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Nominated five times for a "Keeping the Blues Alive Award" (category: Commercial Radio),
Graveyard Blues brings you the very best in blues music! The show features "live" in-studio
performances from national acts as well as the hottest blues bands in the Long Island / NYC
area, concert info, "blues" news with Marisa and all of the information that you could possibly
want on your favorite blues artists!
Look for some of the biggest names in "blues" music to stop by the Graveyard Blues studio in
the coming weeks! Since it's inception, Jerry has interviewed B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Gregg
Allman & Hubert Sumlin! Warren Haynes and The Derek Trucks Band have played "live" in the
Graveyard Blues studio!
Jerry's on-air radio career began in 1990 at WNYG 1440AM, an oldies station in Babylon, NY. That
gig led to on-air positions at Beach 104.7 in Amagansett, NY and working in various positions,
including on-air, during a 9 year gig at WBAB in Babylon, NY. A common misconception is that
Graveyard Blues began on 102.3 WBAB. It did not. In fact, WBAB never had a blues show. I think
the misconception stems from the fact that, for a short time, a couple of local business men paid
for air-time each week (like an info-mercial) and hosted a show that featured a few local blues
and rock bands. However, that show only aired on the station's east end signal, 95.3 WHFM.
Graveyard Blues started in January of 1998 on WBAB's sister station 1240AM WGBB. It held the
Thursday at 10PM time slot until the station was eventually sold. In May of 2002, Graveyard Blues
found a new home, on Sunday night, at WRCN! Graveyard Blues is currently in it's 6th year of
broadcasting on "Long Island's Only Classic Rock: 103.9 WRCN!"
Each month, Graveyard Blues brings you "Borrowed & Blue on Graveyard Blues" where we feature
a classic blues tune performed by two different and usually diverse artists! "Blues News" is
another monthly feature that keeps you up to date with what's going on in the world of blues! To
suggest an idea for "Borrowed & Blue on Graveyard Blues" or to submit a story for "Blues
News"... go to the contact_us page!
The story of Gravefest:
Several months after the first anniversary, of Graveyard Blues, quietly passed in May 2003...
many of the bands began suggesting some type of party / free concert to commemorate the
show's milestones.
Rather than begin with the second anniversary, in May, we decided to celebrate the "100th
Broadcast on WRCN" in April, 2004! On a rainy Sunday (04/04/04) at The Velvet Lounge in
Setauket, NY... great bands (Dare Ya, Black Cat Bone, Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys, Phil Varca
& The Slamjammers, Bob "Hooch" Paolucci, Sam "Bluzman" Taylor, Lex Grey & The Urban
Pioneers and The Kerry Kearney Band) great friends, the WRCN staff and the best listeners in
the world... celebrated the 100th Broadcast of Graveyard Blues! The free event was a huge
success and everyone wanted to know when the next party would happen! Gravefest was born!
Everyone agreed that waiting, for show #200, was too far down the line... so Gravefest '05 was
held at The Viking in Islip, NY on Sunday, May 15th! The lineup included: Little Toby Walker,
Breakaway, Dare Ya' w/ special guest Andy Aledort, Tommy Keys, Hooch & The Bluesicians, Kane
Daily and Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys! In an effort to give something back to the community...
most of the proceeds, from the event, went to The Honeysuckle Foundation... a local charity that
helps the families of children with cancer. The last musical notes, from Gravefest '05, had barely
faded, when plans for Gravefest '06 got started!
The Mill House in Yaphank, NY was the site for "Gravefest 06", on Sunday May 21st, and it was
supposed to be an outdoor event. Mother Nature had other ideas and the rain forced everybody
inside. The party had a swampy, honky-tonk feel and the music was great! Performances from
Jack O'Diamonds, Little Toby Walker, Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys, Pam Betti and head liner
Eddie Kirkland (The John Lee Hooker Band) rocked the house and even made the sun come out!
A close friend's 1 year-old son was diagnosed, with Cerebral Palsy, shortly before the event.
This news led to the decision of making The Suffolk County Chapter of United Cerebral Palsy,
the official charity of Gravefest.
Gravefest '07, was held on Sunday May 20th at Bobbique Restaurant in Patchogue, NY and
featured the legendary "Hubert Sumlin" as the head-liner! Hubert was backed by the New Jersey
based "Billy Hector Band." Phil Minissale opened the show with his "finger-picking" style of
guitar and he was followed by the infectious blues/rock of "Breakaway!" "PP & Hooch" followed
Howie, Lou and the boys and they got the crowd into it with their uniques style! Our good
friends, "Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys" (w/ Jack Licitra) on keyboards, hit the "Gravefest"
stage next... and they whipped the crowd into a frenzy! In between sets the "Gravefest Girls"
collected raffle money for the Suffolk County Chapter of United Cerebral Palsy. When the
"smoke" (from the Smokedaddys set) cleared and with the Bobbique staff working feverishly to
keep the crowd happy with great food and drink... "The Billy Hector" Band took the stage! After a
few tunes... blues legend (and one of the nicest men that I've met in the business) "Hubert
Sumlin" joined them on stage! He wowed the crowd with his unique style of guitar playing as he
ripped through "Howlin' Wolf" and "Muddy Waters" tunes! Many of them, that he originally
played on the records!!! Although the clock approached 10:00... we weren't done yet! "Dare Ya"
hit the stage with their blues/rock/R&B style of music and even threw in a cover of the Clarence
Carter tune (that Gregg Allman had a hit with on After the Bullets Fly) "Slippin' Away!" Looking
back on the days events... we realized that we saw some amazing musical talent, ate a lot of
great food, witnessed "blues royalty" up-close and personal and raised a lot of money for a
great cause! Basically... what "Gravefest" is supposed to be all about!
Gravefest '08, happened on Sunday May 18th at The Brickhouse Brewery in Patchogue, NY! The
incredibly talented Jack Licitra and fellow guitarist Dave Raccanelli (Jack's Waterfall) kicked-off
the festivities at 1PM and the crowd got into it immediately! Everyone was hoppin' and very
impressed! The inside was packed while the outside area was just getting started! The pig
(probably the only one not having fun that day) was roasting, the special "Graveyard Blues"
beer was flowing and C&B Blues Revue was getting ready to attack their set at 2PM! Dave, Pat
and "Ed the Hat" tore threw an amazing set (despite popping a few breakers along the way) that
left the crowd shaking their collective head in awe! Some equipment issues caused a minor
delay but Jack Licitra came to the rescue (thank you again, Jack!) and entertained the crowd
with a stripped down acoustic set inside while the Kerry Kearney Band set-up on the outside
stage. Kerry, Frank, Eileen and Tony (w/ Papa Jim Flemming on fiddle & mandolin) "wowed" the
crowd as usual... despite the fact that the rain had begun to fall. Meanwhile... back inside,
MisBhavin hit the stage at 5PM and everyone dancing! Pat Hunter, Danny Kean, Don Celenza &
Phil "Boom Boom" Bloom brought down the house with the blend of blues, soul and R&B! At
6PM, Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys hit the stage for an inspired set that kept the crowd
jumping! Joe, Pete & Chris ripped through their set without restraint! Pam Betti sat in and sang a
tune or two... and at the end of the set, Joe slid his strap off and threw his guitar to the stage...
leaving thre crowd wanting more! Jimi would be proud! 7PM brought the Gary Sellers band to
the outside stage and with them came the end of the rain! Gary and the boys (featuring drummer
extrordinaire Mario Staiano of Savoy Brown) picked up where The Smokedaddys left off! As
darkness fell on The Brickhouse, the Gary Sellers Band played an amazing set and the crowd
loved every note! Now it was time for the featured act and our old friends... all the way from
Atlanta, Georgia by way of Brooklyn and Minneapolis... Scrapomatic! Some lighting issues
required the use of car headlights to illuminate the stage from the side, but that little hiccup
didn't affect Mike and Paul! Actually, the unusual "stage lighting" created a old-time, spiritual
feel with Paul Olsen's haunting guitar licks and the soulful sound of Mike Mattison's voice
coming from under the tent, with the stage bathed in a warm, eerie glow! The guys rose to the
challenge and the crowd soon found themselves to be part of something very special! Their
incredible set included some covers, Scrapomatic favorites from earlier albums and some new
tunes sprinkled in, as well! We'd love to have them back for future Gravefests! All in all it was a
fantastic day of great music, great food & drink and great friends... old and new! As always, the
best part is the passion and generosity of the greatest music fans in the world! We raised
serious money for the Suffolk County Chapter of United Cerebral Palsy and we had a lot of fun
doing it! I know that I sure did! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart and we'll see you next
year for Gravefest '09!
gig led to on-air positions at Beach 104.7 in Amagansett, NY and working in various positions,
including on-air, during a 9 year gig at WBAB in Babylon, NY. A common misconception is that
Graveyard Blues began on 102.3 WBAB. It did not. In fact, WBAB never had a blues show. I think
the misconception stems from the fact that, for a short time, a couple of local business men paid
for air-time each week (like an info-mercial) and hosted a show that featured a few local blues
and rock bands. However, that show only aired on the station's east end signal, 95.3 WHFM.
Graveyard Blues started in January of 1998 on WBAB's sister station 1240AM WGBB. It held the
Thursday at 10PM time slot until the station was eventually sold. In May of 2002, Graveyard Blues
found a new home, on Sunday night, at WRCN! Graveyard Blues is currently in it's 6th year of
broadcasting on "Long Island's Only Classic Rock: 103.9 WRCN!"
Each month, Graveyard Blues brings you "Borrowed & Blue on Graveyard Blues" where we feature
a classic blues tune performed by two different and usually diverse artists! "Blues News" is
another monthly feature that keeps you up to date with what's going on in the world of blues! To
suggest an idea for "Borrowed & Blue on Graveyard Blues" or to submit a story for "Blues
News"... go to the contact_us page!
The story of Gravefest:
Several months after the first anniversary, of Graveyard Blues, quietly passed in May 2003...
many of the bands began suggesting some type of party / free concert to commemorate the
show's milestones.
Rather than begin with the second anniversary, in May, we decided to celebrate the "100th
Broadcast on WRCN" in April, 2004! On a rainy Sunday (04/04/04) at The Velvet Lounge in
Setauket, NY... great bands (Dare Ya, Black Cat Bone, Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys, Phil Varca
& The Slamjammers, Bob "Hooch" Paolucci, Sam "Bluzman" Taylor, Lex Grey & The Urban
Pioneers and The Kerry Kearney Band) great friends, the WRCN staff and the best listeners in
the world... celebrated the 100th Broadcast of Graveyard Blues! The free event was a huge
success and everyone wanted to know when the next party would happen! Gravefest was born!
Everyone agreed that waiting, for show #200, was too far down the line... so Gravefest '05 was
held at The Viking in Islip, NY on Sunday, May 15th! The lineup included: Little Toby Walker,
Breakaway, Dare Ya' w/ special guest Andy Aledort, Tommy Keys, Hooch & The Bluesicians, Kane
Daily and Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys! In an effort to give something back to the community...
most of the proceeds, from the event, went to The Honeysuckle Foundation... a local charity that
helps the families of children with cancer. The last musical notes, from Gravefest '05, had barely
faded, when plans for Gravefest '06 got started!
The Mill House in Yaphank, NY was the site for "Gravefest 06", on Sunday May 21st, and it was
supposed to be an outdoor event. Mother Nature had other ideas and the rain forced everybody
inside. The party had a swampy, honky-tonk feel and the music was great! Performances from
Jack O'Diamonds, Little Toby Walker, Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys, Pam Betti and head liner
Eddie Kirkland (The John Lee Hooker Band) rocked the house and even made the sun come out!
A close friend's 1 year-old son was diagnosed, with Cerebral Palsy, shortly before the event.
This news led to the decision of making The Suffolk County Chapter of United Cerebral Palsy,
the official charity of Gravefest.
Gravefest '07, was held on Sunday May 20th at Bobbique Restaurant in Patchogue, NY and
featured the legendary "Hubert Sumlin" as the head-liner! Hubert was backed by the New Jersey
based "Billy Hector Band." Phil Minissale opened the show with his "finger-picking" style of
guitar and he was followed by the infectious blues/rock of "Breakaway!" "PP & Hooch" followed
Howie, Lou and the boys and they got the crowd into it with their uniques style! Our good
friends, "Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys" (w/ Jack Licitra) on keyboards, hit the "Gravefest"
stage next... and they whipped the crowd into a frenzy! In between sets the "Gravefest Girls"
collected raffle money for the Suffolk County Chapter of United Cerebral Palsy. When the
"smoke" (from the Smokedaddys set) cleared and with the Bobbique staff working feverishly to
keep the crowd happy with great food and drink... "The Billy Hector" Band took the stage! After a
few tunes... blues legend (and one of the nicest men that I've met in the business) "Hubert
Sumlin" joined them on stage! He wowed the crowd with his unique style of guitar playing as he
ripped through "Howlin' Wolf" and "Muddy Waters" tunes! Many of them, that he originally
played on the records!!! Although the clock approached 10:00... we weren't done yet! "Dare Ya"
hit the stage with their blues/rock/R&B style of music and even threw in a cover of the Clarence
Carter tune (that Gregg Allman had a hit with on After the Bullets Fly) "Slippin' Away!" Looking
back on the days events... we realized that we saw some amazing musical talent, ate a lot of
great food, witnessed "blues royalty" up-close and personal and raised a lot of money for a
great cause! Basically... what "Gravefest" is supposed to be all about!
Gravefest '08, happened on Sunday May 18th at The Brickhouse Brewery in Patchogue, NY! The
incredibly talented Jack Licitra and fellow guitarist Dave Raccanelli (Jack's Waterfall) kicked-off
the festivities at 1PM and the crowd got into it immediately! Everyone was hoppin' and very
impressed! The inside was packed while the outside area was just getting started! The pig
(probably the only one not having fun that day) was roasting, the special "Graveyard Blues"
beer was flowing and C&B Blues Revue was getting ready to attack their set at 2PM! Dave, Pat
and "Ed the Hat" tore threw an amazing set (despite popping a few breakers along the way) that
left the crowd shaking their collective head in awe! Some equipment issues caused a minor
delay but Jack Licitra came to the rescue (thank you again, Jack!) and entertained the crowd
with a stripped down acoustic set inside while the Kerry Kearney Band set-up on the outside
stage. Kerry, Frank, Eileen and Tony (w/ Papa Jim Flemming on fiddle & mandolin) "wowed" the
crowd as usual... despite the fact that the rain had begun to fall. Meanwhile... back inside,
MisBhavin hit the stage at 5PM and everyone dancing! Pat Hunter, Danny Kean, Don Celenza &
Phil "Boom Boom" Bloom brought down the house with the blend of blues, soul and R&B! At
6PM, Joe Vicino & The Smokedaddys hit the stage for an inspired set that kept the crowd
jumping! Joe, Pete & Chris ripped through their set without restraint! Pam Betti sat in and sang a
tune or two... and at the end of the set, Joe slid his strap off and threw his guitar to the stage...
leaving thre crowd wanting more! Jimi would be proud! 7PM brought the Gary Sellers band to
the outside stage and with them came the end of the rain! Gary and the boys (featuring drummer
extrordinaire Mario Staiano of Savoy Brown) picked up where The Smokedaddys left off! As
darkness fell on The Brickhouse, the Gary Sellers Band played an amazing set and the crowd
loved every note! Now it was time for the featured act and our old friends... all the way from
Atlanta, Georgia by way of Brooklyn and Minneapolis... Scrapomatic! Some lighting issues
required the use of car headlights to illuminate the stage from the side, but that little hiccup
didn't affect Mike and Paul! Actually, the unusual "stage lighting" created a old-time, spiritual
feel with Paul Olsen's haunting guitar licks and the soulful sound of Mike Mattison's voice
coming from under the tent, with the stage bathed in a warm, eerie glow! The guys rose to the
challenge and the crowd soon found themselves to be part of something very special! Their
incredible set included some covers, Scrapomatic favorites from earlier albums and some new
tunes sprinkled in, as well! We'd love to have them back for future Gravefests! All in all it was a
fantastic day of great music, great food & drink and great friends... old and new! As always, the
best part is the passion and generosity of the greatest music fans in the world! We raised
serious money for the Suffolk County Chapter of United Cerebral Palsy and we had a lot of fun
doing it! I know that I sure did! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart and we'll see you next
year for Gravefest '09!
| To become a sponsor of "Graveyard Blues" on the Radio or on the Website e-mail: sponsorships@graveyardblues.com |
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