History
BOLT UPRIGHT is a versatile, fun-loving trio
that plays an entertaining variety of blues, rockin' blues, rock 'n' roll, r&b, and funk. Ashbolt Stewart, the ringleader on
drums and lead vocals, started the band in 2001 with wife (then girlfriend and brand-new bass player) Susie McDonald on bass
and vocals, along with guitar wizard Adam Zwig and bluesman Guttman Phillips on guitar, harmonica and vocals. At first the band
was called "ASAP" for one initial each, but when Phillips left for a long trip to Spain, the band's name changed to BOLT
UPRIGHT. When Adam went to work a month later on his own project, B-UP featured young Chad Rupp on delta-style guitar, vocals
and harmonica. Chad moved on about the end of the first year of the band, and for its second through sixth years, Lynn Axtell
lent his smokin' guitar, harmonica and vocals to the mix.
For the past three years the multi-talented Ken Brewer has been stepping
in on guitar and vocals when Lynn couldn't make a gig. Now Lynn has had to leave B-UP, Ken is the man. It's
been great so far. This year, the band appeared for the first time at the
Waterfront Blues Festival with Bay area guitar slinger Kenny Blue Ray.
We're excited about the energy this dynamic little group is generating now, and we can't wait to see the new
chapter unfolding in the story of BOLT UPRIGHT.