Performers
October 5, 2024
11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Putnay Thomas
Festival MC
Putnay has been with KUNM since 1987. He has hosted various shows including Freeform, All That Jazz and of course The Blues Show.
Putnay is a retired school counselor and since he has retired has been able to devote more time to making The Blues Show great. He is grateful to all the listeners who make the show one of the highest contributing shows during the fundraiser. He appreciates each and every one of The Blues Show fan.
Abe Zap
I grew up with music around the house, and my dad has always played music for as long as I can remember. I’ve been performing locally in ABQ for about 10 years now, and I’ve played a lot of great local venues. I’ve been in a lot of bands and played a lot of different types of music. My favorite music to play is Blues. I’ve been playing guitar for about 17 years now, and I’ve been playing blues for about 12 of those years. I build guitar amplifiers locally in ABQ. I’ve been building for about 4 years. I own and operate my own amp company, Zap Amps. I build custom amps and instrument cables all locally made 100% by hand. I’ve built 2 amps for two local players, Darin Goldston of the Memphis P Tails and Levi Platero. Building Amps is a fun hobby, even more so than performing. I really do enjoy building something I can use at a show.
Tommy Archuleta
Poet Laureate of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Tommy Archuleta was appointed to serve as Santa Fe’s poet laureate. Tommy Archuleta is a Spanish writer and the author of Susto (University Press of Colorado, 2023), as well as Fieldnotes (Lily Poetry Review Press, 2023).. A mental health therapist and substance abuse counselor, he lives in Santa Fe.
Annie Benjamin
As a flautist and vocalist, Annie has performed everything from country to classical, rock and roll to old timey gospel. She feels at home on the theatrical stage, in concert halls and in piano bars and honky tonks.
As a human committed to social justice, Annie performs in schools, at protest rallies and demonstrations, and in front of civic and business leaders. She believes passionately that the arts have the power to heal hearts and minds while inspiring to bring about social change.
Russ Green
Harmonica player and singer Russ Green’s journey into the blues is different than those of most musicians. Russ was born in Chicago and grew up on the city’s west side. Although throughout his life he had listened to all types of music, his desire to play wasn’t realized until his adult years.
CW Ayon Band
CW Ayon may call the Southwestern deserts of New Mexico home but his soul is deeply rooted in the Blues and grooves of the Mississippi Hill Country. With a rather simple kick/snare and tambourine setup he lays down solid beats while picking out some catchy hooks on anything from acoustic to resonator guitars. Sometimes dropping in a bit of harmonica for good measure. All the while building a sound and playing style that is deceptively larger than it seems.
Recently CW has been playing gigs with a drummer and a bass player. Dubbed “The Longhairs” the trio has been steadily playing shows in and around the Southwest. One Man Band gigs are still going strong as well.
Levi Platero Band
Steeped in musical lessons as far back as teaching himself guitar at nine years old from a launchpad of the three Kings and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Platero’s leads and songwriting reflect a lifetime absorbing music. On “Work Hours,” Platero’s guitar work and songwriting style bring a breath of fresh air to a time-worn topic and make it new.
Billy D and the Hoodoos
In the last two years Billy D and the Hoodoos’ Somethin’s Wrong has charted on The Billboard Blues Album Charts once and Living Blues twice. It was named the Winner in the Blues Category of the 2013 UK Songwriting Contest, and The 12 videos from the DVD have recently surpassed the two-million-hit milestone on YouTube! The band was also awarded Best New Act by the Cascade Blues Association. Billy D’s life experience has given him the strength to write his brand of “Bluzy Rock” with a passion that only comes from living it. Heavily influenced by Chicago blues, Rock & Roll, and “Backbeat Roots” music of all types, his songs reflect the tough lessons of his past and show his love for Mother Blues and her first-born, Rock & Roll.
The Rudy Boy Experiment
Southwest Rock and Blues innovators The Rudy Boy Experiment hail from the land of enchantment of Albuquerque New Mexico. The act has become very popular in the western U.S. This 3-piece group features the multi-talented Rudy “Boy” Jaramillo on vocals, as well as lead and rhythm guitar.
Chris Dracup and the Funk of The West
featuring Malé
featuring Malé
His most recent project – Chris Dracup: Funk of the West artfully combines American funk and blues with Afro pop style percussion – keenly orchestrated with the dance floor in mind! The group prominently features West Malidjembe and percussion virtuoso Malé Fainke as well as Chicago blues veteran Melvin Crisp on drums, New Mexico top tier bassist Jose Romero, and B-3 organ master and internationally touring keyboardist Brant Leeper.