Just five weeks after winning the Quad-City round of the Iowa Blues Challenge, the Steady Rollin' Blues Band emerged victorious from the final round of the Challenge in Des Moines on May 22. The prize package includes studio recording time and a slot on the IH Mississippi Valley Blues Fest for July 3 as well as money to help support the band's trip to Memphis next January, where they will represent Iowa in the International Blues Challenge.
Steady Rollin' is made up of seasoned pros that have been part of the Quad-Cities music scene for over 15 years. Their music is good to dance to and features different styles of blues from jazz to funk and R & B, Memphis to Chicago, with covers of artists like Tyrone Davis, Bobby Bland, and Marvin Sease. Craig Bentley is on guitar, Perry Hultgren on keyboards, Jimmy VanHyfte on drums, Tom Norman on bass, and Jimmie Lee Adams on vocals.
The Steady Rollin' Blues Band plays every Thursday night at Rascals in Moline, and they will open the IH Mississippi Valley BluesFest activities on the Bandshell on Saturday July 3 at 1:00pm.
Five bands from across the state competed in the final round of the Iowa Blues Challenge. Trouble No More, the Bob Pace Band featuring Steve E. George, Bella Soul Blues Revolution featuring Tina Haase Findlay, and Stoney Ground were the other performers that gave the Steady Rollin' Blues Band a run for their money. Steady Rollin' follows in a tradition that has seen the Quad-Cities entrants in the Iowa Blues Challenge walk away with the top prize, including the Avey Brothers Band in 2008 and 2009.
The Iowa Blues Challenge is produced by the Central Iowa Blues Society, with support from the Lizard Creek Blues Society and the Mississippi Valley Blues Society.
