JH Underground – news, sports and music blog from Jackson Hole, Wyoming news, sports and music blog from Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Jeff Newsom, the Teton Valley musician known for his harmonica playing, died Thursday after an 18-month battle with illness. He was 52 years old.

Newsom, who lived in Driggs, was diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, in February 2010. In April of that year, friends held a huge benefit for him at The Wildwood Room in Victor and celebrated the release of a CD of his music, called The Henhouse Tapes.

Newsom played blues for years with Bob Greenspan, as well as with Loose Ties, Derrik and the Dynamos, and U.S. Bluez. Earlier in his career, he blew the harp with Otis Rush and Gary B.B. Coleman. He often sat in with touring bands who passed through Jackson Hole, including Rick Danko, the late bassist for The Band.

Friend and fellow musician David Swift called him, “A brilliant mind, a monster wit, a true cat.”

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Posted under Deaths, Music

Tags: blues, teton valley

It’s always jarring to find a fighting-for-life-type Facebook page for someone you didn’t even know is sick, especiallly a vigorous mountaineer.

So the news came as a shock earlier this winter that Driggs, Idaho, musician Jeff Newsom is battling ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The affliction strikes the nervous system, causing Jeff, an eminently talented harmonica player and builder of telescope mirrors, to lose the use of his hands and voice.

Strangely, I found out the morning after watching The Last Waltz.

Jeff was at The Last Waltz, hanging backstage with some of the musicians. Years later, he backed up Rick Danko, late guitarist for The Band, at the Mangy Moose.

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Posted under Music

Tags: blues, idaho, teton valley

Back in April, a hastily arranged free concert by Willie Nelson‘s son Lukas at the Knotty Pine created quite a buzz.

As is often the case with these musicians who get a taste of the west side of the Tetons, the band already has a return gig. Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real will open Targhee Fest on July 17.

Also, guitarist Chuck Prophet, who played Music on Main in Driggs last summer, has been added to the bill for July 19.

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Posted under Music, Ski Resorts

Tags: blues, festivals, grace potter, rock, targhee

Grand Targhee has begun assembling the lineup for the first of its two summer music festivals.

Booked so far for the fifth annual Targhee Fest on July 17-19 are Government Mule, Keb Mo’, Jonny Lang and James McMurtry.

The 22nd annual Targhee Bluegrass Festival will be Aug. 21-23.

More artists are to be added for both festivals in the coming weeks.

Government Mule, led by guitarist Warren Haynes, played the inaugural Targhee Fest in July 2005, when the Alta, Wyo., ski resort revived the event formerly known as Rockin’ the Tetons.

The band has a recording of that performance available for download.

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Posted under Music, Ski Resorts

Tags: blues, festivals, rock, targhee

The 39th annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival closed Sunday with a homecoming, as the Neville Brothers, the city’s first family of funk, returned to perform together for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.

Sunday was also “family day,” as the preceding acts on the main stage were bands fronted by Carlos Santana and his son, Salvador, and Ivan Neville, son of the gospel brother Aaron Neville.

Jazz Fest is all about moments, and together these musicians produced an historic one, as the Neville Brothers were joined by the Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians, younger generations of the family and a host of friends and former band members. One of those friends was Carlos Santana, who joined the brothers for “My Blood” and “Ain’t No Use.” Fiery licks erupted from his guitar as he moved like a cat on stage.

It was a joyous finish to a festival that left me, well, overjoyed. Here are a few of the other peak moments, in words and in photos, from the second weekend, as well as scenes from around the city. Click on any image to enlarge and begin the slide show, and navigate using the arrow keys. (All photos © Jim Stanford)

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Posted under Music

Tags: blues, festivals, funk, jazz fest, new orleans, photography, rock, travel, widespread panic