Marc Ford (w/ Sly Fox and the Hustlers)

Marc Ford has enjoyed a strong recent resurgence supporting his deep solo catalog. Besides Marc’s distinguished career starting with Burning Tree being signed to Epic Records in 1989, to playing with the likes of The Black Crowes, Ben Harper, Gov’t Mule, Booker T. Jones, Blue Floyd, The Blind Boys of Alabama and most recently Lucinda Williams to name a few, he has been releasing albums of his own material for over 20 years. Marc has joined forces with a highly accomplished rhythm section. Phil Jones (drums) has played extensively with Tom Petty, Joe Walsh, and Johnny Rivers, among others. Jim Wilson (bass) has been playing with multi-Grammy Award winner Daniel Lanois for over 20 years.

The band has been busy. Highlights for 2023 include a Northeast run in June, a Midwest run in August, a Southwest/Colorado run in August and September, a statewide California run in September, and festival appearances at BeachLife Ranch in Redondo Beach, June Lake Jam Fest outside Yosemite, as well as Caveman Festival in Colorado. Marc’s playing better than ever. JamBase said in a recent article that “this might be the opening chapter of his finest hour yet.”

Marc is also a successful producer. Grainne Duffy’s new album is getting a lot of buzz overseas, the new Red Shahan album is due for release in early 2024, and Marc has a new album of his own in the final stages. Marc and Phil released an EP of Neil Young covers titled “Neil Songs” in early 2023, of which most shows feature a couple choice cuts in the set list. Make sure you check out this electrifying live show when it comes to your town.

Website: www.marcfordmusic.com
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SLY FOX AND THE HUSTLERS

New York based rock band Sly Fox and the Hustlers was formed in 2010 and are billed as “Heavy Voodoo Blues over Sweaty Funky Grooves – an exciting high energy show not to be missed!” John Popper of Blues Traveler called Sly Fox and the Hustlers, “one of the best bands I’ve seen in a long time.”

The band began when Sly Fox’s longtime friend and musical partner, Anti-Records recording artist Sean Rowe, took a leave from rock and roll to focus on performing solo. At the same time, Sly had been writing songs to help work through a difficult time in his life and was becoming an engaging singer. “Sean and I had been playing guitars together and writing songs since we were twelve years old and Sean had always been the singer,” says Sly. “Shortly after Sean went solo, I had been going through some tough times which had inspired me to write several new songs and they were just so personal that I felt I had to sing them to get the feeling and emotion across. So, I became a singer out of necessity, and those songs became my first album, ‘The Low Life.’

In building out his band Sly enlisted Zak Young on guitar and vocals and John Ellis on bass. To fill out the sound Sly added drummer Sean Ireland, who spiced up the mix with his powerful John Bonham-style playing. Sly says “Once we had Sean, he fit like the missing puzzle piece and we knew we had a very unique blend of rock and roll stew to share with the world: Equal parts raw blues rock, funk, and soul, with a rough edge that you don’t usually find in roots-based music.”

Sly Fox and the Hustlers have been most recently named favorite blues act by the Listen Up Awards and Best Original Blues Rock Band multiple times by Albany’s Metroland magazine. They have released two full-length albums, a live EP: “Live at the Egg,” a Christmas cover of the Ray Charles classic That Spirit of Christmas and most recently in Spring ‘22, the single Find Someone. The band is currently in the studio wrapping up their third full length new album.

Over the years, Sly Fox and the Hustlers have toured all over the US and shared stages with Blues Traveler, Smash Mouth, Better Than Ezra, Robin Trower and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The band has also been a mainstay at festivals and music events across the U.S. including Alive @ 5, Angel City Motorcycle Rally, Laconia Motorcycle Week, Americade, Harley Rendezvous Classic and the Adirondack Independence Music Festival to name a few.

Website: www.slyfoxandthehustlers.com