MUSIC MAKER RELEASES SHELTON POWE'S CAROLINA BLUES AND GOSPEL

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - Music Maker Relief Foundation is excited to announce the release of Shelton Powe's first album, Carolina Blues and Gospel. The 14 tracks on Carolina Blues and Gospel are a blend of fresh and traditional, combining intricate melodies with a feel of spontaneity. The album will be available March 13, 2012, on iTunes and through the Music Maker online store.



Born in 1957 in Charlotte, N.C., Powe grew up on the tent revival circuit, surrounded by a family of Gospel musicians. Early on, he absorbed the influence of legends on the Atlanta blues scene including Cora Mae Bryant, Neal Pattman, Cootie Stark and Frank Edward, collecting a wide range of lyrics and melodies along the way.



Listen to "Diving Duck Blues" from the ablum here: http://www.musicmaker.org/jukebox/2055



Powe, a self-taught musician who now plays the Piedmont finger-style guitar, calls his music "old style country picking." He has had the opportunity to play on several Atlanta radio shows and at various festivals and events in the Southeast, and recently recorded a Blues documentary with Jim Ransome and Music Maker president Tim Duffy.



Tim Duffy said of Powe, "Shelton Powe carries on the tradition of Carolina Blues and Gospel with deep authenticity. His style and delivery are all his own, as he woos audiences with nuances and intricacies that recall Curley Weaver. "



Powe joined the MMRF family in 1997, which has enabled him to perform at a number of venues and festivals throughout North Carolina, including the Eddy Pub, St. Anne's Chapel and Event Center, the Lincoln Cultural Center, Shakori Hills Grasroots Festival and Warehouse Blues.

Shelton's tour dates:
3/3: Rev's Coffeehouse, High Point, N.C.
3/10: St. Anne's Chapel and Event Center, Tarboro, N.C.
3/27: Capitol Blues Night, Washington D.C.




About Music Maker Relief Foundation:

Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. is a tax exempt, public charity under IRS code 501(c)3. Music Maker aims to keep our Southern culture vital by directly supporting senior (over 55) American roots musicians in need, expanding their professional careers, and assisting Next Generation artists in the development of their professional careers. Since the organization's founding in 1994, Music Maker has assisted hundreds of musicians who represent the traditions of Blues, Gospel, Old-Time String Band, Jazz and more. Music Maker's programs ensure the talents of these cultural treasures are accessible so that our rich musical heritage can be shared with the world and preserved for future generations.

Morning Train - Shelton Powe

Shelton Powe was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and raised by a family of gifted instrumentalists, singers and dancers. In keeping with family tradition, his mother would give young Shelton gifts of harmonicas and guitars at Christmas with the hopes of awakening a dormant musical aptitude to no avail.

It wasn’t until the deaths of his mother and father in the late 1980s that Shelton became reacquainted with the rhythms and melodies of the old songs his parents used to sing. Picking up the guitar as a tribute to his deceased mother, Shelton set out to learn old-time blues and gospel the way he remembered it from his childhood. Living in Georgia, he immersed himself in the blues scene of Atlanta and soon found what he was looking for. Listening to him sing and play in the Piedmont finger-style guitar tradition of his parents and elders, you find yourself back at the wellspring of the Carolina Blues tradition. His honest delivery is captivating.
A self-taught musician playing the "old style country picking” as he calls it, he has been privileged to play at various venues including Georgia Tech’s WREK’s “Friday Night Fish Fry”, WRFG’s “Good Morning Blues” as well as “Old Time Gospel” and 1280 AM Atlanta. He was also invited to perform at the Charlotte Folk Society. Shelton’s success does not end here though; he recently recorded a Blues documentary with both Tim Duffy of Music Maker and Jim Ransome. He has made several appearances at Hungry Ear Coffeehouse events and attended many “Giving It Back” festivals created by Mudcat. He has also played alongside Carlos “Breeze” Kings, Ross Pead, “Slim Fatz” Eddie Tigner, Mudcat, Bill Sheffield, “Little Brother” and Cora Mae Bryant.
The following were performing partners and friends of Shelton’s who have passed on to Blues heaven: Frank Edwards, Cootie Stark, Neal Pattman, and Sean Costello
Shelton currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.