23rd ANNUAL NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL SUNDAY AUG. 31 2025
40TH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE KING BEES!
TICKETS HERE!
No Coolers~ Great food & beverages for purchase! Info: 336 982 2109 ***CLICK BELOW FOR TICKETS!
NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL 2025 INFO
ALL INFO HERE! ADVANCE TICKET SALES TIX AT GATE WHILE THEY LAST ON 8/31.
- SUNDAY SUN. AUG. 31
- ADVANCE TICKETS $45. TICKETS AT GATE DAY OF SHOW $50 WHILE THEY LAST. For those with advance tix, your name and tickets will be at gate day of fest.
- Gates Open at noon
- Music 1:00-6:00 PM
- Bring lawn chairs, blankets, canopies, etc
- RAIN OR SHINE, bring pop ups!
- NO COOLERS PLEASE! Food & beverages available for purchase
- OUR FESTIVAL IS UNIQUELY INTIMATE, NOT TOO LARGE IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE FRIENDLY MOUNTAIN VIBE. WE THANK ALL OF OUR FRIENDS WHO HAVE ATTENDED THROUGH THE YEARS AND NEW FRIENDS WHO HELP MAKE THIS EVENT LIKE NO OTHER!
- BUY TICKETS
We're keeping the Blues alive in the High Country!
*SUNDAY AUG.31, 1-6 pm River House Inn, Grassy Creek NC, near West Jefferson
*In the meadow by the beautiful New River with plenty of room for social distancing.
*Please, no coolers and no pets. Food and beverages available for purchase.
ACCOMMODATIONS
ACCOMMODATIONS: Many of you have requested info: Ashe County Chamber of Commerce can suggest many nearby accommodations ... Our venue, River House Inn, is a bed & breakfast with wonderful rooms!
VISIT US ON FACEBOOK! PLEASE LIKE US & HELP US KEEP OUR BLUES MISSION ALIVE!
IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED ONLINE TIX , YOUR NAME WILL BE AT GATE DAY OF SHOW. SEE YOU BY THE RIVER!
ONLINE TICKETS $45. REGULAR PRICE TICKETS $50 day of show
ARTISTS ROSTER 2025
MOJO IKE & LADY VAL ~SEARING GUITAR, SOARING VOCALS~ A BLUES PARTY!
Rambunctious & rockin', soulful & spirited..A blues blast!
MOJO IKE and LADY VAL WOODS
Searing guitar with influences that span from rock to Albert King to Django Reinhardt! Soaring Blues vocals seasoned with lots of soul! The son of a Pentecostal minister, Mojo Ike excelled in singing gospel music as a toddler and picked up guitar at age 5. Blues was in Ike's blood and his dubious father relented, only asking the 12 year old to hold off playing B.B.King while mom was home. As a teen he hit the Chitlin Circuit backing up the stars and honing his chops under the greats. Lady Val was a creative young person, both in church music and fashion design. Upon meeting Ike in the early 1990's Val left her fashion industry career behind to sing, and the chemistry of the two propelled them into a life of zealous recording and touring. Rave reviews on their shows and releases have made Mojo Ike and Lady Val an in-demand act at festivals and music venues. From Jamaica to Spain to many other countries, Mojo Ike and Lady Val give fresh, invigorated life to the Blues and deliver uniquely impassioned performances.
THE KING BEES~40 YEARS OF STINGIN' & SWINGIN' & 23 YEARS OF PRODUCING NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL!
THE KING BEE 40 YEARS OF STINGIN' THE BLUES in 2025!!
The King Bees, Rob "Hound Dog" Baskerville and Penny "Queen Bee" Zamagni produce NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL. They call Ashe County home, but travel the world with their Blues and American Roots music. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the band and also the 23rd year of New River Blues Festival which they created and produce. The past year has been a very busy one for The 'Bees. One of the world's most respected labels, Wolf Records, has released 3 King Bees & Friends records to critical acclaim!
In the mid-1980's Baskerville and Zamagni began traveling the deep-South looking for and mentoring under Blues artists of historical, cultural, and musical significance. Many blues greats took them under their wing and nurtured and guided The King Bees toward the sound of authenticity. With Baskerville on guitar and keys and Zamagni on vocals, bass, and as song smith, The King Bees honed their art with many Blues masters. By 1990 they had been touring and recording with some of the most culturally important of Blues artists. In the early 1990's they were signed to a European label and began touring internationally.
The King Bees have performed on festival stages in Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, and London as well as taking their show across numerous countries. Their love of American Roots music has taken them from Mississippi juke joints to several performances at Lincoln Center. They collaborated with Rock n' Roll Hall-of-Fame member Bo Diddley and were featured on The B.B. King Birthday Tour. Baskerville and Zamagni are also recognized as Blues historians, represent and book Blues artists of note, and produce Blues festivals across the South. Veteran drummer extraordinaire, Jim "Jimmy The Groove" Gillon will be laying down the big blues beat.
*"Queen Bee Zamagni belts it out with the best, backed by a superb band highlighted by the burning riffs of Hound Dog Baskerville." The Charlotte Observer.
*"Legendary Blues stylists..." The Knoxville Journal.
*"Excellent...Queen Bee Zamagni has a strong, swinging, slinky voice used to good effect on every number. Fine straight blues all the way..Tasty!" Blues & Rhythm, England
JOHNNIE MARSHALL~ FROM HEARTFELT BLUES TO FROLICKING FUNK, HE STRUTS HIS STUFF!
Passionate blues with joyful versatility! Georgia's Johnnie Marshall exhilarates his audience with a seamless blend of traditional Blues aesthetics, poetic motifs, a modern flair for clean arrangements, and polished vocals. He swings from T Bone Walker stylings to funk-rock, soulful struts, and deep Delta artistry. The King Bees are grateful every day for the friends, both musicians and music lovers alike, that our career has gifted us. Johnnie Marshall is one of these folks. We met Johnnie over 30 years ago at about the very best juke joint ever: Dave's CC in Tallahassee FL. He was an up-and-coming guitarist developing his craft with passion and ambition. We always had a great time when Johnnie joined us on stage and we knew his talents would carry him far. Indeed, his ardor and dreams have rewarded him with prestigious recording contracts and world-wide tours. Our hearts are always lifted and we are honored when Johnnie credits The King Bees as an influence and inspiration. His performance at New River Blues Festival marks a rare North Carolina appearance, and we are thrilled to reunite with him and present this outstanding artist to our Festival family.
GAIL CEASAR~ JUBILANT BLEND OF SOUTHERN FOLK TRADITIONS & BLUES!
The legacy of traditional Southern Folk Music lives on! The village of Pittsville, VA has been home for many generations to Gail Ceasar's family. And quite a family it was--rich with oral storytellers and musicians. From a very young age Gail sharpened her guitar playing at country stores, where she added Bluegrass and Old Time expertise to her prodigious Blues ability. Gail has melded these varieties of folk music into her own expressive creation. Gail is a unique musician, flowing seamlessly between bluegrass and blues with precision and spirit. Gail reimagines her traditional music with dexterous finger picking, beauty of tone, depth of feeling, and gentle vocals floating above the guitar work. Unlike most musicians, Gail has little desire to go out on tour. Gail only occasionally performs at the many Folk Life Festivals which eagerly hope to showcase her; she’s happy to stay at home in Virginia where her family’s roots run very deep. New River Blues Festival is extremely proud to present Gail Ceasar in an exclusive live performance on our festival stage!
DONALD CEASAR~ THE LOUISIANA BLUES EMPEROR
DONALD CEASAR~ THE LOUISIANA BLUES EMPEROR
DONALD "BLUES EMPEROR" CEASAR has been a favorite at our festival and is a part of the New River Blues Festival family. An artist of exceptional versatility, performing on drums, harmonica, and keyboards while singing with gusto and laying down high-spirited dance steps. Ceasar hales from the bayous of Louisiana, in the heart of Creole and Cajun country where his grandfather, Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin and other family members were pioneers and founding fathers of Cajun Zydeco music. Ceasar has been entertaining audiences since childhood with his Cajun family band and opening for and sharing the stage with legendary artists such as Rocking Sidney, Fats Domino, Dr. John, The Nevilles, B.B. King, Allen Toussaint, and James Brown. Ceasar delivers a sizzling musical-gumbo full of the succulent flavors of Louisiana.
"..possibly the hippest entertainer in the Carolinas.” Jim Otis, The State, Columbia,SC.
NEW RIVER BLUES FESTIVAL THROUGH THE YEARS
We Thank Our Generous Sponsors
40th Anniversary of The King Bees!
All across the US and Festivals and clubs in the European capitals!
Queen Bee Zamagni & Hound Dog Baskerville
Creators & Producers of New River Blues Festival.