Blind Lemon Pledge: Home

Announcement! Blind Lemon Pledge has won the 2009 Cape Fear Blues Challenge sponsored by the Cape Fear Blues Society. Although schedule conflicts preclude us from going to Memphis to compete in the national contest we'd like to thank the Blues Society for sponsoring the event and providing this great opportunity for musicians here in the Cape Fear area.

Blind Lemon Pledge is a blues and classic rock band based in Wilmington NC. Although only formed in 2009 the band is quickly earning a reputation as an A-List group.

Over the winter BLP has expanded its repertoire to include more classic rock to appeal to an audience beyond the blues music that the band knows and loves so well. Never fear blues fans the band will continue to do blues only shows. Also a new singer has been added to the line up - check out the calendar and stop out and see for yourself what its all about...you'll be glad you did.

Biographies

Jaime Michele - Lead Vocals. Jaime hails from the New York City area and has been playing extensively as a solo performer since moving to Wilmington 4 years ago (she is an accomplished keyboard player also). Adept at the soulful pop of Nora Jones as she is at the grit of Etta James, Jaime brings a big voice and commanding presence to center stage for Blind Lemon Pledge.

Mark Scott - Guitar and Vocals. Mark spent many years in the Dallas/Fort Worth music scene playing with some of the area’s best blues, rock and country bands. Known and respected as one of the most versatile players in the area has always kept Mark in demand. He has attended the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston on a full Fender scholarship and has shared the stage or played with Buddy Miles, Bugs Henderson, The Silvertones and won a slot with international blues act, Guitar Shorty. One of Mark’s biggest guitar influences is the legendary, Freddie King.

Jim Nelson - Keyboards and Vocals. Jim is a journeyman musician who has been influenced by everyone from Professor Longhair and Ray Charles to Thelonious Monk. Growing up in south Louisiana, he cut his teeth on what came to be called “Swamp Pop” and continued to grow whether playing Blues, Country or Rock and Roll. Jim is also a songwriter and his CD The Night the Moon Fell on Louisiana is available on CDBaby and over 40 download sites.

David Toma - Drums. Originally from Charleston, Dave has been performing with numerous acts on stages up and down the eastern seaboard over the last 25 years. Four of those years were out west in the Texas Panhandle performing in the cities of Amarillo and Lubbock drumming for Fast Freddie and the Fairlanes and the Texas Blues Rangers. The latter winners of the “2004 and 2005 Amarillo Globe News - Best Blues Band.” Now a Wilmington resident, David has subbed the drumming duties with Louisiana blues great, Kenny Neal and shared the stage with Chicago’s own Billy Branch. Plus, performed with many popular Charleston blues bands including The Flatcats, “1999 Best Blues Band - Lowcountry Blues Bash,” Bradford Station, Shrimp City Slim and Wanda Johnson. David has opened with these bands for notable acts like The Monkees; The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Koko Taylor. Listen to David’s drumming on the 2005 release of Thin Ice. Visit online at www.texasbluesrangers.com.

Matt Pirruccello - Bass & Vocals Raised in Lincoln Nebraska, Matt began playing bass at the age of 14 and by age 15 was playing with faculty from the local university. He began attending music school while still in High School and after graduation attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston. He has played everything from Big Band and Straight Jazz to Rock and Blues and toured the east coast with Kenny Neal. His training and depth of musical understanding adds a new dimension to the back beat of BLP.