Jam On The River 2002

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RATDOG, MARVA WRIGHT, Pat McGee, K-Floor, Levon Helm , Whoz Bluez, Alligator Zydeco, Town Hall
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JOAN JETT, MARCIA BALL, Southside Johnny,Ivan Neville, Poppa Grows Funk, Jeff Bradshaw, GOSPEL: Tony Moore And Jehovah's Chosen, GOSPEL: The Cousins
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LITTLE FEAT, BETTER THAN EZRA, Billy Bob Thornton, Terrance Simien, The Radiators, Doc Gibbs & Picante, Pete Francis
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	Ratdog (https://www.rat-dog.com) Even when his first band, the Grateful Dead, was playing close to 100 shows yearly, Weir needed other outlets, and developed a solo career that began with albums like "Ace" and "Heaven Help the Fool" and continued through his first sideband, "Bobby and the Midnites," and then settled into a special duo partnership with the distinguished bassist Rob Wasserman.

	Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (https://www.joanjett.com) On Sunday, May 26, "I Love Rock n' Roll" star Joan Jett will take the stage from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. While still in her early teens, Joan Jett, often called "the girl Elvis," founded the seminal all-girl rock group, The Runaways, whose hits such as "Cherry Bomb" made them an international sensation. Her next group, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts sold millions of albums and has been a staple in the Top Ten charts and claims the #28 song of all time, "I Love Rock n' Roll." Jett's songs can not only be heard on the radio, but also in scores of movies and television. Aside from being one of the most durable live concert attractions, Jett is the first female rock recording artist to own her own record label and has set a standard for women in the industry.

	Little Feat (https://www.littlefeat.net) Though they had all the trappings of a Southern-fried blues band, Little Feat were hardly conventional. Led by songwriter/guitarist Lowell George, Little Feat was a wildly eclectic band, bringing together strains of blues, R&B, country and rock & roll. The group was exceptionally gifted technically and their polished professionalism sat well with the slick sounds coming out of Southern California during the '70s. However, Little Feat were hardly slick -- they had a surreal sensibility, as evidenced by George's idiosyncratic songwriting, which helped the band earn a cult following among critics and musicians.

	Better than Ezra (https://www.betterthanezra.com) New Orleans trio Better Than Ezra began their life as a Dinosaur Jr.-influenced combo in the late '80s, yet they were sidetracked by the accidental death of their lead guitarist. Deciding to continue life as a trio, the band eventually released their first album in 1994 on their own label. It was picked up the following year by Elektra. After MTV and alternative radio picked up the single "Good," Deluxe became a national hit. Vocalist/songwriter Kevin Griffin, bassist Tom Drummond, and drummer Travis McNabb followed up with 1996's Friction Baby, which featured the single "Desperately Wanted," and two years later came up with the album How Does Your Garden Grow? As with "Desperately Wanted," this album's single, "At the Stars," was named in Billboard's Top 100 Pop Songs of the Year, but How Does Your Garden Grow? became Better Than Ezra's last album for Elektra. After departing from the label, Better Than Ezra self-released Artifakt, a compilation of rarities available only at their concerts and through their website, www.betterthanezra.com.

	Billy Bob Thorton Academy Award winning screenwriter, actor and director Billy Bob Thornton returned to his first love, music, last year with the release of "Private Radio," his debut album. "Private Radio" is a collection of sometimes dark and moody songs based on the life experiences of Thornton and the individuals whose lives he was familiar with, and reflect the music that has influenced him throughout his life from traditional country and the blues, to rock and R&B. After giving up music in 1981 to pursue an acting career, Thornton never gave up his passion for music. While filming "Slingblade" in 1995, Thornton began getting together with old band mates to hold jam sessions for the film crew, a tradition which continued during the filming of many of his movies.

	Marcia Ball (https://www.marciaball.com) Pianist, singer and songwriter Marcia Ball is a living example of how east Texas blues meets southwest Louisiana swamp rock. Ball was born March 20, 1949, in Orange, TX, but grew up across the border in Vinton, LA. That town is squarely in the heart of "the Texas triangle," an area that includes portions of both states and that has produced some of our country's greatest blues talents. She has been playing at the Jam for years now and has a lot of fans in the Philly area.

	Terrance Simien (https://www.terrancesimien.com/) There are few better live performers. Terrance bounces around the stage like a gleeful hippie-haired, barefooted teddy bear, his squeezebox dangling off his body like one heavy come on. After nearly 20 years of touring, he has paid his dues and forged a special place for him self and his unique fusion of music. He has redefined his musical heritage by establishing himself as a formidable songwriter and an absolutely astonishing singer, who evokes comparisons to Sam Cooke and Aaron Neville. He is one of the most sought after artists in roots music today.

	The Radiators (https://www.radiators.org/) The Radiators' rich musical heritage and tireless devotion to spontaneous performances has established them as one of America's most enduring live acts. The Radiators' instinctive musicianship catalyzes the festive spirit of their shows. Set list - who's following it? This band's legacy rests not only on their extensive repertoire, but also on an uncanny ability to choose the proper song for any given moment. This synergistic pas des deux between artists and audience makes the crowd a part of the music. This intuitive interaction is the hard earned result of 18 years of live performances.

	Levon Helm And The Barn Burners Levon Helm, who founded The Band, grew up on a cotton farm in the rural Arkansas delta. His interest in music began in grade school, and the future rocker formed his first group the Jungle Bush Beaters, while a teenager. Pursuing his rock & roll dream the Memphis, Helm sat in with the legendary country rocker Conway Twitty, and was later discovered by another Arkansas native, Ronnie Hawkins. Helm joined Hawkins’ band the Hawks, and in 1959 cut a pair of hit songs, “Forty Days” and “Mary Lou”, the latter selling an impressive 750,000 copies. Helm now returns to his roots with his traditional blues band, The Barn Burners, leading them through the kind of blues he grew up listening to in The Delta 45 years ago.

	Alligator Zydeco Band Drawing from a wide range of cultural influences, the feisty zydeco beat has roots in Louisiana and Texas, in rock 'n' roll and in swing. Greg "The Snakeman" Troiano and the Alligator Zydeco Band have emerged and are enjoying growing popularity thanks to their unique and upbeat live performances. The band features Troiano on lead vocals (both in English and French) and accordion; Monty Cullum on guitar and vocals; Benny "G" on bass; and Dave Beaver on drums. Troiano's daughter, Laura, who turned 13 in August, joins the band on washboard and Cajun triangle. "She's not a cute prop, either. She's probably the best rub-board player north of Louisiana," her father says proudly.

	Pat McGee Band (https://www.patmcgeeband.com) Since its formation in early 1996, the Pat McGee Band's grassroots growth has been phenomenal. The band, with rich harmonies and energized acoustic rock, has been selling out clubs, such as Irving Plaza, New York, NY; House of Blues, Chicago; Paradise, Boston; Birchmere in Alexandria, VA and the 9:30 Club and the Bayou in Washington, DC. PMB's biggest sellouts -- more than 7,000 -- occurred at Wolf Trap's Filene Center, Vienna, VA twice. At the end of 1999 the band signed a recording contract with Giant Records, a joint venture with Warner Brothers Records. The band's major label debut album "Shine," produced by Jerry Harrison, was released in April 2000.

	K-Floor (https://www.kfloor.com) The band's history of four years shows an unprecedented rise to maturity, which started when guitarist Nick Schnebelen met bassist Liev at the Paseo School of Fine Arts in Kansas City. The pair formed a blues trio and played the circuit for one year before deciding to relocate to Philadelphia in late 1997. Adding organist Justin DiFebbo and a new drummer, the band hit the streets and built a fervent following playing their brand of blues-based rock as many as five gigs a week up and down the East Coast. With the recent addition of seasoned drummer Tom Walling, K-Floor is poised to release its first official studio album titled Alphabet City.

	Papa Grows Funk (https://www.papagrowsfunk.com) With a virtual who's-who of New Orleans musicians, weekly Monday night gigs at New Orleans' Maple Leaf Bar, and a growing coast to coast fan base fueled by a year of constant gigging on the New Orleans club circuit and repeated sold-out shows from San Francisco to New York City, PAPA GROWS FUNK has emerged as the hottest and most talked about newcomer on the New Orleans and national funk scene. We invite you to see for yourself what all the ruckus is about!

	Alligator Zydeco Band The AZB was formed during Mardi Gras 1995. The Band is from DELCO (Delaware County) PA. The group is fronted by father/daughter team Greg & Laura Troiano (a.k.a.-the Snakeman & the Zydeco Girl). Laura has been performing for 8 yrs. and is now 15. She is always invited to sit in with the internationally known Zydeco bands and is definitely the best rubboardist outside of Louisiana. For a majority of our shows she is joined by Karen Lerman. These two lovely women dance & play in unison. Most performances include a Zydeco dance demonstration by Karen & Laura.
More artist profiles coming... Some Artist bios and content come from ArtistDirect.com.