(1) - Rich Hill
Growing up in Rich Hill, Missouri, we’d walk the railroad tracks and play across the street at the town park. Everyone knew everyone and everyone knew our Grandmother Maryann. We’d spend time there about a mile and a half away, and spend weekends driving into the "City" about 78 miles North. Mom and Dad had lived in KC prior but we moved to Rich Hill when we were small children to be close to our Grandmother and because property was cheap af down there.
Our Father had accrued an extensive music collection after working at a record shop in his younger days. There was always music playing. Mom would blast Bonnie while we were all doing our Saturday chores. Our parents also played in bands as well while we were growing up so they’d have rehearsals, jams, play house parties, and travel into the City (Kansas City) on the weekends to play classic rock, some originals and a bit of country; whatever was popular at the time too.
(2) - Belton
Dad got pretty heavy into the Blues after he discovered Johnny Winter. From there he went down the rabbit hole of his influences and the ancestors of the Blues. I remember he’d go to the Grand Emporium to see 'Little' Hatch play every Friday before his shows. He was respectful of the history and really loved the Blues and was able to establish himself in the scene as such. He played with any and everyone he could, learning everything he could and musicians loved to play with him. I remember some of the now local legends driving out to our house just to jam with our Father when they were youths and I was a very small child. Bob wasn't just a musician, he was a very talented visual artist, studying in College and was an architect as well. He worked for the city of Leawood and worked on many sites around Kansas City, MO and Leawood, KS.
Bob was going to all the jams, and beginning to integrate Blues into his projects. Our Father used to take us to festivals, clubs, and juke joints in Kansas City, both on the Missouri and Kansas sides. We'd go all over town hitting the jams from Harling's to Grand Emporium to Amazing Grace's BBQ at the late, LATE night jam off Quindaro. (Mom didn't used to know that part.)
He was definitely the driving force behind Nick and I's early passions for Blues. To this day, I credit our Father for really teaching me not to be afraid to use the voice I was given. Don't be afraid to get loud, be passionate, use gutturals, use the highs and the lows and really let yourself go. My mother was very reserved about us pursuing music. She knew it would be a hard life to really go for it, but knew us have the talent and desire.
(3) - KC
(4) - Philly
(5) - IBC
(6) - Europe
(7) - BMAs
(8) - Wrong Side
(9) - Badlands