Delta blues, country blues, and folk blues - Felonius Smith performs the acoustic Roots-Of-The-Blues music that inspired Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder and Hot Tuna. Based on the pre-electric blues styles from the 1920's and 1930's, Felonius Smith has been performing at festivals and nightspots on Colorado's Front Range for 8 years, and in California for 10 years before that. Drawing his inspiration from the songs and styles of artists like Tampa Red and Fred McDowell, Felonius Smith’s National slide and snappy finger picking guitar style transports one back some 80 years, relaxing on a river bank in southern Mississippi. The young & gifted phenom Nic Clark currently plays harmonica with the Felonius Smith Trio and on this release. He plays with the skill of a master three times his age, and his expressive tone and melodic sense are unequaled. His talents are widely sought after for recordings and performances in the greater Denver area. Rounding out the trio is Scott Johnson, whose warm yet percussive approach to his upright bass provides the perfect backbeat for the group’s historic Americana blues sound. Sometimes he switches to sousaphone, which invokes the vibe of a jug band or a New Orleans street band! “ABOUT AS DOWN-HOME as they come,…FELONIUS SMITH demonstrates a tremendous familiarity with that old-fashioned toe-tapping music culled from last century's acoustic Piedmont blues, country blues, Delta, ragtime, gospel and folk…With his standout finger-picking style and slide guitar expertise, Jeff "FELONIUS SMITH" makes his playing seem as easy as a lazy afternoon on the front porch of some old Smoky Mountain retreat.” Sarah Quelland, San Jose Metro Felonius Smith’s fourth CD release, "Before That Rooster Crows", is his second since making his home in Colorado. It features rich arrangements of songs recorded by Hot Tuna, Blind Willie Johnson, Louis Armstrong, Rev. Gary Davis, as well as many Felonius Smith originals. "Before That Rooster Crows" was recorded and mixed in Colorado by Butch Hause (worked with Norman Blake, Peter Rowan) and mastered by multiple Grammy winner David Glasser. Many of the songs were recorded to sound exactly like the Felonius Smith Trio performing live, while some songs called for larger acoustic-blues-band arrangements. Consider choosing the physical CD because the sound quality is the best available, the artwork is so cool, and because it's in a Zero Carbon Footprint Package! That's 100% Green Forestry cardboard, all vegetable inks, 100% postconsumer recycled tray, and carbon offset credits for entire package, CD, and shipping to the artist! “The pre-World War II ‘country blues’ was exciting in its often fun, light hearted lyrics and variety of styles and grooves, and I try to offer my audience that same fun, excitement and variety” says Felonius. “Besides being fun and challenging music to play, I like to surprise listeners with rare, unheard gems and keep this traditional music alive in the hearts of blues and American roots music fans” Please visit www.feloniussmith.com to learn more about Felonius Smith and the Felonius Smith Trio!