Duluth, Minnesota will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Bayfront Blues Festival this year, the four-day event promising a wealth of blues music for fans in the Great Lakes area. The 2008 Bayfront Blues Festival kicks off on Thursday, August 7th and runs through Sunday, August 10th, with this year's event featuring headliners Bobby Rush, Shemekia Copeland, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and John Lee Hooker Jr.
Bayfront Blues Festival 2008
The 2008 Bayfront Blues Festival will take place in Duluth's Bayfront Festival Park on the city's Superior Bay waterfront off Lake Superior. The city park will host the four-day event, to be held on three stages, the festival featuring an intriguing mix of established blues music performers, up-and-comers, and regional talent.
Folk-funk creator Bobby Rush, a veteran bluesman and multiple Blues Music Award winner, headlines Thursday night, the electrifying performer sitting atop a line-up that includes Samuel James and Spider John Koerner. The music runs most of the day on Friday, and features headliners Shemekia Copeland and Anthony Gomes heading up a bill that includes Lamont Cranston, Corey Stevens, and young guitar prodigy Shannon Curfman.
Saturday brings another robust day of blues performances, with the Fabulous Thunderbirds anchoring a roster that includes Marc Ford & the Neptune Blues Club, Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, and Big Walter Smith & the Groove Merchants. Even though it's the final day of the Bayfront Blues Festival, the promoters haven't scrimped a dime on the talent for Sunday, with the Radiators headlining a day that includes heavy-hitters like Mike Zito, John Nemeth, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, and John Lee Hooker Jr. Other blues artists performing this year include:
- Alex Wilson
- Scottie Miller
- Lisa Wenger
- Eddie Turner
- Ruthie Foster
- Lil' Brian & the Travelers
- Rusty Wright Band
- The Hoopsnakes
- Golden Swans
- Davina & the Vagabonds
Festival Headliners
Bobby Rush's unique blend of blues, soul, and funk music that he dubbed "folk-funk" has thrilled audiences for over 40 years. The 67-year-old veteran performs with the energy and vitality of bluesmen half his age, and Rush shows no signs of slowing down. Rush won the coveted Blues Music Award for Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year earlier this year, along with another award for his stripped-down, back-to-the-basics 2007 album Raw.
Shemekia Copeland, daughter of Texas blues guitar legend Johnny Copeland, has been singing since the age of 8, and performing professionally since she was a young teenager. Copeland is another multiple Blues Music Award winner, her powerful vocals a compelling mix of blues, soul, and R&B music in the image of greats like Koko Taylor or Etta James. Copeland has four acclaimed albums under her belt, and at the age of 29, has an enormous future in blues music yet to unfold.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds really need no introduction, the Texas band's thrilling signature rockin' roadhouse blues sound providing a benchmark for the music since the late-1970s. Fronted by blues harp legend Kim Wilson, the sole original member of the T-Birds, the band's current line-up features veteran guitarists Mike Keller and Johnny Moeller, bassist Randy Bermudes, and drummer Jay Moeller.
A familiar figure during the 1950s on Chicago's West Side, playing alongside talents like Magic Sam and Otis Rush, blues legend Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater is one of those unsung heroes of the music, an exciting live performer and an American music original. Clearwater's scorching guitarwork props up a unique blend of blues, early rock (think Chuck Berry), country, and even gospel tones. Clearwater has recently been touring in support of his critically-acclaimed 2008 album, West Side Strut, released by Chicago blues institution Alligator Records.
After Hours - Festival Nightlife
For blues fans that are looking for a little action after the festival closes down each night, better than a dozen Duluth clubs are providing live music each night. Blues artists John Nemeth, Corey Stevens, Lamont Cranston, and Big Walter Smith and the Groove Merchants are among those performers appearing in local clubs "after hours," reprising their festival performances and carrying the party well into the night.
For full details on the event, including performance schedules, ticket availability and other information, check with the Bayfront Blues Festival website.
