Howell Devine

Howell Devine bring their hypnotic Hill Country and Delta Blues to the Main Stage at Broadway & Columbus, a trio whose rollicking, deeply rhythmic take on rural blues stands in stark contrast to anything else on the festival circuit today — a sound distinctive enough to make them the first blues act signed to the legendary Arhoolie Records by founder Chris Strachwitz in over 25 years. At the heart of the band is triple-threat Joshua Howell — guitarist, harmonica player, vocalist, and co-founder of the Howell & Forsyth Guitar Company — whose deep roots in the techniques of Mississippi greats like Fred McDowell, Bukka White, Robert Johnson, and RL Burnside shape every note he plays. Veteran upright bassist Joe Kyle Jr., who has shared stages with Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Gillian Welch, and Bela Fleck among many others, joins drummer J. Hansen to complete a trio that mixes rural blues with wildly syncopated rhythms into something propulsive, alive, and utterly unforgettable.