PERFORMERS and EVENTS
MAMA- If you love powerful vocals, soaring horns and raging guitar, you will love MAMA. Rooted in blues but a little funky and deeply soulful, MAMA won the Triangle Blues Societys’ 2025 Blues Challenge, and came in 2nd place overall at the 2026 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN! -performing at Motorco
JON SHAIN- Hailing from Durham, NC, Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter who’s been turning heads for years with his words, his fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime. Jon has released nine solo albums to date, along with two albums with duo partner FJ Ventre, a Jon Shain Trio live album, and one album of co-writes with Joe Newberry. Shain’s newest album, Restless Soul Syndrome, recorded at Good Luck Studio this past year, was released April 9, 2024. Shain is also the author of the music books Gettin’ Handy With the Blues – a Tribute to the Legacy of W.C. Handy and Jon Shain’s Fingerstyle Guitar Method, both published by Mel Bay Publications. In 2019, Shain won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN in the solo/duo category.
-performing at Geerhouse
E-Train Manning- Based in Willow Spring, NC, Eric ‘E-Train’ Manning is an
accomplished acoustic finger-style singer-songwriter who seamlessly bridges the worlds
of folk, blues, and humorous storytelling. Eric is a 5-time International Blues
Challenge participant and a multi-time champion of the Cape Fear, Triangle, and Charlotte Blues Societies.
-performing at Pickleback 2
Tommy Thunderfoot and the Accelerators- Tommy Thunderfoot and the Accelerators bring a full-throttle blast of blues-fueled rock straight from the backroads and barrooms of America. Fronted by the larger-than-life Tommy Thunderfoot — known for his lightning-fast guitar riffs, engaging vocals, black fedora, and unmistakable stage presence — the band delivers a high-energy mix of gritty blues, classic rock n roll swagger and style.
Backing Tommy are the Accelerators: Dan 'Dusty' Stahl on drums, laying down hard-driving rhythms with relentless precision, and Tom 'Shorty' Dowd on bass, towering over the stage while locking in thunderous grooves that shake the walls. Their music blends the spirit of old-school blues legends with the raw energy of the classic rock acts, creating a show that gets crowds dancing, shouting, and raising their hands in the air.
-performing at Pickleback 2
Al Strong- Al Strong is an award-winning trumpet player, composer, recording artist, and educator. A cultural innovator, he is the co-founder of the non-profit the Art of Cool Project, which spawned the internationally recognized Art of Cool Music Festival.
Strong is lauded for his distinctively unique sound. Whether melting hearts at a whisper volume or delivering piercing musical intensity while being gracefully dynamic, his natural ability to strike listeners at their core is unmatched.
A native of Washington, D.C., Strong is a graduate of the renowned Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts and a passionate advocate for young people in music education. His experiences studying music at renowned Jazz Studies programs North Carolina Central University and Northern Illinois University, afforded him invaluable opportunities to perform at premiere jazz festivals; Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and The Peru Jazz Festival, to name a few.
-performing at the Blue Note Grill
Baron Tymas- Baron Tymas is a guitarist and composer whose playing is rooted in groove, rich harmony, and a deep love for creative expression. Over the past 30 years, he has had the chance to make music across a wide range of styles—jazz, blues, funk, rock, roots, and Latin—with a sound described as lyrical, grounded, and always searching. His work blends deep tradition with imagination; his guitar playing reflects a lifetime of listening, learning, and growing—on the bandstand, in the studio, and in the classroom.
Baron has released four albums as a leader, including Have You Ever Seen the Sun, Montréal, and Insight at Midnight, collaborating with some extraordinary artists—Nate Smith, Kofi Burbridge, Jeri Brown, Camille Thurman, Stephen Riley, and many others! Baron has also had the honor of performing with Branford Marsalis, René Marie, the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, and the North Carolina Symphony, among many others.
-performing at the Blue Note Grill
The Velvet Beat- The Velvet Beat delivers an energetic blend of jump blues, swing,
soul, classic R&B and reimagined favorites that’s built for a memorable night out.
-performing at Geerhouse
Rev Cam and the 5 cent Kings- Out of Durham, NC, Rev Cam and the Five-Cent
Kings are a seasoned group of Blues musicians, playing classic Chicago and Texas
Blues. Always a good time and always a surprise in store every time we hit the stage!
-performing at Wye Junction
Triangle Homeschool Rock Academy- Triangle Homeschool Rock Academy brings young musicians together to learn, play, and perform in rock bands. Based in Durham, THRA is all about the love of music and nurturing confident, joyful young musicians. They are delighted to share some of that joy with you!
-performing at Wye Junction