On Hard River to Row, the Delta Generators capture the same kind of soulful passion and raw intensity that they’re known for in their live shows. But vocalist Craig Rawding, guitarist Charlie O’Neal, and simmering rhythm section Rick O’Neal (bass) & Jeff Armstrong (drums) are always looking to expand their well-honed musical palette, and on their sophomore studio release they gracefully touch on blues, soul, funk, rock ‘n’ roll and even country! The impressive songwriting and musical chops would be enough in themselves, but the Delta Generators also have that certain indescribable quality that makes a band special. As music critic Bill Copeland wrote, “the Delta Generators are one of those rare bands that go beyond talent to arrive at charisma and that extra something that just makes listeners take a strong liking to it.”
In the last couple of years, the Delta Generators have shared the stage with such acts as Robert Cray, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Three Dog Night, Jimmie Vaughn, Tommy Castro, Johnny Winter, Walter Trout, Popa Chubby, Bonerama, Candye Kane, Michael Burks, John Lee Hooker Jr., Nick Moss And The Flip Tops, Sonny Landreth and Lurrie Bell, among many others. Several notable musicians have also sat in with the Delta Generators on stage, including Brad Whitford (Aerosmith) and Johnny A. (Peter Wolf/Solo). The Delta Generators continue to pack enthusiastic venues and gain new fans throughout the northeast and beyond.
The Delta Generators have accomplished a lot since forming in 2008. They won the Boston Blues Society’s blues challenge in 2008, which earned them a spot in the International Blues Challenge held in Memphis in 2009. The band finished as a Top 10 Finalist out of over a hundred bands in Memphis. The Delta Generators also won an Independent Music Award for Best Blues Album category for their debut, Devil in the Rhythm in 2009. They also won Best Blues Band in Worcester Magazine for 2009 and were nominated for Best R&B Act in the Boston Phoenix in 2010. Hard River to Row has been selected by the Blues Foundation as a Top 5 Finalist (out of 55 entries worldwide) in the best self-produced CD competition at the International Blues Challenge in 2011.