Big Rick & The Bombers will go on to represent the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society at the International Blues Challenge in February 2007 in Memphis, TN, and will perform at the 21st Annual Carolina Blues Festival, scheduled for May 2007. As the highest placing North Carolina-based band, they will also perform at the Bull Durham Blues Festival, scheduled for September of 2007.“This feels great, it’s fantastic,” Nunez said after winning his second Blues Challenge competition. “It’s a great honor to play here again, and an even greater honor to win.” Nunez’s previous Blues Challenge title came in August of 2002 with a different line-up of the Bombers, and with Nunez himself playing bass. “This is the first time I did a Piedmont Blues talent competition playing guitar,” he said.
Along with Nunez on lead guitar and vocals, the current Bombers line-up included Ruby Tunley on drums, Steve Chall on bass, Adrian Duke on Hammond B-3 organ, and Lynnette Barber on lead vocals. Barber is the only remaining member of the Bombers from their previous appearance in the Blues Challenge.
Second place finishers WSNB featured Willie Shane Johnson on harmonica and lead vocals, Nate Brown on guitar, Jason Gardner on drums and Clay Ford on bass. It was their first appearance at the Blues Challenge.
Greensboro’s Stovepipes placed third in their inaugural appearance at the Blues Challenge. The six-piece band was fronted by Robin Doby on lead vocals, with David Bolton and Rock Williams on guitars, Dewayne Leonard on saxophone, Chris Carroll on bass, and Robert Kees on drums.
In all, 14 bands and soloists competed in the 20th Annual PBPS Blues Challenge over the two-day period.
The final results of each round of the 2006 Blues Challenge are as follows:
