Archived News 2015-2017
September 9, 2017
R.I.P. Don Williams. Riverrock shared the same manager, Jim Halsey, back in the late 1970s. The weeks we performed on the Tulsa International Country Music Festival and during Roy Clark's Celebrity Golf Classic in 1977, we met so many recording artists, TV stars and movie stars, we still keep remembering moments that weren't shared with each other all these years later.
Newspaper add from September, 1977 for the Tulsa International Country Music Festival.
Archived News 2015-2017
July 31, 2017
Riverrock returns for their annual Knuckleheads party on Sunday, September 3 with a first time ever lineup of Riverrock, Neon Blue and Shag Mahoney, plus the return of Riverrock veteran, Rick Harrelson. Three bands, three distinctive styles of music, one rhythm section. Shag Mahoney will kick things off with with a variety of classic rock, blues and a sprinkle of country. Then the Neon Blue horn section of Brian Macdonald and Joe Miquelon takes the stage for a set of rock & soul music. Finally, Riverrock performs two long sets of Americana, bluegrass, classic country, oldies rock & roll and original music that will feature the Midwest Man himself, Rick Harrelson. Showtime is 7:30 PM.
Archived News 2015-2017
May 3, 2017
Summer is almost here! Riverrock only has a few dates on the calendar (so far), but we hope everyone checks the Schedule page frequently to see what we are up to. Everybody in the band is busy with assorted projects. In particular, Allen, John and Dan are working together in Neon Blue (rock & soul) and Shag Mahoney (power rock trio). For those of you who are on the Riverrock mailing list, we will keep you informed of all three of those bands' bookings. We recommend that you get on our mailing list for any breaking news. Just go to the Contact page to sign up.
Archived News 2015-2017
March 3, 2017
It's Kansas Music Hall of Fame time again! Tomorrow night at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS, the 2017 inductees will be given their awards and attendees will be treated to an evening of great live music from most of the inductees.
Congratulations to The Smart Brothers*, Samuel Ramey, Bill Bergman*, Elk River Biscuit and Gravy Band*, Allen Bell, Caribe, Trampled Under Foot* and Stone Wall*. (* = acts performing live).
Doors are at 6 PM and the ceremony begins at 7 PM.
Archived News 2015-2017
January 1, 2017
Happy new year from Riverrock! We may have had New Years Eve off, but not the son of Riverrock original member, Jim Blanton. Jim's son, Jake Blanton, ended 2016 with a bang as he joined Paul McCartney on stage after he finished his gig as a member of the Killers. Word from Jake's sister, Emily Blanton, is that they were performing a rendition of "Helter Skelter" when this photo was shot. Maximum grooviness.
Paul McCartney and Jake Blanton
Archived News 2015-2017
November 14, 2016
Congratulations to this year's inductees to the Missouri Music Hall of Fame! (2016)
Pat Metheny (Performer)
Paul Jacobson (Luthier, Non-Performer)
Conductor, Maestro Michael Stern (Musician)
Dr. Erwin Henry Schneider (Academics / Musicology)
The ceremony was held at the St. Joseph Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri. After the ceremony, Hall of Fame President, Anthony Glise, invited the guests to visit the wonderful exhibits in the museum, including the Missouri Music Hall of Fame room that has a time-line wall with historical facts and placards of the inductees since the first ones in 2010 over and above the time-line where they fit historically. Anthony Glise is also the curator of the MMHoF Museum space.
Congratulations also go to Larry Schildtknecht, President of the St. Joseph Music Foundation and to Michael Fuson, Vice-President of the Foundation, who's hard work throughout the years have made this exhibit possible.
Missouri Music Hall of Fame sign outside the exhibit at the St. Joseph Museum. Photo by Dan Smith
Archived News 2015-2017
November 14, 2016
One exciting sideline to the 2017 MMHoF Museum for Riverrock fans is that the Foundation, who administers the Missouri Music Hall of Fame and Museum, has graciously included a copy of Riverrock's 1980 LP, “Midwest Man” in one of the glass cases. Riverrock has been nominated twice to the MMHoF and made the final ballot in 2015. It is indeed an honor to be included.
The back cover of Riverrock's "Midwest Man" LP at the MMHoF Museum. Photo by Dan Smith
Archived News 2015-2017
July 24, 2016
Riverrock's Dan Smith was tapped for a guest appearance with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's John McEuen this last Friday evening a Knuckleheads Saloon in Kansas City, Missouri.
The two have had a long, friendly relationship since John first sat in with Riverrock in 1974 at Huck Finn's in the old River Quay (River Market) in Kansas City, Missouri. Over the last four decades, John McEuen, who has always been the busiest of the Dirt Band members and frequents the Midwest as a solo artist or with assorted friends and family (especially with his sons, Jonathan and Nathan), has often invited Dan to join him on stage.
Dan has even been the source of some of the gigs in the past as a booking agent, including three appearances by John McEuen at the old Kansas City Spritit Festival in the 80's and 90's. John joined Blackwater (which then included Dan Smith and Paul Mumma of Riverrock along with Greg Camp, Valerie Stevens and band leader Perry Ware) on the first of those engagements. John's second Spirit Fest show was a main stage event with Riverrock and the Dixie Cadillacs. On his last Spirit gig, Dan booked John with Vassar Clements on the main stage and joined the band which included Jonathan McEuen and special guest Maria Muldaur.
John and Riverrock crossed paths a couple of times on the road in Colorado. Dan played drums and washboard with John and Vassar at Harvey's Wagon Wheel Casino in Central City (Jonathan McEuen played guitar).
John McEuen's guest performance on Riverrock's "Shuddup & Party!" CD (Kaw Point Records 2011) was the icing on the cake of the band's relationship with the String Wizzard of the NGDB. With John sounding great as ever at 70 and a good chance that he will be back in K.C. in the future, Dan and his partners in Riverrock could very well be sharing the stage with him in the years to come.
John McEuen and Dan Smith in the Gospel Lounge of Knuckleheads July 22, 2016. Photo by Celeb White
Site Content
May 10, 2016
Riverrock has been submitted for consideration as a nominee to the Missouri Music Hall of Fame for 2016. We need your help on two levels. First, we need voting members of the Hall to support us. Please consider joining the MMHoF and become a voting member. Membership includes being a member of the St. Joseph Music Foundation that administers the MMHoF and the Hall's museum, located in St. Joseph, Missouri. Second, spread the word about the Foundation. Like any institution, it's legacy depends on financial support. The Foundation does a lot for the music scene in St. Joe, including their own radio station that can be listened to live streaming on the Web and they produce the annual JoeStock music festival that runs Labor Day Weekend.
Site Content
November 7, 2015
Riverrock has lost one of its earliest supporters, advisors and friends. Sam Mumma, father of Riverrock's John and Paul Mumma, passed away yesterday at the age of 99. His skills as an attorney came in very handy for the band on several occasions. His sense of humor had us laughing frequently and made those early band meetings pleasurable. Riverrock performed a final private show for Sam, at his request, this last Sunday. As always, it was an honor and a pleasure. We will miss Sam and those "Sam Jams".
Sam Mumma and John Mumma 2009. Photo by Dan Smith
Archived News 2015-2017
September 19, 2015
Tomorrow night is the night for Riverrock's Annual Knuckleheads Party with special guest, Rick Harrelson!
Don't miss this opportunity to hear music from Riverrock's Billboard Recommended 1980 LP, "Midwest Man" performed live with Rick's still fantastic voice.
Showtime is 7:30PM.
Knuckleheads Saloon
2715 Rochester
Kansas City MO 64120
816-483-1456
Rick Harrelson
Site Content
April 21, 2015
Since most Riverrock fans reside in the Kansas City area, we can assume that at least half of them are on the Missouri side. So, we'd like to acknowledge the St. Joseph Music Foundation that administers the Missouri Music Hall of Fame. It's a well run organization with a lot to offer the music scene all across the Show Me State.
Find out more at: http://www.stjosephmusicfoundation.org/
