Leigh Lunetta
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Inducted 2022 Bio​

It’s been said the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and in this family, definitely a truism.
Leigh A. Lunetta was born July 18, 1959, and began taking music lessons from his father, Stanley Lunetta, at the age of five. Stan Lunetta was a percussionist, composer, sculptor, and well-known Sacramento Music Circus contributor for more than 50 years.
 
Leigh’s first professional gig as a drummer was when he was 12 years old, which was the beginning of a long and illustrious career of becoming proficient in playing a wide variety of genres of music, allowing his skills to be utilized in various venues and studios locally and in the Bay Area as well as Southern California. Leigh had the pleasure of playing with International Blues artists Johnny Heartsman and Frankie Lee, both of whom settled in Sacramento, other local Blues musicians Omar Sharriff and Jimmy Pailer (all HOF members), as well as many other well-known artists.
 
Leigh contributed his talents by working with the Blues In The Schools (BITS) program with Mick Martin and other musicians, performing in school assemblies. He continues to work the club scene, festivals, and other local venues.
 

Chris Fraire
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Inducted 2022 Bio​

​Christopher “Chris” Fraire is a native, Northern California bassist, who has been living and breathing blues for over 50 years. Born to humble beginnings in the artists’ melting pot of Berkeley, Chris was born into music, and had it pumping through his veins early on. His grandfather, Pete Fraire, a notable Hawaiian style slide guitarist, who went on to teach guitar later in life; and his uncle, Gilbert Fraire, bassist for the Merced Blue Notes (of American Bandstand fame), served as his first true influences. As a child, Chris would watch them at various shows and special events, and knew even then that was what he was destined to do.
Like most kids growing up through the 60s, Chris listened to The Beatles and The Stones, which eventually led him to be influenced by English blues rockers like: Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, and Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. Later, he would learn of Johnny Winter, who changed his course and gravitated him to American Blues artists like: Freddy King, B.B. King, and Muddy Waters.
Over the span of Chris’s lifetime, his career would lead him to work with many leaders in the industry. Some notable mentions include: working with the Merced Blue Notes, performing with Steve Shelton backing JJ Malone, and playing with J. Wood & the Blues Commandos, where they backed up the likes of heavy hitters such as Charlie Musselwhite. Later in his career, some of Chris’s shining moments as an artist include performing multiple tours across Canada with Frankie Lee, being a proud member of the Arbess Williams Band for several years, along with recording on her LP, and most recently, fulfilling a life-long dream of being featured on a movie track (Under the Palm Tree).
Chris is best known for the distinct way he wears his heart on his strings, and plucks soul from every chord. He continues to be a powerful force in the world of Blues with no end in sight.

Chris Martinez

Inducted 2022 Bio​

Chris Martinez has had a long career based in the Blues, pulling together his own style of acoustic to ragtime, to bottleneck, and continuing into electric players, starting with The Three Kings (Albert, B.B. and Freddie). His father’s Texas influence prevailed, drawing Chris to players like Lightnin’ Hopkins, Billy Gibbons, Anson Funderburgh, and of course Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan. This led to Chris’ long-running Blues trio “Hollywood Texas,” which was started in the early 90s.
 
It was upon various day trips for gigs in San Francisco at the Saloon and the Grant and Green, that Chris met Johnny Nitro, a well-respected musician in the Bay Area, whom Chris quotes to this day “Keep it greasy, don’t get too polished and continue to play with other artists often.”
 
He’s played with bass players Andrew Browne (Beer Dawgs) & Jay Peterson (Little Charlie & the Nightcats); was often an opening act for Commander Cody, Jimmy Rogers, and many others; played Sam’s Hof Brau in Sacramento, jamming with Johnny Heartsman, Johnny “Guitar” Knox, Steve Samuels, Omar Sharriff (all HOF members) and other local greats. All of this led to backing Arbess Williams for two years, Guitar Mac another two after that; opening for Bobby “Blue” Bland, John Hammond, Albert Collins, Little Milton, and other internationally known Blues artists.
 
On NYE in 2008, guitarist James Papastathis asked Chris to join him, bassist Steve Schofer (Mick Martin), drummer Steve Price (Pablo Cruise) and vocalist Dana Moret (Lydia Pense) and form the band “Mr. December”, which became a popular favorite in Northern California. In 2010, Chris put together a new band called “Hollywood Texas Blues” with Sacramento drummer Pete Phillis, legendary organ player Kevin Burton (Joe Louis Walker), NYC jazz bassist Zach Westfall, and toured the lower United States for two years.
 
Chris joined the Katie Knipp band in 2019 and continues to tour with them.

Saxophone Zot

Inducted 2022 Bio​

Saxophone Zot got his first sax in 1954 while in the eighth grade and was reading charts in concert bands until 1962. He bought a Martin tenor sax, left college and joined Doug Brown and the Omens, a Pontiac, Michigan band that played from 9 pm to 2 am, six nights a week in a local club. During that period, Zot saw a sax player in Toledo, Ohio, who, when asked to play a tune, walked through the crowd and climbed up on the bar while people put money in his horn. That was a big inspiration for Zot, and he’s been a bar walker ever since. (Although, now at 81, he doesn't do that so much anymore.) He remembers playing at the club for just over two years, where the owner let Bob Seger and his underage band sit up front to watch. Bob was looking for a record deal and asked Zot to add sax to some demos making him Seger’s first sax player.
 
The Omens passed up a guaranteed record deal, so Zot left and moved to California in 1966. He did not play for 15 years. In 1978, Johnny "Guitar" Knox, left his partners Ray "Catfish" Copeland and Jimmy Morello (all HOF members) in charge of the Blue Flames. Three years later, Zot dropped into the Shanghai Saloon in Auburn one night to sit in with his sax and dazzled everyone there with his showmanship and his playing. He was made a full-time band member shortly afterward. A couple months later, tenor saxman Marty Deradoorian joined the band. In 1983, Copeland, Morello, Deradoorian, Zot and bassist Steve Schofer were joined by Tim Barnes, formerly of Stoneground. Copeland left to form Catfish & the Crawdaddies and the band changed its name to the Fabulous Flames, releasing a well-received album entitled "Rock 'n Roll with a Whole Lotta Soul."
 
Marty and Zot have been a horn section together for over 40 years, still teaming up as guests with blues bands in Northern California to add their distinctive touch of class.

John Noxon
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Inducted 2022 Bio​

John Noxon, a life-long musician, started playing keyboard in Rock and Blues bands in the sixties in the San Francisco Bay Area. He lived in Utah, Texas, and Nevada in the late 70s-80s and returned to Sacramento in the early 1990s.
 
John has been a long-time supporter of the Sacramento Blues Society, serving in various capacities as Vice-President, Newsletter Writer, Editor, and Events Chair for 10 years, all the while directing and back-lining eighty-seven profitable shows. He initially created and chaired both the SBS Hall of Fame and the Gene Chambers Emergency Musicians Fund in the early 90s. He has continued to support our Blues in the Schools (BITS) program with his generous donations of restored Hammond organs.
 
As a musician, he has played in bands opening for Jerry Garcia, Huey Lewis, Johnny Heartsman, Coco Montoya, Tommy Castro, Van Morrison's Band, Les Dudek, Billy Preston, Larry Graham, Maria Muldaur, Guitar Shorty and many others. In addition, he has performed with Daniel Castro, Elvin Bishop, Angila Witherspoon, Lara Price, Su Mac, Gary Mendoza, Mark Herin, Chris Martinez, Sacramento Blues Revue, Marshal Wilkerson, Grant Urias, Melonnee Desiree, Val Starr and Mick Martin. Noxon currently plays keys in the Tim Noxon Rockin' Blues Band.
 
John’s community spirit spilled into organizing, playing, and back-lining music for Sacramento Loaves and Fishes’ special events, most notably on Thanksgiving.
 
He is one of the few remaining keyboard technicians with Hammond & Leslie keyboard repair experience. Noxon’s keyboards are used at Greaseland; Tanglewood and King Tide Studios.

Paris Clayton

Inducted 2021 Bio​

Singer, Musician, Producer, Paris Clayton was born in 1946 and started playing professionally in 1962.  Since then he’s played over 5000 gigs and made hundreds of recordings. His early childhood was spent in Tyler, Texas and his family eventually moved north up Rt 66 to St. Louis and Chicago.

As a child he studied piano and drums, followed by guitar and bass, learning from his Dad’s large record collection of Blues and Jazz.  In 1962 he had a chance meeting with a member of The Vibrations, a working blues band, and his knowledge of Chicago blues got him a place in the band. He worked three or four nights a week all through high school and college. In St. Louis he led his own group, as well as playing bass for local legends Albert King, Henry Townsend, and Chuck Berry. In 1968 he signed with manager Irving Azoff and toured for the next 10 years. headlining on the college and concert circuit and opening for bands like The Who and The Eagles.
 
In 1978 Paris moved to Los Angeles and worked there for the next 20 years as a session singer and musician, honing his skills as a recording engineer by working in various studios.

In the 80’s, after playing in the Los Angeles Blues scene for a while, he was asked to put together a band to back up Willie Dixon, John “Juke” Logan, William Clarke, and other artists for a series of fund raising concerts., This led to a friendship with Willie Dixon, who got him involved with the Blues in the Schools program in L.A.
.
In 1999 Paris moved to Sacramento and immediately got involved with the Sacramento Blues Society, where his solo CD “Hip Trash - Blues, Soul, and Rock and Roll” was released.

Over the next 20 years he played with his own band and many local groups, and became a founding member of the Sacramento Blues Revue.

Working as a Producer, Paris has recorded many CD’s for local artists and won Sacramento Blues Society’s Best Self-Produced CD for “There’s a Party Goin’ On”.
 
Paris has worked extensively with the SBS’ local Blues in the Schools projects, giving lectures at High Schools in Sacramento and Yolo counties and after school band programs.  He produced the CD “Life”, which used lyrics written by the students who had been encouraged to write Blues songs. The sales were used to raise funds for BITS.

Paris’ contributions to the Blues genre have been greatly instrumental in the success of the BITS program.

Mindy Giles

Inducted 2021 Bio​

Mindy Giles has 40+ years in the music business in artist management, record labels, publicity, marketing and being an event promoter in three cities-- Chicago, New Orleans, and Sacramento. She is a 39-year voting member of The Recording Academy.
 
Her part-time jobs from age 16 through college were in record shops, including Discount Records in Bloomington, Indiana which led her to become an assistant manager at a new store in Chicago.  A week later, her first free ticket was the 1974 PBS taping, “Muddy Waters & Friends: Blues Summit In Chicago” featuring  Muddy, Willie Dixon, Junior Wells, Pinetop Perkins, Koko Taylor, Johnny Winter, Dr. John, Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites, Bob Margolin, and Jerry Portnoy.
 
Beginning in 1977, she was with Polygram (Midwest Marketing Director); Alligator Records (Vice President-North American booking, Marketing, Publicity); Rounder Records (Marketing Director) and Black Top Records (Marketing/Publicity Director).
 
Mindy co-executive produced albums with Lonnie Mack and Stevie Ray Vaughan, produced an album with Maria Muldaur, has written bios, liner notes, provided photographs, and is the author of the book, REALLY THE BLUES (1996, Woodford Publishing).  She has written for Pulse! Magazine, Blues Revue, Blues Access, Big City Blues and Sacramento News & Review. 
 
Mindy has managed/project-managed the careers of great blues and roots music artists including Albert Collins, Lonnie Mack, Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Lonnie Brooks, Johnny Winter, Big Shoulders, James Harman, Robert Ward, Earl King, Maria Muldaur, Markus James, Terry Hanck, and HowellDevine. 
 
In 1997 Tower Records brought her to Sacramento to be Marketing Director for Bayside Entertainment Distribution, overseeing marketing for 200+ labels.
 
In 2001 she oversaw the unknown artist Jackie Greene, guiding his national breakthrough by handling publicity, retail marketing and radio airplay.  She booked him to open for Susan Tedeschi, Los Lobos and BB King, and then signed Greene to Monterey International Booking Agency.
 
In 2004, Mindy and Steve Nikkel co-founded Swell Productions, and have brought national talent to Sacramento like Trombone Shorty, JD McPherson, Eric Bibb, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Nick Gravenites, and others.
 
In 2013-2014, she booked main stage headliners for the annual Sacramento Music Festival and produced the annual Isleton Cajun & Blues Festival. 
 
In 2016, she began working with the Sacramento Blues Society BLUES IN THE SCHOOLS Program, including co-producing the "Out of the Box" Community Festival and in 2018 became the SBS publicist/Events Chair.
Since 2017, Mindy has been producing a popular weekly live concert series “Blues & Bourbon Wednesdays" at the Starlet Room, featuring national, regional, and local blues/roots music artists.

Sally Katen

Inducted 2021 Bio​

​Sally Katen is a woman who gets things done! In 1999, Sally was diagnosed with
breast cancer and along with Marina Texeira, owner of the Torch Club, decided to
produce a Blues show at the Torch Club to generate funds for the Susan G. Komen
Foundation, which helps newly diagnosed women with breast cancer. Sally and Marina
brought together local Blues bands and a headliner from the Bay area. All the
participating acts volunteered their time and talent for a day of live blues music for this
worthy cause. This fund raiser became an annual event for seven years under Sally and
Marina’s direction. There were CD’s made from the live shows entitled “Blues for the
Cure.”

Sally has served on the SBS Board of Directors and as Board Secretary from 2006 to
2010, at which time she asked then President, Willie Brown, if she could take over the
Hall of Fame. Eleven years later under her direction and leadership, the Hall of Fame
has formed a special committee and become a gala event, eagerly anticipated and
recurring annually.

Sally rejoined the Board of Directors in 2015, and beginning in 2020 through the current
year of 2021 has served as SBS President. In addition to the Presidency and chairing
the Hall of Fame Committee, over the past year she has also taken charge of SBS
merchandise and volunteers. The Sacramento Blues Society is fortunate and honored
to have Sally’s continuing dedication to keeping the Sacramento blues scene alive!

Bobby “Blues” Ray

Inducted 2021 Bio​

Sacramento Blues singer Bobby “Blues” Ray began performing professionally in 1962 when he was 16 years old after moving here from Croesset, Arkansas.  He loved gospel music and became a member of the choir at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in North Sacramento.  Early music influences included Sam Cooke and Bobby Blue Bland. 
Sacramento in the 60’s had an abundance of live music venues, talented musicians, and an explosion in popular music tastes making for a unique, unprecedented, and rich time in our musical history. Bobby Ray would sit in and sing at every opportunity afforded him.
In 1972, Bobby got the break of a lifetime, one that would cement his future.  He was asked to open for B.B. King, and Bobby “Blue” Bland at Memorial Auditorium.  The promoter loved how Ray fit in and afterward dubbed the trio; the “King, the Premier, and the Knight of the Blues”. The nickname stuck and was used as his latest CD title.
Afterward, Ray played gigs up and down California, opening for artists like Lowell Folsom, Jimmy McCracklin, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Buddy Ace, and Johnny Heartsman.  He recorded a single Soul Pt. 1 during this time and later an LP was cut titled Bobby “Blues” Ray, Live Vol. 1, at Melarkey’s in 1989.
Ray was a regular at numerous music venues that were part of the music scene at that time.  He performed at the Heritage Festival, Jazzman’s Art of Pasta, Po’ Boyz Sports Bar, Access TV, and many others.  He loved attending community events like the Sacramento Blues Society’s Blues in the Schools program with Guitar Mac and Peppermint Harris, Bobby loves the richness, diversity, history, and relaxed climate of the Sacramento’s music scene.  
As with all musicians, his career was a series of pronounced ups and downs.  His low point took place 10 years ago when he was sitting at a local club when the DJ played one of his songs. .He overheard a patron ask the bartender, “Whatever happened to Bobby Ray?”  He was stunned to hear him answer, “He died a long time ago”.  
One of his high points was when he was invited to play with Lavay Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers.  After that, Ray was inspired to cut his newest CD Bobby “Blues” Ray, Blues Knight of the West Coast.
Bobby is indeed alive and well and is deeply honored to be inducted into the SBS’ Hall of Fame.

Greg Roberts
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Inducted 2021 Bio

As a young guitarist in 1983, Greg Roberts met and soon after was mentored by Legendary Johnny "Guitar" Knox, whose "less is more" ideology Greg felt was an important step in learning traditional blues, especially during a time of over the top blues rock guitarists.  This was around the same time Greg picked up the upright bass and was soon backing Johnny busking and playing clubs. He also appeared on Johnny's 1991 live recording 'Hoboin'. 

In the early 90's Greg played in an 8-piece swing band called Spider Smith & The Sinister Seven and soon after founded The Hucklebucks with Spider’s guitarist Robert Sidwell, along with Doug Crumpacker and Bill Larock. He also played with The Chrome Addicts during that time, including a tour of Moscow in the late 90's.  In the Bay Area, Greg was often found playing with Rusty Zinn and R.J. Mischo, and In Seattle founded the Maxwell Street Revivalists.  Greg has backed many touring veterans of the blues, including Lazy Lester, Honeyboy Edwards, and Little George Sueref.  He gigged with Kim Wilson, Nathan James, James Harman, and other great Southern California musicians while in San Diego.  Once he returned to Sacramento he began backing many great local musicians, which included Ray “Catfish” Copeland, Andy Santana, Kyle Rowland, Leo Bootes and others, on both guitar and bass. 

Greg’s most recent project is The Harold Sessions Trio with longtime friend and bassist, Ronnie James Weber.

Charles Washington 

Inducted 2021 Bio​

In 1938, midway between San Antonio and Houston in the back woods of Texas, is where Charles Washington was born into a family that worked in the fields of cotton, corn and other crops under the Texas sun. Most of the Blues’ music he listened to came from small local bands, a radio station out of Tennessee, and albums he listened to as much as he could as he was growing up.  Soon some local stations in the area started a Blues Hour, which increased his scope of obtaining Blues music.  Radio was his main source of Blues music and he watched the Blues give birth to R&B, Rock & Roll and other genres of music.
Sadly, around graduation from high school, the family’s house burned down, so he ended up back in the fields chopping cotton. Realizing he wanted more for his life, he joined the Air Force and was with the military for over 20 years. He enjoyed his time in the service and was able to build a life and start a family.  Of course, he listened to the Blues as much as he could while in the service. 
Once out of the service, he and his family settled in Sacramento.  He was able to track down where to hear live Blues music in the area and would take his family to some of the local spots like, a pizza joint in Old Sacramento, to hear music whenever they could. Charles wanted to be part of the Blues music community, so he joined the Sacramento Blues Society shortly after it formed. Phil Givant was leading the Society and Charles became an active member, working events and serving on committees and the Board. Charles was President for three full terms (1991-1992, 1996-1997, 1998-1999), Vice President for two terms, and Parliamentarian. 
After Phil’s passing, the Society started on a bit of decline and almost folded. However, thanks to Derek Washington’s motivation, Derek, Demouy Williams, “Guitar Mac” and Charles got together and held a Sunday event with Guitar Mac headlining, thereby resurrecting the SBS. 
Charles states “It’s a refreshing and loving feeling to see the Sacramento Blues Society still alive in Sacramento. I am grateful to be part of the Hall of Fame and will forever be proud of being part of such a wonderful organization.” 

Ronnie James Weber

Inducted 2021 Bio​

Blues bassist Ronnie James Weber has ascended to the top of his field and is now one of the most respected and in-demand players of both the electric and the stand-up acoustic bass in the country. 
His career began in earnest when he joined the band of Blues harp virtuoso Mark Hummel in the early 1990’s.   With Hummel, Ronnie got the opportunity to back many of the living masters of Chicago Blues, including Muddy Waters' guitarist Jimmy Rogers, Billy Boy Arnold, Luther Tucker, and Snooky Pryor.  Before long, Ronnie had made a strong impression on some high profile players on the contemporary Blues scene and was recruited into the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ front man Kim Wilson's solo Blues project.  Almost immediately after, Ronnie was hired to join one of the hardest working bands in Blues, Little Charlie & The Nightcats, spending the better part of a decade touring the world and recording with them for Alligator Records.  As a member of that band, he also backed John Hammond on the Grammy nominated CD "Long As I Have You". 
In addition, Ronnie has played and recorded with numerous other artists, including Rusty Zinn, Chicago blues legend Dave Myers, Kim Wilson, and many others.  In 2001, he was hired by Kim Wilson to join The Fabulous Thunderbirds, a band he toured the world with for many years. 
Ronnie’s move to Austin in 2005 led him straight to accepting Jimmie Vaughan’s offer of joining his Tilt-a-Whirl band after he was hired to play bass on Jimmie and Omar Dykes’ band The Jimmy Reed Highway. Ronnie played on Jimmie’s CD “Blues, Ballads, And Favorites”, and its sequel, “More Blues, Ballads, And Favorites”; both of which were nominated for a Grammy award.  During his 10 years in Austin he also played with Gary Clark Jr., including Gary’s showcase for Warner Brothers, who signed him.  He also appeared in an episode of the TV show Friday Night Lights with Gary.
In 2009 Ronnie was hired by the legendary Booker T. Jones for his American and European tours supporting his album “Potato Hole”.  Since returning to Sacramento in 2015, Ronnie has been freelancing, touring often with McKinley James out of Nashville and recording the 2018 Blues Music Awards’ Best Traditional Blues Album with Michael Ledbetter and Mike Welch called “Right Place, Right Time”.  
You can find Ronnie playing locally at The Torch Club often with Aaron King, The Hucklebucks, and most recently his new project, The Harold Sessions Trio.

James Winegan
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Inducted 2021 Bio​

James Winegan fell in love with the Blues as a sophomore in high school.  It was the heartfelt life stories put to mesmerizing rhythms that sparked the flame in him.  He idolized Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Junior Wells, so he taught himself to play harmonica in 1967 at Vanden High School in Fairfield, California.
While on a football scholarship at Santa Clara University in 1969, James would hang out at the Keystone Corner Clubs in Palo Alto and Berkeley, and where he met the great John Lee Hooker. He strategically managed to meet John Lee in the bathroom, and who was gracious enough to let James try out right there!  After playing a few riffs John told him he could sit in and after the gig, that any time James was at the club, he could play. Later James was invited to practice with John Lee at his record shop in Oakland and whenever he could get away from college, James would go on the road with him.
James later relocated to Sacramento, where he met Derek Washington and Marshall Jones. James started his first band with Washington called the Blues Crusaders, later to be renamed the Bluesaders.  When the lead vocalist got put in jail, James found himself singing lead, although he was terribly shy and terrified. As time passed, he was later picked up by the Dave Bonds band and then the band Everyday People. He was also vocalist and harmonica player for the Johnny Heartsman band and traveled to Europe several times with that band. James also played with Lowell Folsom and Omar the Magnificent, aka Omar Sharriff aka Dave Alexander.
The Blues scene in Sacramento then was much more vibrant than it is now. There were so many places to play, such as the Dixieland Jazz Festival, the Sacramento Blues Festival with Phil Givant, and at Sam’s Hof Brau on J Street where he was the house band for a few years.  In addition, James played for Producer Mike Balma in many Heritage Festivals and numerous bars and clubs in Sacramento. 
As time passed, James began recording samples for rap musicians, which he continues to this day.  James says “Time and music continue to evolve, but the Blues will always be the root of all music. May the Blues live on!”

​Leo Bootes
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Inducted 2019​  Bio

There is no doubt that Leo Bootes was born to perform.  When he picks up a guitar and steps center stage, he is confident, creative, and focused.  He may be playing slide guitar, bass, or singing, but people listen.

The son of a Filipino Merchant Marine and a Scots-Irish mother, Leo lived in Seattle until his mother brought him to Sacramento when he was in elementary school.

When he was 9 years old, someone gave Leo a cheap, old Sears Roebuck guitar with nylon strings.  He learned to tune it and play by listening to recordings of the great rock and blues guitarists of the day.  When he was 16, he left home to live on the streets of Sacramento and listen to local musicians like Johnny “Guitar” Knox.  The two formed a friendship and Knox became Leo’s teacher and mentor.  Crowds would gather when they sat outside Java City Café to practice.

Still in his teens, Leo joined with other young musicians to form a rock band named Fat Molly’s Kitchen.  The band got attention, playing up and down the California Coast.  Later, he gathered other groups such as The Southside Shuffle, and Low Down Dirty Dogs.  He spent 8 years with the Gary Mendoza Band and more recently playing pickup with other groups.

Leo believes it has always been his destiny to play the music he loves and his induction to the Sacramento Blues Society Hall of Fame proves that to be true.

Martin ‘Marty’ Deradoorian

Inducted 2019​  Bio

Martin “Marty” Deradoorian was born in Providence, Rhode Island and started playing professionally at age 19 with friend and band leader the great Jeffrey Osborne.  While in Providence he toured with the Fatman Wilson Revue on the East Coast and up into Canada and Nova Scotia.  He moved to San Francisco and played with Johnny Mars and Mike Henderson and backed up the great Albert Collins.  He moved to Sacramento and got his first gig with fellow inductee Gary “Wailin” Black.  Then he went onto Dave Bonds/Dave Rees band and was asked to join fellow HOF members Jimmy Morello and Ray “Catfish” Copeland to join The Blue Flames.  Marty then opened for and/or shared the stage with the following legends: Bobby”Blue” Bland, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Taj Mahal, James Cotton, Bo Diddly, Elvin Bishop, Lowell Folson, and Delbert McClinton, and is currently playing his sax with The Foxtrot Mary Revue and gratefully “guesting” with Red’s Blues as well as The Hucklebucks.

Kenny Marchese
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Inducted 2019​  Bio​

Blues guitarist Kenny Marchese began playing Blues in Sacramento 27 years ago in 1992 after seeing Little Charlie and the Night Cats at a Shasta County Blues Society Show.  Kenny was a part of the Shasta Blues Society in its inception, playing in local Blues bands in Redding.

In 1992, Kenny learned about two Blues Bars in Sacramento, The Torch Club, at 16th and L St, Sam’s Hof Brau located on J and 17th, and The Sutter Street Saloon located in Folsom.  He started making the drive on Wednesdays for the Johnny Heartsman and Johnny Knox Blues Jams.  The Torch Club and Sam’s became a familiar hang out and, in one of Kenny’s first times at a Sam’s blues jam; Robert Nakashima talked Kenny into playing for the first time in Sacramento with him.

Kenny became a regular from then on at these two great blues bars.  Bands such as Johnny Heartsman, Johnny “Guitar” Knox, Rusty Zinn, Mark Hummel, Arbess Williams, (usually with Pat Balcom on drums), the Soul Prophets, Glenn Lane, Bobby Blues Ray, Omar Sharriff, Smooth Lou and Jimmy Pailer, Lena Mosley with Gene Chambers and Al Arnett, Johnny Nitro and the Door Slammers, Screamin’ Dave and the Bowlevils, The Beer Dawgs, and Little Charlie and the Night Cats, amongst others, were the bands that kept him excited about the Sacramento Blues scene.

In 1992, Kenny’s band from Northern California Tommy Twang, was included in Sacramento’s first blues compilation CD “Sacramento Blues” produced by “Big” Mike Balma.  Kenny also continued to help the Shasta Blues Society book bands from the Sacramento area to their Northern California Blues Festivals in Redding, California.

In 1996, while at a jam hosted by The Hucklebucks at the Sutter Street Saloon, now known as The Power House Pub, band leader Doug Crumpacker asked Kenny to join his band after playing that night. Kenny then played with The Hucklebucks from 1996 to 1998, at times playing 15-20 dates a month in Sacramento, Chico, Davis and other areas in Northern California.  During this time Kenny became one of the dedicated students of the late Johnny “Guitar” Knox. To this day, Kenny still plays with The Hucklebucks.

Kenny played with many bands in the Sacramento area over the years, including Ray “Catfish” Copeland’s band Catfish and the Crawdaddies for about ten years, as well as Johnny Guitar Knox’s band for 4 years.  He played on and off with other local blues bands such as Bob Mora and the Third Degree Blues Band, Bobby Blues Ray, Gary Mendoza, and Dave Croall.  He currently plays with the Kyle Rowland Blues Band with whom he has been playing for the last ten years.

Kenny says “the most important thing about my time in the Sacramento Blues scene is the great people I’ve met and become friends with over the years”.

Robert Nakashima
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Inducted 2019​  Bio

Robert Nakashima first played guitar onstage at the old Club 400, a venerable Sacramento strip club that featured a blues jam session hosted by the legendary Johnny “Guitar” Knox.  As he did for so many younger players, Mr. Knox provided Robert with encouragement, guidance and mentorship at a crucial time.  The Blues scene in Sacramento in the mid-eighties was unusually vibrant and alive.  On any given night one could run into Johnny Heartsman, Gene Chambers, Marshall Jones, Al Arnett or any number of future Blues Hall of Fame members.  It was a welcoming, family-like atmosphere that nurtured young musicians regardless of race, nationality or experience and it was in this environment that Robert received his education in the Blues.

Shortly after that first taste, Robert joined the South City Cobras, a down-home aggregation led by harmonica ace Johnny Ayers.  Later in 1985, he formed The Soul Prophets with John Kwock and Anthony Brown.  Lightning struck one night when he met and became friends with explosive gospel and soul singer as well as future Hall of Fame member Marcel Smith.  The addition of Mr. Smith’s once-in-a-generation talents pushed the band to a higher level of creative power, culminating in the album “From the Old School” and a Sammie Award for Best Blues Band (an honor shared with Little Charlie and the Nightcats), both in 1993.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of “Big” Mike Balma, another Hall of Fame member, the original Soul Prophets reunited for a memorable show in 2010.

Gary “Whalin” Black

Inducted 2019​  Bio

Gary “Whalin” Black got his professional name back in 1968 when he joined a band called Rich Waylon.  The band never really caught on but Gary liked the name “Whalin” and kept it.  Shortly after, he joined a local group called St. George and the Dragons as the lead singer.  It wasn’t until another two years that he picked up the guitar.

Seems Gary had always been part of the blues scene in the late 60’s and back in 1970 – 1971.  When his number came up for the draft, he refused induction, which got him a two-year stint in minimum security prison.  A friend sent him an inexpensive guitar and when he was released, he came out quite a guitar phenomenon; “top of the class” according to Ray “Catfish” Copeland.  Gary also learned furniture upholstery and opened his own business “Good as Wood” where he would host after-hour parties when the bars closed.

He was part of the Sunland Blues Band with Nate “Snakeboy” Shiner, Johnny Nugget, Jerry Eddleman, Tony Montanino and Evan Jenkins.  Gary started the jams at the Press Club, where he played for over 3 years, and at the Torch Club.  He could sing anything and wasn’t limited by genre restraints.  He had the talent, history, and dedication for the Blues and was inextricably entwined in the Sacramento Blues scene.

Richard “RW” Grigsby

Inducted 2018 Bio

Richard “RW” Grigsby has a special relationship with Sacramento. He has moved here twice! In 1984 after a number of years of playing in Georgia bar bands, RW caught the blues bug when he took to the road with famed harmonica man Fingers Taylor from the Jimmy Buffet band. They toured from Jackson to New Orleans, Austin, Houston and Memphis. In 1988 Richard hooked up with Austin, TX  accordion star Ponty Bone’s Squeezetones. At one of Ponty’s gigs, RW met Carlene Carter of the legendary Carter Family. He toured with her through the summer of 1990 behind her top ten single, “I Fell in Love”. A three year stint with Austin harp man Gary Primich touring North America led RW to Sacramento playing at the old Sam’s Hofbrau in 1993. RW (AKA Guitar Grady) joined Dallas guitarslinger and Black Top recording/touring artist Mike Morgan & The Crawl in late 1993, but in 1995, headed for Sacramento. RW joined up with Sacramento mainstays The Hucklebucks. In the late 90’s they were playing 15-20 gigs a month. The road called again though, this time with New Orleans #1 harp man Johnny Sansone. More tours and a move back down south to Alabama until 2006 –when he headed back to Sacramento and got a call from California harmonica ace Mark Hummel. They’ve been working together for over a decade now. As a member of Mark’s ambitious Harmonica Blowouts, RW has backed up almost every major blues harp player in the U.S. including James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Curtis Salgado, Billy Boy Arnold, Lazy Lester, Billy Branch, Mojo Buford, Willie Smith, Johnny Dyer, Rod Piazza, James Harman, Rick Estrin, Sugar Ray Norcia, RJ Mischo, Andy Santana and many more. Their 2013 CD, Remembering Little Walter was nominated for a Grammy and won two Blues Music Awards including Album Of The Year. The last several years, Mark’s project the Golden State-Lone Star Revue has been busy touring here in the states and overseas. Members have included Little Charlie Baty, Anson Funderburgh, Wes Starr, Mike Keller, Rusty Zinn, Mark Hummel–and of course, RW Grigsby, just nominated for the prestigious 2017 Blues Music Awards “BEST BASSIST.”

When RW is not on the road, he and wife Beth Reid-Grigsby( AKA Red) have Red’s Blues,  formed six years ago. You can find them playing in northern California with Dave Earl on guitar, SBS Hall of Famer Tim Wilbur on drums, RW on bass/vocals and Beth on lead vocals and fronting the band. Sometimes you can even find RW laying down the bottom with another SBS HOFer, Ray “Catfish” Copeland.

Two highly regarded recent albums, Red’s Blues and You Knock Me Out feature stellar originals from these two–and many outstanding special guests including Rusty Zinn, Rick Estrin, Anson Funderburgh, Kyle Rowland, Rockin’ Johnny Burgin, Mark Hummel, Mike Keller, Jon Lawton, Steve Freund, John Cocuzzi and Sacramento’s Johnny “Guitar” Knox.

Artis “AJ” Joyce

Inducted 2018 Bio

ANY bass player should go to school on Sacramento’s Artis “AJ” Joyce. In one jaw-dropping extended solo, he can seamlessly quote Cream’s Sunshine of Your Love” to Sly Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” to “Mama’s Little Baby Loves Shortnin’ Bread” to Henry Mancini’s “Pink Panther” to the “Habanera“ from Bizet’s opera “Carmen.”

AJ is perhaps best-known for playing on Alligator Records releases by Charlie Musselwhite, beginning with the critically acclaimed Ace of Harps album in 1990, which marked the start of a new era for the legendary singer and harmonica player. Musselwhite was quoted as saying it was made by “the best band I’ve ever had.”

A big man with a big heart, he has toured North America and Europe, backing Musselwhite, Johnny Heartsman, Ron Thompson, Arbess Williams, Harvey Mandel, Little Milton, Sister Monica, Ron Hacker, Mick Martin, Leah Tysse, Alabama Mike and many more. He still makes it a point to come back home and volunteer to play numerous Northern California benefits. As he would say, PEACE!

Frankie Lee
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Inducted 2018 Bio

Longtime Sacramento resident Frankie Lee (Jones) was born in Mart, Texas. As a child, he sang gospel music in church. In 1963, he signed a recording contact with Peacock Records. Billed as Little Frankie Lee, he released three singles, including “Taxi Blues”, a regional hit and his best-known song. After living with his friend Sonny Rhodes in Austin, Texas, Lee was recruited by Ike Turner to join the touring ensemble backing Ike & Tina Turner. Lee then settled in Houston and worked with other musicians, including Big Mama Thornton, Ted Taylor, Junior Parker and Joe Hinton.

Lee befriended Albert Collins during this period, and in 1965, they both relocated to California, with Lee singing in Collins’s band from that time until 1968. In 1971, Lee was signed to Elka Records, and his cousin, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, produced Lee’s tracks. In the late 1970s, Lee’s backing ensemble included the young Robert Cray. His firstalbum, The Ladies and the Babies, was released by HighTone Records in 1984. The All music journalist Thom Owens noted that “as one of the first albums on HighTone Records, the album helped set the stage for the numerous records and artists that teetered between soul and blues.

Flying Fish Records released Lee’s second album, Sooner or Later (1992), on which he was backed by Doug Newby and the Bluz Blasters, with a guest appearance by Lucky Peterson. Going Back Home (1994) was released by Blind Pig Records.  Lee toured widely, playing at American music festivals and in Europe and Japan. Lee’s final album, Standing at the Crossorads, was released in 2006 by Blues Express. The album was produced by Dennis Walker, who had produced The Ladies and the Babies more than twenty years earlier. Lee settled in Sacramento and acted as a mentor to many local blues musicians, including Kevin Burton, Pete Phillis, Chris Frasier, Martin Holland, Joe Lev, Jim Voorhees, Bruce Bandura, Ridley Howe and Tim Brisson. He appeared at Mekarkey’s, Sam’s HoF Brau, Tootsie’s, the Palms Playhouse, the Torch Club, Mr. D’s, Boston’s, the Powerhouse Pub, the Sacramento Heritage Festival and the Sacramento Blues Festival, Lee died at the age of 73 at his Sacramento home.

Jimmy Morello
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Inducted 2018 Bio

A powerful vocalist and super-quick drummer, Jimmy Morello began playing drums at age 11 and formed his first band at 13. He fell in love with blues music after attending a blues revue concert in 1971 with Ray Charles, T-Bone Walker and Jimmy Reed. His Pittsburgh DJ friend introduced him to Louisiana Red who took a shine to Morello’s band Cold Steel. The began to work regular in Pittsburgh blues venues and hit the road playing Washington D.C. , Philadelphia, Boston areas.

Morello moved to Sacramento in 1980 and joined the Blue Flames with Ray ‘Catfish’ Copeland and Johnny Knox. Stayed with the Blue Flames from 1980-1988. Freelanced for several years with Bay Area and Sacramento Blues bands. Moved to Phoenix and played with Bill Tarsha’s Rocket 88’s from 1990-1993. In 1994 was signed with Rounder/Bullseye label with Pat Boyack and the Prowlers. Toured thru the US until 1997, when he returned to Northern California. Went on tour with Bob Margolin. The same year and got signed to JSP label out of England and put out 3 CD’s under his own name. Then he was hired by John Stedman at JSP to become A&R for the label. Produced 10 CD’s for various artists for JSP. During this time he was also touring Europe, Greece, Belgium and Switzerland and headlining festivals under his own name. He also had the pleasure of doing a Rounder/Bullseye Blues tour thru the US with Pat Boyack, Smokey Wilson and Smokin’ Joe Kubek. Here are some of the names of the great blues artists he has played with; Louisiana Red, Nappy Brown, Carey Bell, Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Lazy Lester, Clarence Holliman and Carol Fran, Joe Houston, Big Jay McNeely, just to name a few.

Andy Santana
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Inducted 2018 Bio

Born in San Jose, California, Andy Santana’s interest in blues and soul had an auspicious start. At 12 years old, Andy’s teenaged babysitter listened to the local radio station. She also played 45 records of her two favorites, Bobby Bland and James Brown when the radio didn’t please her.  One fateful day, she won a radio promotion– two tickets for an afternoon show featuring James Brown and the Famous Flames! Couldn’t ditch Andy, so they rode the crosstown bus to the San Jose Civic Auditorium. “All the women were going nuts. I’d never heard girls scream like that before.” What a phenomenon for a 12-year-old lad. “I was amazed by the energy and environment.”

On Andy’s 19th birthday a girlfriend Janet gave to him two harmonicas, saying “you need some music”.

Soon after while in San Francisco Golden Gate park, two life-changing moments occurred. While walking through the park he heard a young man (possibly Mark Hummel), playing. Andy asked him about a song he was playing—it was a Little Walter song. Andy scribbled it down on a matchbook cover. Later, that evening he walked past a North Beach club where Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee were booked. “I didn’t know a harmonica could sound like that,” Santana said. “I’d always looked at it as a toy. I had one but didn’t know one end from another. I was just blowing and drawing and making noise, not music. When I saw Sonny Terry, wow, I wanted to do that.”

Humbled by his deep appreciation for his early musical encounters with harmonica player Gary Smith, guitarist Junior Watson and guitarist/harmonica player Paul Durkett helped to mold his lifetime of playing. Andy always credits his musical friends as the reason for inspiration and direction.

With over 30 years experience fronting bands in Northern California, Andy and his band have backed, played and toured with blues legends guitarist Jimmy Rogers, guitarist Luther Tucker, drummer Al Duncan, bassist Dave Myers, guitarist Freddie Robinson (Abu Talib), singer Nappy Brown, saxophonist Joe Houston and singer/guitarist Earl King. Andy was also featured on harmonica with Bonnie Raitt at the Bay Area Music Awards.  He has played many West Coast music festivals, also the Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, and has toured from Seattle to Belgium.

In 2015, Andy joined southern California’s Delta Groove Music as a recording artist and producer. His CD Watch Your Step was released worldwide to rave reviews. He co-produced and wrote most of Lady Of The Blues for blues star Miss Freddye of Pittsburgh, PA, who was nominated for two Blues Music Awards in 2017.

Andy’s band, the West Coast Playboys, consists of renowned northern California artists–Rusty Zinn, Mike Phillips, June Core, Greg Roberts, Kenny Marchese, and Larry Carr, depending on venue and location.  These musicians form a world class blues band playing rhythm and roots music reminiscent of New Orleans, Chicago, and West Coast influences.

​Bill Scholer
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Inducted 2017 Bio

Bill Scholer is a native Californian, born in Concord, California in 1954. As a teenager, he was greatly influenced by Jimmy Page, Albert King, Mike Bloomfield, Steve Miller and many others. From that point on he worked to become a guitarist, making many trips on a Greyhound bus to San Francisco to see guitarists Albert King, Mike Bloomfield, Steve Miller and more.

Scholer came to Davis to work for the UCD Art Department as Graphic Technician in 1981, which led him to meet Mike Henderson. Henderson was a blues guitarist who was performing with Mike Bloomfield, Albert Collins and opening for Jerry Garcia. With the encouragement of Henderson, Bill started performing in Davis coffee shops and open mics.

Teaming up with harmonica player Jim Lewis this acoustic duo opened shows for Paul Butterfield and Rick Danko, Willie Dixon, James Cotton and John Lee Hooker at the Palms. Adding drums, bass, and sax, The Bill Scholer Blues Band started hitting the clubs. This initial version of the Bill Scholer Blues Band opened shows for Los Lobos, The Chambers Brothers and The Ventures and played the Sacramento Blues Festival.

As bands do after many years, Scholer formed a newer version of the Bill Scholer Blues Band, which once represented the Sacramento Blues Society at the Oakland Art Museum at a gathering of Northern California Blues Societies and toured the Ukraine (then part of the USSR as part of the Davis Sister City Project}. Scholer went on to form other bands that played in the old Sam’s Hof Brau, Fox and Goose and the Hogshead Brew Pub in Old Sac. Each of these bands had a mixture of stellar performers.

The band took another turn in the 90’s, coming together with other current HOF members along with many other notables. Scholer continued to expand his repertoire and even played zydeco music in the Mark St Mary Zydeco Blues Band.

In 2000 Scholer performed at the Crocker Art Museum with Robert Armstrong, Keith Cary and Jim Monroe for the exhibition The Art of the Resonator Guitar.

Teaching music has always been Bill’s passion; he was awarded the California Arts Council Artist in Residency grant to teach music within the California State Prison system before relocating to Japan in 2012, where he currently resides with his wife Karla.

​Fred “Deacon” Baker
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Inducted 2017 Bio

Fred “Deacon” Baker started his musical career early at the age of six singing gospel in the church choir and was singing solos by the age of 10. His first instrument of choice was the trumpet, which he played in high school and college marching bands. While in high school he taught himself harmonica and in college played in a jazz band that backed such notables as Doc Severinsen. His career in the Navy took him to various countries where he could expand upon his vocals and harp playing, eventually leading him back to the States, where he soon became a popular fixture, playing with Johnny Heartsman, Arbess Williams, and Omar Sharriff (all HOF members now), generally at Sam’s Hof Brau and the Torch Club. He has done studio work with Sly and the Family Stone and Sammy Hagar, television work out of Chico, CA on Channel 12, and even crossed the line playing country at the Opry Land Hotel and the Nashville Palace in Nashville.

Upon returning to Sacramento Deacon was encouraged by Ken Van Cromphaut (Obie Dee) to join his band the BluesExciters and when it folded, joined up with the Sacramento Blues Revue, with whom he continues to play to this day.

​Ken (Obie Dee) Van Cromphau

Inducted 2017 Bio

​Ken (Obie Dee) Van Cromphaut has been a fixture on the West Coast music scene for more than forty years. With formal classical training, he had a love for Gospel and Blues music at an early age. He has also donned the composer hat and is a member of ASCAP as well as being a session musician and performing artist. As a guitarist, Obie Dee has crafted a crystalline guitar tone and screaming leads, and along with his raspy vocals, they have become his signature sound. His membership in some of the best known bands include The BluesExciters (founder), performed with Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers, The Grant Urias Band, Ro Harpo, the Slim Chance Band, Sleeper, Bone Jelly, and most recently the Zola Moon Band. In addition, Ken has been active in fund-raising events such as Loaves and Fishes, MDA Telethon, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. He is a continuing member of the Sacramento Blues Society and the now-defunct Sierra Blues Society, where he once served on the Board of Directors.

​Stan Powell
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Inducted 2017 Bio

​Stan Powell started playing harmonica in the late 1970s, taking lessons from Little Charlie Baty. He began sitting in with bands in Sacramento, including Sacramento Hall of Fame members Little Charlie and Rick Estrin of the Nightcats, Ray “Catfish” Copeland, and Johnny Knox, who were each important early influences on his playing and gave him practical education on playing music. Stan continued to sit in with local bands and play at jam sessions while he lived in Arizona and southern California in the 1980s, and he had the opportunity to play with now well-known national artists like Bob Corritore, Janiva Magness, and the William Clarke band (then featuring Rick Holmstrom and Zach Zunis on guitars). Stan also played on his first recording with the Phoenix band, the Hoo Doo Kings.

Upon returning to Sacramento in 1991, Stan joined his first band, the Coolerators, which has since evolved into the current Midtown Creepers. The band has survived almost 25 years with original members Jerry McGuire and Stan Powell – while other personnel have changed, the band still includes a Nightcats alum and Hall of Fame member Liz Peel on bass, who Stan first met while taking lessons from Little Charlie. The Creepers have played at many of the notable Sacramento area clubs, including the Torch Club, Sam’s Hofbrau, the Stoney Inn, and the Sutterville Saloon (now the Powerhouse Pub), and put out their CD “All Over Town” that included a number of originals by the band.

Stan was also a member of Catfish and the Crawdaddies for about 15 years, reconnecting musically with Catfish Copeland. Stan participated in most of the band’s performances at the Sacramento Music Festival, and played on all three of the Crawdaddies’ CDs. Stan has also played with other northern California artists, including three CDs by west coast guitar wizard Kenny Blue Ray; Bobby Blues Ray’s recent “Blues Knight of the West Coast” CD; Julie and the Jukes and is currently playing original rock and roll music with Friday Night Band, having played on their first CD.

​Tim Wilbur
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Inducted 2017 Bio

​Tim Wilbur has been a first call drummer for an extensive list of Sacramento’s best musicians/bands and beyond, going back decades. It’s been said that Tim, a pro’s pro, has always been well prepared and on time for every musical assignment!

Wilbur was mentored by Ray Torres (Jimmy Reed, Freddie King, Delbert McClinton), played with Timothy Grass, co-founder, ’67-’70, a band featured in the legendary gigs in William Land Park, also Slo Loris, co-founder, ’69-‘70, horn band that gigged in the Sacramento Area/San Francisco Bay Area, opening for Tower Of Power, Savoy Brown, Boz Skaggs, Linda Tillery & The Loading Zone, Sons of Champlin, and Elvin Bishop. He also played many times in various bands with or backed the following folks: Mick Martin, Johnny Clarke, Gary Black, Johnny Nugget, Omar Sharriff, Marcus Rivers; Newell Burton (Electric Church), Craig Horton, Jimmy Z (Etta James, Rod Stewart), Roger Smith (Tower of Power), Guitar Shorty, RW Grigsby, and Steve Samuels.

Tim played in the Oldies Revue (Hughes Stadium, early ‘80s w/Johnny Heartsman), backed Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Mary Wells, the Coasters, the Drifters, Jewel Aiken, and Will Porter, in addition to playing many times at the Sacramento Blues Festival produced by the late Phil Givant in the 80’s; backed Chuck Berry there in 1992; and the Johnny Knox Trio with Jay Peterson at Sam’s Hof Brau, 1991-1992.  1995-2000 brought him into the Bill Scholer Blues Band; Kenny Blue Ray 2009-2012; Catfish and the Crawdaddies w/Ray Copeland 2012-2014; Red’s Blues, Sacramento Music Festival 2017 and The Hucklebucks 2010-present, plus the 2017 Sammies Hall of Fame.

​Jay Peterson
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Inducted 2017 Bio

(XX? – 2017)

​Jay Peterson was the former bassist for Little Charlie and the Nightcats and unfortunately cancer took his life in May. Over the course of his music career, Jay worked with such notables as Chuck Berry, Otis Rush and Charlie Musselwhite and local luminaries like Johnny “Guitar” Knox and more recently, Kyle Rowland. Jay’s professionalism and showmanship were instrumental in taking Little Charlie and the Nightcats from working the local bar scene to being signed by Alligator records and touring the world. Jay fought and conquered some serious health issues and had really been thriving the past few years until the cancer got him.

Charlie Baty recalls “Jay Peterson has represented Sacramento around the whole world. Jay was there at the inception of the blues scene at Sam’s Hofbrau and backed Johnny Knox there for years.  Jay lived here for large chunks of time twice in his life.  There have been few people who have been as influential as Jay Peterson in the history of Sacramento blues.”

Tony Montanino

​Inducted 2016 Bio

​ANTHONY (TONY) MONTANINO’s first band he played with was The Sunland Blues Band with Steve Samuels, Nate Shiner, and Dave Frasier, playing together about six years. The Sunland Blues Band backed up Luther Tucker, Charlie Musselwhite, John Lee Hooker, Willy Dixon and local Bobby ‘Blues’ Ray many times and opened to a sold-out Boz Skaggs concert at UCD Freeborn Hall.

Tony started a blues band called Quickshake after that, which consisted of Ray Copeland, Jim Monroe, and Liz Peel. After a year the band hired Charles Baty, which evolved into Little Charlie and the Nitecats, and a few months later Rick Estrin was added.

Tony went on to play with Nate Shiner and the Nite Hawks for several years, which later became The Nate Shiner Band. With Nate Shiner, they backed up Big Mama Thornton at the Sacramento Blues Festival along with many others.

In addition to his music, Tony has been painting blues figures for over 25 years and has autographed paintings by Fats Domino and Charlie Musselwhite.

Tony also designed the first logo for the SBS, which was used on the first membership cards & t-shirts. He also did the designs for most of The Sacramento Blues Festival & Heritage Festival posters and t-shirts. Tony has created many fine paintings of blues & jazz musicians, as well as local landscapes.

Marcel Smith
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​Inducted 2016 Bio

Born in Sacramento, California, MARCEL SMITH has remained a steady influence on California’s music scene for over 30 years. In his childhood, Marcel was exposed to various genres of music that made an impact on him and would remain with him to this day. Marcel began singing as a young child singing in church.

In 1981, Marcel joined the newly formed gospel group the WD Brothers (eventually would be WD Gospel Singers) and would begin a musical journey that would afford him many opportunities in the ensuing years.

In 1986, Marcel joined local blues band the Soul Prophets with Robert Nakashima. This band would grow to be among some of the best blues/soul bands in Sacramento. In 1993 the Soul Prophets won a SAMMIE Best Blues Band award sharing the honor with veteran blues band Little Charlie and the Nightcats (with Rick Estrin).

Marcel would continue working with both WD Gospel Singers and the Soul Prophets, sometimes appearing at the same blues festivals or club venues. In 2010, “Big” Mike Balma pulled a show together of the Soul Prophets and featured Earl Thomas and Otis Clay.

In 2014, Marcel and the WD’s were honored with the Black Music Award (BMA) Music Icon Award and were inducted into the Sacramento Black Music Hall of Fame.

This is one amazing artist that needs to be heard.

Guitar Mac
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​Inducted 2016 Bio

HARVEY “GUITAR MAC” MACKNALLY is from Cotton Plant, Arkansas, but his music is pure Mississippi Delta Blues. He was introduced to playing the blues guitar at a very young age, learning the Delta style which is still alive and kicking in that region. He moved to the South Bay area in 1968 and settled in Sacramento, California. He has relentlessly pursued opportunities to perform and demonstrate this style of music to the masses and this drive takes him all over the world. He’s performed in Europe – all over France, Italy, England, Germany and Holland. In California he’s been playing his music since 1983 at the Sacramento Blues Festival until it’s end.

He has 14 CDs out on the worldwide market I-Tunes. He has also been graced with many prestigious awards, solidifying his mark in this industry: 1990 – Key to the City of Sacramento, CA by then Mayor Ann Rudin; 1991 – Blues DJ Of The Year – Bay area Blues Society; 2002 – Radio Producer Of The Decade – Access Sacramento; 2006 – West Coast Blues Hall of Fame – Blues Band Leader Of The Year; 2009 – West Coast Blues Hall Of Fame – Traditional Delta Style Blues Artist of the Year.

​Doug Crumpacker

​Inducted 2016 Bio

DOUG CRUMPACKER began his career in Blues by playing saxophone and harmonica around Northern California with Buddy Brown and the Hound Dogs in the early 1980’s.

Around 1990 Doug formed The Hucklebucks with Robert Sidwell on guitar, RW Grigsby on bass and the late Jeff Poncia, drums. The Hucklebucks were very popular and played approximately 200 dates a year during the post Stevie Ray Blues boom. They were Sacramento News and Review Sammie winners and have been a fixture at the Torch Club and the former Sacramento Dixie Land Jazz Jubilee when blues bands were introduced to the event in the early 1990’s. Doug’s band has backed up Nicky Hill, a young blues star on the rise and others.

In recent years Doug switched to playing guitar due to a dental injury. His current Hucklebucks lineup features 2013 Sacramento Blues HOF inductee Jim Monroe on piano. Doug is highly respected in the local blues community for his integrity and commitment to Traditional Blues.

Dale Lyberger
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​Inducted 2016 Bio

DALE LYBERGER has lived in Davis and played bass in and around the Sacramento area since the early 1970’s. Dale’s first band was the Fourskins, a very popular band that often played the Oasis Ballroom and Crabshaw Corner every Thursday night to a packed house for more than five years in the 1970’s, followed by a stint with the very popular Redwing.

In the late 1970’s Dale played with Little Charlie and the Nightcats and his focus shifted to Blues. Dale played with The Bill Scholar Blues Band through the 80’s and 90’s and Catfish and the Crawdaddies from 2000 through 2010. Dale performed at a number of Sacramento Blues Festivals, backing up Chuck Berry, Eric Burdon, Kenny “Blue” Ray, and Steve Samuels, to name just a few. Dale has also played with The Jeff Watson Band and Bob Mora and the Third Degree for many years. The past seven plus years has found Dale playing with The Hucklebucks.

Dale has been a first call guy for blues bass throughout the Sacramento area for 35 plus years.

Bruce Pressley
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​Inducted 2015 Bio

Bruce Pressley, a 5th Generation Sacramento kid, planned on being a bass player via “Jack Bruce” until his dad made him an amp out of an old TV in his 24th and V Street garage with instructions not to touch “that”… when dad left, Bruce touched “that” and got the shock of his life. That led him to play drums.  In the late 70’s Bruce started a successful touring group, the “Bruneau Gold Band” named after his grandfathers Nevada gold mine. Joe Lev was the original bass player. After the BGB, Bruce played with several groups and several styles of music, especially Blues, throughout the western USA, including Hawaii and Alaska.  In 1996, Bruce was hired by Bawb Pearce to play drums for the famous BEER DAWGS.  After 2 years and almost 600 gigs, Bruce left the BEER DAWGS.  Subsequently Mick Martin called Bruce to possibly play drums with MICK MARTIN AND THE BLUES ROCKERS.  Bruce set the phone next to his drum set and “popped” a couple of different kinds of shuffles, did a few funk beats and passed the audition over the telephone.  Since that day, the BLUES ROCKERS have shared the stage with Joe Bonamassa, Elvin Bishop, Coco Montoya, Eddie Cotton, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Little Feat, Robin Ford and the Ford Brothers Band, Maria Muldaur, Craig Chaquico, Cold Blood, Tommy Castro, Leon Russell, Volker Strifler, Tower Of Power, Terry Hanck, Johnny Winter and most recently, Walter Trout.
Bruce has since become an integral part of the BLUES ROCKERS where he happily plays drums and sings to this day.

Donna Proctor Smith

​Inducted 2015 Bio

Donna Proctor Smith is a lifelong musician. At three years old, she demonstrated a fascination for music that was quickly embraced by her father, Vernon Proctor, a distinguished United States Air Force Band commander and later a Sacramento City College adjunct instructor. At age twelve, she began classical training on flute, then at 18, took up her father’s instrument, the bass.

Since the 1970s, Donna has been in demand. Her competent bass playing gained the attention of many headliners, including Blues legend Charles Brown, who offered her a position in his ensemble, Jimmy McCracklin, Floyd Dixon, BB King, Frankie Lee, John Mayall, Ray Charles and country player, Rodney Crowell. Their encouragement as well as her father’s is the guiding force behind her strive for excellence.

Most of Donna’s career as been with blues ensembles including stints with Blues Hall-of-Famer Mick Martin, Seattle Blues WC Handy winner Duffy Bishop, Gospel great Glenn Lane as well as in over 30 assorted regional bands.

Apart from the blues, Donna has performed with Native Music Grammy winner, Mary Youngblood, Grammy winner, Bob Cheevers, several folk/americana/classic rock bands, sang and played bass and flute in a duo for 10 years, was invited to play gospel in a church service and has recorded with a country band. She was a founding member of the Blues Rockers and played on Smith Martin and Shaw’s hit single, “Oh, the Road.”

Donna continues to vary her musical experiences. In 2015, she debuted as a lead lecturer for the Blues Society BITS program, and kept busy with the Lodi-based Esquires Blues Band along with several Sacramento bands. Eventually, she would like to return to performing classical flute.

​Liz Peel Vanhouten
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​Inducted 2015 Bio

Liz Peel was introduced to the blues after moving to Sacramento from Southern California (’73).  One of her early memories was seeing the local Sunland Blues Band, whom she befriended.  She had already begun messing around with the bass guitar and took a few lessons from their bass player, Jerry Eddleman, and later, Andy Samuels.  Soon, Liz joined her first band, Quickshake, with Ray “Catfish” Copeland.  Charles Baty later joined the band which eventually became Little Charlie and the Nightcats.  Liz learned much about Blues from Charlie  and still considers him her mentor.
As the original bass player for Little Charlie and the Nightcats (1976 to ’81), Liz played  several Sacramento Blues Festivals, backing Sonny Rhodes, Tiny Powell, Roy Brown, Gatemouth Brown, Big Momma Thornton, and Floyd Dixon.  The band toured with Floyd Dixon playing the Eugene, Oregon Blues Festival where (billed as the first female instrumentalist at the festival) she backed Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, and others.  She played with the band at other important blues events like the San Francisco Blues Festival.  During those years, the band brought the blues into popular Sacramento Clubs like Maurice’s,  Harry’s Bar & Grill, and Tootsies in Old Sacramento.  Her solid groove helped put Sacramento on the Blues Map, and she had a unique presence as a woman bass player.
Liz missed the opportunity to record with Little Charlie, leaving the band to complete her education and work a day job. But, she continued to play blues and eventually recorded with Catfish & the Crawdaddies, the Midtown Creepers, and Kenny “Blue” Ray.  Over the years, Liz has played gigs with many notable local blues bands and artists such as  Johnny “Guitar” Knox, the Hucklebucks, and others.  Currently, she plays with the Midtown Creepers most frequently at the prized Torch Club.

Michael Andrews
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​Inducted 2015 Bio

(?? – 2016)

In 1965, young Sacramento musicians heard the call of the blues. Albums released by John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band seem to say “you don’t have to be black to sing and play the blues.” One of the first to heed the call was singer and harp player Michael Andrews, who put together The Parish Hall Blues Band with fellow students from Encina High School. The timing couldn’t have been better, as the group gained management and ended up playing at a number of major rock concerts with the Doors, the Yardbirds, Them (led by Van Morrison), the Grateful Dead, the Youngbloods and Quicksilver Messenger Service. Drummer John Roina remembers being on stage and looking to his right, “There was Jerry Garcia smiling and bopping to the music. He gave me a thumbs up.”.Andrews has been playing the blues ever since. In the 1970s, he played the blues at The Stony Inn in North Sacramento as Andrews & Friends on a regular basis. He was a featured guest artist with Mick Martin & the Blues Rockers in the 1980s at the Sacramento Blues Festival. As with his contemporary, Nate Shiner, he is a true pioneer in Sacramento blues.

Robert Sidwell
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​Inducted 2015 Bio

Robert Sidwell’s career as a blues musician began in 1993 as a founding member of the Chrome Addicts along with Tommy Young, Ben Thompson and Brad Cross.   In 1995 Robert was a founding member of the Hucklebucks along with Doug Crumpacker. (the band worked 200+ shows a year in nor-cal until 2001).  From 2006-08 Robert worked with The Rusty Zinn Band.  From 2008-10 found Robert in the popular Sacramento Valley country band Rowdy Kate.  Just recently from 2010-14 Robert has been working with well known Bay Area artist Earl Thomas and the Blues Ambassadors.

Some other artist’s of note that Sid is working with currently include Mark Hummel and the Blues Survivors, Red’s Blues, the Kyle Rowland Band and his new project is the Switchblade Trio with Larry Carr and James Pace

Over the years Robert has shared the stage with a number of other prominent blues musicians including Rick Estrin, Charlie Baty, Steve Freund, Junior Watson, Ronnie James Weber, Nick Moss, Andy Santana, Terry Hanck, Johnny Knox, Bob Mora, Jim Monroe, Doug Crumpacker, June Core, Kedar Roy, Aaron Moreno, Mike Morgan, John Lawton and Aki Kumar.

Robert has been one of the best traditional blues guitarists in the northern area for over 20 years. He has also composed some fine instrumental pieces as well.

Aaron King
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