(UPPER LAKE, CA) – Six well-known blues bands over three evenings of the Labor Day weekend highlight the 13th annual Blue Wing Blues Festival in Upper Lake, CA. Headliners include the Laurie Morvan Band from Long Beach, Sean Carney’s Blues Caravan from Ohio and Bay Area favorite Ms. Taylor P. Collins and her Band.
“This intimate festival under the sycamores in the cool of the evening with major-name touring blues bands is the highlight of our musical year,” says Blue Wing Restaurant owner Bernie Butcher. A short video including clips from past festivals is on YouTube at “Blue Wing Blues Festival.”
The event starts at 6 PM each evening beginning on Saturday August 31 and extending through Labor Day Monday September 2. Patrons are seated around comfortable tables in the garden and served a delicious buffet supper while enjoying the music.
Tickets are $50 plus tax, include a BBQ dinner and are limited to 100 each evening. They may be purchased directly at the Tallman Hotel, located at 9550 Main St. in Upper Lake, or by calling the Hotel reception desk at 707-275-2244 ext. 0.
The Festival kicks off on Saturday August 31 with the upbeat New Orleans sound of the Tri-Tip Zydeco Trio, featuring the magnetic Lloyd Meadows on washboard and vocals and Bruce Gordon on the squeezebox.
Headliner on opening night is the Laurie Morvan Band from Southern California. This is a high-energy upbeat blues band headed by one of the most dynamic guitarists and vocalists in the business. They’ve played to high acclaim across the country and their latest CD was nominated as best blues album of 2018.
The Sunday September 1 show begins with the “Queen of Boogie Woogie,” Wendy DeWitt, opening for the Sean Carney Blues Caravan. Sean is a master blues guitarist and vocalist who has won the Albert Collins Guitar Award as well as the “best band” award at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. For this Caravan tour, Sean has assembled a first-rate backing band including Wendy DeWitt on keyboards, Nancy Wright on sax and Steve Evans on bass.
Capping the Festival on Monday September 2 will be Blue Wing favorite Levi Lloyd and his band opening for the irrepressible Ms. Taylor P. Collins and her big seven-piece backing band. One of the Bay Area’s finest blues performers, Collins’ latest CD, “Strong Confident Woman,” premiered at the 2017 Monterrey Blues Festival to rave reviews. She and the band will wrap up the Festival in style.
