Winner of the solo/duo category of
the 2016 Ozark Blues Society Blues Challenge is a group based in Hot Springs. They will represent Northwest Arkansas in the 2017 International
Blues Challenge in Memphis.
Jacqueline Knight-Beaumont is one half of the "Jackie B and Me" duo. She was born in Dodge City, Kansas- # 5 of 6 children. She graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the Strasberg Institute, to earn her BFA in drama. She has made her living for 30 years as a singer, performer, emcee, writer and event producer. When Jackie sings you can see the emotion in her every move. It is nearly impossible for her to stand still and sing - the music permeates her being. Percussive instruments and now, the washboard have become sounding boards. She is a performer to watch as well as hear. Jackie is a certified yoga teacher and loves the creative energy of her new home, Hot Springs, Arkansas. In June, 2013 she moved from Myrtle Beach, SC to Arkansas to be with her parents. On the way, she visited Memphis and Beale Street and fell in love. New to Hot Springs, she had the good fortune of crossing paths with the creative and
seasoned blues singer/songwriter/guitarist, Larry Womack, and they have created an energetic, entertaining duo.
Larry Womack is the other half of the “Jackie B and Me” duo. Larry was born in
Seminole, Oklahoma and began singing and playing guitar at the age of 12. At 18, he discovered an album by Derek and the Dominoes and became excited about playing the guitar. His introduction to Eric Clapton and Dwayne Allman lead him to find the roots of this sound. From that, he began to search for blues artists and listen to as many as he could. The sounds of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, Leadbelly, Robert
Johnson, B B King, Freddie King, Bobby Blue Bland, and one of his most favorite blues men, John Lee Hooker, is what inspired him to play music. He has continued from that time to be highly influenced by the sounds of the blues guitar. Larry began to experiment
with alternative tunings many years ago. Using an open E tuning, he plays the slide on his12-string acoustic guitar. In his 20’s, he began to work on playing the guitar and harmonica at the same time. After playing electric guitar for many years, in several bands, Larry began to drift back to more acoustic music. He began to play more harmonica with guitar and focus more on roots of the music, particularly the blues. It was
at a blues jam in 2014 that Larry first heard Jackie and shortly after that he began to work with her.
Together with Jacqueline Beaumont, they bring tight harmonies to the songs they write, and those they adapt from other great blues artists. The two of them not only sing and play, but entertain as well. Audiences enjoy the chemistry Larry & Jackie share when they perform as "Jackie B and Me".
Check them out on Facebook to catch some videos and learn more:
