Arcadia Blues Festival

Mark Muehlberg(a.k.a. Curly "No Shoes" Jr.) was born on July 1, 1957 and raised in Tulsa , Oklahoma . Curly started playing guitar at the age of 9 and had formed his first musical group by the age of eleven, consisting of Curly and two friends, one playing electric guitar and another on “drums”. In 1974 and 1975 Curly traveled extensively throughout Europe with a suitcase and his acoustic guitar. In the early 1990's Curly relocated to Texas and joined the extensive Blues community in Dallas , lead by the infamous Bluesman and virtuoso Blues guitarist "Hash Brown", who later became one of Curly's best friends and mentors in the Blues. Curly was then introduced to the Ex World Champion Wrestler and well known Mississippi Blues Festival promoter Arman Hussein. Arman introduced Curly to a number of Blues and R&B Legends, such as Little Milton, Curly Barefoot Miller (Curly’s namesake) and Eddie King and arranged for Curly to perform with artists such as Long John Hunter, "Lucky" Peterson, Joe Jonas, R.L. Griffin, and Greg Smith, just to name a few. Curly was also fortunate enough to become close friends and companion to the late legendary Sam Myers (recipient of multiple W.C Handy Blues Awards and singer with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets) who also helped Curly tremendously in "cutting his chops" as a Blues vocalist. It was at Sam’s suggestion that Curly put the guitar down and concentrated on “something he might be good at someday”… being a Blues Vocalist.

Curly moved to Denver , Colorado in 1999 and formed a group called "Curly 'No Shoes' Jr. and the Ricky Earle Blues Review", featuring former Little Milton guitarist Ricky Earle. With the “rotating door” of band members, Curly changed the name of the band to The Curly “No Shoes” Jr. Band which at times has included friends of Stevie Ray Vaughn, members from the bands of KoKo Taylor, Little Milton and Tab Benoit. Curly has toured both the US and Europe during his lifetime. During one of his appearance tours back through Oklahoma , the fine ladies of the Oklahoma Blues Society introduced Curly to the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame member and Queen of the Oklahoma Blues community “Miss Blues” (a.k.a Dorothy Ellis). In that introduction, Curly found his new mentor. Miss Blues and Curly immediately became fast friends and have been promoting one another since, with Curly bringing Miss Blues into Colorado regularly for concert and festival appearances and Miss Blues doing the same for Curly in Oklahoma . THAT is what the Blues is about! NO competition…just shoutin’ the Blues and helping one another in any way we can. Curly has acted in more than 25 movies and short films, received various industry awards and recognition, had two sngs go to #1 on the “Electric Blues Charts” and was inducted into the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame in May 2010.

DIRECTIONS TO THE SHOW

Poochie of Slick Willie and the Right Cats