Electronic Press Kit for Earnest "Guitar" Roy

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Earnest “GUITAR” Roy CLARKSDALE’S NATIVE SON

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Earnest “GUITAR” Roy CLARKSDALE’S NATIVE SON

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Bio

T

he man and the music speaks for itself. Earnest "Guitar" Roy is truly fulfilling his dream. Earnest Roy, Jr. was born on September 25, 1958 in Clarksdale, Mississippi under the watchful eye of his late, great father and guitarist, Earnest Roy, Sr., who worked with Jackie Brinston, Ike Turner, John Lee Hooker, Wade Walton, Raymond Hill and many of the other Clarksdale Bluesmen. Earnest Roy, Sr. was in a book called "Conversation with the Blues" by Paul Oliver. Earnest's father taught him bass guitar at the age of five. When Earnest turned eight, he began playing in his father's band, Earnest Roy and the Clarksdale Rockers, whose members included Big Jack Johnson, C. V. Ville and Raymond Hill.

At the age of eleven, Earnest "Guitar" Roy, Jr. began playing lead guitar and formed his first band, First Choice, at the age of 14. It was at this time that he began playing Blues and Jazz music that developed into his own style known as "Blue Jazz." The national exposure of First Choice led to an offer as a regular performer on Soul Train. At the time, however, the fourteen-year-old decided to finish high school. At seventeen, Earnest moved to Dayton, Ohio and joined a band called Black Satin Soul.

In 1989, Jim O'Neal, the President and CEO of Rooster Blues Records signed Earnest "Guitar" Roy to the Rooster Blues label and released a single called "Too Many Women" and "I Wanna Know What My Little Girl's Been Doing." The song was written in a San Diego hotel room while touring and playing backup guitar for the late Blues great, Albert King.

From 1993 to 2001, Earnest played for the International televangelist and pastor, Rod Parsley, whose breakthrough ministry aired on 320 nations around the world. In 2001, Earnest "Guitar" Roy returned to his Blues roots when he began touring and appearing at Blues and Jazz festivals with the Blues legend, Sam Carr. Earnest also toured Australia in cities such as Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Byron Bay, and Brisbane to name a few. While in the U. S., Earnest played at The House of Blues in Orlando, Florida with Joe Turner. ► BIO CONTINUED ON NEXP PAGE EARNEST “GUITAR” ROY ■ ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT 2017 5

Earnest's other credits include playing drums on Big Jack Johnson's first album "Oil Man", and playing lead guitar and drums on Frank Frost's Midnight Prowler album on which Earnest has writing credit for the song, "Earnest's Groove." The song appeared on the Earwig Music label.

Bob Eagle, an Australian Blues historian said, "Earnest plays lovely, thoughtful, original solos. Earnest is not another B.B. or Albert King, but is one of the few original voices on guitar. He has a happy knack of writing good songs and performing them convincingly."

his father's tradition of playing the Blues. The band's name was inherited from his father.

Earnest Guitar Roy and his band have played notable festivals in the United States including the Chicago Blues Festival, Juke Joint Festival, Sunflower Festival, King Biscuit Blues Festival and the Cat Head Mini Blues Festival. International Blues Festivals include the Lucerne Blues Festival and Blues Festival Baden in Switzerland, Blues Baltic Festival in Eutin, Germany and the Cognac Blues Festival in France among others. ■

Earnest has his own band, Earnest Guitar Roy & The Clarksdale Rockers, carrying on

BLUES FESTIVAL REVIEWS: Lucerne Blues Festival - Switzerland - "Saturday night opening show was Earnest "Guitar" Roy, a Clarksdale's son, whose musicianship would have deserved a better fate. In spite of having toured with such legends as Albert King and Sam Carr, to a certain extent, "Guitar" Roy remains relatively unknown in the Blues world. His concert in Luzern proved that he may easily have been placed among the best Blues performers of this time."

King Biscuit Blues Festival - "The second stage featured Memphis favorite Blind Mississippi Morris blowing some great harp with raw vocals and he was followed by Earnest "Guitar" Roy from Clarksdale playing some nice clean guitar on Catfish Blues and other covers joined by Bob Corritore on harp."

Chicago Blues Festival - "Earnest "Guitar" Roy brought with him all the flavors of the blues - from rural Delta to Mississippi juke joint, Memphis and Chicago styles. Earnest hails from Clarksdale, MS and was mentored by Albert King.

The audience appreciated and applauded his skilled guitar playing and personable stage presence. His band included an organ player who added some nice spice to Earnest's tasty gumbo of blues."

"Earnest “Guitar” Roy opened with classic Chicago blues accented by a thumping bass line. Mentored by Albert King, Roy played the searing guitar licks perfected by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, with evocative vocals and well-crafted lyrics that reflect his own style, which lies somewhere between the Delta and Chicago."

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Opening for: Robert Plant Gognac, France w/ attendance of 62,000 fans.

Albums Released Ain't Going Down That Road by Myself

Going Down to Clarksdale

Come On Let’s Juke

RELEASED 2004

REALESED 2011

BRAND NEW RELEASE! Released Date 04/15/17

Music Videos "Evaline" with Jon Cleary at Cognac Blues Passions in France – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxARbvB370

“The Thrill is Gone” at Baden Blues Festival – Jam Session #1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OVCLzubbho

Bluesfest Eutin – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RTNnW49I8&t=956s

"Rock Me Baby" at Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival - Chicago Blues Festival – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gAc_fI45wc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qU5d6EWuVY EARNEST “GUITAR” ROY ■ ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT 2017 7

Photo taken in Eutin, Germany

Management and booking Info: United States, JunBug Entertainment Email: junbugent@gmail.com Europe and UK: JunBug Entertainment Email: Richie.richievillager@gmail.com

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