Blues fest set for Labor Day weekend
The Spa City Blues Society has announced the lineup for the 21st annual Hot Springs Blues Festival, scheduled for Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2-3, in Hill Wheatley Plaza.
For $20 per day, blues lovers from around the country can enjoy the annual music festival.
The Hot Springs Blues Festival is sponsored in part by Visit Hot Springs and The Hotel Hot Springs.
Headlining the festival will be Leo “Bud” Welch, John Nemeth, Nikki Hill and Anthony Gomes. Welch and Nemeth will close the evening on Saturday while Hill and Gomes will round out the event Sunday evening.
In addition to the headliners, the festival will include an array of local and regional acts over the two days. Also set to perform at this year’s festival are the Spa City Blues Society’s representatives of the annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Competing in the solo/duo category are Hot Springs-based Steve “Jelly” Brown on guitar and vocals and Kathy Kidd on bass and vocals. Hoodoo Blues Revue from the Little Rock area represented the Spa City Blues Society in the band category and will bring their soulful blues to the stage.
The Spa City Blues Society’s Blues In The Schools program sponsors a performance band, The Spa City Youngbloods. The Youngbloods have represented the Spa City Blues Society in the annual Youth Showcase in Memphis during the International Blues Challenge for several years and have earned their spot on the festival stage through hard work and dedication.
The John Calvin Brewer Band will also see the festival stage again this year. They are the house band for the Spa City Blues Society’s Hump Night Blues Jam, held every other Wednesday at The Big Chill. The band will bring their style of blues rock to blues fans over the weekend.
The Stella Vees, anchored by the guitar and vocals of Jason Lockwood and the rhythm of drummer Steve Parrish, make a return trip to the festival.
International Blues Challenge solo/ duo winner Al Hill from Nashville will be making his first appearance to the Hot Springs Blues Festival. Hill, representing the Nashville Blues Society, will play piano and guitar while sharing his original music.
Visit http://www.spacityblues.org for more information.