Saturday’s LoveOly fest will be rocking and rolling with the Dusty 45s

The Dusty 45s, whose original tunes take inspiration from the roots of rock, honky-tonk and rhythm and blues, have shared the stage with Adele, Brandi Carlile, Lyle Lovett and more.

On Saturday, Aug. 7, the Seattle combo will be rocking and rolling at LoveOly Summer Fest in downtown Olympia.

Bandleader Billy Joe Huels is known for playing a flaming trumpet — as well as writing the songs, singing and playing guitar — but he wouldn’t say whether the pyrotechnics would be part of Saturday’s show.

“I’ve always enjoyed their high-energy live show,” said Michael Stein, a disc jockey on Olympia’s KGY radio. “It’s great American rock and roll.”

The 45s have a long history of playing in South Sound.

“In the late ’90s, we played The Eastside, 4th Ave Tavern and The China Clipper,” said Huels, who started the band in 1997. “Eventually we started playing larger venues like Rhythm & Rye and the Capitol Theater.”

The band — made up of Huels plus Jerry Battista and Rod Cook on guitar, Robin Cady on upright bass and drummer Kohen Burrill — has often played backup to Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer Wanda Jackson.

Huels, who played Buddy Holly at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre in 2007, will be playing the legendary singer in Olympia soon.

“It was an absolute honor to portray one of my heroes,” he told The Olympian. “Buddy’s widow even attended the show. I’m excited to bring my Buddy Holly Tribute to the Capitol Theater on Feb. 5.”

The Olympian caught up with Huels to talk about music, life during the time of COVID and more.

Q. How did you get into old music?

A. My parents were born in the 1930s, and I grew up on a rural farm in southern Illinois, not far from St. Louis. I started playing trumpet in the third grade and searched for relevant music that featured the trumpet. My ear just kept bending to the confluence of my parents’ musical tastes and the music in my geographical area. My tastes in music followed the Mississippi River, flowing down from St. Louis to Memphis to New Orleans.

Q. You’re a singer/songwriter, guitarist and trumpet player. That seems like kind of an unusual combo. Did you start with the trumpet?

A. I actually had a guitar first, but as a child I gravitated toward the trumpet. When I moved to Seattle in 1989, I started out forming garage and surf bands playing only guitar. When I added the trumpet, it gave me greater confidence and stage presence and a unique musical voice.

Q. What have you been up to during the pandemic?

A. My wife, Cathy McClure, and I played pinochle with my 88-year-old mom. Lots of pinochle. We renovated our 1920s Craftsman with the help of my bass player, Robin.

I’ve written enough songs for a new record and brushed up on my finger picking. And I’ve done lots of streaming, walking and stressing about money.

Q. How many shows have you been able to play since things started opening up?

A. The band started playing again in June, but our schedule really heats up starting this weekend. After we play Olympia, we head back up to Burien to headline the Boulevard Park Block Party Saturday night. Then we are booked with shows all over the Pacific Northwest, with a few shows in Nevada and St. Louis in August and September.

Q. When is the new record due?

A. We have not recorded the new songs yet but are working them up. 2020 was a crazy year, and it made me dig into some deep places, and those feelings come to the surface on many of my new songs. There are still plenty of light-hearted rockers in the mix also. We will probably do a few new ones on Saturday. I’ll release some of the songs in early 2022.

LoveOly Summer Fest

• What: Seattle’s The Dusty 45s headline the weekly festival, which also features art, street performers, activities for children and a beer garden. The 45s will play at 5 p.m. Also on Saturday’s lineup are Olympia’s Red & Ruby (guitarist Vince Brown and singer LaVon Hardison), taking the stage at 4 p.m., and Don Riggs of Reptile Isle, who’ll show off his snapping turtles, snakes and more from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
• When: Noon-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, and continuing weekly through Aug. 28
• Where: Fifth Avenue and Washington Street, Olympia
• More information: https://downtownolympia.org/Events/LoveOly-Summer-Fest

This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 5:00 AM.