[FM] CD RELEASE: Steve Blackwell & Friends "The Difference You Make" (Punta Gorda, FL)

[Gary Helinski]

Saturday, December 2
CD Release Party and Concert celebrating the release of the new CD by

Steve Blackwell & Friends -  The Difference You Make 

8:00 p.m. at the Punta Gorda Woman's Club 
 118 Sullivan Street
 in Punta Gorda, Florida

w/ opening act Joshua Creek featuring James Hawkins , Robin Leach and
Judy Goike

$5.00 cover




http://www.inklein.com/~blackwell/
                                       
  							Bio

Steve Blackwell's musical influences range from his own grandfather who was in vaudeville to Bob Dylan as well as to Florida songwriters Dale Crider, Bobby Hicks and Frank and Ann Thomas.
Steve Blackwell & Friends have played all of the major folk festivals in Florida including the Florida Folk Festival, South Florida Folk Festival, Gamble Rogers Festival, Will McLean Folk Festival, Wings & Strings as well as Suwannee SpringFest. They have also performed at the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

           The second CD from Steve Blackwell & Friends More Than It Seems continued the trend of portraying some of Florida's more colorful characters including Totch Brown,Will McLean, Dash Moore, and Punta Gorda's favorite rascal - Wampus Wagoner. According to a St. Petersburg Times reviewer, "Blackwell has earned a reputation as a tunesmith for Florida's backwater locales and indigenous flora and fauna." 

The new CD, The Difference You Make, contains fifteen original songs and promises to be their most popular recording to date. The Floridians featured as subject matter in this recording include Steve's oldest daughter Phebe and his grandson Eli Townes Westby. In addition to these family members look for songs about Acrefoot Johnson's son Guy "Rattlesnake" Johnson, Bloody Ed Watson, Gram Parsons, and Osceola.

Not all of the songs on The Difference You Make were written by Steve. Multi-instrumentalist Dan Leach is the author of two songs, "Bloody Ed's Cash" and "Scars of Life." Steve co-wrote "Rattlesnake Johnson with recorder player GaryGee Helinski. Steve is also very proud to have co-written "Right Before Our Eyes." with Jack Williams, a musician's musician who is considered to be one of the finest singer songwriters in the country.

Friends who accompany Steve on stage include the pride of Fort Ogden, Florida, GaryGee Helinski who issingle-handedly re-inventing the role of the recorder in folk and bluegrass tinged music; Andy Leach who is a valued member of the Port Charlotte High School Band and holds down the bottom with his solid upright bass playing; Dan Leach, an award winning songwriter who is respected in the folk community for his tasteful musicianship, adds mandolin, guitar, and vocals; and finally Carrie Blackwell Hussey who has had a varied musical background which includes musical theater, a stint as a backup singer in a rock band, and being a member of the popular Tampa Bay folk group Myriad. Carrie's voice tends to evoke strong emotional reactions from audiences all over. Add Steve's vocals, harmonica and rhythm guitar and you have the complete recipe for this good time musical experience.

           The traveling extended family that often accompanies Steve Blackwell & Friends at musical events and that are frequently seen dancing in the aisles are all part of the Punta Gorda Guitar Army & Neo-Beatnik Revolutionary Ensemble. Their campfire song circles are legendary.