Paul Rishell & Annie Raines
October 7, 2023 @ 6:30 pm
“W.C. Handy Award-winners Rishell & Raines are rousing interpreters of country blues, the original acoustic style that gave birth to electric blues, R&B, and rock. While their guitar, harmonica, and vocals are roiling, muscular, and masterful, their shows are down home-friendly and fun-loving.”
—Scott Alarik, BOSTON GLOBE
Country Blues guitar and harmonica masters Paul Rishell & Annie Raines are celebrating 30 years as a working team. They have recorded 6 albums together, including the award-winning Moving to the Country. They have performed and recorded with John Sebastian, Susan Tedeschi, Pinetop Perkins and Rory Block, opened for Ray Charles, Dr. John, and Little Feat, and performed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and A Prairie Home Companion. In 50 years as a performer, teacher, historian, and torchbearer of the country blues tradition, Paul Rishell has taught the techniques required to do justice to the originals while sharing his first-hand accounts of meeting iconic prewar blues legends like Son House, Johnny Shines, and Sonny Terry. Annie Raines’ harmonica virtuosity has been lauded by top players like James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, and Pinetop Perkins. With 11 years as Country Blues Visiting Artists in Berklee College of Music’s American Roots Music Program, Rishell & Raines continue to entertain and educate audiences with traditional and original songs at festivals, concert halls, and clubs all over the world.
Presented in partnership with:
This season’s lineup is dedicated to the memory of our beloved board member and former board president, Kimberly Williams Shuker.