Events
Quarterly Gathering
PIPER & THE HARD TIMES
Proving to Be GOOD COMPANY
📅
January 20, 2026
⏰
6:00 – 9:00 PM
📍
The Plant | Downtown Dothan, Alabama
FREE SHOW for WBS members and the public
💙 Donations are welcome and appreciated
“A tight-ass band… Piper’s silky, soulful throat propels the band through a wild ride that blends Southern music from The Allmans to Stax into a butt-shaking blues explosion that would make ol’ Muddy blush… a terrific mash-up of gritty guitar and smooth singing.”
— Jeff Napier, NUVO
Fresh off their award-winning rise and the release of their powerful sophomore album Good Company, Piper & The Hard Times bring their electrifying blues-rock sound to Dothan for an unforgettable night of soul, grit, groove, and heart.
Since winning the 2024 International Blues Challenge, this Nashville-based powerhouse has:
- Hit #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart
- Earned 2025 IBC Best Independent Produced Album
- Won the Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist Album
- Been hailed as “one of America’s premier new blues groups” — Nashville Scene
Good Company stretches the blues in bold new directions—funk, rock, soul, and raw emotion—while staying rooted in authenticity, brotherhood, and lived experience.
In 2025, the band and blues community rallied together following frontman
Al “Piper” Green’s cancer diagnosis, making each performance a celebration of resilience, friendship, and the healing power of music.
“I’ve got friends who keep me humble…
It’s called good company.”
— Piper & The Hard Times
🎸 About the Band
Led by the magnetic Al “Piper” Green (vocals), alongside Steve “The Conductor” Eagon (guitar) and Dave “Sexy Boy” Colella (drums), with Amy “The Professor” Frederick (keys) and Parker “Funkstick Porkchop” Hawkins (bass), Piper & The Hard Times deliver soul-deep music forged from decades of friendship and shared fire.
✨
Join the Wiregrass Blues Society for an evening of award-winning blues, powerful storytelling, and true Good Company.
🎶 Bring a friend. Bring your heart. Bring your love for the blues.
13th Annual Wiregrass Blues Festival
Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: Gates open at 2 PM
Meet & Greet 12 PM – 2 PM (VIP ticket holders, sponsors, and special guests)
Where:
The Plant
Featuring:
Crystal Shawanda
(IBC Champions) Derrick Dove & The Peacekeepers
Jimmy Wooten
Bridget Kelly Band
The Steve Wiggins Band
The 13th Annual Wiregrass Blues Festival
will be held at The Plant in Downtown Dothan, Al,
and will feature:
5 Dynamic Blues Bands
Gumbo Cookoff Competition
Arts & Crafts Vendors
Car Show
Kids Activities
and more...
VIP Tickets $125
Includes: meet & greet invitation,
Artist meet & greet day of, private seating, private bar,
2 drink tickets, and food.
General Admission $25 Advanced $30 @ The Gate
WBS Member Ticket $15 (Deadline Dec 31, 2025)
*Children 12 & Under are FREE with a paying adult.
*Bring Your Lawn Chair
When Two Tours Collide!
We’re thrilled to partner with Six Strings Southern Productions and the Dothan Opera House to bring you an unforgettable night of blues featuring Tab Benoit and Samantha Fish — two powerhouse artists sharing one incredible stage!
Dothan Opera House – Dothan, AL
Friday, April 17, 2026
Doors Open: 7:00 PM | Show Starts: 8:00 PM CT
Get ready for soul-stirring guitar licks, smoky vocals, and the kind of blues that moves you deep down inside.
THE YATES McKENDREE BAND
📅
April 21, 2026
⏰
6:00 – 9:00 PM
📍
The Blue Moon Café Courtyard
🎟️
FREE SHOW for WBS members and the public
💙 Donations are appreciated
Please allow us to introduce one of the most brilliant young talents on today’s blues, jazz, and R&B circuit.
An old soul with extraordinary skill, Yates McKendree is a gifted guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and stylistic force whose artistry defies his age. Many describe Yates as to blues and jazz what Mozart is to classical music—a pure musical genius whose command, feel, and authenticity leave audiences in awe.
The Yates McKendree Band features Grammy Award winners Yates and Kevin McKendree, a powerful father-and-son collaboration rooted in deep musical heritage. Kevin McKendree, longtime keyboardist for blues legend Delbert McClinton, passed the torch forward after Delbert’s retirement—bringing his then 20-year-old son into the studio and onto the world stage.
Before that, whenever school allowed, Yates toured with his father and Delbert McClinton as a young teenager, performing at major events including:
- New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
- The Sandy Beaches Cruise
- Numerous premier blues and jazz venues nationwide
In 2023, Kevin and Yates took their dynamic collaboration international, performing together in Lucerne, Switzerland, as a celebrated father-and-son duo.
🎸 Performance Highlights
Florida appearances include:
Earl’s Hideaway • The Funky Biscuit • The Palladium Side Door •
Springing the Blues 2025
2026 performances include:
Tampa Bay Blues Festival • Arts Bonita • Safety Harbor Arts & Music • Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center •
Wiregrass Blues Society • The Sandy Beaches Cruise
✨ Join the Wiregrass Blues Society for an unforgettable evening of jaw-dropping musicianship, soulful expression, and world-class blues, jazz, and R&B—set under the stars in the Blue Moon Café Courtyard.
🎶 Bring a chair. Bring a friend. Bring your love for the blues.
