Joel Astley formed his first band in 2014 and quickly established himself as a local favorite, sweeping the Annual Washington Blues Society Awards multiple times, collecting 28 “Best of the Blues” Awards.

After playing regionally for some years, Astley made a splash on the international Blues music scene with his 2023 debut album, Seattle To Greaseland, which came in at Number 7 on the Blues Billboard Top Ten and received critical acclaim worldwide. He now tours regularly, and has headlined many regional festivals.

A top tier bandleader, harmonica player, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, he delivers a high energy live show with an engaging blend of catchy originals and select classic cuts. Their music draws from the traditions of Blues, Swing, Funk, Soul, Roots Rock, Jazz, Americana, and more.

Joel is currently signed to the MoMojo Records label, and is a featured artist with Lee Oskar Harmonicas. The band is currently working on a new album, scheduled to complete in 2027.

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Ben Rice might be described as quiet and unassuming—until he picks up a guitar. A three-time Blues Music Award nominee, Rice has built a reputation as one of the most expressive and versatile artists in today’s roots and blues scene. While he began in traditional blues, over the years he’s expanded his sound with soul, R&B, folk, and country, creating a welcoming front-porch atmosphere where every listener feels at home.

Raised on a mix of vinyl treasures—his dad’s Steely Dan, Bob Marley, and Marshall Tucker alongside his mom’s Al Green, Barry White, and George Benson—Rice discovered the guitar at age seven and never looked back. Early thrift-store finds introduced him to Mississippi John Hurt, Bukka White, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Robert Cray, influences that shaped his fearless, inventive, and powerful guitar style. Whether on a steel resonator or his custom-carved electric, Rice’s intensity and originality consistently turn heads.

Audiences are equally drawn to his heartfelt songwriting and evocative vocals. “My goal is to reach people in a way that they need to be reached,” Rice explains. “To say things they may not get to say or hear things they may not normally get to hear.” In performance, he treats every song as a story, channeling the emotions of the characters and inviting listeners to find their own meaning within the music.