Danielle Nicole Band and Jim Suhler

Danielle Nicole Band

“That girl gets down to the nitty gritty.” ~ Koko Taylor

Danielle Nicole Schnebelen began music from the moment she was born. Musical influences from generations on both sides of her parent’s families ensured that a love of playing music would continue to be passed among her and her siblings.

Nicole began singing publicly with her parent’s bands as a youth and took ahold of her full time in her early 20s. “My Father really loved the Blues. He’d go to all the true Blues guys that were around in KC, specifically Little Hatch. He’d played for Abb Locke (saxophonist for Muddy Waters) and we’d get brought along sometimes. The pure, raw emotion relayed through the Blues was what really drew me to it. Its history is the foundation of American Music and is THE one that must be respected and not buried as myth or legend.”

As a founding member of the “Heavy Blues” sibling band Trampled Under Foot, she and her brothers took top honors at the International Blues Challenge in the US, propelling them into Canada, Scandinavia, Europe, UK and was featured on several Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruises. It wasn’t until 2015 that Nicole set out on her own with over a decade of touring experience in her purse with the release of “Wolf Den” recorded in New Orleans with Anders Osborne.

Nicole’s “distinctive, inventive bass work”—which resulted in her not only becoming the first woman to ever be nominated in the category of Instrumentalist ~ Bass in The Blues Foundation’s 2012 Blues Music Awards, but also the first woman to receive the honor—”is the product of years of intensive roadwork. Although she had no experience with the instrument when she became Trampled Under Foot’s bassist, now Nicole can’t imagine life without it.”

Nicole’s 2017 release of “Cry No More” ushered in not only a heavier sound and style differentiating Nicole’s already broadening voice and writing, but also accrued a slew of accolades including a 2019 Grammy Nomination for Contemporary Blues Album; 2 Blues Music Awards for Contemporary Female Artist and her second Instrumentalist ~ Bass, and 3 Independent Blue Music Awards.

Jim Suhler

Jim Suhler and his band Monkey Beat have been on the music scene now for over twenty two years and have built a fanbase worldwide. The Dallas, Texas based group are known for their no holds barred approach to blues inspired rock ‘n roll and roots music. Their four Lucky Seven releases, two releases on Underworld Records and Jim’s solo acoustic CD ‘Dirt Road’ on Topcat records have shown an amazing depth of songwriting and playing, and their constant touring both in North America and Europe has garnered many admirers and accolades.

The band has worked in the past with noted producers Terry Manning (ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Stax records, etc.), and Jim Gaines (Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan) and Grammy Award winning producer/songwriter Tom Hambridge. Jim is also well known as lead guitarist with George Thorogood & the Destroyers since 1999, and has had his songs used in feature films (Spun, Wallace & Grommit) and is a multiple nominee in the prestigious Dallas Observer Music Awards, plus he is a member of BUDDY, Texas’ oldest music magazine Texas Tornado Hall of Fame.