The Eighth Annual OEA Awards were held Sunday, Feb. 16, at the DoubleTree Hilton. The evening ran smoothly with some excellent performances and a few surprises. The Best Blues Award went to the Hector Anchondo Band. Josh Hoyer & The Shadowboxers took the Best R&B/Soul/Gospel Award. Matt Cox Band received the Best Country/Americana honors. Best Singer-Songwriter/Folk Award went to John Klemmensen & The Party. Matt Whipkey took two well-deserved awards for his ambitious Penny Park double-vinyl project. Penny Park was named Album of the Year and Whipkey Artist of the Year. See the complete list of winners at oea-awards.com.
Brad Hoshaw CD Release
Brad Hoshaw & The Seven Deadlies are back with a CD release party this Friday, Feb. 21, 9 p.m. at Waiting Room. The current Seven Deadlies’ lineup is Hoshaw with Matt Whipkey, Vern Fergesen and J. Scott Gaeta. Hoshaw had a highly successful Kickstarter to finish the disc, titled Funeral Guns. Admission is just $7 day of show and Omaha favorite Kyle Harvey is back to open the evening.
BBQ for the Troops
The annual Winter Blues & BBQ fundraiser for Operation BBQ for the Troops Midwest Division is Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. at Chance Ridge, Dodge St. & Skyline Drive in Elkhorn. The annual event raises money to fund free barbeque meals that Operation BBQ for the Troops provides to deploying and returning service members and their families. For details see operationbbqmw.org. Performing are The Brad Cordle Band with guest leader Bucky McCann and Us & Them with Alli Fisher. Brad Cordle has been in the hospital and is not expected to be ready to perform on Feb. 22. To purchase tickets to the barbeque meal plus live music, email info@operationbbqmw.org or call 402-709-0153. WRITER’S CORRECTION: I learned after the paper had gone to press that this is incorrect. While Brad Cordle is still hospitalized, performing in his place are Neil Johnsen and the “No Cordle Band.”
Castro & Zito at the Zoo
Superb soul-bluesman Tommy Castro hits Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Sunday, Feb. 23, 6-9 p.m. Castro is touring in support of a new disc, The Devil You Know (Alligator) that just dropped Jan. 21. Mike Zito & The Wheel is up Tuesday, Feb. 25, 6-9 p.m.
Hot Notes
The 21st Saloon puts the spotlight on acoustic blues with acclaimed artist Guy Davis headlining the show, see guydavis.com. Also on the bill are Fabrizio Poggi, Hector Anchondo and Virginia Tanous-Gallner. Honeyboy Turner Band (OEA Nominees for Best Blues) are back for an 8-11 p.m. show at McKenna’s Friday, Feb. 21. The band also hits Havana Garage Saturday, Feb. 22, 9 p.m.
The Bel Airs play The Zoo Bar Friday, Feb. 21, 9 p.m.