BJ Magoon has been a mainstay of the blues & roots music scene in the New England & New York regions for over 30 years, combining heart-felt soulful vocals with a dynamic band with a reputation
for prioritizing the groove. Playing music live since the mid-60's, BJ was drawn right to the Blues and its influences. After cutting his teeth playing with Luther "Georgia Boy/Snake" Johnson in the early 70's and meeting Luther's peers like Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, and Chuck Berry, BJ started striking out on his own and hasn't looked back. Since starting "Driving Sideways" in the mid 80's, BJ has shared the stage with a who's who of Blues & Roots music including Bo Diddely, Clarence "Gate-mouth" Brown, Delbert McClinton, Albert Collins, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Roy Buchanan, The Homes Brothers, Danny Gatton, Eddie "the Chief" Clearwater, Lonnie Mack, Roomful of Blues and many more. BJ's sincere natural style and heartfelt delivery fuses blues, roots rock, swing, country and soul into a groove based gumbo that gets everyone moving.
BJ sings songs of life's journeys, lessons and highways, usually with an infectious rhythm guaranteed to bring out the dance in people of all ages, which has gained BJ and Driving Sideways an ever-growing popularity at Swing Dances & parties far and near.
BJ also currently hosts one of the Boston area's most popular longest running weekly Blues Jams (11 years!), at the Acton Jazz Cafe, a hit with musicians, music & dance lover's alike.
BJ's lineup in Driving Sideways includes Tom Yates-Lead/Slide Guitar, Bass & vocals; backup vocals;Laird Nelson-Piano & Organ; Mark " Shark" Siebel-Tenor. Sax/Clarinet, vocals; Jeff Giacomelli- Teno Sax/Vocals and Michael Avery-Drums & percussion.
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