Sweet and Dirty A collaboration of Sweet Brenda and Dirty Red Band Bios

When Dirty Red – Eric McDaniel – leader of modern day powerhouse band, Dirty Red and the Soul Shakers invited legendary Oklahoma Blues Singer, Sweet Brenda – Bren Severson – on stage the first time to sit in with the band, a lightning bolt of electricity melded them together and shot their sound and energy into an unsuspecting blues audience that soaked it up like fireball whiskey on freaky Saturday night. From that moment this energetic collaboration has caused quite a stirring in the blues scene. Both musicians have made a name for themselves across the blues nation with experience and expertise that speaks for itself. When all of that is combined with the background and expertise of the rest of the band, a stage full of all-stars is born. Besides the giant personalities of Dirty Red and Sweet Brenda, the scary tight rhythm section of Cliff the “Iron Man” Belcher and Forrest Worrell, both of Watermelon Slim and the Workers fame, and the lonesome but ripping tasty blues guitar of Big Robb Hibbard, former lead for Miss Blues and the Blue Notes, put the icing on the cake. Add to all of that, the fact that Dirty Red and Sweet Brenda both write all the songs with soulful and pertinent lyrics written for all people, and a jolting beat that never stops, the dance floor is full and crazy, the room is packed with a punch of energy and the blues appetite is wildly satisfied. Sweet and Dirty is a collaboration of blues monsters bragging over 130 years of performance altogether culminating into this fabulous high- energy show.

Eric “Dirty Red” McDaniel co-fronts the band with a fiery blues harp, soul drenched vocals, and the high energy stage presence of an old timey gun toting, whiskey sipping Southern preacher hell bent for higher ground. He has more than 30 years song writing experience, and got his start on stage with Oklahoma Blues legend Miss Blues where he met guitar player Robb Hibbard while playing in The Blue Notes. Hibbard’s rich guitar style and innovative licks in combination with Red’s story telling makes for a dynamic duo of blues soul power. Eric has appeared on recordings with Miss Blues and The Blue Notes, Old Gray Mule, Rickett Pass and Cedric Burnside as well as writing and coproducing the band’s debut CD “Soul Shakin’.

“Sweet Brenda” Bren Severson, is a vocalist, musician, songwriter and Nashville recording artist, performing since the age of 5. She is classically trained as a first soprano opera singer and holds a music degree which she used to teach public school for 15 years, and train hundreds of vocalists as a professional vocal coach for the past 25 years. She decided at the age of 18, to use her classical foundation to support her true love – the blues, where she rips vocals influenced by KoKo Taylor, Etta James, Ruth Brown, Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin, but give her a high C and she can still hit it any day. She has appeared on national television’s Inside Edition as the star of a segment called “My Secret Life,” which highlighted her teaching career by day and her Blues singing by night. She has performed in Memphis, Nashville, Las Vegas, Superior WS, Duluth, MN, and all over Texas and Oklahoma. She has performed on stage with greats such as Leon Blues, and members of BB King’s touring band, and she has opened for Bobby Rush and Delbert McClinton. Her original blues songs are played regularly on several blues stations and radio shows across the nation, and her band Sweet Brenda and Sour Mash was chosen to represent the State of Oklahoma at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

Founding member and collaborator Robb Hibbard has been playing guitar for more than 20 years. He previously played with Miss Blues and the Blue Notes of Oklahoma City for six years where he got his feet wet playing clubs and festivals all over the land, even opening for Buddy Guy and B.B. King. He left The Blue Notes in 2011 to help form The Soul Shakers with Dirty Red. His influences are Michael Bloomfield, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix, Debbie Davies, Buster Benton, Otis Grand, Billy Gibbons, Peter Green, Anson Funderburgh, Steve Cropper, and countless others. He continues to absorb as many influences as possible, and greatly enjoys his role in Dirty Red and the Soul Shakers.

Forrest Worrell Born Ft. Wayne, IN 1965 studied piano age 6-13, and played Trombone in school band. That is where he discovered his true passion and began his study of percussion at age 13. He performed in his first professional gig at age 17. He has performed with Otis Watkins, Miss Blues, Watermelon Slim, and many acts in between. Opened for Koko Taylor, Robert Cray Band, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Dr. Hook and he toured the UK in 2013 with Watermelon Slim and the Workers His influences include John Bonham, Ricky Fataar, Stan Lynch, Steve Ferrone, Steve Jordan, Neil Peart, Phil Collins, Carter Beauford. When it comes to his stage kit he plays Gretsch drums with DW hardware and Zildjian cymbals. Forrest Joined Dirty Red and the Soul Shakers Oct. 2013.

Cliff Belcher “The Iron Man” as he is called, because he lays down the groove that is cold as blue steel, has been playing bass for more than 40 years, and because he’s all business, we will let his record speak for itself. Cliff Belcher, Bassist, Watermelon Slim & the Workers 2004-2013 Recordings Watermelon Slim & the Workers-2006 The Wheelman -2007 No Paid Holidays-2008 Bull Goose Rooster-2013 DVD Live at Ground Zero Blues Club-2010 Awards Blues Music Awards Album of the year, the Wheelman-2008 Band of the year, Watermelon Slim and the Workers-2008 Maple Blues Awards, BB King International Artist of the Year-2008 Mojo Magazine, 2006 Blues album of the year, Watermelon Slim and the Workers 2007- The Wheelman 6th annual Independent Music Awards album of the year Blues Review Magazine Awards January 1,2010 #19 on best 25 Blues CDs of the Decade Watermelon Slim and the Workers