Tim Parsons / Tahoe Onstage
Buddy Emmer keeps a Tahoe casino immersed in blues.
The Tuesday night tradition at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe began in 2015 with the Buddy Emmer Blues Band featuring a guest player each week. The free shows start at 8 p.m., which the featured artist taking the stage around 9:15 p.m.
The Center Stage springs forward with some of the top artists in the region. Here’s a look:
March 22: Richie Blue
A Washington native, Richie Blue hit the Bay Area blues scene in 1980. The slide guitarist plays a blend of rockabilly, country swing, New Orleans swamp and soul. His song “Rooster” has been covered by Norton Buffalo, Zero and the Sonoma Swampdogs. He’s appeared on more than 30 albums.
March 29: Jeramy Norris
The Stockton resident who tends to bend string fronts Jeramy Norris & The Dangerous mood. He was scheduled to play Tuesday night blues on March 24, 2020, when a pandemic halted live music, making this a bittersweet anniversary show.
April 5: Miles Schon
After a close call with some heavy equipment in a tire shop, Miles Schon decided follow his father’s footsteps in music. He’s a rocker, influenced by the Yardbirds, Jimmy Hendrix and his dad, Neal Schon of Journey and Santana. He debuted at Tuesday Night Blues on Dec. 19, 2017.
April 12: Todd Morgan
With a curly pompadour, Morgan looks like an old-time rocker, and, indeed, he lists as his influences Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. A tenor singer who lives in Sacramento, he plays guitar, drums and piano.
April 19: Tony Ghiglieri
A longtime Tuesday Night Blues favorite, Tony Ghiglieri lives in Sparks. He plays in a jazz duo, Phatman and Robin, with Robin Garrett. He sings in a classic blues baritone and can swap guitar licks with the best. When Ghiglieri and Emmer share the stage, it’s a special performance.
April 26: Kyle Rowland
A charismatic and dynamic entertainer, Rowland was just 10 years old when he began a mentorship with Sacramento harpist and radio host Mick Martin. He was befriended by James Cotton when he was 16. “James Cotton’s wife made us scrambled eggs and toast from special bread for breakfast, then we’d have barbecue for lunch and dinner,” Rowland said. “We would stay up talking and listening to stories until 5 in the morning.”
-Tim Parsons
