Bridget Kelly Band (Updated Bio; January 2023)
The North-Central Florida based Bridget Kelly Band, three-time International Blues Challenge Semifinalists (2015, 2016, 2023), have had numerous top-10 RMR and APD charting albums over the years. Their latest release entitled "Winter's Coming", marks the 7th offering in a catalog of all-original music albums. Officially released November 1st, 2022, the album became the #1 RMR charting "Blues Rock" album for the weeks of Nov. 12 2022 through January 21, 2023.
Singer Bridget Kelly, teamed up with husband/guitarist/producer Tim Fik to form the Bridget Kelly Band in 2012 -- a quartet that continues to explore their musical roots as the band celebrates its 10th Anniversary. Drummer Curtis Lyons Jr. and bassist Greg Mullins comprise the band's vibrant and highly-proclaimed rhythm section. Their presence and contributions have helped take the group's music to yet another level.
BKB's music has been heard on countless radio shows around the world. They gained international visibility after their song "Texas Toast", from their 2014 "Forever in Blues" CD, enjoyed regular rotation on Tony Colter's Sirius-XM radio show on B.B. King's Bluesville; placing them on the Hot-100 music chart. Their first big charting breakthrough came in 2017 with the highly acclaimed "Bone Rattler” CD – #1 on the RMR "Electric Blues” Album chart for 24 weeks! Their follow-up release “Blues Warrior” (2018) would top out at #3 on the Blues-Rock chart and #1 on the Florida music chart. In 2020, they released yet another top-10 charting album entitled "Dark Spaces", with excellent reviews and regular airplay from DJs in the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, and Germany. The band's most-recent album "Winter's Coming", released on Alpha Sun Records (November 1, 2022), is an eclectic musical excursion dedicated to Bridget's father -- Peter John Kelly, Sr., who passed in 2021. The tracks span across genres, influenced by classic blues, Blues-Rock, and American Roots music. The album starts with a 28-second voice recording, the very last message Bridget received from her dad before his passing. The proclamation that "Winter's Coming", provided the inspiration for the new songs. The album hit and remained at #1 on the RMR "Blues Rock" Album chart for nine weeks (mid November through January 21st) , was #10 on the IBBA Most-Played music chart for the month of November, and #5 on both the RMR Blues Album and U.S. Album charts (week of December 10th, 2022); with several Top-5 charting blues songs including "Heartbreakin' Blues", "I'm Lucky", "Say What You Want" and "Winter's Coming Blues version 2".
Dedicated to keeping the blues alive one song at a time, BKB continues to perform at clubs, concerts and music venues across the nation. Having performed at well over six-dozen major Music Festivals, Buddy Guy's legends, and the House of Blues, BKB was recently lauded as the "Hardest Working Blues Band" in the state of Florida by Phoenix Radio. "It's all about forging connections with the audience.. leaving it all on the stage" says Bridget. With incendiary live performances and original compositions that mix elements of Texas and Memphis Blues, with elements of guitar-driven classic rock, BKB has earned the reputation a hard-hitting blues-rock ensemble. In addition to their musical success, Tim Fik was honored as a 2018 recipient of a "Keeping the Blues Alive" Award from the Blues Foundation for his efforts at promoting blues music awareness through education. Dr. Fik is a University of Florida professor who has been teaching students about the Blues for several decades.
On April 30th, 2023, the Bridget Kelly Band and Bridget Kelly (Artist) were inducted into the Alabama Blues Hall of Fame in a concert and ceremony in Birmingham, Alabama. The band is currently working on their 8th album, scheduled for release on Alpha Sun records on November 2023.
With a captivating smile, sultry vocals, and commanding stage presence, Bridget Kelly continues to gain fans wherever the group performs. BKB knows how to rock a stage and fire up a crowd; and their live shows have become legendary. An advocate for Blues Women everywhere, and a sponsor of Women in Blues showcases around the country, Bridget continues her mission to highlight the contributions of female artists. After a decade of musical expression and countless standing ovations, the Bridget Kelly Band continues to push the artistic envelope, while honoring the musical traditions of the past. Their musical offerings are a testimony to the enduring character of the Blues and the genre's ability to continue extending its influence as a dynamic musical form.
Bridget Kelly Band Festivals/Concerts (2017-2023)
Camping with the Blues Festival, Sertoma Youth Ranch,
Brooksville, Florida
Tangerine Blues Festival, Gulfport, Florida
Blues Bash at the Ranch, Dade City, Florida
Northwoods Blues Festival, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Boundary Waters Blues Festival, Ely, Minnesota
Marquette Area Blues Festival, Marquette, Michigan
Nickel Plate District Blues Festival, Fishers, Indiana
Fort Myers Blues Festival, Ft. Myers, Florida
Springing the Blues Festival, Jax Beach, Florida
Sarasota Blues Festival, Sarasota, Florida
Bonita Springs Music Festival, Florida
Jackson Michigan Blues Festival, Jackson, Michigan
Lowertown Blues and Funk Festival, St. Paul, Minnesota
Forgotten Music Festival, Port St. Joe, Florida
Simply Jazz & Blues Festival, Beckley, West Virginia
Dunedin Wines the Blues Festival, Dunedin, Florida
Smokin' in Steele Music Festival, Owatonna, Minnesota
Funky Biscuit Concert Venue, Boca Raton, Florida
St. John’s River Blues Festival, Palatka, Florida
Blue Crab Music Festival, Palatka, Florida
Monticello Music Festival, Monticello, Florida
Pat Ramsey Benefit, Bradfordville Blues Club, Tallahassee, FL
Women in Blues Showcase
(Alfred's on Beale street) Memphis, Tennessee (2022)
Women in Blues at Cyrus and Grove, Gainesville, Florida
Women Sing the Blues, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Women in Blues Festival, Dickens Opera House, Longmont, CO
Nurses’ in Blues, Buffalo, New York
The House of Blues, Chicago, Illinois
Daytona Blues Festival, Daytona Beach, Florida
Florida Folk Festival, White Springs, Florida
Women of the Blues Concert, Infinity Hall, Hartford, Connecticut
Smokey Mountain Blues Society River Cruise, Knoxville, TN
Whitewater Music Festival, St. Charles, Minnesota
Tuesday Night Blues Concert Series, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Bonita Springs Concert Series, Bonita Springs, Florida
Buddy Guy’s Chicago Blues Festival, Buddy Guy's Legends,
Chicago, Illinois
Mississippi Duchess Music Cruise on the Mississippi, MS/LA
Bradenton Blues Festival, Bradenton, Florida
The Planet Festival, Fruitland Park, Florida
Buckingham Blues Backyard Music Festival, Ft. Myers, Florida
Wiregrass Blues Festival, Dothan, AL
Wide Waters Concert Series, Buffalo, New York
Downtown Arts Festival (Bo Diddley Stage), Gainesville, Florida
NSFBS Annual Downtown Blues Festival, Gainesville, Florida
Sunday at the Waterfront Concert Series, West Palm Beach, FL
Sautee Cultural Arts Center, Concert Series, Sautee, GA
Bridget Kelly Band
BKB at Buddy Guy's Legends, Chicago Illinois
Bridget Kelly (vocals), Tim Fik (guitar), Greg Mullins Sr. (bass), Curtis Lyons Jr. (drums).
ALPHA SUN RECORDS / BRIDGET KELLY BAND
CD reviews
Review: Bridget Kelly Band ‘Winter’s Coming’ By Mike O’Cull (February 2023)
Dynamic blues vocalist and singer-songwriter Bridget Kelly continues to distinguish herself and her outstanding band on her new record Winter’s Coming. Available now on Alpha Sun Records, the set is full of brand new original songs and is dedicated to Bridget’s father Peter John Kelly, Sr., who passed away in 2021. It touches on several styles of blues, rock and roll, and American roots music and shows Kelly to be a skilled performer and interpreter of those sounds. Backed by her husband/guitarist/producer Tim Fik, drummer Curtis Lyons Jr., and bassist Greg Mullins, Kelly elevates herself and her musicians into exciting, memorable performances that quickly explain her continuing popularity. She’s not afraid to cross genre lines, mix vibes, or aim for anything less than achieving her unique vision for this music.
Based in Florida, the Bridget Kelly Band has done a bang-up job of building a following and rocking houses everywhere they go since first coming together in 2012. Since that time, Kelly has dropped six Top Ten RMR-charting records, been a two-time IBC Semifinalist in 2015 and 2016, and has toured from Florida to Minnesota and Maine to Colorado. Bridget is also a tireless advocate for blues women everywhere. She sponsors Women in Blues showcases around the country and makes it her mission to highlight the contributions of female artists. Kelly is well-known as one of the hardest-working people in the business and has made an impact on it from her start.
The first thing you hear when you start to play Winter’s Coming is a saved voicemail message from Bridget’s father that gives away the origins of the record’s title. It makes you feel a little more connected to Kelly’s songs even before you get to them. She then follows that up with not one but two title cuts in a row, “Winter’s Coming Blues 1 and 2.” The first version is a more contemporary type of blues shuffle that features Kelly’s sultry vocal tones and some fleet-fingered guitar work from Tim Fik. The second version is a rocking shuffle in the traditional style. The songs are different from each other but share titles and the topic of winter’s dreaded cold. Kelly is originally from Wisconsin, so she knows about the cold firsthand, which could well explain starting off this way. Done with winter, Kelly leads her band into the chugging funk/rock of “Whirlwind.” She belts her lines over a groove as big as Texas and more hot guitar work from Tim Fik. He’s got his own sense of melody that’s fresh and original and he makes the most of every guitar break. “Heartbreakin’ Blues” is a dance floor hip-shaker that grinds out a story of a woman done wrong. You can feel the tension in every part of the tune, from Kelly’s spite and scorn to the relentless drum part. “It’ll all catch up with you,” she tells him and it’s clear that she means it. Once again, Fik snarls on lead guitar. The BKB gets deep into the funk again on the mid-speed “I’m Lucky.” Their pocket is sinfully sweet and it’s obvious that the band excels at this kind of ensemble playing. Kelly’s voice is confident and full of life here and all across Winter’s Coming. Other top moments on the set include “Crazy Thang,” “Out Of Time,” and “Poor Girl.”
The Bridget Kelly Band is a group that belongs on your screen, if they aren’t there already. They have the songs and the style needed to succeed and you’re going to hear a lot of these cuts blowing up throughout the year. Highly recommended.
Bridget Kelly Band/Blues Warrior. "In which we find the kick ass blues rockers turning it up yet again and adding political/protest content to the mix. Having come a long way in a relatively short time, this crew is topping everything they come in contact with and taking it all to a new level of the game this time around. Tearing it up with a message? There’s just no limit for this crew as they keep doing it right. Hot stuff." May 26, 2018 Chris Spector, Midwest Record (Lake Zurich, IL)
The Bridget Kelly Band’s Blues Warrior Tackles Blues Oriented Subject Matter...
Some folks may not be used to the blues being about the blues. This album harnesses power from several places. Difficult subject matter. Incredible emotional guitar playing. Heartfelt, soul stirring vocals. Straight forward no-nonsense production. I actually like this music more than the stuff on “Bone Rattler” which is saying something. The mature songwriting only adds more fuel to this smoldering fire which is slowly becoming an inferno. Blues Warrior is a game changing , shape shifting, cliche busting album that is sure to bring more attention to this extremely talented band." The Real Music Observer (David Spuria) May 11, 2018
Bridget Kelly Band, "Blues Warrior". The Bridget Kelly Band is another group we simply cannot get enough of. Their fifth album for Alpha Sun Records in the last six years is entitled “Blues Warrior,” and that they are, indeed, continuing to spread the word of the blues from their home base in Florida to fans all over the globe. Bridget’s got a voice to die for, sultry, soulful, and sexy, (often all at the same time!), while Tim Fik is the consummate guitar-meister, with influences as varied as B. B., Jimi, and Dickie Betts, and everyone in between. He also serves as the set’s producer. They were Semi-Finalists in both the 2015 and 2016 IBC’s, and, this year, Tim collared a prestigious KBA, a lifetime achievement award given to those who have dedicated their lives and careers in Keeping The Blues Alive and preserving and promoting its heritage. The Bridget Kelly Band has used the music of “Blues Warrior” to empower all who suffer from any of the plights that plague modern society to take every step possible to stand up and fight back. An excellent blues album under any circumstances, this one is made even more appealing by the band’s philanthropic outlook of “giving back” to their fans and the blues community who knows of someone suffering in silence. Thank you, guys–we love you!
Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society, May 27th, 2018.
Bridget Kelly Band "Blues Warrior". Bridget Kelly and Tim Fik hit the mark with this one. ...This album is everything a contemporary blues album should be. What more can anyone ask for than power, passion and soul...and these can be found in abundance. If contemporary blues is your bag, chances are that this album will be a perfect fit. - Bill Wilson, Reflections in Blue May 2018
Bridget Kelly Band – Blues Warrior (Alpha Sun): "Singer/songwriter Bridget Kelly offers her fifth release as a blues rock diva with a message. She is accompanied by hard blues rocker Tim Fik (guitar), who brings a fistful of blues rock flash that matches both her attitude and message. The duo also wrote all of the songs on this disc. Kelly’s talk/shout style makes certain that her message gets to listeners, heightening her performance. This includes messages from”Stolen” (human trafficking); “No Good Man Blues” (domestic violence) and “Snow Fall” (drug abuse). Rotating members of the rhythm section are Mark Armbrecht and Mike Hamm (trading off on bass); Alex Klausner, Michael Barady and Christine Alexander (trading off on drums) with Chris Alexander adding keys on three cuts and “Little Mike” Markowitz blowing harp on one song. This lady is most certainly a Blues warrior – heavy sounds and messages that matter." WTJU, Dave Rogers, June 5, 2018; New Blues and Soul News.
2023 Show Dates
Feb 3 Blind Willie's Atlanta, GA TBA
Feb 4 Sautee Concert Series, Sautee, GA
Mar 5 Sarasota Blues Festival, Sarasota FL
April 2 "Springin' the Blues" Festival JAX Beach, FL
April 8 Blues & Brews Ormond Beach, FL
April 22 Clearwater Blues Festival, Clearwater, FL
April 23 Jacks,Naples FL
April 30 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Concert, Birmingham, AL
June 3 Ground Zero, Biloxi, MS
June 11 Red Rooster, Madison, WI
June 13 Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall, Milwaukee, WI
June 15 Shaw's, Minneapolis, MN
June 16 Iron Horse, Nevis, MN
June 18 Muddy Waters, Prescott, WI
June 20 Owens Park Concert Series (Band Shell), Eau Claire, WI
June 23 75th Stutson Street, Rochester, NY
June 24 Women in Blues Series, Madame Organ's, Washington DC
June 25 Betsy's Backyard Productions, Atlantic City, NJ
June 27 Fanatics Pub, Lima, NY
June 28 The Empty Glass, Charleston, WV
June 30 Black-eyed Sally's, Hartford, CT
July 1 Tin Pan, Richmond, VA
Aug 3 Buddy Guy's Legends, Chicago, IL
Aug 4 The House of Blues (HOB), Chicago, IL
Aug 5 "In the Market for Blues" Festival, Omaha, NE
Sept 8 BBC at the Legion, Tallahassee, FL
Oct 14 "Blues on Broadway" w/ David Pastorius, Norwich, CT
Nov 25 Masaryk Winery Concert Series, Masaryktown, FL
Dec 1 Blues & Brews Bistro, Ormond Beach, FL
Dec 3 B-Day Blues Bash, High Dive, Gainesville, FL
2024 Show Dates:
Jan 27 2024 Blues Fest (@ Crimson Sky Ranch) Brooksville, FL
March 9 "Macon Blues & Brews", Macon Arts Center-Macon, GA
March 14 2024 Englewood's, Engelwood, FL
March 22 2024 Blues & Brews Bistro, Ormond Beach, FL
Apr 28 2024 Jacks, Naples, FL
May 19 2024 Women in Blues Showcase, Heartwood, GNV, FL
June 1 2024 Blues & Blues Bistro, Ormond Beach, FL
June 14 2024 Spirit of Woodstock Festival, Dade City, FL
About the Bridget Kelly Band
official website
# 1 RMR Blues Rock Album
"Dark Spaces" (2020)
#3 RMR Blues-Rock Chart, July 2020; #1 RMR Florida
Album Music Chart..
Produced by Tim Fik
BKB Booking Now 2023
Doug Tacket- RoadDawg Touring Co..
Bridget Kelly Band at "Springin' the Blues" Music Festival (2022) JAX Beach, FL
"Bone Rattler"#1 charting RMR "Electric Blues" Album (July-Dec 2017)
24 weeks at #1
BKB: #23 on Living Blues Radio Chart
Click Sun-moon link to Spotify
A Top-10 charting Blues album
produced by Tim Fik
#3 RMR "Blues Rock" chart 2018
Bridget Kelly Band..."Blues Warrior"
on Alpha Sun Records
Produced by Tim Fik
Alpha Sun Records
2016 CD "Outta the Blues"
on Alpha Sun Records, produced by Tim Fik
#1 on RMR Electric Blues chart for 6 weeks in July & August, 2016; #4 RMR Electric Blues album for 2016; reached #1 on Blues411.com.
BKB "Winter's Coming", released November 1, 2022, #1 on RMR "Blues Rock" album chart from Nov.12 to Jan. 21, 2023; with
#1 song "Heartbreakin' Blues"
Tim Fik -- 2018 recipient
Blues Foundation
"Keeping the Blues Alive" Award
Bridget Kelly Band
3-time IBC Semi-Finalists
2015, 2016, 2023
Alabama Blues Hall of FameInductees (April 30, 2023):
Bridget Kelly Band / Bridget Kelly (Artist)
Inspired by classic & electric blues, the Bridget Kelly Band has placed their unique stamp on the "blues-rock" genre. Three-time IBC Semi-Finalists and #1 RMR Electric Blues charting artists, BKB rocks the blues like no other. Recent releases (on Alpha Sun Records):
"Winter's Coming" (Nov. 2022) #1 RMR Blues Rock Album
"Dark Spaces" (May 2020),
"Blues Warrior" (June 2018),
"Bone Rattler" (April 2017),
"Outta the Blues" (April 2016),
"Forever in Blues" (May 2014),
"Back in the Blues" (May 2012)... available on CD Baby, i-Tunes, Amazon.com. Hear the band's music at www.REVERBNATION.com/BridgetKellyBand
and on Spotify.