Earl’s Garage to perform

GENTRY — Earl’s Garage, a northwest Arkansas band with keyboard player Dr. Alan Lamb and drummer Kevin Bonner, from Gentry, will provide entertainment at this year’s Freedom Festival. Information on the band follows:

Once upon a time in a small rock building belonging to Earl Gate, the guitarist extraordinaire of the Cate Brothers Band, five guys sat around following a long rehearsal trying to come up with a name for their blues-based group. Names like Blue Cactus, Deacon’s Bench, and even the Cate Others were thrown into the ring but were soon rejected. Finally, with crunch time upon them, the group decided to take the name of their rehearsal space, and thus Earl’s Garage was born.

That was over ten years ago, and after all this time, Earl’s Garage is still cranking out some of the finest blues, R&B, and soul music ever to grace the midsouth region.From Eureka Springs to Little Rock, Tulsa to Memphis, Earl’s Garage has played the stages of some of the finest venues available, bringing its dynamic, high energy show to the people.

Earl’s Garage features the offspring of one of the most beloved musical families in Arkansas - Dawn and Devin Cate, the daughter and son of the aforementioned Earl Cate of the Cate Brothers Band. Dawn has been described as having a “voice that would make angels weep with envy.” Having been repeatedly nominated as best female vocalist of the Ozark Music Awards and the Northwest Arkansas Music Awards, Dawn is anopen channel through which the spirit and power of singing greats such as Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt and Etla James, flow. From subtle, come hither soul to soaring blues wails, Dawn is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the finest female vocalists to come of the area.

Sharing the vocal chores with Dawn is her big brother, Devin Cate. Devin is a founding member of the group. Over the years he has thrilled audiences with his boisterous and riveting presence on the stage, belting out blues and R&B favorites like a man who was born under a bad sign and has barbeque sauce coursing through his veins. Throw in some tasty blues harp blowing, and Devin cooks with enough heat to satisfy even the hungriest music lover.

On the guitar is the alwaysgreat Bart Keener. Another founding member, Bart has over two decades of experience taming the six-string snake. A master of style and sting, he can soothe or stir it up like no other, mixing in flavors from BB King to Stevie Ray Vaughan.

On keyboards is the fabulous Dr. Alan Lamb. A bedrock of steady organ and piano work flows effortlessly from his fingers, buoying the band on a sea of sweet chords. Dr. Alan is no stranger to the scene, and with his gentle touch, he can heal whatever ails his hearers.

Providing the bottom for the band is Vince Turner. Vince is also a founding member of the band. Vince’s mastery of the bass guitar is the stuff of greatness, putting the glide in your stride and the slip inyour hip, commanding those in the audience to get up and boogie.

Rounding out the lineup is the pounder of the loud round things, Kevin Carl Bonner. The last founding member of the group. Kevin drives the band with his intricate and extremely funky stickwork, rounding the corners with a steady pulse and tearing down the straights with breakneck abandon.

All of these ingredients add up to one fine plate of southern soul. Throw in the famous Butt Dance contest, a crowd favorite, giving them a chance to shake what they’ve got, and you get a guaranteed hot time for all.