The "Nighthawks” to Headline 2010 Silver Spring Blues Festival

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. is very pleased to announce that the legendary blues group the "Nighthawks” will headline this year’s Silver Spring Blues Festival in Downtown Silver Spring.

The Silver Spring Blues Festival will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2010, on Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, Maryland.

Over the last 30+ years, the Nighthawks have earned a reputation as one of the best and hardest working bands around.

They are among the top musical acts to come out of the Washington, D.C. area—and are still based here. They were a roots rock band before there was such a thing as “roots rock.”

They play a wide variety of music that has appeal to a diverse audience, mixing the blues, rock and soul—along with rockabilly and swing. They’ve played all over the U.S., with the East Coast and Midwest being particular strongholds. And they’ve toured around the world, establishing especially strong followings in Germany and Japan.

Three of the four band members have been playing together for 30 years, a stretch that few in rock or blues can match. They continue to bring great musical skills and energy to all that they do—it’s a remarkable road they’ve traveled and story they have to tell.

The Nighthawks were founded in 1972 by vocalist/harmonica player Mark Wenner and guitarist Jimmy Thackery, and joined early on by bass player Jan Zukowski and drummer Pete Ragusa. Based in Washington, D.C., they built on their Chicago blues roots to create a unique musical repertoire that features blues, roots rock, rockabilly and soul.

They’ve played as the opening act or backing band for such legendary blues artists as Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Big Walter Horton and Elvin Bishop. They also played in the Rosebud Agency's blues all-star tours with Pinetop Perkins, John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite and John Lee Hooker. Some of the guitarists who have played with the band over the years include Bob Margolin, Steuart Smith, Warren Haynes, Jim Solbery, Pete Kennedy, Phil Petroff and Ratso (Jim Silman).

Visit the Nighthawks at their website http://www.thenighthawks.com/