Dave Wakefield CD Release Celebration! at Johnson Hall Opera House – Gardiner, ME

Please join us in celebrating Maine’s own Blues legend, David Wakefield’s 79th birthday with the release of his new CD ~ Turnpike Crows, on Sunday, June 14th, at Johnson Hall Opera House in Gardiner, Maine. David will be joined by The Boneheads as his backline, and a cast of some more of Maine’s vintage local players for this outstanding achievement!

Here’s a link to the title cut of David’s new cd ~

Turnpike Crows

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ULps-kaJs

Some notable information about David Wakefield:

Dave got his start as a young teenager in the 1960’s playing music with The Nomads and Euphoria’s Id (known as “The Id”) and released two single rock covers of “Hey Joe” and “Morning Dew” in 1967 to much acclaim, and was recently honored at the Biddeford/Saco Music Hall of Fame!

“Hey Joe”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Mnqlp0x0A&list=RDo4Mnqlp0x0A&start_radio=1

Morning Dew:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNjObcAhONI

The Vietnam War broke up the band, and Dave served in the US Coast Guard and performed with the US Navy Choir in the greater Chicago area during his service. Following the war, David began a lifelong dedication to The Blues.

David has had an incredible career as a Blues songwriter, singer, saxophonist, and harmonica player, and has performed throughout Maine and New England with notable bands beginning with his brother, Bruce Wakefield, in Jupiter Blues and Shack Bully. He then went on to The Rockin’ King Bees, Big Chief and The Continentals, The Blue Willow Band, and The Upsetters. He played for 3 years with the late, legendary musician, Bill Chinnock, and became a member of the House Band in The Peter Giftos House of Blues band in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to this, he played with The Swinging Blue Matadors ~ together winning the Strawberry Bank New England Road to Memphis competition in 1996. He was also a longtime member of the Portland based powerhouse Blues band “Red Light Revue”, Central Maine’s “Pat Colwell and The Soul Sensations” and many more.

David wrapped up “Turnpike Crows” in late 2025, at The Root Cellar in Hallowell, with Bob Colwell and Steve Jones producing the work, and The Boneheads as his studio recording band. He is currently playing regularly with Continental Shakedown, Kris Day and his New Imperials and still gracing many duo gigs with local favorites, Steve Vellani, Dave Archibald, Dave Gagne and Mark Storer.

Come celebrate David’s Birthday, and a wonderful night of original local blues with David Wakefield, The Boneheads and many more fantastic musicians that have worked with Dave over the years. All of David’s music is available on all streaming platforms, and cds will be available to bundle with your ticket, or purchase on site, on the day of the show.

This show will take place on the Reehl Stage/3rd Floor

Show time is 7:30, Doors open at 6:30