Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival Announces 2008 Lineup

blues festivals, Canada

Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival
August 22-24
Hawrelak Park, Edmonton

Festival Celebrates 10th Anniversary With Stellar Lineup

Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008 with a lineup of some of the biggest names in blues. Slated to run August 22-24, 2008, the event will take place in Hawrelak Park at The Heritage Amphitheatre in Edmonton.

This year’s featured artists are some of the most decorated in the industry, including recipients of 10 Grammy (including a Lifetime Achievement), 2 Juno, dozens of WC Handy, Blues Music and Maple Blues Awards.

Among the names on the roster are three legends who will share the stage for a once-in-a-lifetime set, The James Cotton Band with guests Pinetop Perkins and Hubert Sumln, as well as harmonica giant Charlie Musselwhite, singers Janiva Magness and Marcia Ball, King of the slide, Lil’ Ed & the Imperials (who will open the festival) and Canada’s favourite dance band, Downchild, who will close the festival.

Also performing are the winners of the 2007 International Blues Challenge, Nathan James and Ben Hernandez (Acoustic) and Sean Carney Band (Electric). Carney also won the Albert King ‘Guitarist of the Year’ Award.

Running for the first time in 1999 with a dozen blues acts, the festival was founded and organized by Cam Hayden and Carrol Deen, who have nurtured the event through the years as it became one of Canada’s most recognized blues events. Recently named as the 2008 winner of the “Keeping the Blues Alive” Award by The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee, Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival is the only Canadian festival to have ever received the prestigious award.

2008 Edmonton Labatt Blues Festival Lineup

JAMES COTTON BAND with Pinetop Perkins and Hubert Sumlin
Saturday, August 23

DOWNCHILD
Friday, August 22
closing

PINETOP PERKINS
Saturday, August 23

KENNY ‘BLUES BOSS’ WAYNE with David Vest & DK Stewart
Sunday, August 24

DK STEWART with Kenny Blues Boss Wayne and David Vest
Sunday, August 24

DAVID VEST with Kenny Blues Boss Wayne and DK Stewart
Sunday, August 24

HUBERT SUMLIN with the James Cotton Band and Pinetop Perkins
Saturday, August 23

NATHAN JAMES & BEN HERNANDEZ
Saturday, August 23

LI’L ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS
Friday, August 22
opening

MARCIA BALL
Friday, August 22

SEAN CARNEY
Sunday, August 24

TERRANCE SIMIEN
and the Zydeco Experience
Saturday, August 23

ANN RABSON
opening
Sunday, August 24

MANNISH BOYS featuring Finis Tasby, Kid Ramos, Paris Slim and Kirk Fletcher
closing

JOE LOUIS WALKER
Sunday, August 24

JANIVA MAGNESS
Saturday, August 23

CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE
closing
Saturday, August 24

Tickets go on sale May 1.

for more info visit www.bluesinternationalltd.com