Janet Barker Ryan & Straight Up: Blues for Lovers ___ ___ "If you like the blues, you can’t go wrong with these folks. Janet anchored her passion for the blues while living in Chicago, where she hung out with the likes of Koko Taylor, Magic Slim and Big Twist and The Mellow Fellows. She also had the honor of singing with Duke Ellington when she was only 16. The band’s song is fairly ferocious, fired by the tremendous engine of Janet’s voice combined with Ray [Mann]'s soulful and muscular guitar mastery. The rest of the band provides a sturdy structure to support the powerhouse sound. This is high-energy stuff. The group has shared the stage with or opened for notables such as John Hammond, Guitar Shorty, James Montgomery, Solomon Burke, James Cotton, Johnny Winter, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sugar Ray and The Bluetones, Magic Dick and J. Geils, Monster Mike Welch, Dickey Betts, Charles Neville and Roomful of Blues. Check them out." George Lenker, Club Scout: Special to the Republican, 11/16/2019 ___ ___ Get lost in the hues of Blues when Janet Ryan & Straight Up take the stage at Progression! Janet blew us all away when she dropped in on The Buddy McEarns Band back in early December, and we are thrilled to feature this celebrated local artist and her band for an entire evening in our taproom!