The bet365 Echuca Racecourse is combining live thoroughbred racing with blues performances on Friday, July 25 for Winter Blues at the Races.

Free shuttle buses will operate on a continuous loop from multiple locations in Echuca and Moama, starting at 10:45am until 6pm.

Pick-up points include opposite the Echuca Hotel, The Caledonian Hotel, The Border Inn and Moama Bowling Club.

The event features three prominent blues acts throughout the day, Eddy & The Exciters at noon, followed by Paul Coyne & The Wayward Aces from 2pm and Sweet Felicia & The Honeytones from 4pm.

Gates open at 11am with general admission priced at $15 for adults, while children aged 17-and-under enter free.

The first 200 tickets are being offered free with a limit of four per email address.

Visitors can choose between general admission or the Pavilion Dining experience, which offers country dining with panoramic views of the track and the winning post.

To purchase tickets for ‘Winter Blues at the Races’, visit countryracing.com.au/Echuca

Eddy and the Exciters

Blues musician Eddy Boyle and his band, Eddy and the Exciters, are set to deliver their signature blend of original material and blues classics.

“I'm a blues musician, harmonica player, singer songwriter,” Eddy said, whose musical journey began at age four after hearing the blues classic She’s tough by Jerry McCain.

“My auntie gave me a harmonica and said, ‘Take it and blow on it,’ and I've been doing that since then.”

The band will perform at two venues, featuring different line-ups.

“We have Mark Greenway on guitar for the Friday gig at the races and Troy Love on guitar for the gig at the Echuca Hotel on Saturday,” Eddy said.

“With Tim Conlon on bass and Raf Marino on the drums, so a four-piece.”

Eddy's musical influences span across blues and jazz genres, having always been interested in old American roots music.

“I like William Clark, Kim Wilson on the modern side of things for the harmonica,” he said.

“I like a lot of jazz as well, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Count Basie.”

The performances will showcase a diverse repertoire.

“It will be blues, with some jump blues thrown in,” Eddy said.

“I will be playing some original stuff and some classic blues covers.”

Eddy’s picks at this year’s Winter Blues include the Windsavers, Collard, Greens and Gravy and Sweet Felicia.

Eddy Boyle - Eddy and the Exciters play Winter Blues

Friday, July 25 at the Echuca Racing Club at noon.

Saturday, July 26, at the Echuca Hotel at 11am.

Phil Coyne and the Wayward Aces

Phil Coyne and The Wayward Aces are making waves on the Australian blues scene with their distinctive fusion of Chicago blues, rockabilly swing, and garage surf drive.

A promoter once described the band as a “no holds barred, ass kicking, original Australian Blues”.

Phil Coyne, who started his musical journey at 19, is the singer and song writer behind the music of Phil Coyne and the Wayward Aces.

“I had no reason other than a cliche to pick it up; I'd split up with my girlfriend and decided that I needed to do something with my life and I chose to pick up the harmonica,” he said.

His early influences included Mississippi Delta music, but for the past two decades, he’s been drawn to amplified harmonica sounds.

“I really love the sound of a harmonica through an amplifier, where you can get it to sound like a saxophone,” he said.

“The harp for me, it really drives the band.”

Musical legends like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Little Walter have shaped his style, along with Australian icon Chris Wilson.

“Chris Wilson was an incredible player and a great, brilliant performer, great influence,” Phil said.

“When we perform, I have the best time in my life. I don't leave anything on the stage.”

Sweet Felicia and the Honeytones

Sweet Felicia, one of Australia’s most respected blues bass players and vocalists, is set to return to performing after an 18-month break at the upcoming Winter Blues festival.

Sweet Felicia and the Honeytones will fill any dance floor and your souls with the love of the blues, swing and jump blues that is.

“I am a bass player, vocalist, band leader, songwriter, so I kind of do everything really,” Felicia said, who has been leading her own band since 1999.

Her musical journey began at age 12 with guitar, transitioning to bass at 19.

“I write a lot of my own songs, but we also do covers, but they are generally from the ’40s and the ’50s and my big influence, really is swing music.

“Swing, what they call jump blues, which is kind of derived from big band swing, but more guitar oriented and in a smaller group.”

Felicia’s musical influences are deeply rooted in swing and jump blues.

“I still love big band music, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and all those types of artists from the ’50s,” she said.

“But I find that the music I am drawn to is generally by women who played an instrument.”

The upcoming festival will see Felicia performing at multiple venues.

“We are at the races on Friday, and it is such a fun day,” she said.

“The music and the horse racing kind of goes really well together and we are considerate of each other.

“Hopefully I'll get a chance to catch up with some mates while I'm at Winter Blues.

“Some other great artists are performing all through the festival,” she said, mentioning performers including 19Twenty, Collard Greens and Gravy, and Anna Scionti.

Sweet Felicia and the Honeytones play Winter Blues:

Thursday, July 24 at the Shamrock at 6pm

Friday, July 25 at the Echuca Racing Club at 4pm

Saturday, July 26 at the Caledonian Hotel at 5.30pm

Sunday, July 27 at Radcliffe’s at 12.30pm.

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Tuesday, 25th July 2023

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