What’s on Tap for June’s General Membership Meeting . . .

Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St., Portland
Wednesday, June 5th – 7:00 pm
Members always Free – Non-members $3.00
Opening Acoustic Set – The Hitmen
Second Electric Set – The Fat Tones

With some of the weather we had in May, you’d think that it was already deep in the summer months. Well, we’re about to get started there and a good way to start it out is by attending the Cascade Blues Association’s June General Membership Meeting. Whether the weather changes back to cold or continues to cook, one thing is guaranteed, you’re going to have things heat up every month at our meeting with two sensational acts to check out.

This month’s meeting brings “The Hitmen,” this duo of Ron Rocci (The Hitman) on drums and Bill Hyland (Froggy) on Lap steel, vocals, acoustic guitar and various harmonicas are heading up from the Eugene/Springfield area. Froggy of course is the host of perhaps the longest running jam at one venue in Oregon with his Sunday afternoon shows at Albany’s Calapooia Brewing Company. “All things spring from the ‘Pooia,” says Froggy, whose jam has been termed as the friendliest around, not plagued by endless guitar wanking. Everybody gets to play.

The duo were the brains and heartbeat of the Vicki Stevens Band which made the semi-finals at the 2011 International Blues Challenge in Memphis (along with Lisa Mann), where they later that same week took second place in the prestigious Beale Street Kings contest. “We really appreciated Lisa’s support at the contest, and we’d like to get back and make a dent in the Catfish, Ribs, Fried Chicken and Waffles. Oh yeah! And the music competition too!”

The Hitmen will be performing a preview of their Journey to Memphis contest performance scheduled for June 8th. Multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter Froggy has been doing lots of solo work recently, and the relentless beats of The Hitman keep the tunes moving along with a wide range of tempos and rhythms. Along with their J2M set, they’ll be showcasing tunes from all three Froggy CDs, homages and some brand new tunes for your listening pleasure.

The second set of the night will feature The Fat Tones. Since their inception in 2002, this rockin’ blues trio has enjoyed a steady stream of success. After releasing six hit albums of original music and being recognized for multiple categories of regional awards, winning practically every award offered by The Inland Empire Blues Society in Spokane for their annual Empire Awards. This band is very much one of the hottest bands around!

Skilled guitarist Bobby Patterson leads the band with his world class talent and versatility. Ever passionate, Bobby exudes perfection and professional musicianship in every note he strums. Next we have the backbone position of live music, bass player Bob Ehrgott. He effortlessly lays down the groove and contributes greatly to the bands’ vocals and writing. Zach Cooper is our drum and percussion specialist. Zach boasts an impressive career as a blues drummer having toured internationally with regional and national acts. He also rounds out the vocal harmony of this phenomenal trio. Together these three experienced artists create a symphony of sound that pleasure senses in every way. The Fat Tones play rockin’ blues style music that is packed full of harmonic melodies and fresh lyrics. Their act is danceable and fun, perfect for any venue from private parties to national festivals. Jump on the bandwagon and hear this fabulous group today!

Make sure you receive a free drawing ticket when you enter the venue, for your chance to win CDs and other great prizes. We will also hold our special winner-take-all drawing for a multi-CD package put together just for the meeting. The multi-CD tickets are $1.00 each and go to help support the CBA in their monthly expenses.

Come on out to The Melody Ballroom and mingle with friends while we hear great blues. It is the perfect way to start out the month and the summer. See you there.