The “Blues By Budweiser” concert series will feature the Tina Cossey Band at RJ’s Grill & Bar, 128 S. Main St., on Jan. 4. The doors will open at 7 p.m. and the music will begin at 8 p.m.
Port City Blues Society members are admitted free. Admission is $5 for others. The concert series is being sponsored by MK Distributors.
The evening will also double as a CD release party for “Roll With It” by Tina Cossey, the first release from the band. Copies of the CD will be available the night of the performance, according to a news release.
Cossey, a California native, started performing at the age of 5.
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“Being no stranger to the gypsy life, she performed and was inspired by all types of music. As a child, her dad would play the blues and though she didn’t know it yet, it would become a part of her life. At the age of eight Tina’s roots would be planted in Arkansas where she evolved and found her sound in the blues,” according to the release. “Her soul has always loved blues with the heartache and pain that it conveys, but she was ultimately drawn to the hope that it also offers.”
Josh Parks, lead guitarist, began with the Tina Cossey Band in 2023. Born in Phoenix, Parks began playing the guitar at 13. After moving to North Little Rock in 2016, his music revealed influences of rock, blues, reggae and soul.
“I play the blues because I was born to be a musical healer,” Parks said. “The blues is the root of so many kinds of music and is possibly the most healing kind of music. It hooked me the first time I heard it. It’s what I am. It’s in my blood. It’s what I was born to do.”
Bass player Ryan A. Hinman grew up near Texarkana in Hooks, Texas. He started playing music on the trombone at the age of 9. In high school, he picked up bass guitar then later the 6-string, and started writing his own songs. The blues has always been an important aspect in his musical journey, as it has taught him about the freedom and diversity in music even with a limited set of chords, according to the release.
Darius Blanton is “a multi-talented multi-instrumentalist playing drums,” according to the release. Born in Little Rock, he started playing music at the age of 6. He began playing various instruments including keyboard.
Blanton started playing blues to be able to express himself. He “always plays from the heart,” he said.
For more information about “Blues By Budweiser” and Port City Blues Society, visit pc-blues.com or visit facebook.com/PCBluesSociety.
Port City Blues Society promotes the blues series. The society is an affiliated member of The Blues Foundation, which seeks to preserve and promote blues music, the culture of Delta blues and educate the public about the history of the blues in the region.
The society also hosts a free weekly blues jam at RJ’s Grill & Bar where area musicians converge to play live blues from 8-11 p.m. Wednesdays.