2023 lineup
In 2023, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe celebrate their 25th anniversary as a band.
KDTU has electrified audiences around the world from the fields of Naeba in Japan at the infamous Fuji Rock Festival to the hallowed stage of Madison Square Garden where they previously joined the Dave Matthews Band and The Godfather of Soul, James Brown. From performing as Sexual Chocolate (Karl was in the original band in the movie Coming To America and its sequel) at the Outside Lands Music festival in San Francisco, to being the first late night act at the inaugural Bonnaroo festival, KDTU have been a dominating force in music for the past 25 years.
All-night, sold-out concerts during Jazzfest in New Orleans have featured sit ins by everyone from Lenny Kravitz & Steve Winwood (with whom Karl has recorded and toured) to avant garde luminaries Marc Ribot & Boyfriend. Chuck Leavell and Bernard Fowler (Karl’s bandmates in The Rolling Stones where Karl replaced the great Bobby Keys as saxophonist in 2014) have joined onstage and on record, as have Lukas Nelson, John Oates, Michael Franti, Warren Haynes, Ivan Neville, Anders Osborne, Big Daddy Kane, Roy Hargrove, Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley, Joshua Redman, Marcus King, and Bernie Worrell, among others.
Touring the country with the Allman Brothers, My Morning Jacket, D'Angelo, The Roots, Public Enemy, Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, Parliament Funkadelic, Slightly Stoopid, Widespread Panic, very few concert goers have been untouched by the Tiny Universe live.
yonder mountain string band
At 25 years old, Yonder Mountain String Band continues to exist at the forefront of the progressive bluegrass scene as undeniable innovators and pioneers of the modern jamgrass movement. Blending bluegrass with elements of rock, alternative, psychedelic and improvisational music, Yonder Mountain String Band brought their high-energy acoustic sound and light show into rock n’ roll settings with tremendous success, proving it was possible for a bluegrass band to not only exist but excel in a rock world, without drums. The inroads they made created opportunities for like-minded acoustic bands to perform at festivals, rock clubs, theaters and stadiums previously considered off-limits for string bands. Yonder Mountain's high-energy sound, compelling original music and anything goes attitude cultivated a spirit of collaborative improvisation that continues to fuel today’s progressive bluegrass and jamgrass scenes.
And the best part, it’s all happening FOR FREE at the Sue Lundberg Memorial Stage at Outlaw Square on Historic Deadwood Main Street on Saturday, September 16. You don’t want want to miss this show!!!
diggin' dirt
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The Deadwood Jam wouldn’t be complete without some funk & soul!!! We are excited to welcome Diggin Dirt to bring the dance party to the Jam on Saturday, September 16, at the Sue Lundberg Memorial Stage at Outlaw Square on Historic Deadwood’s Main Street!
This seven-piece band emerging from behind the redwood curtain in Humboldt County,
California, is skyrocketing through the west coast music scene. Shoveling out their own path, and consistently wowing audiences and filling concert venues, Diggin Dirt is no ordinary funk and soul band. Their sounds explode off the stage with a pure authentic energy, and once they have you in their clutches, the relentless dance party does not let up. Their intoxicating and infectious sound is fueled by a blazing horn section, pulsating rhythms, and searing guitars, that when combined into one, have been known to entice even the shyest of wallflowers to start movin and groovin.
Tying it all together, is the band’s frontman, who is in possession of the pipes, charisma, moves, and natural-born-soul, and launches this ensemble into rarefied air. Behold, as they layer humble influences of psychedelic rock, Motown soul, Afrobeat, and even reggae, atop a sturdy foundation of late 60’s inspired funk music. You might have flashes of James Brown or Sly and the Family Stone, Otis Redding or Tower of Power, but make no mistake that you are in the presence of spine-tingling originality!
atlanta rhythm section
Atlanta Rhythm Section have entertained audiences all over the world with their many Top 10 hits, gold and platinum albums. Along with contemporaries Lynyrd Skynyrd, they carry the mantle of “Southern Rock,” but by performing more musically diverse hits with a softer, pop flavor, they have a sound all their own Hits include “So Into You,” “Imaginary Lover,” “Champagne Jam,” “Doraville,” “I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight,” “Do It Or Die” and “Spooky”.
Formed from the cream of Atlanta’s studio musicians, the Atlanta Rhythm Section (actually hailing from nearby Doraville, Georgia) came together in 1970 after working on a Roy Orbison recording session.
Keyboardist Dean Daughtry and drummer Robert Nix had been members of Orbison's backing group, the Candymen, and Daughtry and guitarist J.R. Cobb had been members of the Top 40 hitmakers Classics IV (“Spooky,” “Stormy,” “Traces”). Rounding out the original ARS lineup were vocalist Rodney Justo (replaced after the first album by Ronnie Hammond), guitarist Barry Bailey, and bassist Paul Goddard.
The group recorded two albums for Decca Records in 1972, neither of which made an impact, before signing to Polydor Records in 1974. Their first album for that company, Third Annual Pipe Dream, only reached number 74 in the U.S. The next two albums fared worse. Finally, in 1977, “So In To You” became the band’s breakthrough single, reaching the U.S. Top 10, and the album from which it came, A Rock And Roll Alternative, went gold. Their platinum followup album, Champagne Jam, broke into the Top 10 in 1978, together with the blockbuster single “Imaginary Lover” (“I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” was another major hit from the same album). Nix left after that, replaced on drums by Roy Yeager. During this magical timeframe, ARS performed at the White House for President Jimmy Carter, another notable Georgia product.
After an extended break, the band got back together in the mid-‘90s and re-recorded some of their best and best-known songs. The live-in-the-studio sound of Atlanta Rhythm Section ‘96 presents a different, less polished take on some classic tunes and captures the sound of their live performances from that period. Three original band members returned: singer Ronnie Hammond, guitarist Barry Bailey and keyboardist Dean Daughtry. They were joined by Steve Stone on guitar, Justin Senker on bass and Sean Burke on drums. The group also cut a second version of these songs with the same lineup except for new drummer R. J. Vealey.
It was around this time that ARS was elected to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The band was honored at a September 1996 induction ceremony at the Georgia World Congress Center.
In the first part of 2001, lead singer Ronnie Hammond made a commitment to perform with the ensemble touring group Voices of Classic Rock and this led to a parting of ways with ARS.
Original singer Rodney Justo and original bassist Paul Goddard returned to ARS in 2011 after lengthy absences from the group. Sadly, Goddard passed away April 29, 2014 of cancer in Atlanta. Nonetheless, Atlanta Rhythm Section will carry on, continuing to make concert appearances showcasing their many classic hits and outstanding musical abilities.
pure prairie league
From their beginnings in mid-Sixties Ohio as a group of friends playing cover tunes to the present-day unit featuring founding member/pedal-steel innovator John David Call, veteran bassist Mike Reilly, propulsive drummer Scott Thompson and guitar ace Donnie Clark, PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE continues to embellish the rich 43-year history of one of Country-Rock’s pioneering forces. As one reviewer recently wrote: “PPL’s sound combines sweet memories with edgy, contemporary muscle. Their vocals are as strong as Kentucky moonshine and the musicianship and performance skills are as sharp as a straight razor”.
Their eponymous first album - featuring the Norman Rockwell/Saturday Evening Post cover that introduced fans to PPL’s trademark cowpoke “Sad Luke” - has been hailed as a “major early influence in the emerging popularity of Country-Rock music”. Their second effort, the multi- platinum “Bustin’ Out” brought us the Craig Fuller-penned classic “Amie”, along with other gems of the genre. With “Two Lane Highway”, nine more albums and countless shows, a legacy has been forged and enriched during the
‘70s and 80’s, highlighting contributions from several noteworthy members, including original co-founder George Ed Powell, Cincinnati’s legendary Goshorn Brothers, Country Hall of Famers Gary Burr and Vince Gill, award-winning writer Jeff Wilson (3 Top-20 singles) and a host of other guest appearances from Chet Atkins, Johnny Gimble, Emmy Lou Harris, David Sanborn, Eagle Don Felder, Nicolette Larson, and many more.
Now in their fifth decade, Pure Prairie League continues to lead the way for the new generation of Country/Rockers such as Keith Urban, Nickel Creek, Wilco, Counting Crows and so many others that cite PPL as a major influence.
As crisp and clean as spring water and as comfortable as a well-worn cowboy shirt, Pure Prairie League still brings it all back home.
tommy Castro& the pain killers
Tommy Castro won the B.B. King entertainer of the year award for the second year in a row at the 2023 44th Annual Blues Music Awards.
The road has always been Castro’s home away from home. He’ll instantly ignite a crowd, turn them into loyal fans and then keep those fans coming back for more. He has traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and performed thousands of gigs, leading his bands at clubs, concert halls, and festivals all over the world. Famed guitarist Joe Bonamassa says, “Tommy has always been top of the heap among blues guitar players. He always puts on a great show.”
Born in San Jose, California in 1955, Tommy Castro first picked up a guitar at age 10. He fell under the spell of Elvin Bishop, Taj Mahal, Mike Bloomfield and other blues artists of the day. Almost every major rock and soul act, from Ike and Tina Turner to Janis Joplin to the J. Geils Band to Tower Of Power, toured through the area, and Castro was at every show. He saw John Lee Hooker, Albert King, and Buddy Guy and Junior Wells at the same local blues bar, JJ’s, where he often jammed, dreaming of one day busting out. Mixing the blues and rock and roll he loved and the soul music he heard blasting from lowriders in his neighborhood Tommy started to create his own personal sound and style. He honed his guitar skills and intense, gritty vocals, learning how to capture an audience as he performed on San Francisco’s highly competitive club scene. As his reputation spread, Tommy played in a variety of Bay Area bands, soon making a name for himself as a hotter-than-hot live artist bursting at the seams with talent. In 1985, he was recruited to become lead singer and guitarist for the regionally popular blues band NiteCry, gigging regularly throughout Northern California. Castro joined Warner Brothers’ artists The Dynatones in the late 1980s, performing all over the country. He formed the first Tommy Castro Band in 1992 and has not stopped touring since. In 1995, soon after releasing his first album on Blind Pig Records, The Tommy Castro Band was selected as the house band for three seasons on NBC Television’s Comedy Showcase (airing right after Saturday Night Live). The show brought him in front of millions of viewers every week and cemented his reputation as a not-to-be- missed, nationally touring live performer.
Castro’s relentless road-dog approach—gig after gig, night after night—has won him loyal, lifelong fans everywhere he plays. The Washington Post says Castro is “phenomenal and funky” with “soulful vocals and inspired blues guitar.” The San Francisco Chronicle describes Castro’s music as, “funky Southern soul, big city blues and classic rock...silvery guitar licks that simultaneously sound familiar and fresh.” No Depression says “Castro plays gritty, string- bending blues like a runaway train...a glorious blend that rocks the soul and lifts the spirits.”
Upon release of A Bluesman Came To Town, Castro will hit the road with The Painkillers, performing fan favorites as well as songs from the new album. “I’ve made seven albums for Alligator,” Castro says, “and I’ve never made the same record twice. I will always try to be my most authentic self. I give it all I’ve got every time we hit the stage!”
Stephen Wilson Jr.
We are so excited to welcome singer/songwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. to rock the Sue Lundberg Memorial Stage at Outlaw Square on Saturday, September 16, at the 33rd annual Deadwood Jam!!!
Stephen Wilson Jr. is a singer/songwriter from rural Southern Indiana. Self-described as “Death Cab For Country,” Stephen Wilson Jr. draws upon indie rock, grunge and country to create a distinct sound that is influenced by artists as diverse as The National, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Nirvana.
Wilson was raised by a single father who was a boxer and had him boxing from age seven through adulthood as an Indiana State Golden Gloves finalist. The self-taught guitarist moved to Nashville to pursue a degree in Microbiology at MTSU, where he started indie rock band AutoVaughn after finishing his degree. After five years of touring the world as lead guitarist with AutoVaughn, Wilson turned his creative focus toward songwriting and singing. After the band, Wilson relied back on his education where he worked for several years as an R&D scientist at Mars until signing a publishing deal with BMG Nashville in 2016. His songs were soon recorded by acts like Caitlyn Smith, Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, MacKenzie Porter, Sixpence None the Richer and Leigh Nash. Wilson went on to self-release several songs of his own including, *The Devil, Year To Be Young 1994, The Beginning, Holler From The Holler* - which won 6 independent film festival awards for its accompanying music video - and *billy*, which caught the attention of Billboard who featured the single in its ‘Makin’ Tracks’ column. Wilson went on to tour the US and Europe with acts like Brothers Osborne, Midland, and Cadillac Three developing a global base of music fans enamored by his emotive performance, skilled guitar prowess, and powerful vocals.
The wandering hearts
The Deadwood Jam is excited to welcome the UK based Americana band The Wandering Hearts to the Sue Lundberg Memorial Stage at Outlaw Square on Saturday, September 16 on Historic Deadwood’s Main Street!!!
The Wandering Hearts shot to the forefront of the UK folk-Americana scene with their debut album ‘Wild Silence’. Earning glowing comparisons ranging from First Aid Kit to Fleetwood Mac, the album propelled them upon a remarkable journey during which they played some of America’s most storied venues. After a
personal invitation from the legendary Marty Stuart, they became the first band to make their US debut at Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium and then play the Grand Ole Opry in the same week.
An early highlight came at the UK Americana Awards, where they won the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award and performed with Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons and Imelda May. Two years on the road followed, with sold-out headline tours, support slots for Lukas Nelson, Justin Townes Earle and Larkin Poe, opening for Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks at London's BST Hyde Park, and festival circuits across the UK and US.
