Wayside Theatre will have the blues May 31

    DEXTER — Bluesmen DW Gill and Dave Mello will perform on Saturday May 31 at 7 p.m. at the Wayside Theatre.  Hear why they have opened for blues legends BB King, Leon Russell, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughn, the Staple singers and James Cotton.
    David “DW” Gill was given a harmonica at age 13 and later bought his own Hohner “Marine Band” at Joe’s Smoke Shop in Waterville. Across the Kennebec river in Winslow, he hung out up in the billboard signs by the train tracks, playing for hours.

    DW’s harmonica, vocals and songwriting are based in traditional Chicago, Cajun and Zydeco flavors.  His performances are bluesy, upbeat and been called “as tasty as a smoked turkey leg.”
    DW has worked with Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Eddie Taylor, Otis Rush, Koko Taylor, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughn and a host of other Blues people. DW now leads his DW Gill Blues Band and his latest CD is with the Blues Prophets “Keep On Jukin’”. This release was nominated for The Blues Foundation’s 2014 “Best Self Produced CD” category where it placed in the top five worldwide. “Keep on Jukin’” is available for sale the night of the show.
    Dave Mello knew he wanted to be a guitar player when he was 6 years old. At 8, his father bought him a 140.75  Gibson electric guitar with a 15 watt Krystal tone amplifier. Since his father loved Hank Williams, Mello began by playing a lot of country music. But the first time he heard Jimmy Reed, he knew he wanted to be a blues guitar player. To Mello, country music and blues music aren’t that far apart if you go to the roots.
    “The Blues has been one of the few things in my life, that has grabbed hold of me and just won’t let go,” explained Mello.  “There is not one day that goes by that I don’t pick up a guitar or just plain sing the blues.”
    Mello’s played in a number of bands, including Wilkinson Tri Cycle and St. Elmos Fire. He’s opened for Leon Russell, the James Cotton Blues Band, the Staple singers, Buddy Guy and Jr. Wells and Duke Robillard. Every Tuesday night he plays at Mainely Brews in Waterville.
    Refreshments are sold during intermission. For more information, call 277-3733 or on Facebook Wayside Grange and Theatre. The theatre is at 851 North Dexter Rd. (Rt. 23).