Austin Brashier, Guitar slinger and vocalist has been exposed to music his whole life being from a very musical family. But it was the exposure of guitar monsters like Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Albert King that sent him spiraling through the tunnel of Blues. Not wasting any time, he took his band on the road after high school, released a CD, and had the privilege of opening for or playing with many Blues greats such as B.B. King, Koko Taylor, Tinsley Ellis, Derek Trucks, and Nappy Brown. When he was not on the road, Austin was backing up many Blues artists traveling through town such as Eddie Kirkland, Phil Guy and the list goes on.

Now with Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues and getting to work alongside artists such as Bob Margolin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Eddie Shaw, and Hubert Sumlin to name a few, he looks forward to the next musical adventure.

Danny Keylon is the newest member of Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues, having joined in September 2007. He has been playing the bass for a number of years and when his friend and the band’s drummer, Mike Whitt, asked if he would like to play a few jobs with Mac and PFOB, he jumped at the chance and has been with them ever since. Everything just seemed to fit.

Mac, Mike, Austin, and Max, also love to play, and that, plus a solid groove, are some of the bonds that unite them. Mac is a bass player, too and Danny says it is his obligation “to steal every lick Mac knows” so he can add them to his own bag of licks. Just listen to some of their tunes and you can hear a veritable cornucopia of influences. Enjoy.

Having been raised in Charleston, S.C., Mike was influenced heavily by the music of the area. Beach music and funk were in its hay-day when he began playing drums in the high school band. His first concert was James Brown and Herman’s Hermits, he hasn’t been the same since!

He learned his chops listening to the R & B music of the times. His first band in high school did get to open for groups such as The Tams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Doug Clark and Spyder Turner. During his college years in Georgia, Mike hooked up with some players from that area to travel weekends to Florida, Alabama and Georgia. At that time, he shared the stage with groups like Billy Joe Royal and Smythe to widen his stage experience.

Through the years following, he toured the U.S. playing with a variety of groups doing the club circuit and recording. His experience doing Country music, Classic Rock and Roll and Blues has made him a well-rounded drummer with much experience to bring to the stage. He has shared the stage and opened for groups like The Association, B.B. King , Steppenwolf, Allman Brothers Band and Molly Hatchet.

He now enjoys playing with Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues. They have 3 albums and a DVD documentary to their credit along with 4 European tours under their belt.

It could be said that Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues all started with harmonica player and multi-instrumentalist Max Hightower. When he’d first heard the 1969 “Muddy ‘Mississippi’ Waters Live” album at the age of 12 — playing it from sundown to sunrise, with the batteries and tape dragging — he didn’t realize it would play such a pivotal role in his life. He also didn’t know it would resurface some 11 years later in rural South Carolina, when he’d first met a former member of the blues legend’s Chicago band.

Website : www.macarnold.com/band/max.html
Facebook : www.facebook.com/people/Max-Hightower/100001823859660

Mac Arnold must have known at an early age that his music career would read like a “Who’s who” of Blues/R&B Legends. His high school band “J Floyd & The Shamrocks” were often joined by none other than Macon, Georgia native, James Brown on piano. After deciding to pursue a professional music career, he joined the Charles Miller group until 1965 when he made the move to Chicago to work with recording artist/saxophonist A. C. Reed.

In late 1966, at age 24, came the opportunity of a lifetime to join the Muddy Waters Band and help shape the electric blues sound that inspired the rock and roll movement of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Regular guests of the band included Eric Clapton, Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, and Elvin Bishop. The Muddy Waters Band (as a unit) shared the stage with the likes of Howlin’ Wolfe, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Junior Wells, Big Joe Williams, and Big Mama Thornton just to name a few. During this time, Mac played on John Lee Hooker’s “live “album, Live at the Café Au Go-Go, as well as Otis Spann’s classic recording “The Blues is Where It’s At”.

After more than a year with Muddy Waters, Mac formed the Soul Invaders which backed up many artists, including The Temptations and B. B. King. In the early 70’s, he moved Los Angeles to work at ABC Television and LAFF RECORDS (Redd Foxx). This led to working on the set of Soul Train from 1971 to 1975 and then working with Bill Withers (“Lean On Me”) before moving back to South Carolina in the 80”s.
Mac in his field

Mac now resides in Pelzer, SC, where at the age of ten he got his first taste of the blues when he learned to play his brother Leroy’s home-made guitar. Going back to his roots. Mac is serving up a mess of Blues with his own band, “Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues”. The band consists of Danny Keylon on bass and vocals, Austin Brashier on guitar and vocals, Max Hightower on keyboards, harmonica, guitar, and vocals, Mike Whitt on drums, and Mac Arnold on vocals, bass and Gas Can Guitars.

Email : icandoanythingfoundation@gmail.com
Adress : 191 Arnold Road Pelzer, SC 29669 – USA

Website : www.macarnold.com
Myspace : www.myspace.com/macarnoldplatefulloblues
Youtube : www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBayYwWtm2E
Facebook : www.facebook.com/pages/Mac-Arnold-Plate-Full-O-Blues/154979007871

2005

Chesnee Middle School – Chesnee, SC

2007

Boy’s Home – Covington, VA
Robert E McNair Middle School – Lake City, SC
Asheville City School – Asheville, NC
Blythe Academy – Greenville, SC
Stewart Heights Elementary – Dillon, SC

2008

South Elementary – Dillon, SC
JV Martin Junior High – Dillon, SC
Stewarts Heights Elementary – Dillon, SC

2009

Crestview Elementary School- Greer, SC
Greer Middle School – Greer, SC
Greer High School – Greer, SC

Europe 2009

Trittau, Germany
Liege, Belgium – Athenee Royal de Fragnee
Ecaussinnes, Belgium – Spring Blues Festival

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