Sarasota, U.S.A. - The organizers of the Sarasota Blues and Music Festival have announce the much-anticipated artist lineup for the 22nd annual festival on September 29, 2012. This year’s festival at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL, will feature an unprecedented gathering of blues artists including headliner and two-time Grammy Award winner Delbert McClinton and supporting acts Royal Southern Brotherhood, Ana Popovic, Curtis Salgado, Paul Thorn and prodigy act, Pett Crow. The entire day’s lineup of national acts is bigger than ever before, and strikes a chord with its blues roots while offering festival attendees a taste of country, rock and top 40.

Festival producer Three Zebras Entertainment will turn Ed Smith Stadium into blues central for the huge one-day music celebration. Drawing fans from across central Florida, the Sarasota Blues and Music Fest will once again establish the city as a weekend destination with this longstanding tradition of music, fun and family-friendly entertainment.

This year’s festival will offer VIP ticket buyers food and beverage service, upgraded beer and wine and a separate restroom area, all of which will be in close proximity to the artists on stage. To make this year’s festival more family friendly, fans with kids can try out The Family Fun Zone, a kids’ area with amusement rides and games.

“Ensuring families have a great time from the moment they enter the gates is a big part of how we approached the festival this year,” said Bill Haggett, General Manager of the Sarasota Blues and Music Fest. “And continuing the tradition of bringing the best of the blues to Sarasota is apparent in the all-star lineup this year. We can’t wait for September 29th!”

The festival actually started as the Sarasota Blues Fest in 1991 by the Sarasota Blues Society as a way to celebrate the blues in the Sarasota community. The festival has a rich history of finding and showcasing young talent while also bringing accomplished musicians to the community. Numerous Grammy Award winners and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have graced the stages over the years and the festival seeks to continue that tradition as the Sarasota Blues and Music Festival. Partial proceeds from the event have always been earmarked for charity, and the All Faiths Food Bank Backpack Program will be the 2012 recipient.

The article Florida Blues Music Festival Announces Musicians Line-up appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

American guitarist and folk musician Doc Watson, 89, passed away on May 29, 2012, at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

According to USA Today, Agent Mitch Greenhill, of Folklore Productions, said Watson was responding and recovering last week from undergoing colon surgery he had on Thursday. It was said Watson remained in critical condition on Friday. Nancy, Watson’s daughter, told the Associated Press, Watson fell on Monday.

The legendary guitarist and Grammy winning musician’s death was confirmed Tuesday night.

The folk musician was born Arthel Watson near Deep Gap, North Carolina on March 3, 1923. He lost his vision before he was 1 year old but began playing instruments from a young age, starting with a harmonica and a banjo given to him by his father. When he picked up a guitar he began teaching himself and started playing for tips.

Watson married Rosa Lee Carlton in 1947, they had two children, Merle and Nancy. In 1953, he started playing with country dance band, Jack Williams and the Country Gentlemen. A few years later he sat with Tom Ashley for a recording session, a year later he performed with Ashley and other musicians at a concert in Greenwich Village which was the start of his career.

When Watson’s music career took off in 1963 when he released his solo debut, Doc Watson and Family. In 1964, he began touring with his 15-year-old son Merle Watson.

The father son duo played together for the next 20 years until Merle’s death after a farming accident in 1985. Over the years, Watson won eight Grammys, seven of them for different albums and the eighth Grammy was a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. While he earned many musical awards and honors through out his career, none of his 60+ albums ever went gold according to the Chicago Tribune.

“Doc was a legendary performer who blended his traditional Appalachian musical roots with bluegrass, country, gospel and blues to create a unique style and an expansive repertoire,” his management company, Folklore Productions, said. ”He was a powerful singer and a tremendously influential picker who virtually invented the art of playing mountain fiddle tunes on the flattop guitar.”

Watson made music that influenced many artists and guitarists. Known for his fingerpicking and flat-pick guitar styles, he pioneered a new bluegrass style playing fiddle style tunes on guitar at a quick pace. He changed folk music forever.

“Overall, Doc will be remembered as one of America’s greatest folk musicians. I would say he’s one of America’s greatest musicians,” said David Holt, a longtime friend and collaborator.

Image Courtesy of   prawnpie

The article American Folk Musician, Doc Watson Dies at 89 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.