Hokum Blues

Franklin, Harpe & Usilton perform 1920s and 1930s blues and ragtime in the Piedmont, Memphis, and St. Louis guitar-duet style. Rick Franklin and Neil Harpe provide the guitars and vocals and percussionist Rick Usilton plays an assortment of drums and washboards. The group has performed throughout the Washington DC metropolitan area at events such as the Washington Folk Festival, Northern Virginia Folk Festival, the DC Blues Society Blues Festival, and the Baltimore Blues Society, in addition to appearances at The National Portrait Gallery and various clubs and cafes. * From the Lisa Walker Benefit Concert, "Well done Delta Blues with a wink and a grin, these guys are too much fun." * From the 15th annual Washington Folk Festival, "This trio does love songs, leaving songs, been done wrong songs and dance tunes in the barrelhouse blues style."