Grant Dermody and Lightnin' Wells (Special Event)

Everything About the Blues Harp Meets the North Carolina Blues CollectorGrant Dermody (pronounced DER muh dee) is a harmonica player and singer known for his rich tone, tasteful solos, and solid rhythmic playing. Grant moves through a variety of musical styles while maintaining his own distinctive sound.Grant started out as a Chicago style blues harmonica player. He later concentrated more on Delta and Piedmont blues, and branched out to other forms of acoustic music including old-time, folk, and alt-country.A sought after accompanist, Grant has appeared on several Jim Page recordings, plays on Dan Crary?s new album, Renaissance of the Steel String Guitar; and has also recorded with Robin Dale Ford, Scott Law, Michael Grey (of Pearl Django) and Michael Gettel. Grant has performed with Cephas & Wiggins, John Miller and Orville Johnson, Antion, Big Joe Duskin, John Dee Holeman, Robert Lowrey, and Honeyboy Edwards. He was a featured artist with Orchestra Seattle playing the harmonica part in Huntley Beyer's Symphony, Romantic Lines. He is a member of the blues influenced old-time band, The Improbabillies, whose self-titled CD on the Yodel-A-Hee label is a fine example of Grant's innovative playing.Grant teaches harmonica at the annual Port Townsend Country Blues Festival and at The Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, West Virginia.Grant will be performing with blues guitarist Lightning Wells.Mike "Lightnin'" Wells was raised in North Carolina and has had an interest in traditional forms of music since childhood. An avid collector of country and blues recordings, these formed the basis for his developing style of playing and singing using a variety of acoustic instruments, including the guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and harmonica.Variety is a trademark of Wells' musical style and he attempts to educate as well as entertain audiences in his various performances. A Lightnin' Wells performance is a spirited, exciting interpretation of folk blues classics and obscure material based on his over 20 years of experience, performance and research."A veritable bottomless pit of songs and techniques, Wells should be declared a state resource, placed on the endangered species list, and given his own habitat to practice his craft." ~Bob Burtman, Spectator MagazineJoin us at the home of Jeff Glassie and Julie Littell in Brookmont, just off MacArthur Blvd. between the Palisades and Glen Echo for an evening of blues. Beside the phone number listed below, the hosts can be reached at "jefferson at acousticblues.org" (where the "at" is the at sign (@)).