RJ Howson Headlines Blues Revue House Bash

Starting Friday, to coincide with Artwalk, the site will also function as a gallery and live music venue.

“We will have 30 Blues Revue covers on display,” said Jack Sullivan, the publication’s Bradenton chief. “Over the years we’ve had everyone from Muddy Waters to B.B. King to Eric Clapton on the cover.”

The free outdoor concert on the office grounds will feature RJ Howson and the Blues Revue All-Stars from 6-9 p.m.

Howson has been gigging actively in the area since relocating from Chicago to Bradenton Beach about a year ago.

The guitarist, singer and songwriter paid his dues as a sideman in the Windy City. One night while backing Doug “The Arkansas Razorback” McDonald at Buddy Guy’s Legends club, Howson stepped to the front of the stage to fire off some hot licks.

“I’ve got my eyes shut while winding down from a solo, and I feel a tap on my shoulder and think it’s the bass player,” Howson recalled. “It’s Buddy Guy. I tried to hand him my guitar and he said, ‘No, no, keep playing.”

Guy ended up sitting in to sing some favorites by his old friend Muddy Waters.

“The pinnacle of everything I did in Chicago was being on stage with Buddy Guy,” Howson said. “That was something I dreamed of for years.”

Howson started thinking about moving to Manatee County after meeting Damon Fowler in late 2008 through mutual friend Scott Cable, who had been hired to produce Fowler’s nationally acclaimed “Sugar Shack” album. The recording sessions took place in Chicago.

Howson and Cable visited Fowler at his Bradenton Beach place over the years. Now Howson and Fowler are neighbors. Cable recently found a place nearby.

“There’s an enormous amount of support for the arts here and a real cool vibe,” Howson said. “And I had to come down here to establish myself as a frontman.”

Garrett Dawson (drums) and Gregg Vorhees (bass) will be backing the frontman with the burgeoning following on Friday.

“I will have some special guests there as well,” Howson said. “I was pretty blown away to be asked to do this show. It’s a big honor and not something to take lightly.”

During the monthly Artwalks occurring when Sullivan and staff aren’t representing the magazine at festivals around the world, he plans to get artists touring through Florida to perform. Sullivan is also considering recording the Bradenton concerts for a Blues Revue CD sampler.

He hopes the event Friday, and future ones, prove mutually beneficial for the magazine and community.

“We want to create visibility for Blues Revue in the Florida area and help bring in new patrons to the Village of the Arts,” Sullivan said. “We’re excited. People from as far away as Jacksonville have already committed to coming.”