Lady brings the blues - and more

"The Blues Mama" is still taking care of business.

Amy Whitesell looks up at the ceiling of her home office, and the likes of Ruthie Foster, Tab Benoit, Los Straitjackets, Tommy Castro and Candye Kane stare back at her. These are her trophies, concert posters from the string of successful shows she's brought to Colorado Springs during the past two years.
  

Whitesell was a founder of the Pikes Peak Blues Community, promoting local musicians and putting on shows. She split off from that group in 2006 to start the for-profit venture A Music Company Inc.
  

Among independent promoters in town, she sports one of the busiest and best lists of concerts around. Last week, she brought FireFall to the Thirsty Parrot and Johnny Winter to the Crystola Bar & Grill (a last-minute, sold-out engagement after his gig at the Silver Moon Event Center fell through). This week, she brings Jason Ricci to Cañon City and the second "Ladies Sing the Blues" event to CastAways Inn.
  

The "Ladies" concert is one of her most innovative shows. She's bringing together Erica Brown, Juanita Martin, Lila Mori and Jill Watkins, a collection of respected Front Range vocalists. Each lady takes a turn in front of a backing band of local blues all-stars. George Whitesell, a veteran of the local blues scene, is Amy's husband. She was a businesswoman and casual music fan when they got together in 2000 - she came to be an avid music fan.
  

"I didn't have much of an education in blues until George," she said. "I love jazz. I love rock 'n' roll. I love classic country."
  

"She's a dynamo. I'm constantly amazed," raved husband George. "With her passion for music, and being with me, she got involved in the music business - and she just had the right skills."
  

She's brought in more than 20 shows so far, and she's picking up momentum, with at least six more shows coming lined up. Perhaps her biggest name so far is coming this summer, with Koko Taylor headlining the Blues Under the Bridge event June 21, put on by Whitesell and KRCC (91.5 FM.)
  

"We've made wonderful friends, and the one thing we had in common was the music," she said.
  

She got her start in the blues, and that's the scene she knows best, but Whitesell is quickly expanding her repertoire. She's booked the Southern rock of Black Oak Arkansas, roots act Jeff & Vida, AC/DC tribute band Big Gun, lucha-libre-mask-wearing-surfrockers Los Straitjackets, and Brazilian duo Caji & Salomé.
  

Whitesell's take is the opposite of those who whine that Colorado Springs is a musical backwater. "What surprises me is how much music is going on in this town right now," she said.
  

"We're getting the music here. And we're getting it because people are supporting it."
  

She said the formula for surviving as a promoter is straightforward, but it's tough to execute. Pick artists who sell tickets, pay the right price, match them to the right venue for their crowd, market aggressively, treat customers right, and don't get too caught up in your own tastes (unless it's your husband's band, of course).
  

Oh, yeah, she has a request for music fans: "Buy your tickets early so your promoters don't have heart failure."

details
‘Ladies Sing the Blues' featuring Erica Brown, Juanita Martin, Lila Mori and Jill Watkins

When: 8-11 p.m. Saturday

Where: CastAways Inn, 103 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs

Tickets: $22 today or $30 day of show; buy with cash at CastAways Inn or by credit at www.amusiccompanyinc.com.

More info: Call 576-5945

Other upcoming shows

Today: Jason Ricci & New Blood at Merlinos' Belvedere in Cañon City; www.jasonricci.com  

March 25: Big Gun (AC/DC tribute band) at Thirsty Parrot; www.biggunband.com

March 29: The Jeff & Vida Band, followed by Boulder Acoustic Society at Venue 515 at the Business of Art Center; www.jeffandvida.com and www.boulderacousticsociety.net

April 10: Bob Margolin with Al Chesis at Jimbo's Take 2; www.bobmargolin.com

May 22: Kahuna Beach Party at Thirsty Parrot; www.kahunabeachparty.com

June 21: Koko Taylor headlining Blues Under The Bridge; www.bluesunderthebridge.com

Bands brought in by Amy Whitesell:

• George Whitesell & his All Stars, Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials, Watermelon Slim & the Workers, Tommy Castro Band, Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Magic Dick, Deanna Bogart, Joe Louis Walker & the Bosstalkers, Candye Kane, Ruthie Foster, Los Straitjackets with Big Sandy, Tab Benoit, FireFall, Wendy Woo, Sean Costello, Caji & Salomé, Black Oak Arkansas, Johnny Winter