Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys

Bringing crowds to their feet at the hardest to please and sophisticated night clubs in the Midwest, Reverend Raven and the Chain Smoking Altar Boys play traditional blues, straight up with a big dose of passion. With smoking grooves, served up with hot harmonica and smooth stinging guitar they play original songs peppered with nods to Slim Harpo, Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and the three Kings.

Born and raised on south side of Chicago, the Rev has been playing the blues since 1971 when he first saw Freddy King play at the Kinetic Theatre in Chicago. After 15 year hitch in the Navy, Chief Raven moved to Milwaukee where he began a long friendship and collaboration with Madison Slim, long time harmonica player for Jimmy Rogers.

Westside Andy

Born in 1952, Andy caught the music bug young, and picked up his first harmonica at age 11 in Madison, WI, which he still calls home. Listening late at night on KAAY AM Radio in Little Rock, AR, he got turned on early to Muddy Waters, Little Walter, James Cotton, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf, and Big Walter Horton, to name a few. And at that time, there were so many great, iconic players to learn from in the nearby Chicago area. Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite, Jim Liban, Corky Siegel, Paul Butterfield. Lots of information and inspiration for a young, hungry player.

He's played over 10,000 gigs over some 45 years, working with a Who’s Who of the Blues: Luther Allison, Ben E. King, James Cotton, Pinetop Perkins, Barrelhouse Chuck, Hubert Sumlin, Tab Benoit, Gary Primich, Mel Ford, Billy Flynn, Glenn Davis, Paul Black & the Flipkings, Reverend Raven, Jon Nicholson, Corky Siegel, Jim Schwall, Ben Sidran, Tino Gonzales, Clyde Stubblefield, The Doobie Brothers, Richie Havens, and The University of Wisconsin 250-piece band (!).