•  BIG  RON HUNTER, grew up in rural North Carolina and began playing guitar  and singing as a child. As a teenager with a strong affinity for the  blues, he apprenticed to the great Carolina bluesman, Niles Jones, aka  Guitar Gabriel. Hunter's insightful, frequently sunny, and deeply felt  self-penned songs have won world-wide accolades. Big Ron can play it all  from the deep acoustic guitar stylings of Robert Johnson to his  up-town, funky, electric originals. Over the past decades Big Ron, known  as The World's Happiest Bluesman, has become a hit on the international  blues scene performing at major festivals and renowned blues venues  across the globe. His magnetic stage presence, exuberant vocals, and  down-home charm touch and inspire audiences! 

• THE KING BEES~CELEBRATING 32 YEARS OF STINGIN' & SWINGIN'

The King Bees, Rob "Hound Dog" Baskerville and  Penny "Queen Bee" Zamagni call Ashe County home, but travel the world with their  Blues and American Roots music. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the band  and also the 17th year of New River Blues Festival which they created and produce. 

In the mid-1980's Baskerville and Zamagni began  traveling the deep-South looking for and mentoring under Blues artists of  historical, cultural, and musical significance. Many blues greats took them  under their wing and nurtured and guided The King Bees toward the sound of  authenticity. With Baskerville on guitar and keys and Zamagni on vocals, bass,  and as song smith, The King Bees honed their art with many Blues masters.  By  1990 they had been touring and recording with some of the most culturally  important of Blues artists. In the early 1990's they were signed to a European  label and began touring internationally.

The King Bees have performed on festival stages in  Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, and London as well as taking their show across numerous  countries. Their love of American Roots music has taken them from Mississippi  jukes joints to several performances at Lincoln Center. They collaborated with  Rock n' Roll Hall-of-Fame member Bo Diddley and were featured on The B.B. King  Birthday Tour. Baskerville and Zamagni are also recognized as Blues historians,  represent and book Blues artists of note, and produce Blues festivals across the  South.  Multi-instrumentalist and High Country impresario, David Brewer will again be laying down the big blues beat.

*"Queen Bee Zamagni belts it out with the best,  backed by a superb band highlighted by the burning riffs of Hound Dog  Baskerville." The Charlotte Observer. 
*"Legendary Blues stylists..." The Knoxville  Journal.
*"Excellent...Queen Bee Zamagni has a strong,  swinging, slinky voice used to good effect on every number. Fine straight blues  all the way..Tasty!" Blues & Rhythm,  England

• Donald Ceasar, The Blues  Emperor  

Here comes our blues fans' best-loved Zydeco train! Ceasar is a New River Blues Festival favorite & dear friend! Donald Ceasar is an artist of exceptional versatility, performing on  drums, harmonica, and keyboards while singing lead vocals and laying down  high-spirited dance steps. Ceasar hales from the bayous of Louisiana, in the  heart of Creole and Cajun country where his grandfather, Alphonse “Bois Sec”  Ardoin and other family members were pioneers and founding fathers of Cajun  Zydeco music. Ceasar has been entertaining audiences since childhood with his  Cajun family band and opening for and sharing the stage with legendary artists  such as Rocking Sidney, Fats Domino, Dr. John, The Nevilles, B.B. King, Allen  Toussaint, and James Brown. Ceasar delivers a sizzling musical-gumbo full of the  succulent flavors of Louisiana.  "..possibly the hippest entertainer in the  Carolinas.” Jim Otis, The State, Columbia,SC.