Inspired by classic and electric blues, the Bridget Kelly Band has placed their unique stamp on the blues genre with high-energy live performances, and a hybrid sound that mixes Texas and Memphis blues with various southern blues traditions. The sultry vocals of singer Bridget Kelly and the incendiary lead guitar work of Tim Fik forge a signature hybrid sound that combines female urban blues with riff-driven rockin' blues guitar. Other band members include a dynamic rhythm section comprised of Mark Armbrecht and Greg Mullins on bass and Tim Mulberry on drums.
The Gainesville-based band has been performing at blues clubs and festivals throughout the U.S. Recently, they appeared at the Women in Blues (WIB) Showcases in Memphis, Tennessee during the International Blues Challenge (IBC) week, and at the May 2018 WIB showcase in Gainesville, Florida. Guitarist Tim Fik is a 2018 recipient of a Keeping the Blues Alive Award from the Blues Foundation for his contributions to blues education.
The Bridget Kelly Band was an IBC semi-finalist in 2015 and 2016, and ranked No. 3 in a Women in Music poll conducted by Blues-E News in July 2015. Their second CD, "Forever in Blues" (June 2014), helped the group gain serious media attention, with positive reviews from music critics in the U.S. and Europe, and regular airplay on Sirius XM radio’s B.B. King's Bluesville channel. The group's "Outta the Blues" (May 2016) rose to No. 11 on the Contemporary Blues Chart in 2016, hit No. 1 on the Roots Music Radio (RMR) Electric Blues Album Chart for six weeks in July and August 2016 and was the No. 4 RMR Electric Blues album of the year. Favorable reviews and steady airplay on XM radio, Pandora, Spotify, Jango, and internet radio have helped to expand the band's international fan base.
In June 2017, the Bridget Kelly Band released their fourth all-original music album, "Bone Rattler," on Alpha Sun records. The album was No. 1 on the RMR Electric Blues Album Chart for 24 weeks. The band's newest CD "Blues Warrior" (released in May 2018) was a top-10 charting RMR Blues-Rock Album and the No. 1 RMR Music Album in the State of Florida in June 2018.
“Free Fridays” is funded in part by a Tourist Development Tax Grant from the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners in conjunction with the Alachua County Tourist Development Council and Culture Builds Florida. The entire “Free Fridays” 2018 schedule can be viewed at www.freefridaysgnv.com. The Bo Diddley Plaza is located at 111 E. University Ave. in downtown Gainesville. For general information, contact Russell Etling, cultural affairs manager, at etlingrh@cityofgainesville.org or 352-393-8532. For more information about this event, please contact David Ballard at ballarddg@cityofgainesville.org or 352-393-8746.
About Gainesville150!
In April 2019 the City of Gainesville launched Gainesville150! to commemorate the 150th anniversary of its incorporation. Gainesville150! provides an opportunity to reflect on our past, celebrate this milestone in history and look toward a boundless future as the “New American City.” During the anniversary year, the City of Gainesville and its partners will host interactive, engaging and inclusive programs and exhibits – leveraging education, technology, personal experiences and family lore that define the City’s shared heritage. Events include concerts, poetry, history projects, public art exhibits, dance, and community discussions and will conclude with a community-wide celebration to be held in April 2020 to launch us into the next 150 years. Since its earliest days, progressive thinking has defined Gainesville and that same spirit remains steadfast. Gainesville150! showcases the community as a dynamic, expanding city and a great place to live, work and play, and paves the way to a future built on innovation, inclusiveness, excellence, economic vitality and community pride.
