{"title":"Delta Wires","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe DELTA WIRES is a big, rockin’ harmonica and horns blues band from the Oakland\/San Francisco Bay Area.  They were Finalists in the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge held in Memphis TN, and were voted “BEST LIVE BAND” Oakland\/East Bay in Oakland Magazine’s annual readers’ poll, and also by the East Bay Express.  The DELTA WIRES were inducted into the California Blues Hall of Fame in December, 2012.The DELTA WIRES have recorded 8 Albums,and just released in January their latest “if somebody told me…”, which is receiving rave reviews and national and international airplay.  Their latest singles, “Searching for a Woman”, and “Devil Got My Woman”, were released in September and October, 2025. They have appeared at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia Italy (most recently in July 2025), the San Francisco Blues Festival, the Russian River Blues Festival, the Monterey Bay Blues Festival 8 times, headlined the Shasta Blues Society’s Redding Blues by the River Festival, have played Crescent City Blues Festival, Central Valley Blues Festival, Oakland Blues and Heritage Festival, Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubilee, and many others.  In June 2026, Delta Wires will headline the inaugural Montone Blues Festival in Umbria, Italy. The DELTA WIRES have shared the stage with many noted artists including Van Morrison, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, The Neville Bros, Dr. John, The Doobie Brothers, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, John Mayall, Charlie Musselwhite, Boz Scaggs, Bad Company, The James Gang, Elvin Bishop, and numerous others…A Brief History: Band Leader Ernie Pinata was a blues lover and collector.  While in college, he created a band to perform for credit, an anthology of the evolution of the blues from its birth in field hollers to its electrified form in the big cities like Chicago. The band started by playing the clubs in Oakland – Esther’s Orbit Room and The Continental Club, and Mandrake’s and The New Orleans House in Berkeley.  Around this time, Lowell Fulson sat-in with the DELTA WIRES at the New Orleans House in Berkeley and Ernie sat-in with the Freddie King Band at Mandrakes in Berkeley.  This was followed by a performance with Buddy Guy and Junior Wells at Keystone Berkeley.  The Delta Wires then began to open shows for these blues greats, and continued to grow as musicians and as a band.  The DELTA WIRES name was derived from the image of a band playing a high-energy electrified musical style born in the field hollers of the Mississippi Delta which evolved into the blues and ultimately led to the migration to Chicago of the Delta bluesmen.  What began as a college project and anthology of blues music from the Mississippi Delta to the South Side of Chicago, inevitably evolved into a band which has become known for its originality, versatility, and crisp, tight, exciting sound.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"delta-wires-tears-like-rain-cd","title":"Delta Wires - Tears Like Rain (CD)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThree decades of dark San Francisco clubs, hot summer Bay Area blues festivals… shared billing with such blues luminaries as Freddie King, Bo Diddley, Bobby “Blue” Bland, John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Lowell Fulson, Van Morrison and Boz Skaggs. These elements culminate in this finely-honed presentation of rhythm and blues stylings as an art form. Take one talented Italian city kid with his harmonica, and his boyhood bass-playing buddy, raised in the Oakland\/East Bay area – the heart of West Coast Blues – and throw in the urban beat of the 60’s wave, when Mississippi Delta and Chicago influences blended with early rock, soul, and Big Band blues to create a hybrid of urban sound. Anchor this explosive combination with years of heart, soul and sweat on stage and you’ve got a definitive representation of a generation of the Bay Area music scene What began as an anthology of blues music from the Mississippi Delta to the South Side of Chicago, inevitably evolved into a band, which has become known for its versatility and crisp, tight, exciting sound. This album features special guests Latin Jazz Legend Pete Escovedo on congas and timbales and the Grateful Dead’s Vince Welnick on synthesizers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHard-driving, intense, with a band that’s tight and fierce, this new CD (“Tears Like Rain”) from the Delta Wires will leave you breathless!”\u003cbr\u003e-Kathleen Lawton, KCSM-FM, Crazy ‘Bout the Blues\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“a tough, rocking, socking band, knocking out crowds…the WIRES are burning up! “\u003cbr\u003eJoel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Great recording and killer arrangements make DELTA WIRES soar! Everything cooks, from the rhythm section through the piano, guitar and horns, to Ernie Pinata’s harp sizzling on top.” – Tom Hyslop, BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“They blow hard from the get-go, a tight horn section blending comfortably with the spirited, intense harmonica from lead man Ernie Pinata?as fierce a Sonny Boy Williamson-influenced harp as you will find” – Bill Kisluik, BLUES ACCESS Magazine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“From jump rhythms to nasty, lowdown Windy City laments, DELTA WIRES electrifies the audience… This tight Bay Area troop, fronted by vocalist\/harmonica genious\/composer Ernie Pinata, melds Mississippi Delta tunes and Chicago-style arrangements with rock, soul, and swing sensitivity to produce a rollicking, robust live recording…It’s terrific! This rockin’ blues band is spectacular — tight, topical, and torrid. – Lee Cooper, Ph.D. – Rock \u0026amp; Blues News\u003cbr\u003eTITLES\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Honey Bee (Pinata, Delgado) — 2:36\u003cbr\u003e2. Tears Like Rain (Pinata, Delgado) — 5:!5\u003cbr\u003e3. Back in Town (Dell’ Aqua, Pinata) — 4:17\u003cbr\u003e4. Travelin’ (Pinata, Gerrits) — 5:22\u003cbr\u003e5. Lonesome Blues (Pinata) — 3.26\u003cbr\u003e6. Leaner Days (Pinata, Dell’ Aqua) — 3:35\u003cbr\u003e7. Life’s a Mystery (Pinata) — 0:42\u003cbr\u003e8. After Me, You’re First (Pinata, Delgado) — 3:29\u003cbr\u003e9. Devil Woman (Pinata, Delgado) — 5:05\u003cbr\u003e10. Leave It That Way (Pinata, Delgado) — 4:36\u003cbr\u003e11. She’s Out the Door (Delgado, Pinata) — 4:16\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mud Slide Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52074634150181,"sku":"656613954225","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/1250\/3845\/files\/DeltaWires.TearsLikeRain_eb4454c4-4cde-495c-b77e-983fe824d9fa.jpg?v=1773422018"},{"product_id":"delta-wires-born-in-oakland-cd","title":"Delta Wires - Born in Oakland (CD)","description":"\u003cp\u003eDelta Wires was truly born in Oakland. The band started as band leader Ernie Pinata’s college project demonstrating the evolution of the Blues from the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, to Chicago, and ultimately to the West Coast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe small band Ernie put together to play examples of this evolution, grew into the high-powered seven-piece band that now calls itself Delta Wires.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Born in Oakland”, their 7th album, demonstrates a further maturation of their West Coast Blues style influenced by the ups and downs of city life, and of life itself… Truly original, we think you will find the compositions by the band on this album to be unique and untypical of what you would expect from a “blues band”… Both high-energy and moody, with intricate horn arrangements and harmonies, the band is proud of what they have accomplished.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Sunny Day [Healy \/ Pinata \/ Gerrits \/ Huszar; Horn Arrangement: Bowman] 3:30\u003cbr\u003e2. Fine and Healthy Thing [Emerson; Horn Arrangement: Bowman] 3:10\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. I need a Vacation [Pinata \/ Healy \/ Gerrits, Horn Arrangement: Pinata \/ Orsetti] 4:12\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4. Your Eyes {Healy \/ Pinata \/ Huszar; Horn Arrangement: Bowman] 4:02\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5. Days of the Week [Pinata \/ Healy \/ Gerrits; Horn Arrangement: Gibson \/ G. Jonutz] 4:09\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6. Devil’s in My Headset [Healy \/ Pinata \/ Gerrits; Horn Arrangement: Bowman \/ Christensen] 4:45\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7. Fun Time [Pinata \/ Healy \/ Gerrits; Horn Arrangement: Orsetti] 3:58\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8. I Don’t care [P. SHAW; Arrangement Dennis Dell ‘Aqua] 2:55\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9. In the Middle [Wesley; Arrangement: Delta Wires] 5:48\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e10. All I Have to Give [Pinata \/ Healy \/ Gerrits; Horn Arrangement: Gibson \/ Bowman] 5:09\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTotal Runtime: 41:42\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDELTA WIRES:\u003cbr\u003eErnie Pinata: Band leader, Harmonica, Lead Vocals\u003cbr\u003eTom Gerrits: Bass, Background Vocals\u003cbr\u003eRichard Healy: Guitar\u003cbr\u003eTony Huszar: Drums, Congas, Tambourine\u003cbr\u003eGerry Jonutz: Tenor, Alto, Baritone saxes\u003cbr\u003eDavid Bowman: Trombone\u003cbr\u003eJohn Christensen: Trumpet\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRecorded and Mixed by Steve Johnson Jr.\u003cbr\u003eat Brickwall Sound, Concord CA\u003cbr\u003eAssistant Engineer: Clara Zhu\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMastering Engineer: Bob Olhsson, Nashville TN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExecutive Producer: Anthony ”Little Tony” Calabrese\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Ernie Pinata, Tom Gerrits, Tony Huszar\u003cbr\u003eCo Producer :Steve Johnson Jr.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Album is dedicated to Larry Jonutz and his Family\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mud Slide Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52074804543781,"sku":"888295600224","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/1250\/3845\/files\/DeltaWires-Born_in_Oakland_Front_Cover_1000pix.webp?v=1773422763"},{"product_id":"delta-wires-if-somebody-told-me-cd","title":"Delta Wires - If Somebody Told Me (CD)","description":"\u003cp\u003eDELTA WIRES – if somebody told me… (release date January 24, 2023)\u003cbr\u003e“Ernie Pinata’s searing and impassioned harp opens this dynamic new CD, If Somebody Told Me from San Francisco Bay Area treasure, The Delta Wires. This 7-piece East Bay-based band has been generating powerful blues for over 30 years, performing in festivals from Italy to Monterey, always with monumental audience response and earning them membership in California’s Blues Hall of Fame.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA combination of tight and highly-polished horns, fierce bluesy guitar and that crying, emotional harp make for a powerful fusion, blending the heartbeat of the Delta with electric sophistication and a full-blooded brass sound. Their latest release includes a number of originals, a few nods to the legendary Sonny Boy Williamson – and even a little Count Basie lagniappe. The best way to experience The Delta Wires is undoubtedly live. Onstage, the Wires always deliver an incandescent experience. But if you can’t catch them live, grab this CD – and hold onto your hats. You’re in for a wild, wild ride! “\u003cbr\u003e-Kathleen Lawton, Crazy ‘Bout the Blues KCSM-FM www.kcsm.org and Blues Foundation’s “Keeping the Blues Alive” award recipient\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExecutive Producer: Anthony “Little Tony” Calabrese\u003cbr\u003eProduced by: Ernie Pinata, Tom Gerrits, David Bowman, Tony Huszar, John Christensen and Richard Healy\u003cbr\u003eEngineer and co-producer: Varun Kejriwal\u003cbr\u003eMixed and Mastered at Skyline Studios, Oakland, California\u003cbr\u003eCan’t Win for Losin’ – Recorded at Brickwall Sound, Concord, California\u003cbr\u003eEngineered, mixed, and mastered by Steve Johnson\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDELTA WIRES:\u003cbr\u003eErnie Pinata – bandleader, vocals, harmonica\u003cbr\u003eTom Gerrits – bass\u003cbr\u003eRichard Healy – guitar\u003cbr\u003eTony Huszar – drums\u003cbr\u003eDavid Bowman – trombone\u003cbr\u003eJohn Christensen – trumpet\u003cbr\u003eCaleb Murray – saxophone\u003cbr\u003eRichard Sylvester – keyboards\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Can’t Win for Losin’\u003cbr\u003e(Pinata, Healy, Gerrits, Huszar, Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e2. if somebody told me…\u003cbr\u003e(Pinata, Healy, Gerrits, Huszar, Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e– dedicated to the memory of Stephen Louis Pinata\u003cbr\u003e3. I Tried\u003cbr\u003e(Larry Davis, arrangement: Delta Wires, horns: D. Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e4. Bring Me Up\u003cbr\u003e(Pinata, Healy, Gerrits, Huszar, Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e5. Voodoo Cadillac\u003cbr\u003e(Rick Miller, arrangement: Delta Wires, horns: D. Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e6. I Pity the Fool\u003cbr\u003e(Don Robey, arrangement: Delta Wires, horns: D. Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e7. Sloppy Drunk\u003cbr\u003e(Lucille Bogan, Sonny Boy Williamson, arrangement: Delta Wires, horns: D. Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e8. Hand Outta My Pocket\u003cbr\u003e(Sonny Boy Williamson, arrangement: Delta Wires, horns: D. Bowman)\u003cbr\u003e9. Dimples\u003cbr\u003e(James Bracken, John Lee Hooker, arrangement: Delta Wires)\u003cbr\u003e10. Blues in Hoss’ Flat\u003cbr\u003e(William Count Basie, Frank B. Foster, horn arrangement: D. Bowman)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mud Slide Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52074846224677,"sku":"195269206963","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/1250\/3845\/files\/DeltaWires.ifsomebodytoldme.jpg?v=1773425666"},{"product_id":"delta-wires-take-off-your-pajamas-live-in-san-francisco-cd","title":"Delta Wires - Take Off Your Pajamas - Live in San Francisco (CD)","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrom the heart of west coast blues, Delta Wires blend soul and big band, harmonica and horn blues with the urban beat of the 60’s when Mississippi Delta and Chicago influences blended with early rock to create a hybrid of urban sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“a tough, rocking, socking band, knocking out crowds…the WIRES are burning up! ” – Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Great recording and killer arrangements make DELTA WIRES soar! Everything cooks, from the rhythm section through the piano, guitar and horns, to Ernie Pinata’s harp sizzling on top.” – Tom Hyslop, BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“They blow hard from the get-go, a tight horn section blending comfortably with the spirited, intense harmonica from lead man Ernie Pinata?as fierce a Sonny Boy Williamson-influenced harp as you will find” – Bill Kisluik, BLUES ACCESS Magazine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“From jump rhythms to nasty, lowdown Windy City laments, DELTA WIRES electrifies the audience… This tight Bay Area troop, fronted by vocalist\/harmonica genious\/composer Ernie Pinata, melds Mississippi Delta tunes and Chicago-style arrangements with rock, soul, and swing sensitivity to produce a rollicking, robust live recording…It’s terrific! This rockin’ blues band is spectacular — tight, topical, and torrid. – Lee Cooper, Ph.D. – Rock \u0026amp; Blues News\u003cbr\u003eTitles:\u003cbr\u003e1. Weary Man (E. Pinata)– 3:14\u003cbr\u003e2. Take Off Your Pajamas (Pinata, Quinlan, Gerrits) — 5:19\u003cbr\u003e3. One More Heartache (Robinson, White, More, Rodgers)– 4:30\u003cbr\u003e4. Too Tired (J. Watson)– 3:27\u003cbr\u003e5. Goin’ Away (J.A. Lane)– 3:20\u003cbr\u003e6. Treat Her Right (C. Kurtz, R. Head)– 5:09\u003cbr\u003e7. Dimples (John Lee Hooker, DW arrangement)– 7:02\u003cbr\u003e8. Don’t Want No Woman (tellin’ me how to live my life) (Robey, DW arrangement) — 4:22\u003cbr\u003e9. J.B. in Oakland (Pass the Peas)\u003cbr\u003e(F. Wesley, DW Arrangement)– 6:06\u003cbr\u003e10. Everyday I have the Blues (S.Kahal, Sammy Fain)– 4:04\u003cbr\u003e11. Ice Cream Man (J. Brim, DW arrangement)– 5:16\u003cbr\u003e12. Don’t Cry No More (Malone, DW arrangement)– 4:32\u003cbr\u003e13. Take Your Hand Outta My Pocket\u003cbr\u003e(Rice Miller, DW arrangement)– 6:15\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e— harmonica interlude —\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e14. Pontiac Blues\u003cbr\u003e(Rice Miller, DW arrangement) — 3:45\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mud Slide Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52074892591397,"sku":"765481799828","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/1250\/3845\/files\/DeltaWires.LiveInSF.jpg?v=1773426872"},{"product_id":"delta-wires-live-105-degrees-cd","title":"Delta Wires - Live @ 105 Degrees (CD)","description":"\u003cp\u003e105° marked the first blistering day of Summer at the Northern California Blues Festival in Fair Oaks, California. The late afternoon was heavy with heat, yet buzzing in anticipation of a sizzling hot, 7pc big blues band, the DELTA WIRES. Soon, die-hard Blues lovers would witness the electrifying performance immortalized on this CD: DELTA WIRES – LIVE @ 105°\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOakland’s own, for more than 30 years, the DELTA WIRES is dedicated to modern blues while paying tribute to Blues origins of the Mississippi Delta. A brainchild of vocalist, harmonica player and front man, Ernie Pinata, who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree. Pinata recognized that the blues is art, that its components are deep-rooted elements, originating out of a culturally derived art form born in the rural South, and evolving to high art through its Northern urban migration. This perspective lends serious credence to how one views and hears the blues. 30 plus years later, the DELTA WIRES continue to perform, keeping Pinata’s original vision alive, culminating in this, their 5th CD.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe DELTA WIRES, representing the Sacramento Blues Society, were Finalists out of hundreds of bands at the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdding to their list of recent accomplishments, they were voted “BEST LIVE BAND”, Readers’ Pick, East Bay Express and “BEST BAND\/MUSICAL ACT” in Oakland Magazine’s annual readers’ poll.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe DELTA WIRES are a high-energy musical experience and long-time crowd pleasers who are getting not only serious critical attention, but national exposure as well. Enjoy!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eREVIEWS of “Live @ 105 Degrees”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Incredible! Fantastic…and thank you! We’re sweating in the studio, the music is so HOT…a great one to add to your collection of excellent DELTA WIRES!”\u003cbr\u003e-Kathleen Lawton “Crazy ‘Bout the Blues!” KCSM 91.1 FM, San Mateo CA\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Right out of the box the band is a powerhouse clicking on every cylinder. The disc’s sound is an updated Louis Jordon west coast jump blues sound, but I mean that in the most complimentary way….. With each tune I am more and more impressed. Go buy this disc–you’re going to love it! Ernie Pinata is a strong singer and harp player, and the band is tight and full. You can tell these guys have spent lots of time together on stage. -Bruce Edwards, MOBlues.org, Columbia MO\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“DEFINITELY COOKING on all 7 cylinders…a SMOKIN’ set of live music. You set the pace for the show when you opened with Willie Dixon’s Monkey Man, that’s coming out STRONG for 105 degrees! All and all it’s a GREAT LIVE RECORDING that captures the band at it’s BEST.”\u003cbr\u003e-Al Lundy “HighwayBlues.org” KZUM 89.3 FM, Lincoln, NE\u003cbr\u003eTITLES\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Monkey Man (Willie Dixon) — 5:57\u003cbr\u003e2. Pontiac Blues (Rice Miller, Delta Wires Arr.) — 4:08\u003cbr\u003e3. Big Legged Woman (L. Russell \/ C. Blackwell, Delta Wires Arr.) — 6:10\u003cbr\u003e4. Save Your Love for Me (Buddy Johnson) — 3:28\u003cbr\u003e5. Crazy Crazy Lovin’ (Robinson\/Scott\/Robey) — 4:32\u003cbr\u003e6. Got Me Where You Want Me (D. Robey) — 4:00\u003cbr\u003e7. Lonesome Blues (E. Pinata) — 3:16\u003cbr\u003e8. Mechanic (E Pinata) — 3:44\u003cbr\u003e9. J.B. in Oakland (F. Wesley, Delta Wires Arr.) — 12:42\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mud Slide Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52075024023845,"sku":"884501047500","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/1250\/3845\/files\/DeltaWires.LiveAt105degrees.jpg?v=1773430091"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/1250\/3845\/collections\/DeltaWires.TearsLikeRain.jpg?v=1773421986","url":"https:\/\/store.spinneymedia.com\/collections\/delta-wires.oembed","provider":"Spinney Media","version":"1.0","type":"link"}