At this past weekend’s Summer Camp Music Festival, jamgrass favorites Yonder Mountain String Band brought out special guest Roosevelt Collier to help them out on a cover of The Beatles’ White Album classic Dear Prudence. There’s one impressive solo after another as YMSB banjoist Dave Johnston takes a turn before ceding to mandolinist Jeff Austin who gives way to an impressive solo by guitarist Adam Aijala. Finally, Roosevelt burns up his lap steel guitar with an energetic frenzy. Take a look…

This past weekend the Purple Hatter’s Ball took place at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. One of the performances we most had our eyes on was a Sunday set dubbed “Roosevelt Collier & Nigel Hall’s Gospel Surprise.” Our friend and Collier’s publicist, Margaret Willard, was so moved by the set she penned a review and we’re honored to run it along with photos.

Roosevelt Collier & Nigel Hall’s Gospel Surprise @ Purple Hatter’s Ball – May 12

Words: Margaret Willard
Photos: Timothy Borland and Jeffrey Dupuis

Mother’s Day took special meaning this past weekend at the Purple Hatter’s Ball, when a fellowship of musicians uplifted the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park with an emotional Sunday gospel set dubbed “Roosevelt Collier & Nigel Hall’s Gospel Surprise.”

[Photo by Tim Borland]

PHB founder Paul Levine introduced the ensemble shortly after 1pm, with a prelude dedicating the afternoon to Rachel Morningstar Hoffman, whose life is remembered each year at PHB, and to all others who had lost loved ones recently — most notably Adam “Shmeeans” Smirnoff of Lettuce, who hadn’t performed for a live audience since he lost his mother Rita April 29. The sun shone brightly as the amphitheater stage transformed into a place of kinship and worship, with Smirnoff and the afternoon’s other special guests Lenesha Randolph (Robert Randolph & The Family Band), Pete Shand (The New Mastersounds), Jermal Watson (Dirty Dozen Brass Band), Jonathan Lloyd (Dubconscious) and The Shady Horns - Ryan Zoidis, Eric Bloom and James Casey(Soulive, Lettuce) all joining Nigel Hall (Warren Haynes Band, Lettuce) and Roosevelt Collier (the Lee Boys) for an inspired series of classic covers and old gospel tunes.

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Last Friday night HT faves The Heavy Pets gathered their hometown fans at Fort Lauderdale’s Culture Room for an “End Of The World Party.” Roosevelt Collier of The Lee Boys stopped by to add lap steel to the festivities and as he tends to do when he sits in, Roosevelt stole the show.

You can watch an insane video of Collier jamming with the Pets on Dewpoint thanks to the talents of videographer  Mark Duclos with help from M.A.D.& CheeseheadProductions…

The Heavy Pets w/ Roosevelt Collier – Dewpoint

The Lee Boys are in the middle of a tour with Gov’t Mule that visited the Orpheum Theatre in Boston last night. Last week saw the release of Testify, the latest Lee Boys album, which came out on Evil Teen, a label co-owned by Gov’t Mule guitarist Warren Haynes. Warren sat in with The Lee Boys on I’m On My Way in the opening set before The Lee Boys’ Roosevelt Collier came out during Mule’s encore to add lap steel to the traditional John The Revelator and the Timothy Matthews / George Jackson blues classic Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home. Here’s the entire encore…

Gov’t Mule w/ Roosevelt Collier – John The Revelator / Feel Like Breaking Up…

Both bands perform at The State Theatre in Ithaca, New York tonight.