Blues Travelogue
Blues Travelogue is a down-home blues celebration built around the regional styles that make the genre both musically diverse and highly danceable. The all-star ensemble features prominent Washington-area and national blues musicians, with a core lineup of vocals, guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums supplemented by special guests.
The performers bring extensive experience backing and collaborating with artists including Albert King, Joe Louis Walker, Devon Allman, Tommy Castro, Muddy Waters, James Cotton, Eva Cassidy, Allen Toussaint, Cyril Neville, and many others.
When: Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Showtimes: 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Run time: Approximately two hours
Venue: Hank Dietle's Tavern, 11010 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852
Tickets: $15. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.
Lineup: Linwood Taylor on guitar and vocals; Bill Starks on piano and vocals; Jeff Muller on bass, guitar, and vocals; Pete Ragusa on drums and vocals; and special guests Dean Rosenthal on vocals and resophonic guitar and Shari Puorto on vocals.
Linwood Taylor: An award-winning, widely respected blues guitarist and vocalist who has toured extensively in the United States and Europe. He has appeared with Albert King, Joe Louis Walker, Devon Allman, Tommy Castro, and other major blues artists, and was recently featured in *Living Blues* magazine.
Bill Starks: An award-winning songwriter and keyboardist known for a piano style combining rock ’n’ roll, honky-tonk, boogie-woogie, and blues. He has performed and recorded with DMV-area acts including Ruthie and the Wranglers, Deanna Bogart, Dave Chappell, and the NRBQ tribute band Me & the Boys.
Jeff Muller: A veteran bassist, guitarist, songwriter, and producer who has worked with Allen Toussaint, Cyril Neville, Ernie K-Doe, and Eva Cassidy. His project Papa Lebas & Gumbo Ya Ya released the album *Naptown to NOLA*, featuring contributions from Ivan Neville, George Porter Jr., Tommy Malone, Chubby Carrier, Ron Holloway, and others.
Pete Ragusa: A founding member of the blues band The Nighthawks and a longtime fixture of the Washington, DC, roots scene. He has performed with Muddy Waters, James Cotton, and Bob Margolin, and recorded with John Hammond Jr., Pinetop Perkins, Jimmy Thackery & the Drivers, and many others.
Shari Puorto: An award-winning singer, songwriter, and performer who has shared stages with Tommy Castro, Slash, Robben Ford, Ruthie Foster, and Walter Trout. With seven releases, she is known for powerful vocals, expressive singing, and energetic performances.
Dean Rosenthal: A longtime Annapolis blues and roots performer, songwriter, and bandleader with four decades of experience. He has opened for artists including “Robert Junior” Lockwood, Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder, and James Cotton.