Nauti Spirits Distillery Outdoor Stage, Saturday, 4:00 pm

The Story

Making his Exit Zero debut, Eddie 9V (aka Nine Volt) is ready to electrify the Nauti Spirits Distillery Outdoor Stage with his soulful, bluesy Southern rock sound. The rootsy guitarist-singer-songwriter’s latest offering, Down Here, sits in a distinguished Southern lineage that includes the likes of The Allman Brothers, Al Green, Freddie King and Tony Joe White. Produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, Eddie 9V’s fifth album as a leader is the culmination of his journey from metal and indie-rocker to bona fide Southern soulman. A major turning point along the way was seeing a YouTube clip of Howlin’ Wolf playing at the 1966 Newport Folk Festival. “Something just exploded in me when I saw that clip, and it set me on a different path,” said 30-year-old Eddie 9V (born Brooks Mason). He cites Atlanta-born guitarist Tinsley Ellis as a major mentor and also mentions Mike Bloomfield as his first guitar idol while also acknowledging Otis Rush and Albert Collins as important influences. And the singers who most affected him include soulful frontmen like O.V. Wright, Otis Clay and Syl Johnson.

From the land of Nascar, Muscle Shoals Studios and John Deere lawn mowers comes this soulful troubadour with a deep-rooted message for Cape May music lovers. 

The Sound

Down Here reflects Eddie 9V’s many-faceted musical output to date. From the country-fried groover, “Blowin’ Up,” to his Muscle Shoals-flavored cover of George McRae’s 1974 chart-topping disco-soul smash, “Rock Your Baby,” to the Al Green-ish “Satisfy the Way I Do” and the infectious Creedence Clearwater Revival-styled title track, it firmly establishes Atlanta’s favorite son as an artist to watch. As producer Auerbach put it, “Eddie 9V is my guy. I think he carries the torch for Greg (Allman) even better than I do. He’s a Southern boy who really has genuine soul, and they get it. I feel that spirit coming through him.”