Billy Lee & the Swamp Critters in Ireland, c.20 June 2017

(Standing, l-r) Roger Daschle, Gary Nieves, Sandra Stram, Bob Pruitt; (seated) Billy Lee Corwin

Thanks to Billy Lee Corwin of Billy Lee & the Swamp Critters - a 'Cajun/ Zydeco/ Western Swing/ New Orleans Mardi Gras' band from Texas and Louisiana, currently based in San Diego - for contacting us with the news that the Swamp Critters will be touring the UK this summer. There's a brief window of opportunity (19-22 June) in which they would love to visit Ireland AND if possible perform before getting back to play in Camden, London, on 24 June.

The Swamp Critters comprise Billy Lee Corwin (accordion, vocals), Bob Pruitt (guitar, vocals), Roger Daschle (bass, vocals), Sandra Stram (fiddle, vocals), and Gary Nieves (percussion, vocals). The UK tour comes out of their performances at the Glastonbury and Americana International festivals in England two years ago. The photo above was on the cover of the Dec. 2015 San Diego Troubadour magazine, with Jon Kanis's major article on the band, the last paragraph of which begins:

The Swamp Critters are a sterling example of what happens when you freely share your passion with the world at large.

Billy Lee says: 'Our forte is music to DANCE to. If there might be a venue with a dance floor that’s ideal for us. [...] We like harmonies and our main strengths are feeling out an audience and gravitating to what seems to working on a particular night or venue. And we put on a “show”... it’s more than just playing our instruments!'

Billy Lee is a member of the organising board of San Diego's Gator by the Bay festival; this year's event will be on 11-14 May. He and Sandra Stram (fiddle) also give dance lessons and/or demos. Venue owners and event organisers can contact him through the band's website or by e-mail.