“Catfish” Stu Kinsel & The Hushpuppies

Portland, Oregon native Stu Kinzel has over 50 years playing blues and original music on the West Coast including Hawaiian islands and British Columbia. Kinzel performed at the very first Waterfront Blues Festival in 1986 and has been a featured artist more than 25 times sense.

He has performed and collaborated with Northwest blues legends including Johnnie Ward, Shella Wilcoxson, Lloyd Jones, Paul delay, Michael Osborne and AC Porter and fronted his own multi award winning blues act Kinzel and Hyde with long time partner Hohner Harmonicas endorsed Lynnann Hyde. During this time, Kinzel also recorded several soundtracks, including advertisements, feature films, and self released sides that received AirPlay on SiriusXM, NPR and blues programming worldwide.

Stu has performed at more than 500 festivals and events in the northwest.

Stu Kinzel cofounded the educational and cultural effort called "Blues In Schools" with Hyde and the help of the Cascade blues association and ethos inc presenting Blues and inspiring, school-age children, in Oregon and Washington. Stu also performed a musical ministry at Sheridan correctional facility in Oregon. Kinzel and Hyde we're inducted into the cascade blues association Hall of Fame.

While well known for his performance art, Stu is also a noted purveyor of guitars and other stringed instruments with a 30 year history. He was a staple at the iconic Apple Music (Guitar Shop). Stu Kinzel continues to perform and trade in rare guitars and is currently a member of the Central Oregon blues based string band "The Dust Devils."

Thomas T., (Bass and Vocals) — a Central Oregon Bluesman for over 30 years — grew up in the Chicago area where he got to see Blues legends like Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon and countless others perform live. He got the chance to jam with Sugar Blue and Joanna Connor and many other professional Blues Artists in the clubs in Chicago. He has been keeping the Blues alive in Central Oregon in several bands including his own band, ThomasT and The Blue Chips.

Carolyn ' CJ" Johnson (Keyboards) brings her love of New Orleans music to this group, with great renditions of Professor Longhair songs and other Crescent City standards.

Catfish Stu and the Hushpuppies always provide a fun musical experience!