michael packer: News

THIS SUNDAY AUGUST 19TH 8PM @ BB KINGS 237 WEST 42ND STREET NYC THE MICHAEL PACKER BLUES BAND WILL BE THROWING A PARTY FOR THE NEW ' SUNNY SIDE OF ME' CD. SPECIAL GUESTS INCLUDE GUITARISTJIMMY VIVINO WHO HAS BEEN RECEIVING RAVE REVIEWS FOR HIS WORK WITH LEVON HELM. WORLD CLASS BLUES PIANIST DAVID MAXWELL, SANDY ALLEN FROM PAPA NEBO AND FREE BEER. BLUES HARPISTS FELIX CABRERA AND DAVE ' SNAKEMAN' RUNYAN, GABBY KASPER THE 9 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO WROTE THE LYRICS FOR ' SUNNY SIDE '. THIS PERFORMANCE WILL BE RECORDED LIVE SO COME ON DOWN AND BE A PART OF SOME MUSICAL MAGIC!

BLIND PIG RECORDING ARTIST, BLUES GUITARIST BILL PERRY PASSED AWAY ON TUESDAY JULY 17TH. HE WAS ONLY 49 YEARS OLD. I FIRST MET BILLY @ RICHIE HAVENS TOONTOWN STUDIO IN GREENWICH VILLAGE, NY. TO REALLY SEE HOW VERSATILE BILLY'S GUTAR PLAYING WAS CHECK OUT RICHIE HAVEN'S ' RESUME' ' ALBUM. TRULY REMARKABLE. THE MUSIC WORLD HAS LOST A GOOD ONE. GOD BLESS!.....MICHAEL PACKER

WE ARE SET FOR A GREAT NIGHT OF MUSIC @ BB KINGS BLUES CLUB AND GRILLE ON SUNDAY AUGUST 19TH. FEATURED PERFORMERS INCLUDE JIMMY VIVINO FROM THE CONAN OBRIEN SHOW, DAVID MAXWELL, JAMES COTTON'S PIANO PLAYER, FELIX CABRERA ON HARP, SANDY ALLEN MEMBER OF PAPA NEBO AND FREE BEER. MORE GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED. WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED IT IS GOING TO BE ONE GREAT NIGHT!.... ALSO COMING UP WE WILL BE PERFORMING @ THE BLEND BAR IN RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY ON SEPTEMBER 8TH WITH COMMANDER CODY AND PROF.LOUIE AND THE CROWMATIX.... PETE BEST AND THE BOYS FROM LIVERPOOL RETURN FOR AN EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH US @ THE TOWNE CRIER IN PAWLING, NY ON OCTOBER 7TH... WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! KEEP ROCKIN!

Background singer Patty Darcy Jones passed away on June 16th, 2007. She starred in the Broadway show ' Smokey Joe's Cafe'
and sang backup for Cher, Bette Midler and on my first Free Beer album produced by Brenden Harkin. She also recorded a fantastic version of one of my songs ' Run Wild '. Patty was blessed with a remarkable voice and talent. I was lucky enough to have experienced that talent first hand.Thank you Patty for being a part of my life and God bless you!..........MICHAEL PACKER

THE TITLE TRACK ' THE SUNNY SIDE OF ME ' LYRICS BY 8 YEAR OLD GABBY KASPER IS THE MOST REQUESTED SONG IN THE HISTORY OF WEQX FM RADIO IN ALBANY, NY!. ALBANY'S #1 ALTERNATIVE ROCK STATION.

Sir Paul McCartney is to appear in a 5 minute promotional film to promote the former Beatles bandmate Pete Best's Liverpool, England's Casbah Coffee Club where the fab 4 once hung out before they became super stars. The venue was recently named an historic building by the English Heritage.... McCartney admits he was thrilled to take part in the publicity campaign. The commercial includes appearances by McCartney, Pete Best, Rory Best and Cynthia Lennon, John Lennon's first wife. This is a marvelous first step in the healing process for our good friend Pete Best and for Paul too. . CHEERS! .....MICHAEL PACKER

Summer is almost here and we are gearing up for it. Memorial Day weekend we are in Albany NY performing 2 Borders Books in-stores and will be back @ Savannah's.In June we return to The Pine Tavern, Orphan Annies and do our first gig with the Dough Boys @ Crossroads in New Jersey and August we are back @ The Dockside Pub in Lake Mahopac, NY, The Downstate Blues Festival @ The beautiful Warwick Valley Winery in Warwick NY and later on that month @ BB Kings Blues Club and Grill in NYC for a ' Sunny Side of Me ' CD Release party. So come and hangout and enjoy some Summer fun and sunshine with us.

I only met BB (Bernie) once @ Orphan Annies in Sterling New Jersey.My band was there to showcase @ one of his Sunday blues jams. There hardly was anyone in the club but BB was still up there swinging, getting into his zone.After my band played, I talked to him and he liked what he heard BB told me he would give the owner of the club the heads-up.Well thanks to Bernie it evolved into a regalar gig for my band @ Orphan Annies. Bernie passed away this past Sunday and will surely be missed.This is just another example of why people should go out and support live music and especially local musicians. Life is short. Thanks Bernie and I am sure you have a packed house up there in heaven. Keep rockin......MICHAEL PACKER

Michael Packer's new release 'The Sunny Side of Me'; features cover-art and lyrics to the title song by 8 year old Gabby Kasper from Albany, NY, the daughter of one of Michael's oldest friends. The album consists of 6 new originals, 2 by Grammy award winning songwriter Hugh Prestwood and 1 by Folk-icon Paul Siebel.A fan recently wrote 'Michael Packer is one of the best kept secrets in the US. Perhaps not anymore after this album. Produced by Michael Packer and Alan Lorber for the Iris Music Group. Available at Amazon www.amazon.com and Borders Books and Music.There are also Sunny Side of Me T-shirts available @ GMURPH9@NYCAP.RR.COM

The Michael Packer Blues Band recently performed a Live radio broadcast @ WPKN-FM Bridgeport CT with Bill Nolan from the Antique Blues show. The show was heard up the east coast to Providence RI. We are also adding WYCE-FM Grand Rapids Mi where the best of album hit the charts with Nora Jones, John Hammond and the Holmes Brothers. Also receiving airplay in Washington DC on Elliott Gross's Monday night blues show.Some great shows lined up @ Savannah's in Albany, NY and The Dockside Pub in Lake Mahopac NY. Hope to see you there or on the radio.

2006 was a great year for the Michael Packer Blues Band with 2 releases Live @ Sweet Rhythm and The Best of The Michael Packer Blues Band. The gigs were great! Savannah's in Albany, NY, BB Kings with David Maxwell,The Turning Point we almost sold it out.Opening for our friend Beatle Pete Best.We look forward to his return to the states in 2007.
2007 is already starting to jump off with great reviews of 'Sweet Rhythm' in Blues Revue, Living Blues and an unbelievable review in the UK's Blues Matters. Michael is currently in the studio recording a new album. He is going back to his roots with an acoustic CD of songs called 'The Sunny Side of me'. The cover art and lyrics to the title song are by an 8 year old girl from Albany, NY named Gabby Kasper. Truly amazing. Will keep you posted. Happy New Year to all and thank you for your support.

We are proud to announce "Recovered Soul' the first track on the best of the Michael Packer Blues Band CD will air on the nations #1 Blues show, Blues Deluxe, on December 3rd through December 9th www.bluesdeluxe.com syndicated on over 100 radio stations across the country, Canada and the US Virgin Islands. Also on the web worldwide.

The Best of the Michael Packer Blues Band is now available @ www.amazon.com The CD is receiving airplay in Michigan, New York, Illinois, Conneticut, Maine, Minnesota, California, New Jersey, Alaska and the Virgin Islands. Reported @10 to Living Blues. Top artist @49 in the Rhapsody blues charts. This is only the beginning of the Iris Music Group and Sounds of Blues marketing campaign. We will keep you posted.

The Michael Packer Blues Band will be opening for old friends, The Pete Best Band on Sunday October 29th @ The Rodeo Bar, 375 Third Avenue, New York City 212-683-6500. Come down for an exciting night of authentic rock and blues with the 5th Beatle. This is a FREE event!

The 'SWEET RHYTHM' and 'BLEECKER - BOWERY' CD's are available at the Apple Jam, Japan's leading record store. www.applejam-mojoroux.com. check it out.

The Michael Packer Blues Band will be hosting some new Blues Jams this fall Starting Sunday, October 8th we will be @ ORPHAN ANNIES www.oannies.com in Stirling New Jersey. Cool club who recently had James Cotton appear there. Already in progress is the on going Thursday night Blues Jam and Open Mic @ RILEYS 523 BAY STREET, STATEN ISLAND,NY.
Come out and have some fun!

The Best of The Michael Packer Blues Band will soon be released globally by The Iris Music Group distributed through The Orchard The compilation is produced by music industry veteran Alan Lorber who has worked with Quincy Jones and Phil Spector.

We are having a party to celebrate the new CD 'Sweet Rhythm' @ BB KINGS in New York City on Monday August 14rh,2006 @ 8pm. The band will include Michael Packer, guitar-vocals, David Maxwell on piano, Jimmy Vivino, guitar,Felix Cabrera, harp, Billy Schroeder drums, Ed Jackson, percussion, King Bear, bass.
It will be a night of old and new friends getting together for an exciting night of NYC Bkues

The new CD 'Sweet Rhythm' by the Michael Packer Blues Band is now available here and @ CDbaby. Recorded live @ Sweet Rhythm in NYC. It features Michael Packer guitar and vocals, David Maxwell on piano, Jimmy Vivino - Guitar, Lou Marini - sax, Ed Jackson -Bongos, Felix Cabrera - harp, King Bear - Bass and Nat Seeley on drums.

Buzzy Linhart rocked the Real McCoy on Staten Island, NY a few years back. He returns with keyboardist Moogy Klingman Bo Diddley side man Jim Satten They will be backed up The Michael Packer Blues Band. Should be quite a night.

The band will be featured live on Sunday May 28th and Sunday June 4th on the Blues Warehouse a Blues radio show out of Long Island, NY. Hosted by Mark Klein and recorded at EKO studios. It can be heard Sunday nights 8 to 10pm EST on RADIOX 94.7 - 94.9 - 104.5 FM or streaming worldwide at www.liblues.com.

Mak Naftalin former keyboard player for Paul Butterfield will be appearing with the band this Saturday, May 20th @ the Turning Point in Piermont, NY.
The Michael Packer-Nick Gravenities tune "Born in NYC' has been added to 'Wikepedia" online encyclopedia , for songs about New York City along with artists such as Duke Ellington, Simon and Garfunkel and John Lennon to name a few. 'Born in NYC' is also featured on Last-FM Radio as one of the most popular songs about New York. Packer's 'Gotta Go" was recently featured on The Roadhouse podcast a weekly blues show.
Look out! The new CD 'Sweet Rhythm" coming soon!

The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll at the Towne Crier the other night The Michael Packer Blues Band set the tone for the boys from Liverpool the Pete Best Band for a wonderful rollicking crowd that didn't want to go home. More shows coming in June. We will keep you posted.

Thank you to all that came out to support us at Sweet Rhythm. It was quite a special night captured live on the soon to be released CD. Michael, Ed and Felix will be joining Prof.Louie and the Crowmatix at the Van Dyke in Schenectady,NY on St.Pat's weekend and the Pete Best Band is returning for another show with the band at the Towne Crier in Pawling, NY on April 2. The Papa Nebo and Free Beer reissues should be available real soon at www.itsaboutmusic.com. We will keep you posted.

Sax great Lou Marini has been added to the Michael Packer band for the Feb.1,2006 date at Sweet Rhythm, New York City. Famous for his role in the Blues Brothers movie, Lou has recently been recording and touring with James Taylor