Jeri Goldenhar are a sweet and delicious combination.

The Winter Blues Festival has helped many charities throughout the years including C.H.A.P. (Children’s Healing Arts Project), the Oregon Food Bank and United By Music North America. This year’s charity beneficiary is the Youth Music Project, an organization based in West Linn, but providing services throughout the Portland Metro area. The Festival will also be accepting donations for the Oregon Food Bank and request six cans of food or purchase an emergency food box for $10.00 at the door to help feed the hungry in our region.

The Winter Blues Festival is held at the Milwaukie Elks Lodge & Ballroom, 13121 SE McLoughlin Blvd, on Saturday, March 11. Doors open at 2:30 pm, with music beginning at 3:00 pm. The venue offers large dance floors, a full service bar and food menu, on-site parking and is across the street from the MAX Orange line and bus stops.  There will also be a raffle and silent auction.

For tickets plus lodging and camping information, please visit www.winterbluesfest.net

Blues Hall of Fame inductee and five-time Grammy Award winner Robert Cray returns to Portland for one night only at The Aladdin Theater on Saturday, March 4. Rolling Stone Magazine credits Cray’s stellar 1986 release Strong Persuader as reinventing the blues with his “distinct razor sharp guitar playing introducing a new generation of mainstream rock fans to the language and form of the blues.” Considered one of the greatest guitarist of his generation, Cray has recorded more than fifteen Billboard topping albums and has worked with the best of the genre, from John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt and so many more. His newest release, Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm, will be hitting the stores in April featuring his soulful rendition of that flavorful Memphis sound, so expect to hear new tunes from the upcoming album.

Show time for the Robert Cray Band’s performance is 8:00. The Aladdin Theater is located at 3017 SE Milwaukie Avenue. Tickets are available at Ticketfly.com and at the box office day of show for $45.00. All ages are welcome, minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Jim Gustin is a blues singer and guitarist from Santa Clarita California who has been performing in and around the Los Angeles area for more than thirty years. He has a distinctive, powerful voice; soulful and deep with a smoky rasp, and is a passionate and energetic performer. He has well written catchy songs that reveal his many varied influences to his groove oriented blues. He is also a very solid guitarist with great tone and a funky feel.

His musical partner, Jeri Goldenhar, aka Truth Jones, has been singing since she was a little girl, although at over six feet tall, it’s hard to imagine her as a knee high, little red-headed child. She has a big voice to match her impressive stature. She can belt out gospel and soul rarely heard from suburban white girls.

Together they released the album Can’t Shed A Tear in 2014, a recording that has been described as a passionate, honest, soulful and gritty blues with a touch of Southern rock and country.

The pair are backed by a dynamic band, including Michael Stanton on bass, Wendell Stroup on drums, Steve Alterman on piano and Lawrence Tamez on saxophone.

Jim Gustin & Truth Jones will be appearing at The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202 in Birkenfeld, on Sunday, March 12, for an afternoon performance starting at 2:00 pm. This show is open for all ages with an $8.00 admission at the door.

Orphan Jon & The Abandoned is an American roots and blues band from the Central Coast of California who are quickly becoming a go-to band because of the high energy and passion. Roots and blues is their life blood, and it shows. It is the band’s goal to captivate the audience from the first note struck until the last chord is played while entertaining them both musically and visually. When you see and hear them you will be taken on a journey through the ups and downs, the twists and turns, peaks and valleys of the vibrancy of love and everyday living through their music. They are a rare breed full of spirit and charisma, and they put on a show that is both energetic and captivating with a tight sound like no other.

Front man Jon English aka Orphan Jon, can be moving, emotional, heartfelt and intense at one point, and then soothing, soulful, lustful and desiring at another point in both his body language, lyrics and vocals. Add the journeymen experiences of guitarist Bruce Krupnik, the rhythm section of bassist Tony Jack Grigsby and Stan Whiting on drums and you have a band that totally captures the essence of what the blues is all about; hard work, rough life, grinding days, moving souls, touching hearts and heartfelt love, day to day, and all the time.

Orphan Jon & The Abandoned will be performing at Duff’s Garage, 2530 NE 82^nd on Thursday, March 23. Show time is 9:00 pm with a $5.00 cover.

Then, for two consecutive nights, Orphan Jon & The Abandoned will be holding stage at The Birk, 11139 Hwy 202, Birkenfeld. Friday, March 24 and Saturday, March 25, both nights starting at 7:00 pm with a $10.00 admission.