18th Annual PBPS Talent Showcase

September 18 - 19, 2004

Greensboro's Matt Hill Blues Band won the 18th Annual PBPS Talent Showcase that was held September 18th and 19th at the Lion's Lair in High Point.

The Matt Hill Blues Band

The blues duo Robin and Tony Rogers from Charlotte, NC, finished second and soloist Walt Atkison from Burlington, NC, placed third in the annual talent competition which showcases local and regional blues bands and soloists from across the Piedmont and the state.

The Matt Hill Blues Band will go on to represent the PBPS at the International Blues Challenge in February, 2005 in Memphis. They will also perform at the 19th Annual Carolina Blues Festival, scheduled for May 7th, 2005 and at Everybody's Day in Thomasville, next Saturday, September 25th at 10:30 am. As the highest placing North Carolina-based band, they will also perform at the Bull Durham Blues Festival, scheduled for September of 2005.

The four piece band features 19 year old Wilson, NC native Matt Hill on guitar, slide guitar and vocals, Terry VunCannon on guitar and lap steel guitar, Shiela Klinefelter on bass and vocals, and Chuck Cotton on drums and vocals.

Robin and Tony Rogers
The second place finishers were the husband and wife team Robin and Tony Rogers, making their second appearance in the Showcase. Last year they entered as an electric band, the Robin Rogers Blues Band. Robin sang lead vocals and played harmonica. Her husband Tony played acoustic and National Steel guitar. They won $200 cash for their second place finish.

Making his first appearance at the PBPS Talent Showcase, Burlington's Walt Atkison received $100 cash. Walt accompanied himself on acoustic guitar, harmonica and tambourine, which he played with his foot.

Past winners of the PBPS Talent Showcase include the Allison King Band, Blue Smoke Blues Band, Blues Hangover, Big Rick & The Bombers, and Abe Reid. Performing as a solo artist, Abe Reid won the Talent Showcase in 1998 and later that year became the only performer representing the PBPS to win the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Last year's winner was solo artist Waymon "Buttermilk" Meeks from Hillsborough, NC, now residing in Florida.

Walt Atkison

Thanks
The Talent Showcase would not be possible with the efforts and donations of many people. These much-appreciated contributors are recognized on our "Thank You" page.

Schedule
The schedule of performers and their ranking was as follows:

Saturday   September 18

6:00 pm Doors Open

   R 7:45 pm Miles Blues Band

   O 8:15 pm Toll Free

   U 8:45 pm    Walt Atkison

   N 9:15 pm    Bluesville

   D 9:45 pm Pajama Don

10:15 pm Patty Benson and the Borrowed Fellas

   1 10:45 pm    Ben Cessna and Rolling Thunder

11:15 pm Kings and Peaches
(2002 Talent Showcase Finalist)

12:30 am Open Blues Jam

Sunday September 19

1:00 pm Doors Open

    2:30 pm Carmen White

   R 3:00 pm Cornbread Saul & the Blues Jammers

   O 3:30 pm King Snake

   U 4:00 pm Delta Dan Marlin

   N 4:30 pm   Robin and Tony Rogers

   D 5:00 pm   Matt Hill Blues Band

5:30 pm Clark Stern

   2 6:00 pm   Big Ron Hunter & the Have Mercy Band

7:00 pm Doors Open for Final Round

   F 8:00 pm    Walt Atkison

   I 8:30 pm Ben Cessna and Rolling Thunder

   N 9:00 pm    Robin and Tony Rogers

   A 9:30 pm Bluesville

   L 10:00 pm Matt Hill Blues Band

   S 10:30 pm Big Ron Hunter & the Have Mercy Band

Robin and Tony Rogers		The second place finishers were the husband and wife team Robin and Tony Rogers, making their second appearance in the Showcase. Last year they entered as an electric band, the Robin Rogers Blues Band. Robin sang lead vocals and played harmonica. Her husband Tony played acoustic and National Steel guitar. They won $200 cash for their second place finish.
Making his first appearance at the PBPS Talent Showcase, Burlington's Walt Atkison received $100 cash. Walt accompanied himself on acoustic guitar, harmonica and tambourine, which he played with his foot. Past winners of the PBPS Talent Showcase include the Allison King Band, Blue Smoke Blues Band, Blues Hangover, Big Rick & The Bombers, and Abe Reid. Performing as a solo artist, Abe Reid won the Talent Showcase in 1998 and later that year became the only performer representing the PBPS to win the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Last year's winner was solo artist Waymon "Buttermilk" Meeks from Hillsborough, NC, now residing in Florida.		Walt Atkison

Saturday	September 18
	6:00 pm	Doors Open
R	7:45 pm	Miles Blues Band
O	8:15 pm	Toll Free
U	8:45 pm	Walt Atkison
N	9:15 pm	Bluesville
D	9:45 pm	Pajama Don
	10:15 pm	Patty Benson and the Borrowed Fellas
1	10:45 pm	Ben Cessna and Rolling Thunder
	11:15 pm	Kings and Peaches (2002 Talent Showcase Finalist)
	12:30 am	Open Blues Jam

Sunday	September 19
	1:00 pm	Doors Open
	2:30 pm	Carmen White
R	3:00 pm	Cornbread Saul & the Blues Jammers
O	3:30 pm	King Snake
U	4:00 pm	Delta Dan Marlin
N	4:30 pm	Robin and Tony Rogers
D	5:00 pm	Matt Hill Blues Band
	5:30 pm	Clark Stern
2	6:00 pm	Big Ron Hunter & the Have Mercy Band
	7:00 pm	Doors Open for Final Round
F	8:00 pm	Walt Atkison
I	8:30 pm	Ben Cessna and Rolling Thunder
N	9:00 pm	Robin and Tony Rogers
A	9:30 pm	Bluesville
L	10:00 pm	Matt Hill Blues Band
S	10:30 pm	Big Ron Hunter & the Have Mercy Band