One of Pittsburgh's rock legends, Billy Price, will entertain twice this week at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center. Also in this week's Tady column: Thoughts on solo John Oates, a Beaver Falls comedy and rap show, and a Pittsburgh blues singer earning national acclaim.
Billy Price returns to Midland this Friday for two performances.
The 2016 inductee into the Pittsburgh Rock 'N Roll Legends, along with his band, will play 7 and 9 p.m. sets as part of the Blues in The Box series inside the BlackBox Theater at the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center.
"Last time we played at Lincoln Park, the show was sold out, so this time, we’ve added a second show," Price said. "It’s such a great, intimate setting to perform in and the sound in the room is as good as it gets. We had a ball last year and can’t wait to do it again."
The internationally recognized R&B/blue-eyed soul singer, and former lead vocalist for guitar wizard Roy Buchanan, looks forward to a couple of exciting months.
"I’m going to San José in a few weeks to record my next album at Greaseland Studios," Price said.
(I asked him if he knew the way to San Jose — of course he did.)
Price's album will be produced by Chris “Kid” Andersen, who plays guitar with Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, which were big nominees in last week's 39th annual Blues Music Awards.
"I can't wait to get out there and work," Price said. "In April, we are doing three shows with Johnny Rawls, a great soul-blues artist from Mississippi whose new album, 'Waiting for a Train,' has been at the top of the blues chart and is nominated for several Blues Music Awards."
Price will support Rawls at an April 5 show at Pittsburgh's Club Café.
Though first comes the Lincoln Park gigs for Price, who led western Pennsylvania's beloved Keystone Rhythm Band in the 1980s and 1990s, and has sung at such prestigious places as the Newport Jazz Festival, L.A.'s Troubadour Club and Carnegie Hall in New York City.
"I love playing in Beaver County and of course know that B.C. has a rich history in Pittsburgh music with all the great musicians who have come out of there," Price said. "I used to record at Jeree Records in New Brighton and have a lot of great memories of that place."
His band includes Steve Delach (guitar), Paul Thompson (bass), Dave Dodd (drums), Jimmy Britton (keyboards), Joe Herndon (trumpet), Rick Matt (baritone and tenor sax) and Lincoln Park artistic director Eric DeFade (tenor sax).
Tickets for these Blues in The Box shows are $15 and $25 and available at 724-576-4644 or LincolnParkArts.org.
No Hall, Just Oates
John Oates will sing the national anthem at today's Pittsburgh Steelers game, and perform Monday night at Club Cafe with his The Good Road Band. Limited $50 tickets remain for that 8 p.m. concert.
I saw Oates solo at the Strand Theater in Zelienople years ago, and must say he's fun when he's not standing in the figurative and literal shadow of Daryl Hall.
Though if you've only got the ways or means to see one Club Cafe show this week, I'd go with Thursday's concert by Dan Bern, one of the funniest, most daring folk singers you'll ever see. Back in the day, Bern used to swing his national tours through Bridgewater to play at Thursday's tavern.
B-Falls comedy/hip-hop
Enjoy the laughs and beats when Frank's Original Grill in Beaver Falls holds a comedy/hip-hop show 9 p.m. Friday headlined by comedian Marcus Cox.
Cox, of Aliquippa, began his stand-up career in in 2011, and has performed at comedy clubs in the Pittsburgh, Michigan and Ohio region.
Local rappers scheduled to perform include Cigarillo, GRu, Kanti Kasa and Gookknot. DJ Jaw will keep the music flowing.
Admission is $10, though ladies get in free until 10 p.m.
Tidbits
*Loren Allred, originally from the North Side of Pittsburgh, will sing "America The Beautiful" prior to kickoff of the Steelers-Jaguars playoff game. Allred was a season three finalist on NBC’s “The Voice” and supplies lead vocals for character Jenny Lind in the movie “The Greatest Showman.”
**Pittsburgh singer Miss Freddye earned two nominations last week in the Blues Music Awards. She's a nominee in both the Best Emerging Artist Album and Best Traditional Blues Female (Koko Taylor Award) categories. Miss Freddye and her band performed last September at Hopewell Community Park. Her competition in the Emerging Artist Album category includes upstate New York bluesman Tas Cru, who has performed multiple times at Wooley Bully's in New Brighton.
***I've told you I'm trying to bring sexy back to AM radio. That's why I co-host with WBVP-WMBA's Frank Sparks the weekly "Notes on Local Entertainment" radio show, where each Thursday at 11:30 a.m. we talk about local entertainment. At least once a month, we bring in a local band or singer to perform live on air and Facebook. The upcoming performance schedule includes: Dawn Savage, Jan. 25; Stephen Rubinosky, Feb. 8; Justin Wade Band on April 5; and sometime in March, Hugh Harper and the Neon Oranges. Tune in, at 1230 AM or 1460 AM.
Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@timesonline.com.