Cumberland Avenue Revisited: Relentless Blues Band and the Scenesters

Back in the 1980s, the Relentless Blues Band was a staple of Knoxville's music scene. (They placed 34th in Metro Pulse's Best Knoxville Bands Ever poll earlier this year, tied with Erick Baker and Wh-Wh.) And now they're back, playing happy hour sets at the Catalyst courtyard in the Old City from 5-9 p.m.

Here's a bit Jack Rentfro wrote about the band in Cumberland Ave. Revisited:

A couple of years later, (Jacaranda) devolved from the double lead guitars-and-drums-Allman Brothers paradigm back into the trio that started it all. Montage was the name of this new, streamlined strategy of the Cortses and Jones. It was, regardless, "original, kick-ass" music, as Corts put it. Guest keyboardists with Montage included Leo Schmied, Joel Fairstein and Marcus Shirley. In 1988, Montage ceased to exist and Ed joined forces with local guitar madman, Don "Mad Dog" Rutherford, and dynamic frontman and bassist, Michael Delaney, to form the original edition of the Relentless Blues Band. This assemblage continues to exist in some form, usually with a Corts somewhere, sometimes with blueswoman Cheryl Renee on vocals. Jones, "Detroit Dave" Meer, Ladd and the Cortses are also known as the Nairobi Trio, a musical alter-ego that has played Knoxville clubs since 1989, usually presenting "obscure covers and rock classics" as their bill of fare.

And '90s indie rock band the Scenesters are getting back together for a reunion show at Barley's on Friday, July 31, with John Davis of Superdrag and Superdrag bassist Tom Pappas' Whip!