Award-winning Sacramento blues band brings chart-topping originals and a lifetime of stories to the Folsom stage this weekend
Blues will be the language of the afternoon this Sunday as Val Starr & the Blues Rocket take the stage at Powerhouse Pub for this week’s Powerhouse of Blues showcase in Historic Folsom. Known for their heartfelt lyrics, captivating rhythms, and powerhouse performances, the Sacramento-based band will bring a full-spectrum set of original blues that fans of the genre won’t want to miss.
Led by veteran vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter Val Starr, the band has built a strong reputation across the West Coast for blending emotional storytelling with infectious grooves that span blues shuffles, rock-infused riffs, ballads, swing, and Americana crossovers. Onstage, Starr is more than a singer—she’s a blues philosopher whose lyrical depth is matched by her wit and theatrical flair.
The band’s latest album, Been to the Blues and Back Again, debuted in April 2024 and has remained on the Roots Music Report charts for over 38 weeks, reaching as high as No. 4 on the Main Blues Chart and securing the No. 23 spot among the Top 200 Blues Albums of the year. “This is my deepest and most personal record yet,” Starr shared when the album dropped. Songs on the album explore the full arc of human experience, from heartbreak to resilience.
Longtime fans of the band will also recognize music from previous acclaimed albums, including Healing Kind of Blues, which peaked at No. 3 on the RMR Blues chart and produced the No. 1 single “Slow Blues Grinder.” That 2022 album was written during the pandemic and continues Starr’s tradition of writing “uplifting, inspiring, California blues.”
Val’s journey to the blues wasn’t linear—but it was always musical. Raised in Southern California, she picked up the guitar at 12, inspired by legends like Carole King and Joni Mitchell. Her early career was spent in the heart of the music business, working for major record labels before becoming an independent radio promoter. Eventually, she and husband-bassist John Ellis, her musical partner of more than four decades, relocated to Sacramento and began hosting blues concerts through their Blues on the Patio series. Out of that scene, the Blues Rocket was born.
In addition to their studio work, the band has graced the stages of major blues festivals including the Blues & Bones Festival, Folsom Rhythm & Brews, Orangevale Pow-Wow Days, and more. They’ve shared bills with heavy hitters like Albert Cummings, Tommy Castro, Rick Estrin, Coco Montoya, and Chris Cain. Val has also performed during IBC Week in Memphis and appeared on Can’t Stop the Blues, reaching fans during the pandemic through streaming performances and online collaborations.
These days, Starr isn’t just performing the blues—she’s also broadcasting it. As the founder and programmer of GotRadio.com and its 24/7 Bit O Blues channel, she continues to promote blues artists from around the globe.
Now, she returns to Folsom with her tight-knit crew of Sacramento’s top blues musicians, ready to share the “healing power of music” with a crowd that knows a great Sunday show when it hears one.
The Powerhouse of Blues series takes place every Sunday afternoon at Powerhouse Pub, located at 614 Sutter Street in Historic Folsom. Doors open at 3:00 p.m., with music starting shortly after. Tickets are available at the door orin advance at the Powerhouse Pub website.
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