Rooster Walk 6 Band Lineup Part 6

The Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival is a charity fundraiser that takes place every Memorial Day weekend (late May) at Blue Mountain Festival Grounds just outside of Martinsville. The festival, which features on-site camping as well as arts, crafts, food and more, donates its proceeds to the Penn-Shank Memorial Scholarship at Martinsville High School.

Here are some fun facts about the bands coming to Rooster Walk 6:

• 5 bands on lineup have been nominated for at least one Grammy
• 7 of the top 9 bands will play 2-hour sets this year (which is longer than a typical festival set)
• 12 bands this year have a Martinsville-Henry County connection (at least one of the band members is an MHC native)

Each week, we will be featuring different bands that will be performing at Rooster Walk 6. This is part 6 in the blog series. Read the other sections: part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5.

Here are some of the awesome bands that you can enjoy at Rooster Walk 6!

The Lee Boys 

The Lee Boys are one of America's finest African-American sacred steel ensembles. This family group consists of three brothers, Alvin Lee (guitar), Derrick Lee and Keith Lee (vocals) along with their three nephews, Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel guitar), Alvin Cordy Jr. (7-string bass) and Earl Walker (drums). "Sacred steel" is a type of music described as an inspired, unique form of Gospel music with a hard-driving, blues-based beat. The musical genre is rooted in Gospel, but infused with rhythm and blues, jazz, rock, funk, hip-hop, country and ideas from other nations.

Travis Elliott & Friends

Travis Elliott has taken on songwriting subjects from love to spaceships, both badly in need of repair. He throws in unforgettable melodic hooks that keep you singing long after his performance has ended. His first EP, released in 2003, was hailed as "a modern rock epic" and sent him out on the road performing East Coast shows with national acts. Travis has since expanded his catalog to over 500 songs while honing his live show.

Empire Strikes Brass

Based in Asheville, North Carolina, the Empire Strikes Brass is a New Orleans 2nd line style brass band that is determined to bring funk, rock, and a lot of energy to your local venue, city streets, and beyond. A gumbo of musicians from bands such as the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Firecracker Jazz Band, Common Foundation, and Kung Fu Dynamite (just to name a few), the ESB core group consists of 2 saxophones, sousaphone, trumpet, bass trumpet, cornet, drums, trombone, tuba and vocals, with special guests appearing often. 

Gunchux 

Rob Cheatham formed Gunchux in 2008 after a wild time of pushing the quirky limits of former Charlottesville band, The Nice Jenkins. He is presently working on a formidably awesome amount of music with Gunchux that will likely melt your face sideways. He has been bringing honesty and intensity to every perfectly sculpted verse and chorus. Enjoy the show. 

Enjoy this video from The Lee Boys!