CloverBlue

Rachel McBride -
was introduced to music when she was three years old, singing with her mother, who was a pianist and member of her southern Baptist church choir. These gospel roots have inspired a lifelong love of music that eventually lead her to the blues. First singing back-up, and eventually lead vocals for the groups All Kindza Trouble and StoneSoup, Rachel soon got the blues harp bug. She has been taught harmonica by Randy Bullah ,“Doc” Tomato and Lee Oskar (Harmonica Player for the legendary band “War”) influenced by Charlie Musselwhite, Little Walter, and Bill “Harp Player” Holloway. Her vocal influences include her family, Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, Ann Peebles, Koko Taylor, and Janis Joplin.

Matt Stone -
has been teaching music to students of all ages for over ten years. He studied jazz and fingerstyle guitar at Belmont University with Mario DeSilva, and he has also studied other popular styles privately with Daniel Soto. A multi-instrumentalist, he also plays the pedal steel, mandolin, bass, ukulele, and dobro, and this versatility has allowed him to record with and produce recordings for many independent songwriters in Arkansas and Tennessee. Matthew is a frequently featured musical guest on NPR’s syndicated program “Tales From the South,” and he has also appeared numerous times on local television accompanying various singers. Matt currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas, with his cats Pork Chop and Lil’ Furry.

Bruce Johnston -
is an award-winning composer and an avid performer on electric and acoustic bass as well as electric and classical guitar. He grew up in Searcy, Arkansas and was playing blues on Beale Street by the age of 21. He spent his early to mid 20’s playing live shows in and around Knoxville, Tennessee. At the age of 28, Johnston graduated Summa Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music where he studied composition and electric bass. He continued his academic pursuits earning his Masters degree from The University of Tennessee while studying composition and acoustic bass. He has lead countless performances as a bandleader and has been on faculty at Pellissippi State Community College and Lincoln Memorial University. He is a founding member of the Miami-based avant-garde improvisational ensemble, Fridamusiq, who recently performed with avant-garde/blues legend Elliott Sharp. Johnston is also the departing president of the University of Miami Society of Composers, Inc. and graduated this past May with a Doctorate of Musical Arts in music composition with a cognate in music technology. Most recently, he has returned back to Arkansas with plans to dive into the arts and music scene and make a difference for the place where he grew up.

John Roach -
a 30-year veteran of the Arkansas music scene, is a skillful and hard-hitting drummer with real soul and great dynamics. He plays with a lot of feeling, totally getting into the groove. He has played with bands such as UCA Jazz and Dixieland bands, All Kindza Trouble, StoneSoup, Local Rainman, The Opposition, Charlotte Taylor and Gypsy Rain, the Port Arthur Band, and the Gil Franklin Band. John has shared the stage or opened for the likes of John Sinclair, David Kimbrough Jr., Guitar Shorty, The Holmes Brothers, Buckwheat Zydeco, Malford Milligan, Omar and the Howlers, Wes Jeans, The Dempsey’s, John Lee Hooker Jr., Duwayne Burnside, and Arkansas great, Michael Burks. John’s influences include John Bonham and Buddy Rich.