Biography

Markey Blue Ric Latina Project
615-618-3165
Markeyblueband@gmail.com

Debuting at #8 on Billboard Magazine Blue Chart
this release has already been Nominated for the Blues Blast Awards 2018

Ellersoul Records
Ellersoulrecords.com

Raised In Muddy Water
release 2018

In the short amount of time since they first joined forces, Markey Blue, Ric Latina and their touring band have compiled a long list of accomplishments including several television and film placements and multiple award nominations.
The band has been headlining and playing festivals and clubs around the country and the world in support of their latest album.

The band name has changed and with it comes some of the best music the writing duo of Markey and Latina has ever written.

This album takes a walk through several sides of the blues genre — the swampy side of roots, rock and soul blues, traditional blues and two tribute songs. Raised in Muddy Water offers a little something for every blues palate.

The team of musicians brought together for this release have a resume that reads like a “who’s who” of the music industry. Raised in Muddy Water also features guest artists Ronnie Keith Owens (harmonica on “Red Room) and Blues Hall of Fame artist and Alligator Records Artist Eddy “the Chief” Clearwater (vocal duet and guitar on “I Like it Like This”).

The final song is a live “bonus track” with guest musicians from Robben Ford’s rhythm section (Wes Little on bass and Brian Allen on drums) and Charlie Daniels’ keyboardist Shannon Wickline

"All too often artists will release a "new' album that may just be an extension or a re-working of their previous album and that can leave you feeling flat and deflated to say the least. When l saw that Jeanette Markey and Eric Latina or better known as Markey Blue and Ric Latina Project had a new offering titled "Raised In Muddy Water " l instantly had my interest piqued. With their previous album "The Blues Are Knockin'" we were treated to a album of Blues delights track after track. Could they emulate that again? Could they come out and write more brilliant songs once again? To put it succinctly the answer is a resounding yes. This truly is a progression on from the previous album, a stronger album and one that perfectly emphasises their growth as artists. Each and every song is a stand alone masterful piece of writing and that can't be denied. Add to that the duet between Markey and the late great Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater and you have a watershed moment that will stay with you as if there were ever two singers mean't to sing a duet together reminiscent of those of the 1950's then this is it. It is a joyous occasion and one that will have tears well up in your eyes and then Clearwater trades guitar licks with Latina in a dazzling display. What a wonderful piece of Blues this is. All round this album is a wonderful example of modern Blues performed by a crack group of musicians with Marcus Finnie on drums, John Marcus bass, Shannon Wickline keyboards, Jim Williamson trumpet and Doug Moffet saxophones. Then on one track we have harp master Ronnie Keith Owens. All in all not a big band but the sound itself is very big and precise. Lush and raucous, rollicking, soulful and just plain brilliant.
Latina is a guitarists guitarist with a touch that can't be taught but rather a player that has to be said has 'it"and that can't be taught. To have a outfit of this dizzying height that can write songs that are instantly classics is no mean feat but Markey Blue Ric Latina Project do it all and do it seemingly effortlessly and that is the mark of an amazing coupling that rarely comes along in the Blues let alone any style of music in this day and age. One can say what ever they like about the album but my advice is that you just listen to any track at will and you will quickly listen to track after track after track. This is a pure Blues album, simple as that. There are no histrionics or trickery as it is about the understanding of the Blues, the writing of the Blues, the performing of the Blues and the recording of the Blues. EllerSoul has captured that perfectly on "Raised In Muddy Water"! All you need do now is complete your collection and get your copy as soon as possible." Peter Merrett- PBS