On Friday, April 25 the Mainstay is excited to present the legendary blues and “roots rock” band The Nighthawks. The group was founded in Washington, D.C. more than 40 years ago by Little Walter-disciple Mark Wenner. The musical product of AM radio in D.C., Werner did not know there were rules against mixing blues, R&B, honky-tonk country, doo-wop, gospel and rockabilly into one delicious stew. The result was a work-every-night band based on American roots music. The Nighthawks subsequently survived all the professional and personal struggles of keeping a band afloat for more than four decades. But they soldiered-on for four decades, along the way playing with the great blues masters, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Gregg Allman, Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, and John Lee Hooker. And despite their notoriety, awards, and international acclaim they remain a roll-up-your-sleeves/ drive to the next gig/ carry your own gear up the steps and make people happy kind of band. After all these years, they still maintain an incredible touring schedule and continue to add to their growing repertoire.
Today, the band’s lineup consists of Mark Wenner on vocals and harmonica; Johnny Castle on vocals and bass; Paul Bell on guitar; Mark Stutso on drums and vocals.
Showtime for the Mainstay concert event is 8 pm. Tickets are $20 in advance of the show and can be purchased online at mainstayrockhall.org. Phone reservations are accepted by calling (410) 639-9133 (tickets
***
The Mainstay Presents Its Next Free Singer/ Songwriter showcase
On Sunday, April 27, the Mainstay in Rock Hall is pleased to host another Singer/ Songwriter Showcase concert event. The idea for the Showcase is the brainchild of The Mainstay’s ongoing Delmarva Singer/Songwriter Association that meets monthly. The Showcase features an afternoon of original music written and performed by over a dozen local singer/ songwriters who share the stage in small groups in a Nashville-style “round” format and then take turns performing selections of their original music.
The show will feature award-winning songwriters as well as up and coming local and regional artists. The list of performers includes Ashley Chapa, Stephanie Aston Jones, Tom Chirip, Julie Derrick, Don Clark, Jerry DiAngelo, Mark Einstein, Frank Hogans, Jimmy Jimmy, Barbara Parker, Nick Ray, Dave Simmons, and Scott Wells
The showcase starts at 4 PM and there is no charge for admission, but donations are appreciated. The Mainstay is located at 5753 N Main Street in Rock Hall.
The programs of the Mainstay are supported with funds from the Maryland State Arts Council and the Kent Cultural Alliance.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.