Legendary slide guitarist Roy Rogers and the Delta Rythm Kings will be performing one night only at the San Juan Community Theatre June 29 at 7:30 p.m.

“We’re not timid, high energy, there will be a lot of boogieing going on,” Rogers said when asked what the audience could expect from the concert. “I’m old school, music is always better live. It should always be improvised depending on how you feel that day, and it’s important to invite the audience in to be a part of it.”

Rogers has had a passion for music since he was young, his mother was a piano player. Named after the cowboy king, Rogers developed a love for the blues and was continuously playing his collection of 45s. He was playing guitar by age 12, and by 13 had his own band. The band played at various high school dances whatever other gigs they could find.

The slide guitar became a favorite instrument of Rogers. “It is the most expressive way of playing the guitar,” he explained. It is derived from the Mississippi Delta Blues. In the 30s and 40s, musicians like Earl Hooker and Robert Nighthawk popularized the electric slide, and since then groups like Muddy Waters and even the Rolling Stones have used it. The slide allows the player a variety of options, sliding either up or down to a note for example, and Rogers equates it to having a conversation.

That interaction between musician and audience is part of what makes music important. “Music is about communicating how you feel. It’s a collective thing that makes you appreciate humanity,” Rogers explained. “It can make you laugh or cry.”

As Rogers got older, he began going to concerts- “I got to see all my heroes like B.B King and John Lee Hooker,” he said. Rogers and Hooker became friends, played together and Rogers even produced some of his albums. Rogers has also played frequently with Bonnie Raitt. “It is my pleasure to see people react to her music,” he said.

To up-and-coming musicians, Rogers said, listen to everything. “Even if you don’t like it, it all goes into the mix, so it’s important to listen to a variety,” he said.

Being in the industry for decades, Rogers has seen a few changes. “It’s very difficult in this marketplace It’s still great, but it’s difficult for musicians to get their music out, to disseminate it,” he said adding that people are not buying albums the way they once did. Instead, they buy their $10 subscription fees to platforms like Spotify which removes sources of income for artists.

“People still do buy CDs for some genres, like blues. But it is all about the performances now,” Rogers explained. Touring is slowly coming back, after COVID, and although things are still off-kilter from the pandemic, he says “I consider myself a cynical optimist. I’m looking forward to coming up to the islands.”

For those attending the concert, “Don’t be afraid to move around in your seats,” Rogers said with a laugh. “We are a power trio and we will be going full tilt!”

Tickets are $32 for adults and $16 for students. To purchase tickets, or to learn more, visit https://sjctheatre.org.