FEB 3–10 2019
It was an especially poignant–but healing–cruise, dedicated to the memory of singer Michael Ledbetter. Ledbetter, who was supposed to be one of the cruise performers with the Welch Ledbetter Connection, died at age 33 just 12 days before the cruise began. The entire week was a beautiful celebration of the short, but incredible, life of one of the blues community's brightest stars.
Here are the bands we photographed during the week:
DAY 1
Golden State–Lone Star Revue with special guests Deitra Farr and Oscar Wilson | Danielle Nicole Band
Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials | Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band | Popa Chubby
DAY 2
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram | The Lowrider Band | Tom Hambridge and The Rattlesnakes
The Phantom Blues Band | Kenny Wayne Shepherd | Bobby Rush Revue with special guest Benny Turner
DAY 3
Vanessa Collier Band | Dwyane Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
The Original Legendary Blues R&B Revue with the Tommy Castro Band plus Magic Dick, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Deanna Bogart
DAY 4
The Connection with Mike Welch and Special Guest Curtis Salgado
PRO JAM: Tab Benoit
DAY 5
Irma Thomas and the Professionals | Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band
PRO JAM: Golden State–Lone Star Revue with Deitra Farr and Oscar Wilson
DAY 6
Rev. Billy Wirtz presents, Further On Up the Road–The Early Years of the Blues Highway/Chitlin' Circuit
with Latimore, Bobby Rush, Benny Turner, Leon Blue and Scrap Iron
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers | Eden Brent, Sonnyboy Edwards and Bob Dowell
The Connection with Mike Welch and Special Guest Curtis Salgado
DAY 7
Dick Shurman presents An Inside Look Thru Music and Interviews–The Chicago Blues Scene
with Bobby Rush, Benny Turner, Deitra Farr, Oscar Wilson, Lil' Ed and Mark Hummel
PRO JAM: The Connection with Mike Welch and Special Guest Curtis Salgado
Gracie Curran and her All-Star Band
Janiva Magness