
Jace Everett, Amund Maarud, Roy Rogers and Knut Hem
Notodden Blues Festival today announces that Amund Maarud will be a central artist at the festival’s 35th anniversary this summer. Amund Maarud will do special concerts with the American stars Jace Everett and Roy Rogers and will be “Artist in Residence” at the Notodden Blues Festival 2023. Most people know Jace Everett and his singing voice from the million-dollar hit “Bad Things” from the TV series “True Blood” . Roy Rogers is known as a top-class slide guitarist, as guitarist for Bonnie Raitt and John Lee Hooker and as producer of John Lee Hooker’s Grammy-winning album “The Healer”. We know Amund Maarud as one of Norway’s very best blues and Americana artists. In addition to concerts with Jace Everett and Roy Rogers, Amund Maarud will also hold a Masterclass for the youths at Little Steven’s Blues School and will be joining Talking Blues with Art Tipaldi.
“We have had a close relationship with Amund Maarud ever since he, as a blues-interested 14-year-old, participated in our Blues seminar for youth. Amund has played with us with Maarudkara, The Grand, Amund Maarud Band, Amund Maarud & Vidar Busk, Lucky Lips, etc. Amund Maarud has received the Blues prize, is honored with a star on Notodden Blues Walk of Fame and is a central part of the documentary film about Notodden Blues Festival, Bluestown Rising, which aired on NRK this summer. We are very excited about this new chapter in the collaboration with Amund Maarud,” says festival director Jostein Forsberg.
Amund Maarud and Jace Everett have just released the album “RAUS” together to excellent reviews, and before the summer he will release new music with Roy Rogers and Knut Hem recorded in Snaxville Studio at Maarud’s farm.
“Amund Maarud is incredibly productive and active these days. Both as a solo artist and in collaboration with others. The record “RAUS” with Jace Everett is a very exciting release that will be fun to hear live for the first time. The constellation Roy Rogers, Amund Maarud & Knut Hem recently held some fantastic test concerts in connection with Rogers coming to Norway for recording. We are happy to have achieved this,” says festival manager Jostein Forsberg. Jace Everett, who is visiting the Notodden Blues Festival for the first time, will do a band concert with Amund Maarud and perform as a solo artist. Roy Rogers has been to Notodden previously when he played a concert with The Delta Rhythm Kings in Sliperihallen in 1996.