Springing the Blues
{{Short description|Annual blues festival held in Jacksonville Beach, Florida}}
{{infobox music festival |
| music_festival_name = Springing the Blues Festival
| location = Jacksonville Beach, Florida
| image = Image:Swingingfestivallogo.PNG
| years_active= 1990–present
| dates =
| genre = Blues
| website = [http://www.springingtheblues.com/ Springing the Blues]
}}
Springing the Blues is an annual blues festival held in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. It is one of the largest and oldest blues festivals on the East Coast of the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.blues.org/#ref=links_links|title=The Blues Foundation's List of Festivals|publisher=Blues.org|accessdate=2010-11-01}} It was first held in 1990 and has been held yearly on the first weekend of April.{{cite book|first=Tony|last=Russell|year=1997|title=The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray|publisher=Carlton Books Limited|location=Dubai|page=218|isbn=1-85868-255-X}}
History
The first Springing the Blues festival was held in 1991.{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Kevin |title=Jacksonville Beach's Springing the Blues has evolved into a successful community festival |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/local/2010/04/12/springing-blues-has-evolved-successful-community-festival/15949978007/ |access-date=2025-03-08 |website=The Florida Times-Union |language=en-US}} The 20th anniversary edition in 2010 featured new features including an exhibit at Beaches Historical Museum and a story contest.{{cite web|url=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=154545|title=Springing the Blues Festival|publisher=Firstcoastnews.com|accessdate=2010-11-01}} The event is free.
Past festival lineups
Past performers have included Joe Bonamassa, Derek Trucks, Sharrie Williams, Larry McCray, Phillip Walker, Tinsley Ellis, Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women, Maurice John Vaughn, Earl King, Mitch Woods And His Rocket 88's, Susan Tedeschi, North Mississippi Allstars, Tab Benoit, Little Jimmy King, Henry Gray and the Cats, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Ruby Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite, Roger "Hurricane" Wilson (2006),{{cite web|url=http://www.steveslivemusic.com/roger-hurricane-wilson |title=Roger "Hurricane" Wilson | Steve's Live Music |website=Steveslivemusic.com |date=2015-06-27 |accessdate=2016-02-03}} Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, Eric Steckel, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Trampled Under Foot, Alexis P. Suter Band, Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots, R. L. Burnside, Otis Taylor, Smokey Wilson, Coco Montoya, Smokin' Joe Kubek, JJ Grey & MOFRO, Bnois King, and in April 2022, the Bridget Kelly Band.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bridgetkellyband.com/home.html|title=Home|website=Bridgetkellyband.com|access-date=November 30, 2022}}
Accolades
{{Unreferenced|section|date=August 2015}}
- Named by DownBeat magazine as one of the top 50 Music Festivals in the World.
- Named by SouthEast Tourism Society as one of the top 20 destination events in the country.
- Voted in 1997 as "Best Festival in Northeast Florida" by the Folio Weekly magazine annual poll.
- Sam Veal is the festival's founder. Springing the Blues was the first festival he produced.
See also
{{Portal|Blues}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.springingtheblues.com/ Springing the Blues]
- [http://www.springingtheblues.com/electronicpresskit/2008/2008Performance_Sched.pdf Performance schedule (PDF)]
- [http://www.blues.org/ The Blues Foundation]
{{Jacksonville events}}
{{Coord|30.2905|-81.3894|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Springing The Blues}}
Category:Music festivals established in 1990
Category:Music of Jacksonville, Florida
Category:Blues festivals in the United States
Category:Folk festivals in the United States
Category:Music festivals in Florida
Category:Tourist attractions in Jacksonville, Florida