From Reverend Keith A. Gordon,
Your Guide to Blues.
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The Billtown Blues Association will be holding its 19th annual Billtown Blues Festival on Sunday, June 8, 2008 in Hughesville PA, east of Williamsport. The Nappy Brown Orchestra, featuring Bob Margolin and Big Joe Maher, and guitarist Jimmy Thackery will be headlining the festival. Other performers on stage this year include:

• Jason Ricci
• Hometown Jamz Blues Band
• Alexis P. Suter
• Gina Sicilia

The festival will also include the "Bill Brown Acoustic Blues Tent," offering a Kid's Harmonica Workshop with Andy Barnhart and Big Mitch Ivanoff. Guitarist Bob Margolin will also be performing in the acoustic tent.

Featured Headliners

Born in 1929, Nappy Brown began singing in the church choir at the age of nine, and he sang with Gospel groups well into adulthood. When his group the Heavenly Lights was signed to Savoy Records, the label's owner asked Brown to add his red-hot vocals to an R&B track. Brown scored his first chart hit, "Don't Be Angry," on Savoy in 1955, and has been singing the blues and R&B ever since. Guitarist Bob Margolin was a crucial member of the Muddy Waters Band during the last seven years of the blues giant's career.

Guitarist Jimmy Thackery is best known for his 15-year tenure with blues-rock band the Nighthawks. Thackery left that band in 1987, however, and has since forged an impressive solo career that includes several critically-acclaimed albums, a handful of awards, and a loyal audience created by playing 300 nights a year for almost 20 years.

Other Performers

Newcomer Jason Ricci, with his band New Blood, is the sort of young, exciting artist that crosses genres to appeal to blues and rock fans alike. The dynamic live performer mixes blues, rock, funk and jazz into an exciting new musical hybrid. A talented harmonica player, Ricci has already won the Sonny Boy Blues Society Contest, The Muddy Waters Award, and many other accolades.

Growing up in Philadelphia, Gina Sicilia listened to doo-wop and music from the 1950s and '60s, and began singing at the age of three. Upon hearing Bobby "Blue" Bland for the first time at 14, she turned her life to blues and soul music. Allow Me To Confess, Sicilia's recently-released debut album, is gathering all sort of critical raves, and won the singer a nomination as "Best New Artist" from the Blues Music Awards.

Festival History

Formed in 1990, the Billtown Blues Association is a non-profit organization formed to promote blues music and to bring live performances to central Pennsylvania residents. The association held its first festival in May 1990. Through the years, blues talent like Jimmy Rogers, Rod Piazza, Deborah Coleman and Anson Funderburgh have appeared at the festival.

Check with the Billtown Blues Association website for more information and ticket availability.