Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings will headline a New Year’s Eve concert in Grass Valley
By: Carol Guild, Features Editor
A blast of the blues. Upbeat, on-your-feet, kick-up-your-heels blues.
And that’s just a little something to warm you up.
Roy Rogers & the Delta Rhythm Kings have been known to bring down the house. What’s better than that for a New Year’s Eve celebration?
A slide guitarist with credits higher than a DJ’s stacks of wax, Rogers is a Grammy-nominated producer and recording artist.
He has worked with John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santa, Sammy Hagar and Steve Miller, among countless others. His collaboration with The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek debuted at #6 on the Billboard charts and reached #1 on the American Roots Rock Chart.
Rogers has accumulated eight Grammy nominations with records by John Lee Hooker and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. And he has received numerous accolades for his songwriting, such as a Grammy nomination for Bonnie Raitt’s version of “Gnawin’ On It.”
“I recorded with Bonnie Raitt, and with John Lee Hooker,” he said. “She and John won Grammies for the tracks I wrote.” He still keeps in touch with Raitt. “I sit in with her often,” he said. “It’s dueling slide guitars.”
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is another of several artists with whom Rogers is still close. “I produced a couple of records for Jack,” Rogers said. “I’m in touch with Jack all the time. He’s still sharp, going strong, still telling his stories about Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.”
Rogers is credited on film soundtracks, too. “I played on ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” he said. “And ‘The Hot Spot,’ with Miles Davis and John Lee Hooker; It’s an interesting soundtrack of jazz and blues.”
Rogers’ newest release is “Into the Wild Blue.” “It’s a departure of sorts,” he said. “A lot of influences came into play on this one. This is more of an R and B feel.” There are more instrumental songs on “Into the Wild Blue.” The album features harpist Carlos Reyes and pianist Jim Pugh. MORE...