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2024 2nd Annual Houston Bluesfest Featured artists!
Jonn Del Toro Richardson
Jonn Del Toro Richardson
Jonn Del Toro Richardson
Based out of Houston, Texas, Jonn is an internationally renowned guitarist singer songwriter with two Blues Music Awards for Best New Artist Debut Award for his album Tengo Blues and with Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy. He also played guitar on Pinetop Perkins Last of the Mississippi Blues Men that garnered a Grammy for Best Tradition B
Based out of Houston, Texas, Jonn is an internationally renowned guitarist singer songwriter with two Blues Music Awards for Best New Artist Debut Award for his album Tengo Blues and with Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy. He also played guitar on Pinetop Perkins Last of the Mississippi Blues Men that garnered a Grammy for Best Tradition Blues Album. The album Time Slips On By which he recorded with Rich DelGrosso was nominated for a Blues Music Award and Blues Blast Award and was in Downbeat Magazines Top 100 Albums of the Year. The recording Drivin' Me Wild that he recorded with Sean Carney received great reviews in the genre. His work with Otis Taylor introduced him to a diverse world of musical possibilities playing alongside many great artists worldwide. He also won the "Albert King" award at the Internal Blues Challenge in 2005. Jonn's style blends Blues, R&B, Country, Latin, and Rock to give its own soulful flare. Jonn continues to tour extensively both in the U.S. and Europe.
Carolyn Wonderland
Jonn Del Toro Richardson
Jonn Del Toro Richardson
The depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet. She hits the stage with an unmatched presence, a true legend in her time.
She’d grown up the child of a singer in a band and began playing her mother’s vintage Martin guitar when other girls were dressing dolls. She’d gone from being the teenage toast of her hometown Houston t
The depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet. She hits the stage with an unmatched presence, a true legend in her time.
She’d grown up the child of a singer in a band and began playing her mother’s vintage Martin guitar when other girls were dressing dolls. She’d gone from being the teenage toast of her hometown Houston to sleeping in her van in Austin amid heaps of critical acclaim for excellent recordings.
Along with the guitar and the multitude of other instruments she learned to play – trumpet, accordion, piano, mandolin, lap steel – Wonderland’s ability to whistle remains most unusual. Whistling is a uniquely vocal art seldom invoked in modern music, yet it’s among the most spectacular talents the human voice possesses.
That vocal proficiency was well-established in the singer’s midteens, landing her gigs at Fitzgerald’s by age 15. She absorbed Houston influences like Little Screamin’ Kenny, Albert Collins, Lavelle White, Jerry Lightfoot, Joe “Guitar” Hughes, Little Joe Washington, “borrowed” a car to sneak out and jam ended up swapping songs with Townes Van Zandt at Houston’s Local’s on White Oak, got involved in the underground theater scene becoming the first “Photochick” in Jason Nodler’s “In the Under Thunderloo” and soaked up touring bands like the Paladins, Los Lobos, and the Mad Hatter of Texas music, Doug Sahm. Her music played in television series such as “Time of Your Life” and NBC’s “Homicide.” The Lone Star State was as credible a proving ground for blues in the 1980s and 90s as existed, especially in Austin with Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Angela Strehli, Omar & the Howlers, and Lou Ann Barton all in their prime. By the following decade, Austin’s blues luster thinned, but Houston, always a bastion of soul and R&B, boasted the Imperial Monkeys with the effervescent Carolyn Wonderland as ruler of the jungle.
In the early 1990s, Wonderland & the Imperial Monkeys were invited to the Guadalupe Street Antone’s in Austin. There, they were treated like royalty with the singer as the queen of hearts in the club’s post-Stevie Ray Vaughan stable, which included Toni Price, Johnny and Jay Moeller, Sue Foley, Mike and Corey Keller, and the Ugly Americans. It was a good bar for the Monkeys to hang, and Austin felt so comfortable that when the band called it quits a few years later, after a run-in with black ice and a semi that wound young Miss Wonderland in the hospital, she set her sights on Austin at the start of the millennium. Besides, Doug Sahm had told Carolyn while they were signing autographs together at the High Sierra Music Festival, she ought to move to Austin, as it was the land of free guitar lessons. She was there in months.
Living in Austin renewed Carolyn Wonderland’s focus on her multiple talents, underlining rich vocals with excellent guitar work, trumpet, and piano, as well as that remarkable ability to whistle on key. Despite spending two years homeless (or as she puts it, “van-full,”) Austin has been fertile ground for Carolyn. A series of each-better-than-the-next discs began with Alcohol & Salvation in 2001 (“songs about booze and God; records are a time capsule of what happened that year”) 2003’s “Bloodless Revolution,” The Bismeaux Releases: 2008’s “Miss Understood,” 2011’s “Peace Meal” (recorded at Bismeaux and Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock,) 2015’s “Live Texas Trio”; and here we are with 2017’s “Moon Goes Missing.”
Carolyn also got to stretch out with other bands and notably appears in Jerry Lightfoot’s Band of Wonder’s 2002 release, “Texistentialism” featuring Jerry Lightfoot, Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead, The Tubes, Todd Rundgren,) Carolyn, Barry “Frosty” Smith (Lee Michaels, Sly & the Family Stone, Rare Earth, Soulhat) and Larry Fulcher (Taj Mahal, Phantom Blues Band). She has released many songs for charity, 2016’s “Room at the Inn” (iTunes) benefits Doctors Without Borders, 2013’s “Money in the Game” (featuring Marcia Ball and Shelley King) benefits Planned Parenthood, “the Farmer Song” from “Miss Understood” benefits Farm AID, “Annie’s Scarlet Letter” from “Bloodless Revolution” benefits NORML, 1997 Justice Records released Carolyn’s version of Little Screamin’ Kenny’s holiday lament, “Blue Lights” (featuring Ian McLagan) benefitting MD Anderson Children’s Art Project.
Carolyn’s first appearance on vinyl? She’s with James Williamson (Stooges) on the April 2014 Record Store Day single, “Open Up & Bleed” AND on the full LP inspired by that fun session, “Re-Licked” featuring Raw Power Era songs with cool and risky guests.
Her circle of musician friends and admirers broadened to include not only Ray [Benson, who produced Miss Understood] but also the late Eddy Shaver, Shelley King, and yes, Bob Dylan, who likened her composition “Bloodless Revolution” to “a mystery movie theme.” She appeared on the same taping with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings when she made her debut on PBS’ “Austin City Limits” (Season 35.) and had the thrill of her life when Bonnie Raitt joined her onstage for “The Road to Austin” concert film featuring Stephen Bruton and all his friends, got to play with James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, and so many others at Antone’s, she and Erin Jaimes put together a benefit for Uncle John Turner and Johnny Winter insisted on bringing his band by to play, Carolyn’s wedding to A. Whitney Brown was officiated by Mike Nesmith (Monkees,) who serendipitously introduced them on set at VideoRanch in 2010. (there is a video of the two of them on stage together that day!) She began co-writing with locals Sarah Brown, Shelley King, Marcia Ball, Ruthie Foster, Cindy Cashdollar, and Guy Forsyth; sat in with Los Lobos, Levon Helm, Vintage Trouble, Robert Earl Keen, and Ray Wylie Hubbard; and toured relentlessly for the past two decades, sometimes with luminaries like Dave Alvin, Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter, so far spreading her music in US, Europe, South America and Japan. She also claims membership in the all-girl Sis Deville, the gospel-infused Imperial Crown Golden Harmonizers, the Texas Guitar Women, and the Woodstock Lonestars.
Carolyn recently joined John Mayall’s Band as his guitarist and is balancing life on the road with writing time at home and on the way. She’s been touring for over 25 years and ain’t done yet. Come and see it at a show! (seriously, she’s perpetually on tour.)
Leonard "Lowdown" Brown
Jonn Del Toro Richardson
Leonard "Lowdown" Brown
At the age of 70, Houston’s master soul-bluesman Leonard “Lowdown” Brown will release his debut record, Blues is Calling Me, via Music Maker Foundation. Leonard “Lowdown” Brown is a songwriter and electric guitar-slinging blues legend in the Houston music scene. His virtuosic fingerwork and formidable voice seem effortless, evidence of hi
At the age of 70, Houston’s master soul-bluesman Leonard “Lowdown” Brown will release his debut record, Blues is Calling Me, via Music Maker Foundation. Leonard “Lowdown” Brown is a songwriter and electric guitar-slinging blues legend in the Houston music scene. His virtuosic fingerwork and formidable voice seem effortless, evidence of his raw talent and over four decades of dedication to his craft. In 2003, Brown was included in Roger's Wood's book Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues and as such is one of Houston's living blues legends. Leonard Brown grew up in the Chicago area singing with his siblings in traveling gospel choirs . Around the age of six, Leonard’s father gave him his first guitar and he hasn’t stopped playing since. By his early twenties, Brown was playing in the Chicago music scene in gospel and quartet groups but had a thirst to try out other styles of music. He took inspiration from the artistry of Wes Montgomery, B.B. King, R.L. Burnside and T-Bone Walker’s fingerpicking to create his own style. His path changed directions in 1980, when he graduated from a two-year training program at General Electric and was assigned to work in Houston. A stranger to the city, Brown found his community through music. Leonard quickly became a mainstay of Houston’s music culture and was dubbed as the “Lowdown” by the organizers of Benson and Hedges Houston Blues Festival in 1988–and the catchy name has stuck for a reason. Brown was a founding member of Houston Blues Society and served on the first board of directors. Brown has opened for acts including Sister Sledge, ZZ Hill, Johnny Taylor and Bobby Bland. As he continues his journey, Leonard “Lowdown” Brown is grateful to be included in the Music Maker Foundation community, which supports & promotes traditional American musical artists. Through Music Maker, Leonard played at the Telluride Blues Festival and Baton Rouge Blues Festival. Brown had a cover story in the May 2024 issue of Living Blues Magazine. Brown is now a member of the Music Maker Blues Review, recently performing at the Music Maker 30th Anniversary Celebration in Durham, NC. His first album with Music Maker was Blues is Calling Me, released in 2023. His next album Big Blues Show was recorded at Music Makers new studio, and is due for release in early 2025.
Eric Demmer
Cris Crochemore
Leonard "Lowdown" Brown
Eric Demmer won the 2021 and 2022 Blues Music Awards for their participation in the category of Best Blues Rock Album. Eric Demmer a Gulf Coast Records label artist, received an invitation to play with the legendary guitarist Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown in 1993. He remained a member of his band until he passed away in 2005. Eric has won
Eric Demmer won the 2021 and 2022 Blues Music Awards for their participation in the category of Best Blues Rock Album. Eric Demmer a Gulf Coast Records label artist, received an invitation to play with the legendary guitarist Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown in 1993. He remained a member of his band until he passed away in 2005. Eric has won the 2021 and 2022 Blues Music Awards for his participation in the category of Best Blues Rock Album. The albums are “Rock N Roll: A Tribute to Chuck Berry” and “Resurrection” by Mike Zito. He was nominated for the 2023 Blues Blast Magazine Award in two categories: Best New Artist Album Debut and Best Horn Player. Eric’s sound is a blend of high-energy blues, funk, and rock-n-roll. Eric’s music is a fusion of various musical styles and influences. In November of 2022, his album "So Fine" debuted at number five on the Billboard Blues charts. "So Fine” is a personal and professional expression of his relationships.
Cris Crochemore
Cris Crochemore
Cris Crochemore
Cris Crochemore honed his guitar skills in his native Brazil. The Rock and Blues styling quickly secured him a place in the Houston Blues scene and providing an opportunity to perform with Blues legend Diunna Greenleaf, The Keeshea Pratt Band and James Boogaloo among many others blues artists. He represented Houston in the 2020 w Tweed Sm
Cris Crochemore honed his guitar skills in his native Brazil. The Rock and Blues styling quickly secured him a place in the Houston Blues scene and providing an opportunity to perform with Blues legend Diunna Greenleaf, The Keeshea Pratt Band and James Boogaloo among many others blues artists. He represented Houston in the 2020 w Tweed Smith, in the semifinals IBC . He adds to his credit 5 CDs (3 studio, 2 live) and 1 DVD. In 2021 he won the Houston Blues Society Challenge, being the 2022 Houston representative on Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge. In 2024 he won Houston Blues Society as well as a duo/solo artist. Cris Crochemore “The Brazilian Bluesman”