Aaron Richner Blues Band

When you think of likely musical influences on a 17-year-old Central Valley junior, blues-rock guitar gods Stevie Ray Vaughn and B.B. King probably aren’t at the top of your list.

But Aaron Richner isn’t your run-of-the-mill high school musician either.

The guitarist, singer, songwriter and bandleader has been playing the blues for the past five years. He credits his father with introducing him to the music.

“My dad would always play blues changes on the piano, and I’d just play with it. Then he bought me a Stevie Ray Vaughn CD, and that got me going,” he said.

He decided to start a band last summer. His major motivation was an honorable one.

“A big thing is to really try to keep blues in the mainstream and give a lot of credit to the old blues masters,” he said.

He brought in fellow CV students on bass and drums. The current lineup includes Richner on guitar and vocals, Dan Powers on bass and Phil Bruni on drums.

Powers and Bruni both were stolen from a heavy metal band. While neither had any prior experience with blues music, Powers said the two jumped at the chance because Richner is an amazing guitarist, and it’s an honor to play with him.

About half their set list consists of songs Richner has written, with some help from Powers and Bruni on the lyrics.

The subjects of these songs? Girls, Richner said with a nervous laugh.

“You know, things that might give you the blues.”