Staff, Piscataquis Observer • September 21, 2019
Settle back in Wayside Theatre’s red, cushy seats for a night of the Delta, Ragtime, Louisiana, Zydeco, Cajun, Texas and Country Blues with the Old Blues Kats on Saturday Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. Tailgaters welcome. America’s longest musical tradition is alive and well in the hands of David “DW” Gill on harmonica and vocals along with Doug Wainoris on guitar and vocals.
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DEXTER — Settle back in Wayside Theatre’s red, cushy seats for a night of the Delta, Ragtime, Louisiana, Zydeco, Cajun, Texas and Country Blues with the Old Blues Kats on Saturday Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. Tailgaters welcome. America’s longest musical tradition is alive and well in the hands of David “DW” Gill on harmonica and vocals along with Doug Wainoris on guitar and vocals.
The Old Blues Kats is Wayside’s last concert for the 2019 season due to construction on the Grange’s north wall. The Variety Show on Oct. 12 and Old Eleven on Oct. 26 are cancelled.
DW and Doug started their musical journey together back in 1970 with a local Waterville-based blues band called The D&A Blues Band. The band’s major influences at this point were Chicago blues stylists like Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Paul Butterfield and Howling Wolf.
Contributed composite photo
OLD BLUES KATS IN DEXTER — The Old Blues Kats DW Gill, left, and Doug Wainoris perform at the Wayside Theatre at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28 in the final concert of the season for the organization.
The blues quartet configuration of guitar, bass, drums and harmonica, with vocals, was the format they used until 1976 when they formed the Blues Prophets. In 1977 the addition of piano filled out the classic blues quintet sound.
All the while, travels to Chicago helped solidify and form the character of the sound they sought. These trips had the boys working with Big Walter Horton, Eddy Taylor, Otis Rush, as well as back in Maine, with Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, James Cotton, Jimmy Rogers plus Eddy Shaw and the Wolfgang.
After the 1978 release of the self titled “Blues Prophets” LP on Astro-Jet Records, the fellas found themselves on stage in New Orleans at The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, with Professor Longhair and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.
The formation of the Blue Flames in 1982 found Doug and DW fronting a new quartet with material ranging from the sounds of Magic Sam to Rockabilly, then to jump and swing, with Cajun and New Orleans influences added in for good measure.
During the 1980s and 1990s the combo started creating their own compositions and arrangements while still maintaining the authentic sound and feel. Concert outings had them working with Jimmy Johnson and opening for Stevie Ray Vaughn and B.B. King.
Since 2002 the Blues Prophets have been performing around Maine reprising the quartet and quintet configuration. After collecting original tunes and arranging some old blues standards, the guys went back in the studio in 2012 and released “Keep On Jukin’.”
Doug developed his solo finger picking blues act, while recreating the music of Mance Lipscomb, Big Bill Broonzy, Robert Nighthawk, Robert Johnson, John Jackson, amongst many others. Soon, DW came on the scene with the duo and they started doing Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jazz Gillum, Big John Wrencher, whilst inserting in the sets, some more of the original blues and Cajun tunes.
The Old Blues Kats blues duo of DW and Doug keep on performing for many special events, in order to preserve the blues tradition and pay homage to the original blues masters dating back to the early 20th century. America’s longest musical tradition is alive and well in the hands of these Old Blues Kats and everybody has as much fun as the duo does when they swing into your town.
Tickets are $12. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., no reservations. Baked goodies and pretty good coffee sold at intermission. There is a door prize and 50/50 raffle. The 100-year-old hall offers real comfy theater seating, excellent lighting and sound, ample parking, indoor plumbing and HVAC, and a friendly staff of Grangers. It is located at 851 North Dexter Road (Route 23). For more information see “Wayside Grange” on Facebook or call Tim Breen at 355-5507.
The Wayside Grange & Theatre appreciates its sponsors, Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union and McKusick Petroleum.
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