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Lindell, Johnny O bring blues to valley

Staff Report
Submitted photoJohnny Ohnmacht, leader of the Johnny O band, was born and bred in the Roaring Fork Valley.
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When it comes to great blues music, New Orleans probably comes to mind before Boulder, but that doesn’t mean great blues doesn’t come from both places.

And luckily for blues fans, radio station KDNK knows that.

This weekend, KDNK brings the Boulder-based Johnny O band, and New Orleans-based Eric Lindell to Carbondale for the second annual Blues, Brews, and BBQ.



The Johnny O band takes its name from its leader, Johnny Ohnmacht, who was born and bred in the Roaring Fork Valley before moving to Boulder in 1989. Fans of Mountain Fair in the 1990s will recognize Ohnmacht from the group Band du Jour, which has played the fair many times.

This weekend, though, Ohnmacht is leading his own band, joining Marion Edwards on drums and John Tendell on bass.



The trio is a straight-ahead high-energy blues group, Ohnmacht said, with great musicianship all around and strong vocals from all three musicians.

Eric Lindell will likely steal the show though, with his New Orleans-style blues.

Though Lindell was raised in San Mateo, Calif., and started his music career in high school with a skate-punk band, he eventually made his way to New Orleans and to the blues.

Lindell’s New Orleans experience was a bit of a shock. Surprisingly, the blues scene wasn’t as strong as Lindell had expected of New Orleans. Lindell would eventually unknowingly hook-up with Galactic drummer Stanton Moore to jam and record.

Lindell even opened for Galactic, still oblivious to the band’s stature, until he walked out on stage to a 1,500 person crowd.

In the last few years Lindell has won awards at New Orleans Jazz Fest, and should soon be a well-known national act.

“People get to see him free now,” said Blues, Brews, and BBQ organizer Amy Kimberly, “but you know it won’t be long.”

To go with the blues lineup Saturday, KDNK is also holding a barbecue sauce contest with a hot sauce division and a BBQ sauce division. There will be prizes for People’s Choice, Judge’s Choice, Best Spiced and Most Creative.

KDNK will sell ribs, chicken and sweet corn for barbecue sauce dipping. Tickets are $10 for five sampling tickets, or $15 for 10.

Information: 963-0139.

Full schedule for Saturday

3 p.m. ” Event begins barbecues are fired up

3:15-4 p.m. ” Cooking demonstration with Marco Diaz, chef at Redstone

4:15-5 p.m. ” Cooking demonstration with Paul Wade, chef at Little Nell

4-5:45 p.m. ” Johnny O plays

4 p.m. ” Local ranchers Meat and Greet (learn about the fine meats of the Roaring Fork Valley); sauce competition begins

5-7 p.m. ” Restaurant walk

6:30-8:30 p.m. ” Eric Lindell


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