Heavy Touring Ahead For Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise

Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise, a studio-savvy groove band from Detroit fronted by elder blues singer Robert Bradley, is spreading the gospel of its second RCA studio album, "Time To Discover," the hard way--with down 'n' dirty touring.

While 50-year-old Bradley is an authentic blues vocalist, and funkish arrangements by guitarist Michael Nehra and brother bassist Andrew are well executed, albums sales aren't busting the cash registers. After the album was released on March 21, RCA reported first week sales of 1,289 copies. The group's self-titled debut album sold over 100,000 copies, according to RCA.

The band hopes to build a national following by touring, whose rigors it knows well. The band played over 400 dates in support of its first record, opening for Dave Matthews, Brian Setzer, Sonic Youth and Maceo Parker.

The band has lined up some April dates opening for both the Pat McGee Band and the String Cheese Incident. According to the band's publicist, the band intends to fill the spaces in its summer calendar before a July 4 date with Blues Traveler at Red Rocks in Denver. The band plans to tour for the next two years.

In 1992, the Nehra brothers and drummer Jeff Fowlkes, then in a grunge band, heard blind singer Bradley through a recording studio's open window while he was busking on a Detroit street. He refused their immediate invitation to record, but hooked up with them about six months later for an acoustic jam. After a first album and extensive touring, the band has created a sound that is common in electric blues, but may open the eyes of rock and jam-band fans.