GREENFIELD – Iowa Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famers Bob Dorr and The Blue Band have been delighting crowds for 36 years, but they are calling it quits this year. Their “Last Goodbye” tour comes to Greenfield’s Warren Cultural Center Saturday, April 1, in what looks to be their only southwestern or western Iowa appearance.
The WCC's restored opera house will be set up club style with a dance floor for the evening, starting at 7 p.m. Wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks will be available. Tickets are just $15 per person, available in advance at Ed & Eva's art store on the Greenfield square, by calling 641-743-2566 or at www.warrenculturalcenter.com.
The Blue Band was inducted into the IRRMA Hall of Fame in 2007. Front man Bob Dorr, on vocals and harmonica, was inducted solo in 2000, honoring his career in radio broadcasting. He continues that calling as the host of Iowa Public Radio’s Backtracks, Blue Avenue and Beatles Medley programs. He was featured on the cover of “The Iowan” magazine last year in recognition of his long-running musical ventures in Iowa.
In the band’s 36-year history, the group has averaged playing 125 dates a year, traveling from its base in Cedar Falls, playing the majority of those dates in Iowa but also making appearances in Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City and Chicago. The band was also invited to the international Bluestock Celebration in Memphis, where they appeared at B.B. King’s nightclub on Beale Street.
The Blue Band has opened shows for B. B. King, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Bobby Rush, Robert Cray, Roomful of Blues, Tower of Power, Leon Russell, Maria Muldaur, Asleep at the Wheel and many others. Career highlights include a 30-year run and counting at the Iowa State Fair, five appearances at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival and two appearances at the Kansas City Jazz and Blues Festival.
There have been more than 25 Blue Band album releases, including five vinyl records. The band was one of the first Iowa groups to have music released on CD in 1987. In 2006, to celebrate the Blue Band’s 25th anniversary, Iowa Public TV released a two-DVD set spanning the group’s history and including footage from 12 different years.