Nashville Social Club in Carson City brought the music of Roy Rogers and The Delta Rhythm Kings to their Swan Room last Saturday evening. Roy Rogers plays with Kevin Hayes on Percussion, and Steve Ehrman on Bass. Each one of these musicians ignited the stage with their own magical sounds and talents.
Roy Rogers is a true guitar legend! To see him perform in such an intimate setting was an exceptional treat! We watched many blazing slide guitar links, soulful blues, and listened to many heartfelt stories from his collaborations with music’s biggest legends, such as John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana and many more.
This sold-out crowd experienced Roy Rogers masterfully move his fingers with such speed and perfection, while playing music on his many different specialty guitars. Roy started with an acoustic guitar, a Dobro Resonator, and then very rare Stobel German guitar. Then Roy switched again to a Classic Double Neck Guitar, a 12 String Acoustic and finished the evening with a hollow-body Electric guitar. He played each of these instruments masterfully with expert technical skills, with a gigantic smile on his face, and a love in his heart for his music.
I actually had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Rogers during the evening. He wanted everyone to understand that “If your heart is not in your music, it shows on your face. You have to love what you’re doing, and not just going through the motions, for it to be magical and successful.”
Roy played many of his favorite blues songs from his past in New Orleans, and Robert Johnson’s Terraplane Blues, then finished the evening’s show with an upbeat song, “Believe,” which got almost everyone out of their chairs and dancing.
In the audience that night was Natasha James, a Tahoe local, Grammy-nominated recording artist. I asked her what she thought of tonight’s show. This was her reply. “Roy Rogers is a master of his instruments and has only gotten deeper through the years. Kevin Hayes’ brilliant drumming set the stage with his deep grooves and perfectly placed accents. The exquisite and purposeful notes played by master bass man, Steve Ehrman, speak volumes to the music with his clarity of delivery and weighted notes; every note had something to say, serving the song. It was a major treat hearing these masters deliver the consuming show!”
Once again, a gigantic Thank You to the Owners of The Nashville Social Club, John Procaccini and Kitty McKay for bringing in such amazing talent and keeping the live music alive in Carson City, Nevada!
Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings will return to the area in July of next year, for a Tuesday Bluesdays show at Palisades Tahoe.
Hopefully, this time the weather will behave.
-Marcia Schultz, Tahoe Music Adventures
Photos by Conrad Buedel (unless otherwise noted)
