For Chicagoan Frank Blinkal, a day-and-night club job at Buddy Guy’s Legends gave him a front row seat and unprecedented access to some of the greatest names in Blues — Otis Rush, Lonnie Brooks and Junior Wells, not to mention Legends’ illustrious owner.
When Guy gave Blinkal and his band a regular slot on the Legends schedule, he recognized superior talent and offered the young guitarist a position in his touring band, affording Blinkal limitless opportunities, such as jamming with Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan, Carlos Santana and Dave Matthews, among many others.
After his long apprenticeship, Blinkal — long known by the “nom du rocque” Frank Bang — formed a new band that he dubbed the Secret Stash and set out to carve his own unique Blues niche in the well-populated field.
Frank Band & The Secret Stash perform 10 p.m. Friday, March 22 at the Southgate House Revival in Newport. Free. southgatehouse.com.
