King Bee & The Stingers, a regional favorite, performs throughout the Midwest, delivering original tunes ranging from roadhouse funk to soul to distinctive interpretations of blues classics. Founded in 2006, the band is known for its crowd-pleasing live performances. Currently, the lineup features six multi-talented veteran musicians: guitarist Matt Boat, bassist Jeff Shew, drummer Paul Karaffa, harp player Mark Carnes, keyboardist Wes Schrimsher, and lead vocalist Sarah Menefee, daughter of the band’s founder, Mark “King Bee” Menefee.

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King Bee & The Stingers performs regularly at blues festivals such as the Madison (Ind.) Ribberfest, the Southern Indiana Blues Festival, and the Queen City Blues Fest in Ohio; the band also headlined the inaugural Bloomington Winter Blues Fest in February 2025. KBS also enjoys playing for their fans in legendary blues clubs such as Midway Tavern in Mishawaka, Ind., Stevie Ray’s Blues Bar in Louisville, and the Slippery Noodle in Indianapolis. Three-time semifinalists at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, the band recently released its third album, “Live from the Slippery Noodle,” which was selected by the national Blues Foundation as a top five finalist for 2025’s Best Self-Produced CD. The band has also received 2025 Josie Music Award nominations for best blues group, best blues album, blues vocalist of the year and musician of the year in the drums, bass, harmonica, and keys categories.

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The band’s earlier albums include “Meet Me in Memphis” and “Don’t Move So Fast”. “Live from The Slippery Noodle” has been receiving rave reviews and worldwide airplay. New singles and a music video will be released in the second half of 2025.