Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival

Winthrop R&B presents:

We are pleased to present our next VIRTUAL livestream Show in partnership with “Can’t Stop the Blues“:

IDA MAE

Sunday, January 24, 2021

6:00 pm Pacific / 9:00 pm Eastern

FREE via Facebook and YouTube

Ida Mae is a “shining example of boundary-stretching songwriting at its challenging best” – Rush On Rock.

Rolling Stone Country dubbed Ida Mae one of the “10 New Country and Americana Artists You Need to Know.”

Formed by the husband and wife team Chris Turpin and Stephanie Jean, Ida Mae has won world-wide attention for their breakout debut Chasing Light, which NPR called “harmonic and hypnotic.” Last year, the British duo completed a U.S. tour supporting Greta Van Fleet, also playing Bonnaroo and had relocated to Nashville but are currently sheltering in place with their family in England.

Top photo: Sarah Clarke of Dirty Revival, July 2018 by Bruce Lindeke

Bottom photo: Bruce Lindeke and friend enjoying the festival

FACES IN THE CROWD

Excited to share with you our new series, “Faces in the Crowd”, highlighting Winthrop R&B fans in their own words. This week we hear from super-fan,

Bruce Lindeke:

“The Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival was always on my list. In 2012 my dear friends Gary Mueller and Vicki Rova invited me to join them at their Twisp River house so we could attend the festival. Instant fan of their house and the festival. Except for an unavoidable conflict in 2014, I’ve made it every year if you don’t count 2020 (can we not count all of 2020?).

“Always great acts, from fairly unknown to some pretty big names in the blues world. The festival is big enough to get these big name acts but small enough that you can work your way right up front for almost any show.

“It would be hard to pick a best show, but Ruthie Foster in 2012 is right up there. She couldn’t perform on the big stage because of an impending storm so they moved her to a small stage in the beer garden. She mesmerized the crowd, and had people crying by the end of her show it was so moving.

“One of my favorite personal photos is Sarah Clarke of ‘Dirty Revival’ shot July 21, 2018. A soulful group from Portland OR, she is an amazing and charismatic talent. You get a real sense of her energy in this photo, and the reflection of the audience in her sunglasses brings me back to the energy she generated in the crowd.”

If you have story you’d like to share please send to FACES along with a photo of you at the festival!

A special message from Winthrop Music Association Board of Directors

Winthrop fans!

Hope you are keeping body and soul together during this challenging time. We’d normally now be launching our ‘holiday pre-sale’ on tickets and camping for next year’s festival. But for all the obvious reasons we are holding off on that for the time being. Rest assured, though, we DO plan to present some version of Winthrop R&B Festival at the Blues Ranch in 2021, though what that looks like will largely depend on how the pandemic plays out, how vaccines roll out, and how the infection curve is moving in coming months. We are intently investigating various scenarios that would enable us to bring the blues back safely to the Methow Valley, and hope to gather with you next summer at the Blues Ranch. When we are ready to roll we will offer an ‘early bird’ special for a limited time as we have in the past. We’ll keep you posted!

Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival receives GRAND SUMMIT AWARD

A bright moment for Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival in these challenging times. At the virtual installment last week of the annual Washington Festivals and Events Association (WFEA) conference, online attendees took a moment out from discussing the challenges of reopening big events in the age of Covid, to present the Winthrop R&B Festival it’s highest honor, the GRAND SUMMIT AWARD. The award, given each year to an event with the most successful and balanced overall marketing effort, is for work on our 2019 Festival. Winthrop won several awards in the large event category:

• Grand Summit Award

• Best Social Media

• Best Social Media Ad Campaign

• Best Event Recap/Fest Overview Document, and

• Best Photo—of The Dusty 45s by Peter Dervin .

Billy Joe Huels and his Dusty 45s, (July 2019) captured by famed festival photographer Peter Dervin won the Best Photograph Award from Washington Festival & Events Association.

“Winthrop Blue Monday” series:

Rolling Blackouts

Starting Monday 11/2/20 we introduced a monthly “Winthrop Blue Monday” series, live-streamed performances, by old friends from our main stage as well as great new acts we hope to see there soon, via our FACEBOOK PAGE.

Kicking off the series was the fabled Seattle Americana group, Tom Bennett & The Rolling Blackouts. The band, a group of Seattle musical all-stars, formed as a weekly Monday night collaboration at St. Clouds (then a newly opened Seattle restaurant) and became so beloved they turned it into a 17-year run. Tom Bennett brought in a collection of newly minted original songs and continues to write excellent odes to reality. Bassist Marc Brown was there for the first Monday on bass, Dave Keenan joined the following Monday on mandolin, Nova Karina Devonie signed on a year later on accordion and Kelly Van Camp rounded out the group in year 7 on the drums and harmonica. Each band member takes a turn at the mic, in essence creating a multi-faceted jewel that doesn’t rely on the strengths of just one singer.

Greyhounds!

Our second “Winthrop Blue Monday” featured the Texas band Greyhounds and sponsored by The Wine Shed, Winthrop, WA

The co-founders of Austin’s Greyhounds, guitarist Andrew Trube and keyboardist Anthony Farrell, have been making music and touring for 15 years, refining and developing a sound Trube calls “Hall & Oates meet ZZ Top.” The band also has long ties to Memphis, home of the soul that inspires them. Trube and Farrell have written songs for Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, among others, toured with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, and for several years worked together as part of JJ Grey & Mofro, from which they drew their band name. The duo—a surprise hit when they debuted at Winthrop in 2017, and when they returned in 2019—has earned kudos from some legendary supporters. Raved Derek Trucks, “Greyhounds make real music, the right way and for the right reasons.” JJ Grey described their songs as landing “somewhere between a heartfelt hymn and the dirtiest jank you’ve ever heard.” And fellow Austinian, Gary Clark Jr., summed up a Los Angeles show, they “crushed it as usual.” Greyhounds have just released their latest album “Primates” produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos.

2020 Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival went VIRTUAL!

Thank you, beautiful people, for helping make our virtual festival the sweetest EVER!

SEE YOU 2021

Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival
Located at the Blues Ranch on the Methow River in the resort town of Winthrop, Washington, the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival is a three-day event packed full of exciting national and regional entertainment for all ages. There is on-site camping, food and craft vendors, portable showers, and a beer garden. The Blues Ranch is the perfect setting for one of Washington’s finest music festivals. We look forward to another great year and hope to see YOU at the 34th Annual Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival!!

Winthrop Music Association (WMA) is a 501(c)3 non profit organization formed in 2005 to ensure the continued success of the annual Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival. WMA strives to promote arts and cultural activities in the Methow Valley and beyond. WMA is a proud supporter of The Cove Food Bank, Methow Valley School District Music Program, Methow Arts, Methow Valley Theater, Room One, Washington Blues Society Musician Relief Fund, Inland Empire Blues Society, Cascade Blues Association, Methow Valley AAU Basketball Booster, Tommy Zbyszewski Methow Valley Education Foundation scholarship and many others.

🎸Saturday night at the 2018 @winthropblues with

Son House !!! Thank you @dusttodigital Posted @

Happy Birthday 🎂 to one of our favs! The immens

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Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival Merchandise

Orders placed thru December 10 are being processed and shipped.

LOOK who’s wearing our beanie hat!! Mr. Jim Belushi! Larkin Poe! Kira Olsen! and our beloved Charlie Musselwhite!

Headwear was a huge hit so we have decided to do another round. Orders will be taken thru January 15, 2021 at which time orders will be processed and shipped.

Buy Hats!