A bevy of blues-belting bombshells take center stage in this high-energy blues review, featuring a rotating roster of Chicagoland’s top female blues performers. The show is dedicated to the memories of the original great blues women of Chicago.

Hosted by “Black Cat” Joan Gand on keyboards and the Gand Band

*Lineup subject to additions and changes

Featuring husband and wife team Gary Gand on guitar and Joan Gand on keys, Blue Road is the ultimate blues backup band for all the fantastic vocalists in the festival.

When you mention the name “HOLLY MAXWELL”; you have mentioned a name that is respected all over the world and still is! Voted “Queen of Entetaining Entertainers” at the Cannes Musical Festival, France, just recently! And she is now better that ever before! Musically, this lady has just about done it all, traveling everywhere and knowing everybody that is somebody and is equally known by those same somebody’s!

Daughter of the one and only B.B. King…

Chicago Blues Hall of Fame Master Artist, Liz Mandeville, has been a force of nature on the Chicago Blues Scene for over three decades. Known for her power house voice and prolific songwriting, Liz won both the International Songwriting Contest and the USA Songwriting contests and was named 2008 Blues Songwriter of the year by the American Roots Music Association. Last month she was named to “The Top 40 Modern Blues Artists” list by Alternate Root Magazine.

With her recording debut on 1996’s “Live from Buddy Guy’s Legends,” as a singer with the Aron Burton Review (house band at Blue Chicago for 5 years) Liz Mandeville was a featured artist on 3 other releases from internationally recognized Earwig Music Company. She released 4 CD’s of her own music for Earwig between 1996 and 2oo8. Liz also contributed her talent to Johnny Drummer’s CD, Unleaded Blues and is featured on two Earwig Boxed Sets as well. Liz’s original song, “Scratch the Kitty” from her 2008 Red Top CD spent 22 weeks at #1 on the Cashbox Charts. Most recently, Liz is featured on Earwig’s 2015 release, “Angles Sing the Blues” with Shirley Johnson and Mary Lane.

Liz Mandeville released two CD’s on her own label, Blues Kitty Music and has plans to release a third this year. Her current release, Heart ‘O’ Chicago, is in regular rotation on Stingray Music and SiriusXM. Liz is not only an award winning singer, songwriter & record producer, this year she was nominated for a Jimi Award for her guitar playing, which has been compared to the legendary Chet Atkins and, in some circles she is almost more famous for her washboard playing!

Liz Mandeville has performed in every major blues venue in Chicago, holding down long tenures at Blue Chicago, Rosa’s, Bill’s Blues, Kingston Mines. She’s toured in 11 countries on 3 continents including headlining festivals such as the Durban South Africa Blues Festival (twice) Maastrich Queen’s Day Fest NL, Sasquatch Reunion in Alberta Canada, Chicago Blues Festival, Riverfest NM, and many others. She’s played nearly every state in the lower 48 and Hawaii as well.

Born November 18, 1970, in Chicago, IL , Gwendolyn Williams started singing at the age of 3. Her favorite artist was the legendary Natalie Cole. “I would sing for everyone, anytime and anywhere”. Gwen went to DuSable High School where her music teachers would encourage her to sing. While in high school she had the honor to sing for Chicago’s Mayor Harold Washington for a Christmas Event. Gwen also sings for True Love Baptist Church under the guidance of the late Pastor Alfred Williams. Pastor Williams was one of many who acknowledged her extraordinary talented voice. Mz. Peachez got her first break sitting in with Kissy and Shorty Mack’s band at the Tacs Lounge.

Word spread throughout the south-side club circuit about the girl with the “Big Voice”. Stan “Sarge” Davis, owner of Lee’s Unleaded Blues, quickly realized that she had a special gift to belt out the blues, Stan would have Peachez sing with Sir Walter Scott and the Mighty World Band.

Mz. Peachez dedicates her career to her loving parents, Ms. Gwendolyn Williams, the late Mr. Johnnie Knight, Grandmother Wilma Knight and her Aunt Nell Knight

Accomplishments:

Winning the 2007 Blues Diva Award
Performed at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2009
Mz. Peachez has performed at B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted, Kingston Mines, Blue Chicago, Shaw’s Crab House, Time out Lounge, and at Lee’s Unleaded Blues. She currently works with Toronzo Cannon and the Casanovas.

With a percussive guitar style and soulful voice, Donna plays fingerstyle as well as blues slide guitar on her resonator guitars, including a 1930’s National Steel Triolian and National Steel Tricone.

Donna was born and raised on the northwest side of Chicago. She began playing guitar at the age of 10. By 16, she was playing lead guitar in bands and writing original blues songs.

Influenced by slide guitar players Rory Block, Bob Brozman, Bonnie Raitt, John Hammond, Jr., Eric Sardinas, and Johnny Winter, Donna set out to discover the early blues musicians that inspired these players, which included Son House, Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters.

An accomplished slide guitarist, Donna performed a tribute to slide guitar master Robert Nighthawk at the 2009 Chicago Blues Festival for his centennial celebration. She also performed as part of a Nighthawk symposium for the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas (Nighthawk’s hometown), the King Biscuit Blues Festival (Helena, Arkansas), the Mother’s Best Music Festival (Helena, AK), the Bayfront Blues Festival (Duluth, MN), Blues By The Bay (East Twas, MI) and The Festival for the Eno (North Carolina).

With harpist John Jochem, Donna won the 2010 Chicago Blues Challenge, solo-duo category, and represented the Windy City Blues Society at the 2011 International Blues Challenge.

Donna’s second CD “The Moon Is Rising: Songs of Robert Nighthawk” was released in February 2011. The CD reached #32 on the Roots Music Report for most played blues album on the radio. In October 2011, Donna was nominated for the Best Female Blues Artist by the Chicago Black Music Awards.

Donna plays National steel guitars and is a featured artist on the National Reso-Phonic Guitars website.

She has been on blues radio programs including King Biscuit Time and Delta Sounds, with Sonny Payne, legendary host and member of the blues hall of fame, and Terry Buckalew, both on www.kffa.com through the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas.

Tracee Adams: A South side regular on the blues scene with a powerful voice and presence in the tradition of Aretha Franklin. Always an audience favorite at Chicago Women in the Blues

A veteran of all 6 Chicago Women in the Blues shows at Reggies, Dia Madden is lead vocalist with the Gand Band, Cruise Machine, and has toured for the past few years with the Legacy Girls, a trio that performs the music of girl groups from the 40’s – the 60s. 

You can never have too much Sax. TK brings it on!

Singer, Nightclub Entertainer, Shirley Johnson has proven she is creative human being who put forth the effort to make everything she does a work of art. Her music is soulful and smooth; her lyrics are warm, affectionate, and understanding. Shirley presents a sound that is distinctively her own, conveying stories of reality, with the ultimate message that personifies love.

Born in Franklin, Virginia, Shirley’s musical talent was evident from the age of 10, when she began singing gospel music. After 8 years of singing Gospel, In 1965 she began singing Pop and R&B music. From there Shirley was recognized as one of the up and coming female artists in R&B music. Because of popular demand Shirley became an opening act for such superstars as: Al Green, Jerry Butler, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, and Millie Jackson, just to name a few. Also, during the late 60’s she recorded her 1st three singles on Biggs and Shawn Records.

In 1984, she was advised by a close friend to move to Chicago, the home of the Blues. With her warm personality Shirley was welcomed into the Blues arena with open arms.She opened for some of the best in the in the industry.Some of those artists include: Johnny Christian, Artie “Blues Boy” White, BuckWheat Zydeco, Little Milton Campbell, Johnnie Taylor, Buster Benton, Koko Taylor, and Bobby Rush.

Between 1986 and 1988, Shirley recorded 2 more singles on Diamond Jim & Big Boy Records. In 1989, Shirley became acquainted with Professor Eddie Lusk, and later toured with him as his opening act. This relationship lasted for 2 years. Shirley then formed her own band in 1991,which jump-started her Blues career. Shirley was asked to appear in 3 movies: “Next of Kin” with Patrick Swayze, “Father Jim” with Robert DeNiro, and “V.I. Warshawski” with Kathleen Turner. She also did a commercial for the Dept. of Tourism for the state of Illinois.

Hard work and dedication finally paid off, because in 1994 Shirley released her debut CD called “Looking for Love”. The 1st single to ride the charts was “I’m Gonna Find Me A Lover”, she also did three compilation CDs. She currently is a Delmark Recording Artist with two CDs on the label: Killer Diller and Blues Attack. Shirley is in constant command all over the world. She was also nominated for the W.C. Handy Award for ‘Best Female Blues Singer’.