The 20th annual Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest will be held this year on Friday, May 29th through Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, New Jersey. While Michael's homegrown festival has always featured a number of Cajun and zydeco performers, this year's musical line-up also includes a number of notable blues performers, including pianist Marcia Ball, guitarists Eric Lindell and Tab Benoit, and J.J. Grey & Mofro.
Origins of the Crawfish Fest
A displaced native of Baton Rouge, Michael Arnone hosted the first Crawfish Fest in 1989. That first event was a small crawfish boil for 70 friends with 300 pounds of crawdads and a big pot of jambalaya, with musical entertainment by Peach Fish Pie and Bayou Midnight. The festival rapidly grew into a three-day weekend party with thousands of participants.
Although the festival still features a lot of delicious food - this year's menu includes boiled Louisiana crawfish, crawfish pie, alligator sausage, shrimp creole, fried chicken, and, of course, jambalaya among its offerings - the festival's musical line-up is every bit as tasty!
Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival 2009
Although musically the festival has traditionally had a Cajun slant, this year's festival features an impressive line-up of top-notch performers covering styles from New Orleans funk and R&B to Cajun and zydeco, as well as roots-rock and blues.
Saturday's headline performers include blues guitarist Eric Lindell, roots rockers Assembly of Dust, the legendary New Orleans bluesman Guitar Shorty, Cajun faves Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience, and blues-rock band J.J. Grey & Mofro.
On Sunday, expect top notch performances from New Orleans legends the Radiators, guitarist Tab Benoit, pianist Marcia Ball, and this year's "B.B. King Entertainer of the Year," the phenomenal singer Janiva Magness.
With performances held on 4 festival stages, this will be the biggest and best Crawfish Festival yet! Other performers confirmed for this year's festival include:
- Papa Grows Funk
- Pine Leaf Boys
- Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
- High & Mighty Brass Band
- Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys
- Benjy Davis Project
Performer Biographies
Blues legend William "Guitar Shorty" Kearney got his start as a teenaged guitarist for the Walter Johnson Orchestra. He recorded his first single in 1957 for Cobra Records, with Otis Rush on second guitar, before touring with the Ray Charles Band. Throughout the 1950s and '60s, Guitar Shorty toured with a veritable who's who of blues, R&B, and soul artists, including Sam Cooke, Lowell Fulson, B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, and Otis Rush. Signed to Alligator Records, Guitar Shorty continues to record, winning a Contemporary Blues Album award for his 2007 album, We The People.
Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and living in the New Orleans area, guitarist Tab Benoit has quietly earned a reputation as a skilled six-string technician, talented songwriter, and mesmerizing live performer. Pursuing a unique vision of swamp-blues with healthy Texas blues-styled guitar pyrotechnics, and a touch of funk, soul, and country twang, Benoit's albums typically include a mix of original songs and inspired cover material.
Janiva Magness recently walked off with the coveted B.B. King Entertainer of the Year award from The Blues Foundation at the 30th Annual Blues Music Awards, as well as a winning second award for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. A powerful vocalist with a soulful sound, Magness has forged a career in the blues with hard work and no little talent. What Love Will Do is the singer's latest album, an inspired effort that masterfully blends raunchy blues with Memphis soul and a classic R&B sound.
The King Crawfish Krewe
The special Friday night event will be restricted to campers and King Crawfish Krewe ticket holders and will feature performances by Bonerama, Big Sam's Funky Nation, and John Boutte with Paul Sanchez and Todd Duke. The limited edition three-day VIP ticket includes all-you-can-eat buffets on Saturday and Sunday, a covered viewing area, and other perks.
Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest will also feature booths with Louisiana crafts and glasswork, t-shirts, and African art. Camping is available; for full details on the event, check out the Crawfish Festival website.
