Two popular New Hampshire blues musicians will join forces to perform at New England College – Concord, 62 N. Main St., for Bluesday Evening with Delanie Pickering and Erik Ray on Tuesday, March 24. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 7:30 p.m.
From different backgrounds and different generations, the pair represent two of the Granite State’s most notable blues artists.
Besides sharing a passion for blues music, both spend their weekdays at high schools in Concord. Pickering is a senior at Concord High School and Ray (better known as Mr. Gustafson to his students) is a math teacher at Bishop Brady High School.
“What they do away from the classroom is where their lives intersect, and their enjoyment and respect for one another’s musical talent presented a unique opportunity to have them perform together,” said Jeff Weber, Cultural Arts Director at New England College – Concord.
Ray, who won the 2013 Granite State Blues Society Challenge and was a finalist in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn., is known for his “honky-tonk blues,” which incorporates many different instruments.
Pickering is a Granite State Music Festival scholarship winner and recently represented the Granite State Blues Society’s under 20 year old category at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Influenced by the great Delta blues musicians of days gone by, her blues vocals and slide guitar work are well beyond her years.
