Blind Lemon Pledge

BLIND LEMON PLEDGE ACOUSTIC MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

* James Byfield vocals, guitars / strings, songwriter

Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist James Byfield has composed and recorded in a variety of styles from blues to rock to pop. He is credited by Time Magazine with creating the first use of rock music in a liturgical setting with his Rock Mass, performed throughout California. His original compositions have been featured in films, stage productions and commercials. He produced the bands album I Would Rather Go Blind and creates the graphics and PR materials for the band including their website: http://www.blues.james-creative.com. He also plays guitar, sings and composes for the American Songbook duet As Time Goes By and the blues quartet The DustUps.

* Cal Keaoola - violin/vocals

A native of Hawaii, Cal is a fiddling violinist well versed in all styles from Folk & Blues to Jazz & Latin. In 2001, he completed a US Rodeo Circuit Tour with Pearl River Country Band and Country Music Hall of Fames Patrick Haggerty. He is featured on 5 Hawaiian Grammy Award winning albums of the early 2000s; and has performed with legendary rock band, Its a Beautiful Day; Bill Keith of Bill Monroes Bluegrass Band; Scotlands, Alasdair Fraser; Hawaiis Don Ho; Bobby Black & John Ely of Asleep at the Wheel; and blues artist Johnny Nitro. He is current member of As Time Goes By (jazz duo) and Callisto String Quartet. He also sits in with Left Coast Special (Cajun-Zydeco), Blue Ambiance (Gypsy Jazz) and The Billy Boys (country-rock). As former faculty and Artist-in-Residence of the esteemed NC School of the Arts and Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC, Cal continues to teach/coach students in classical/jazz violin, and Latin/folk/bluegrass fiddling in the Bay Area.

* Huntley Barad vocals, stand-up bass

Born in St. Louis, Huntley Barad was exposed to the early roots of Blues, Country & Western, R&B, and Rockabilly as a youngster in the fifties. Starting piano lessons in the fourth grade, he got into jazz improvisation by his early teens, and started playing in bands in his
20s. In the eighties, Huntley played in a series of now forgotten (actually
never known) New Wave, rockabilly, and blues bands, playing keys and singing. He emigrated to San Francisco in the late eighties and was soon heard playing keys, guitar, bass and singing in living rooms, basements, clubs, street fairs, festivals, and private parties. He has backed noted headliners such as Jimmy McCracklin, Joe Louis Walker, Sugar Pie Desanto, and now Blind Lemon Pledge. Besides providing stand-up bass for the group, Huntley wails the blues with his uniquely gritty and stirring vocals.

* John Pearson cajon / percussion

John began playing drums in the local Sheffield, England clubs at age 14, hiding on stage during police raids for underage drinkers! During this time got hooked on the first waves of great American rocknroll. Before
moving to London, he became a founder member of Joe Cockers Grease Band. Signed to Island Music, he played and/or recorded with the Liverpool Scene, Andy Roberts, Paul Kossof, Denny Laine, Cat Stevens, Al Stewart, Victor Brox, Sam Mitchell, David Lindley, Graham Bond, Dr. John and, as session drummer for the infamous Mickey Most, working with artists as diverse as Peter Noone and the New Seekers. Then to L.A. and a Troubadour residency with Spirits Al Staehely, as well as an album with Jan Davis, before relocating to the Bay area. Spent 10 years with renowned Texas blues singer Jackie Payne from the Johnny Otis Show playing the
Monterey Blues Festival, Sacramento Blues Festival and a residency at John Lee Hookers Boom Boom Room. The quest for authentic Americana roots music finally leads to Blind Lemon Pledge.

* Joe Adams mandolin / dobro

Joe has been playing stringed instruments since he was 12 years old. He'd like to thank the nuns of St. Andrew's parish in Drexel Hill, PA for teaching him to read music, even if they wouldn't allow rock n roll at the Folk Mass; and his brother Steve for introducing him to the music of Duane Allman in 1969 and starting him on his long trip down the Lost Highway. Joe spent several years traveling the East Coast folk music circuit with the acoustic swing band Kitchen Help in the mid 70's before moving to Santa Cruz CA in 1978. Well-versed in a variety of styles on a broad range of instruments, Joe is equally at home in swing, bluegrass, country, rock and, of course, the blues.

With a repertoire of over 70 songs (and growing), Blind Lemon Pledge is bringing their unique blend of classic songs and crowd-pleasing originals to night clubs, coffee houses, street fairs, corporate events and private gatherings throughout Northern California. Visit them on the web at: www.blues.james-creative.com, www.youtube.com/user/dabluezz and blues@james-creative.com.