Wednesday, July 2nd- 7pm @ Barefoot Bar - Okaboji, Iowa
Friday, July 6th- 8pm *with Dave Zollo / Firesale* @ Roz Tox- Rock Island, IL
Saturday, July 7th- 9pm *Pieces of Candy w/ Curtis Hawkins & Jim Van Hefty* @ Muddy Waters - Bettendorf, Iowa
Friday, July 13th- 9pm @ 11th Street Precinct - East Village, Davenport Iowa
Saturday, July 21st- 7pm @ Waterloo Blues and BBQ - Waterloo, Iowa
Don’t worry if you can’t make it to Memphis to hear The Candymakers play at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, there will be live video feed of all of the performances!
We will keep our facebook fanpage www.facebook.com/thecandymakers updated with all the information as to where and when we will be playing.
We hope you’ll tune in!
The 2012 International Blues Challenge will be the 28th year of Blues musicians from around the world competing for cash, prizes, and industry recognition. The Blues Foundation will present the 28th International Blues Challenge January 31-February 4, 2012 in Memphis, TN. The world’s largest gathering of Blues acts represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage. In 2011, 110 bands and 83 solo/duo acts entered, filling the clubs up and down Beale Street for the quarter-finals on Wednesday and Thursday, the semi-finals on Friday and the finals at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday. We will have at least that many in 2012.
The 28th year of the International Blues Challenge will once again include a youth showcase for those under the age of 21. The 28th IBC will include an afternoon (Friday, February 3, 2011) of talented young people showcasing their talents for record labels, media, festivals, managers, talent buyers and the fans.
Q & A with Bret (Ououould Crazylegs) Dale
When and why did you start playing? Got my first camp fire acoustic that never stayed in tune at 11 and let it sit there until I was 16. Then I quit at 16. Then I taught myself to man up and teach myself guitar at 17. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why? Ray Charles. He is the Godfather of music hands down! Godfather! Were you influenced by old records & tapes? Which ones? I heard Derek and the Dominos Live at East Fillmore when I was12 and it blew me away completely. It was the first time I found a tape, cd or album that just floored me all by myself, no influence from my brother (who was rocking the Crue and Twisted Sister). Right then and there I knew I needed to dig and uncover that sound and listen as hard as I could. I needed to implant the feeling the Dominos gave me into my soul. It worked. Then I found some weird DBL cd in a box all dusty, popped it in and had goose bumps with a tear or two. “Lively Up Yourself”, “Trench Town Rock”; who knew this Bob Marley guy had a direct line to my soul too? Then I met Muddy Waters and Ray Charles…Gods! That was a great two weeks of the rest of my life! Coolest 12 year old on the block. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous? I’ve been lucky enough to play in front of 200,000 people. Bring on the masses because I love it. I get so pumped as if everyone just cussed me out and I say “oh ya?” and then BAMM! Its on, we’re all in it together. Everyone is there for a reason, to listen to music so just play. Playing for a small crowd… forget it I’m a nervous disaster! How do you balance your music with other obligations? I find jobs that are full time to cover my bills. In return for my hard efforts at the job all I ask are days off for gigs. Here’s my deal. I’ll give you everyday as long as it takes as long as you give me the few days I need for music. It’s a fair deal. I work hard and wish I spent that time only on music but you have to pay to play; that’s where the pay check comes in. In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have lived), affect the music you create or your taste in music? I moved around the country when I was a kid. The other day I counted 9 schools I went to and somehow graduated. So the influence of all the people who lived with us and people I met and befriended all had their own idea of what good music was. I took it all and gave it a chance. One guy made me listen to “Abbey Road” when I was 11 and it was totally awesome. Mark, who gave me my first guitar, let me listen to blues. Life changer! When I was 9 I found Madame Butterfly on vinyl with some Bob Segar and Glenn Miller and rocked ‘em all the time. So go explore, you never know what gem will pop out when you hit play! As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less interested in seeking out music made by other musicians…and why do you think that is? I am no longer excited about turning on the radio listening to soulless, no groove garbage. I listen to a.m. sports radio in the car actually. I am currently on a hunt for all old blues and R&B albums. I have some hip friends who let me know about up and coming bands in some different genres, some of which are really awesome. Who knew Indie Rock was so cool? I’m horrible at research so I find all the good musicians and bands come from me going out and listening to live music or sharing a bill with bands. What aspect of being a musician excites you the most? Playing in front of people who dig what they’re hearing obviously, but to be honest I think listening is my favorite part about music, being a player or not. You can be all crazy arm throwing or tear faced staring at a wall listening to music. Driving alone to somewhere far far away with the sun shining and music blasting is the best thing in the world. Maybe that’s just me, but listening to music hits me hard. That tear thing isn’t a joke, that’s how serious I take listening to music, to the point where it moves me to tears…even rockers jack me up sometimes. For how long and how often do you practice? Well someone once told me the older you get the more you DON’T practice. In my case that’s the truth. I practice sure but I don’t push the envelope like I should or use to. I’m not very technical or stylistic. I’m self taught and the more I learn the more I want to play fast. I have to stop and look in the mirror and realize I’m a one note guy. I would rather play one note at the right place than play a million to show off how awesome I am. PUKE! B.B. King plays one note and my hair stands up. Joe Barfly plays a million notes melting my face and John Barfly is doing the same thing across the street. Point being, how many B.B. Kings do you know? Don’t get me wrong, I own Van Halen one and I
can’t get enough.
