Excitement Building For 20th Anniversary Blues Masters

One of the biggest events of its kind in the world is nearly here. This coming weekend Blues Masters at the Crossroads will celebrate twenty years in Salina.

Kansas’ premier two-night blues music festival, Blues Masters at the Crossroads, is Oct. 27th and 28th at Blue Heaven Studios and the Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts.

The musical bonanza debuts Friday night with young bluesmen Jontavious Willis and Marquise Knox, a blues prodigy turned blues veteran — Lucky Peterson, and from the Music Maker Relief Foundation — Albama Slim and Robert Finley. Both Friday and Saturday night’s performance will be emceed by none-other than Doug MacLeod. MacLeod, the 3-time Best Acoustic Artist at the Blues Music Awards, will also open Saturday’s bill with an engaging, enthralling set.

Friday night takes place once again at the church of the blues, the sonically unsurpassed Blue Heaven Studios. Those who’ve been here before know – with just 450 seats or so, the vibe is intimate and the performances up close and personal.

A highlight of Saturday night’s performance at The Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts is the Take Me To The River – Memphis Soul and Rhythm & Blues Revue. Take Me to the River features Grammy winners Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush and William Bell along with The Hi Rhythm Section, the Stax Academy Alumni Band, rappers Frayser Boy & Al Kapone, plus Music Director Boo Mitchell. The revue is based on the star-studded film tribute to Memphis Music, “Take Me To The River,” directed by Martin Shore. Now on Netflix, the film depicts legends from labels such as Stax, Sun and Hi Records sharing stories of how things were done back in their day and remembrances of accomplishments and failures.

Friday night, Oct. 27, 2017

Doors open at Blue Heaven Studios at 6:45 p.m.; show starts at 7:15 p.m.

  • Jontavious Willis
  • Marquise Knox
  • Lucky Peterson
  • Alabama Slim
  • Robert Finley

Saturday night, Oct. 28, 2017

Stiefel Theatre – show begins at 7 p.m.

  • Doug MacLeod
  • Charlie Musselwhite with Marquise Knox
  • Take Me To The River Revue – Charlie Musselwhite, Bobby Rush and William Bell, The Hi Rhythm Section, the Stax Academy Alumni Band, rappers Frayser Boy & Al Kapone
  • CJ Chenier

For full lineup details for Friday and Saturday nights visit www.blueheavenstudios.com. Please note that all ticket orders that are shipped will be assessed a $1.00 fee for U.S. postal shipping. Kansas residents will not be charged tax.

Please Note: This Year’s Blues Masters Host Hotel Is Quality Inn & Suites, 2110 W. Crawford. The Quality Inn is where the musicians will be staying; the traditional after-hours jam session Friday and Saturday nights will be at Martinelli’s Little Italy restaurant in downtown Salina, 158 S. Santa Fe. Call 785-825-2111 to book a hotel reservation and ask for the “Blues Masters rate.”

Acoustic Sounds/Blue Heaven Studios sells tickets to the Friday night, Oct. 27 show only! To buy tickets for Saturday night, Oct. 28, or both nights together, visit http://www.stiefeltheatre.org.

 

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