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On Friday, Feb. 17 at 7 pm award-winning national blues artist and 2022 Blues Music Award nominee Gabe Stillman, and his band will be bringing their renowned style of “Hard Stompin’ Blues” to The Rialto Theater in Canton, PA. The band is currently touring in support of Stillman’s newest record, “Just Say The Word,” which was released worldwide by the VizzTone Label Group in August of 2021. The album debuted in the top ten of the Billboard Blues Charts and has connected with radio, industry reviews, and the strong enthusiasm of Stillman’s growing fan base. The band is recently coming off an opening slot with ZZ Top.
“There’s no production artifice about Just Say the Word; it’s professional without being over-polished, gritty without a note out of place,” says Bill Kopp of Rock and Blues Muse. “It’s a fully-realized effort that sharply points the way toward a bright future for Gabe Stillman.”
The Gabe Stillman Band is a “blues machine” that runs at full tilt for every performance, gaining notoriety and fans wherever they perform. While their sound is unmistakably rooted in the blues, the band draws from the deep well of all American roots music.
Stillman formed his band in 2015, shortly after graduating from Boston’s Berklee College of Music and before that, Williamsport’s Uptown Music Collective. Since landing in the final eight of the 35th Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis and being further honored as the recipient of the esteemed Gibson Guitar Award, Stillman and his band have been focused on expanding their footprint on a national and international level.
Stillman’s first self-produced EP release “The Grind” received wide acclaim and was followed up with, “Flying High” on which he is backed by the legendary blues band, The Nighthawks. “Flying High” is now available on most worldwide streaming services and digital outlets.
“Just Say The Word” is packed with thirteen thoughtfully crafted originals plus two covers and further solidifies Stillman’s reputation as an accomplished guitarist and meaningful songwriter. Produced by Anson Funderburgh at Wire Recording in Austin, Texas, “Just Say the Word” is a compelling listen from beginning to end, with powerful contributions from the Texas Horns and special appearances by Funderburgh, Sue Foley, and Greg Izor. The lyrics and arrangements are interesting, diverse, and heart throbbing with messages that are both personal and universal. “Just Say the Word” appeals to the vast following in the blues world while stretching the boundaries into that realm of “just great music” that defies category.
“Gabe is somebody who has it all,” says Funderburgh. “His songs move me; he has a way with words. He is an amazing singer, a great songwriter, and a wonderful musician.”
For more details about Stillman, this concert, and upcoming performances, visit www.gabestillman.com.