With a career that spans over three decades, John Hammond is one of a handful of white blues musicians who was on the scene at the beginning of the first blues renaissance of the mid ’60s. That revival, brought on by renewed interest in folk music around the U.S., brought about career boosts for many of the great classic blues players, including Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, and Skip James. Some critics have described Hammond as a white Robert Johnson, and Hammond does justice to classic blues by combining powerful guitar and harmonica playing with expressive vocals and a dignified stage presence. The best way to describe John Hammond is to simply review the honors and awards that have been bestowed on him by fans and musical colleagues over the years.

• 2011 BLUES HALL OF FAME Inductee


• 2012 NEW YORK BLUES HALL OF FAME Inductee


• 2011 Blues Music Award WINNER for Acoustic Artist of the Year


• 2010 GRAMMY Nominee for Rough & Tough (Best Traditional Blues Album) and his 33rd album since his 1962 self-titled debut.


• 1985 GRAMMY Winner for his performance on Blues Explosion, a compilation from the Montreux Jazz Festival also featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan, Koko Taylor and others.


• 2006 GRAMMY Nominee In Your Arms Again
• 1999 GRAMMY Nominee Long As I Have You
• 1998 GRAMMY Nominee Found True Love
• 1994 GRAMMY Nominee Trouble No More
• 1993 GRAMMY Nominee Got Love If You Want It


• Blues Music Award Winner: 2004 & 2003 for Best Acoustic Blues Artist, 2002 for Best Acoustic Album for his Tom Waits produced Wicked Grin. To date John Hammond has been honored with a total of 8 Blues Music Awards and an additional 10 nominations.


• Featured on 2010 Blues Music Awards Nominated Things About Comin’ My Way—A Tribute to the music of the Mississippi Sheiks (Acoustic Album of the Year)


• 2002 GRAMMY Nominee for Best Historical Album Washington Square Memoirs Box Set.


• Host of the BRAVO TV special and Sony Home Video, The Search for Robert Johnson


• Performed or recorded with Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Duane Allman, Mike Bloomfield, JJ Cale, Tom Waits, The Band, John Lee Hooker, Dr. John and many more. He remains one of the world's premier acoustic blues artists.

“John’s sound is so compelling, complete, symmetrical and soulful with just his voice, guitar and harmonica, it is at first impossible to imagine improving it... He’s a great force of nature. John sounds like a big train coming. He chops them all down.”
—Tom Waits

“John Hammond is a master... He is a virtuoso. A Conjurer... A Modernist... John is in a very small circle of men with a guitar and a harmonica. Jimmy Reed, Howlin’ Wolf, Bob Dylan. The guitar is an orchestra. He’s sending messages. Storytelling. All mystery. Protection. The language goes out through the night... The Big Boom. Boom the room.”
—T Bone Burnett

With the groundbreaking family gospel group The Staple Singers and on her own, Mavis is responsible for blazing a rhythm & blues trail while never relinquishing her gospel roots. Rolling Stone named the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself” among Top 500 Songs of All Time.

Featured in The Band”s The Last Waltz with The Staple Singers. Collaborations and appearances with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bill Cosby to Presidents Kennedy, Carter and Clinton to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Prince, Bob Dylan, Los Lobos, Aretha Franklin, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt and Wilco rank among Mavis’ many career highlights.

Mavis will be releasing a new album produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy called “One True Vine” on June 25th—just in time for Bluesapalooza! This is a long awaited follow up to her 2010's Grammy-winning 'You Are Not Alone" and features new compositions by Tweedy, Nick Lowe, plus covers of Low, Funkadelic, and more.

The Legendary Mavis Staples

• 2011 GRAMMY Winner for You Are Not Alone (produced by Jeff Tweedy) for Best Americana Album


• 2010 GRAMMY Nominee for Live: Hope At The Hideout (Best Contemporary Blues Album)


• GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (2005)


• Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee with The Staple Singers (1999)


• 2012 Living Blues Awards - winner in the Readers' Poll for Most Outstanding Blues Singer


• 2011 Living Blues Awards - winner in the Critics' Poll Blues Artist of the Year Award (Female) and winner of the Most Outstanding Blues Singer Award


• 2011 Mavis Staples Receives Honorary Doctor of Music Degree From Berklee College of Music


• Blues Music Award Winner: Soul/Blues Female Artist of the Year 2005 & 2006; Winner of 2005 Blues Album of the Year and Soul/Blues Album of the Year for her acclaimed release, Have A Little Faith


• Included on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll


• “Mavis Staples Day” declared June 19 2007 by Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, in recognition of Mavis’ legendary career and lifelong dedication to civil rights

“...a voice that has only gained texture and power over the years…”
—Pitchfork

“Mavis Staples is the most underrated diva of the century. She has an almost superhuman ability to implant the pure power of passion and emotion.”
—Rolling Stone

“It’s not just Ms. Staples’ rough, smoky voice and sense of phrasing that make her music so distinctive. Her choice of uplifting material also plays an important part in defining her style.”
—The New York Times

Over the course of six albums and a decade of touring, JJ Grey’s grimy blend of front porch soul and down-home storytelling has taken him around the world and back again. Beating the streets on nearly every continent, he and his band Mofro have sewn a continuous thread of laying-it-on-the-line shows that move folks to dance and at times to tears. JJ’s band Mofro has also been a decade in the making. Over that time, great players have come and gone, but according to JJ, the present incarnation—with Art Edmaiston on saxophone, Dennis Marion on Trumpet, Anthony Farrell on organ and piano, Todd Smallie on Bass, Anthony Cole on drums and Andrew Trube on guitar—is “the creme de la crème.” He says, “These musicians I get to play with make it look easy. I’ve learned so much from them about music and about life in general.” JJ and his band will take Mammoth to new heights on Saturday night!

“Impassioned singing, riff-based Southern rock, cold-blooded swamp funk and sly Memphis soul.”
—The New York Times

Vintage Trouble is undoubtedly going places—on our radios, in our cars, our headphones, our televisions, at the venues where we go to see our favorite bands and on the soundtrack of our favorite moments in life. They’re everywhere, including on tour with The Who this summer!

Vintage Trouble’s front man, Ty Taylor, has soul to burn and charisma to match, channeling the likes of James Brown, Jackie Wilson and, yes, Tina Turner. The three musicians behind him can deliver the jolting funk of the Famous Flames, the garage-rock fury of the White Stripes or the heavy blues thunder of Zeppelin. “There isn’t really a right way to describe the vibe that Vintage Trouble brings to their live performances—it’s like Otis Redding meets Led Zepplin.”

“Imagine the blazing R&B energy of a mid-60s James Brown or Otis Redding coupled with the gritty rock/retro soul pulse of a Black Keys. Now, suit up that band in throwback vest suits and velvet ties—and turn that wired Tasmanian Devil loose on stage.”
—Crave Online

“Vintage Trouble is a great band, but on stage they are simply brilliant entertainers.”
—Swerve Magazine

”Vintage Trouble is probably the most dynamic rock ‘n’ soul band of the last decade, so it’s no accident that they’ve spent the winter opening The Who’s American tour. The Who, after all, once dubbed their own music ‘Maximum R & B,’ and that certainly describes VT…”
—Patriot Ledger

Whether Jimmy Thackery headlines a festival or jams for hours in one of numerous blues bars that dot the musical landscape, he’ll always unleash an intense volley of rockin’ blues guitar guaranteed to leave crowds emotionally spent. His double edged guitar dynamics allow him to fire off tracer missiles, bend a note so it will fit under a limbo bar, run off dive bomber riffs, and find space within the trembling of one stinging note. “I put all my senses on hold and find the zone and follow what’s inside. There’s an electricity from your mind to your heart to your fingers. You just try and remember to breathe.” Remember that when you’re watching Jimmy work his magic Saturday afternoon!

Tinsley Ellis speaks no evil. Thirty-plus years. Thousands of concerts. Thirteen albums. A million miles traveled and this southern blues-rocker and legendary guitar-slinger just keeps moving forward with blistering, roadhouse blues. He has shared stages with almost every major blues star, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Son Seals, Koko Taylor, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, The Allman Brothers, Derek Trucks, Gov’t Mule and Widespread Panic. As Billboard Magazine said so well, “…TINSLEY ELLIS sings and plays with the conviction of a man possessed.”

“Feral blues guitar...non-stop gigging has sharpened his six-string to a razor’s edge...his eloquence dazzles...he achieves pyrotechnics that rival early Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton.”
—ROLLING STONE

“Ellis unleashes a torrent of dazzling musicianship pitched somewhere between the exhilarating volatility of rock and roll and the melancholic passion of urban blues.”
—LOS ANGELES TIMES

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who love Diego’s Umbrella and those who soon will. Celebrated as San Francisco’s Ambassadors of Gypsy Rock, these world-renowned entertainers have created an irresistible cocktail that is entirely their own.

On a planet bombarded with every possible kind of entertainment, a Diego’s Umbrella show is a singular, ecstatic experience; one concert is all it takes to turn you into a believer. They effortlessly blend marching drums, harmonized shredding and gang choruses with showmanship that has all the fire and unpredictability of youth, coupled with the refinement of years of experience on the road. The group’s uncanny gift for pleasing crowds, from standard clubs to huge festivals such as High Sierra and Outside Lands, has earned them a breathless and ever-expanding following across the United States and Europe, and that connection with other cultures continues to inform their aesthetic. In their music you will hear klezmer, flamenco and punk rock all blended to pop perfection. Something new for Bluesapalooza and a very welcome change up!

“Part European gypsy troupe, part nouveau hipsters, blended with musicianship and a party atmosphere live show, Diego’s Umbrella hearkens to the best of the past while remaining firmly planted in the future.”
—Modern Times Magazine

“Diego’s Umbrella’s live shows are passionate and uninhibited, with songs as catchy as they are irreverent. Their lyrics weave stories of fantasy, erotica and mystery, with enough absurd humor to remove even the faintest hint of seriousness…”
—Enjoy Magazine

“The band’s music has that punk vibe that gets your head nodding, and your feet moving. They have a knack for pleasing crowds…”
—thatmusicmag.com

Deanna is an award-winning, multi-instrumentalist with no boundaries. As a bandleader/singer/songwriter/producer/pianist/sax player, she combines the best of boogie-woogie, contemporary blues, country and jazz into a splendid blend she calls “blusion.”

Deanna is spontaneous, sophisticated, fearless and fun and her free spirit has garnered her three consecutive Blues Music Awards’ Horn Instrumentalist of the Year for 2008, 2009 and 2010. She has won, at last count, more than 20 WAmmys, the music awards for the hotly-contested Washington, D.C. region.

Recognized for her dazzling keyboards, soulful saxophone, smoky vocals and cut-above songwriting, Deanna has won the hearts of fans as far away Iraq and Kuwait where she performed for our troops and in Egypt as part of the “Blues on the Nile” tour, including performances at Cairo University, the Cairo Opera House and even a historic concert at the Great Pyramids. On Saturday, she’s struttin’ her stuff right here in Mammoth!

“... Bogart reveals the intersections between genres that have fed off one another for decades.”
—Blues Revue

This Texan guitar slinger is musical force to be reckoned with. She’s equipped with the soulful vocals of Janis Joplin and the guitar slinging skills of Stevie Ray and Bonnie Raitt. Carolyn Wonderland has imagination and reaches into the depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet and hits the stage with unmatched presence. She is a true legend in her time.

“Carolyn Wonderland is the real deal! She’s an amazing guitar player. She whistled a solo. She even played the trumpet! And damn, can she sing.”
—Los Angeles Times

“A dollop of Janis Joplin, a slice of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and a big load of soulful individuality... that’s Wonderland, a seething-hot Texas singer-guitarist.”
—Boston Herald

Harper is a multi-award winning Australian singer, songwriter, harmonica, and didgeridoo performer. He’s a fiery artist, a true rhythmic explorer, blurring the lines between blues, soul, rock and world music. Harper creates a heady mix of roots music through his creative use of the harp, and the haunting drone of the didgeridoo. Borrowing from western and world music, this musical visionary and his incredible band present a highly original take on the roots genre. Harper will open this year’s festival at the Thursday Night Bluesapalooza Jam Fest. Get to the festival early! Don’t miss this remarkable performer!

World renowned rockin’ blues guitarist Gary Hoey joins the Friday Night Rockin’ Blues Kickoff Party to officially open this year’s festival. What a way to kick things off!

With a collection of 18 albums and a #5 Billboard Rock hit with “Hocus Pocus” it’s no wonder Gary Hoey is listed as one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. And now he is taking on the blues with his latest recording Deja Blues—a CD full of original tasty guitar driven tunes.

Gary has toured and traded licks with the likes of Jeff Beck, Brian May of Queen, Ted Nugent, Joe Satriani, The Doobie Brothers, Foreigner, Styx, Steve Vai, Peter Frampton, Dick Dale and more. We are pleased to have Gary trade a few licks with us on the Mammoth Bluesaplooza stage!

Texas Music Magazine calls Mingo Fishtrap “the space where melodic pop meets gritty Memphis soul, with a twist of N’awlins funk.” That space is growing like kudzu vine on the Mississippi Delta, crisscrossing the country with a deep, tenacious groove and a sanctified mission to shake your soul. With a sound dancing with horn-fueled Motown pop, Mingo Fishtrap brings the flavor of 1967 to 2012. What’s old is new again; with young audiences flocking to see their live shows, and critics giving rave reviews, Mingo’s inspired, high-energy live show encourages audience participation. Band founder and lead singer/guitarist Roger Blevins Jr. says, “Blues, soul and R&B is the common denominator of pop music. People around the world know that sound—Chess, Stax, Motown, Muscle Shoals—as part of the soundtrack to their lives.”

MFT strikes a funky groove, and make no bones about it, on Saturday afternoon we will be on our feet shakin’ it. If Mingo Fishtrap can’t make you shake it, Judge Eller, you dead.

“Ever wonder what the love child of Stevie Wonder, Jamiroquai, and Billy Vera would sound like? [It would sound like] five-time South by Southwest / Austin Music Award winner Mingo Fishtrap: an octopus of tenacious funk.”
—What’s Going On Here, PlaybackSTL

“Masters of music and entertainment, the music is tight, the tunes big and moving. This is the kind of band that will swallow you with their talent. The music turns and twists, it curls up inside of you, this is a band you cannot ignore.”
—MTV Online

“I had an eargasm.”
—Peg Simmons, KLBJ, Austin

“...one of the hottest live bands in the country.”
—Bozone.com

This year’s Bluesapalooza bill is about featuring both legendary performers and introducing some new and exciting entertainers to our stage and audience. Our talent staff prides themselves in seeking out bright new, up-and-coming performers, and Ruby Velle and The Soulphonics are exactly that! They are coming all the way from Atlanta to treat us to their very special brand of soul. What a Sunday! Two remarkable women performing on our stage—Mavis Staples and Ruby Velle!

Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics' roots are embedded in the rich sound and history of Georgia soul, beginning with the early 50s and 60s R&B that became so well known around the world. Having performed countless gigs since 2005, and with a slew of 45rpm singles already under their belts, the band has contributed heavily to the awareness of genuine rhythm and blues music that exists today. They pack clubs and festivals with their original brand of soul. Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics are taking it worldwide, with the release of their new record “It’s About Time.”

Billboard recently ranked the album in the top 30 on the Heatseeker charts, a chart devoted to emerging artists. In the US, the lead off single “My Dear” was featured as iTunes’ “single of the week”, sparking a digital soul-grab of 200,000 single downloads, and 1200 full album download sales, landing the album at #4 on the iTunes R&B charts. The same week, Jim Farber of The New York Daily News named the album in his much sought-after top ten. In addition, Google Play has offered “My Dear” as a free track for the month.

The best part is you get to hear them live at Mammoth's Sunday Soulful Hangover Party!