Slide guitar King comes to Orcas Island
Published 3:07 pm Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Not long after Roy Rogers picked up a guitar at age 12, he was playing with the high schoolers. A few years later, when his older brother brought home Robert Johnson’s “King of the Delta Blues Singers” album, his whole life changed.
“It blew my mind,” Roger said. “I heard slide guitar for the first time.”
Ever since then, he has been a disciple of Johnson. Rogers will make his first appearance at Orcas Center this summer. He is one of the premier slide guitarists performing today, well known for his live performances and John Lee Hooker’s Coast to Coast Blues Band. Rogers and his band The Delta Rhythm Kings will perform on the Orcas Center main stage on Saturday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $19 (Orcas Center members) and $11 for students available at 376-2281 or www.orcascenter.org.
“We’re really spontaneous,” he said. “Having a power trio, the music takes a lot of twist and turns. I always tell people to bring their dancing shoes.”
Rogers, who lives in California, says the music is blues-based but also covers jazz and funk. Their repertoire is split between originals and covers. He has performed at numerous music festivals throughout the world, including Montreal Jazz, Norway’s Notodden Blues Festival and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Prior to coming to Orcas, Rogers is opening up for Steve Miller.
He is also an internationally acclaimed producer, having done recordings for John Lee Hooker and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. Rogers has had eight Grammy nominations as a producer and performer.
In May of 2011, he released a collaboration with The Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek entitled “Translucent Blues” available on Blind Pig Records. It debuted at #6 on the Billboard charts, and reached #1 on the American Roots Rock Chart.
Rolling Stone has written, “Rogers is an exceptionally articulate slide guitarist, either he’s scorching Robert Johnson’s ‘Ramblin’ Blues’ or taking a lovely, lyrical journey … or rockin’ it out. One of the rare guitar heroes who values feeling over flash.”
Slide guitar is tuned to an open chord, allowing the musician to play the melody, base and rhythm all at the same time.
“I have established a style that I am known for,” Rogers said. “You have to hear to appreciate it – I can’t describe it.”
While he enjoys current music – Norah Jones is one of his favorites – Rogers says he is a “classics” guy, who is most inspired by such musicians as Hooker, Johnson, Howling Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and Little Richard.
“John Lee Hooker could walk on stage, sit in his chair, play one note and the audience was with him. That is powerful stuff,” Rogers said.
