The third annual Knology Clearwater Sea Blues Festival will be held from Thursday, February 19th through Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 in Clearwater, Florida. General admission to the four-day event is free, but reserved seating is available at $20 per day, or $50 for a three-day (Fri-Sun) pass.
The festival will take place at beautiful Coachman Park, near Clearwater Harbor, with breezes off the Gulf of Mexico. The event kicks off on Thursday night with Julie Black performing in downtown Clearwater.
Knology Clearwater Sea Blues Festival
In just a couple short years, the Knology Clearwater Sea Blues Festival has managed to attract some of the best and brightest talent from the blues world, and this year's line-up is no exception. Friday night's headliner is Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, preceded by Lil' Malcolm & the House Rockers. The Walker Smith Group opens the night.
The excitement kicks off early on Saturday with a 12:45 PM performance by Nervous Turkey, followed by a set from Tommy McCracken. Acclaimed blues harpist John Nemeth performs later in the day, followed by Chicago blues legends Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials. Blues-rock guitarist Jonny Lang headlines Saturday night.
Sunday's event also cranks up at 12:45 PM with the Nelms/Chavers Band. Blues veteran Kenny Neal hits the stage later Sunday afternoon, followed by blues singer and pianist Marcia Ball. Guitarist Elvin Bishop headlines Sunday evening, closing out the third annual Knology Clearwater Sea Blues Festival with a bit of electricity.
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes is probably the second-best known band to hail from Asbury Park, New Jersey and their 1976 debut, I Don't Want To Go Home, was produced by Bruce Springsteen and "Little Steven" Van Zandt. Well-known for their mix of rock, soul, blues, and R&B, Southside Johnny's most recent project was a collection of stylized covers of Tom Waits songs, Grapefruit Moon.
John Nemeth recently released Love Me Tonight, his second album for the Blind Pig Records label and the long-awaited follow-up to Nemeth's critically-acclaimed 2007 album, Magic Touch. The new disc features more of Nemeth's soulful vocals, his dazzling harpwork, and bluesy songwriting, as well as a guest appearance by guitarist Elvin Bishop.
Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
For over three decades now, Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials have been a Chicago blues institution. Featuring the fiery slide-guitar play of frontman Lil' Ed Williams, the band has pursued its vision of good-time, houserockin' blues in spite of changing trends, thrilling audiences around the globe. Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials have spent their entire career on the Alligator Records label, their most recent album - 2008's Full Tilt - has been nominated for a Blues Music Award, and the band itself nominated as "Band of the Year."
Blues-rock guitarist Jonny Lang is well-known to blues fans as both a flamboyant string-bender and a soulful vocalist. Lang released his debut album, 1995's Smokin', at the tender age of sixteen, and over the course of four albums since, Lang has incorporated elements of hard rock, funk, and pop music into his trademark sound. Lang's last recording was the well-received 2006 release Turn Around.
Kenny Neal, Marcia Ball & Elvin Bishop
Blues veteran Kenny Neal received a "Song of the Year" Blues Music Award nomination for "Let Life Flow" from his acclaimed 2008 comeback album of the same name. With an overall lyrical theme of perseverance and hope, Let Life Flow proved that Kenny Neal still has a few tricks left in his gris-gris bag.
Blues singer and pianist Marcia Ball has received a few Blues Music Awards of her own through the years, including nominations for "Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year" and the "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award" in this year's awards. Touring in support of her 2008 album, Peace, Love & BBQ, Ball also received a Grammy™ Award nomination and had enjoyed one of the busiest and most productive years in her storied career.
Elvin Bishop is best-known for his brief early-to-mid-1970s success as a Southern rock artist, but he has spent the better part of the last three decades bangin' out the blues. With an explosive slide-guitar technique, Bishop has been enjoying respect for his 2008 release, The Blues Rolls On, which has been nominated for two Blues Music Awards. Bishop has also received a deserved nomination in this year's awards as the "Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year."
Check out the Knology Clearwater Sea Blues Festival website for more details on this year's event.
