2nd Pennsylvania Blues Festival Keeps Tradition of Blues in the Pocono

Teeny Tucker will be at this year's Pennsylvania Blues Festival

Michael Cloeren, and the others involved with the Pocono Blues Festival found a new location to carry out the tradition of bringing the best blues to the Pocono Mountains with last year’s “1st Pennsylvania Blues Festival” at the Blue Mountain Ski Area in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, not far from Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, Pennsylvania. They have put together the “2nd Pennsylvania Blues Festival” at the Blue Mountain Ski Area that will take place the weekend of Friday July 27 through Sunday July 29.

Eugene 'Hideaway' Bridges

Once again they will be presenting a variety of top-draw blues acts to appeal to diverse blues tastes. Friday night they will host a blues jam featuring Mikey Junior & the Stone Cold Blues Band. Saturday, July 28 they present the first of two full days of blues on the main stage and tent stage. Acts scheduled for the main stage include Marquise Knox; Big Sam’s Funky Nation; Joe Louis Walker and Billy Branch & the Sons of the Blues with Lurrie Bell, Carlos Johnson & Demetria Taylor. In the Tent Stage will be the Canadian duo of Dawn Tyler Watson & Paul Deslauriers; Wallace Coleman along with an acoustic set from Billy Branch & Lurrie Bell and another set of New Orleans Funk by Big Sam’s Funky Nation. Saturday Night will feature Steve Guyger and the Excellos.

The main stage on Sunday will open with Daptone Records artists Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens. Others up include Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges; Teeny Tucker; Earl Thomas and the Brooks Family Blues Dynasty with Lonnie, Ronnie and Wayne Baker Brooks. Corey Harris will be featured in the tent along with an acoustic set from the Brooks Family, and sets by Hideaway Bridges and Teeny Tucker.

Joe Louis Walker returns to play blues in the Pocono Mountains at the Pennsylvania Blues Festival

As can be seen by the list of performers, the Festival promises a full weekend of real deal blues. I have my hotel reservations already and I know folks from as far away as San Francisco and the Pacific Northwest that have there plans for this as well. They are offering last years pricing for tickets until June 8th. For more information and on the festival, directions and the festival schedule, check out the Festival website, http://www.skibluemt.com/SkiBlue/special-events/pa_blues_fest.aspx. The Festival also has a Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pennsylvania-Blues-Festival/195740310453821.

Michael Burks was originally scheduled to play at the Festival on Saturday, July 28, but passed away very tragically. He is being replaced by Otis Taylor and his very distinctive and original approach to the blues.

Photos copyright Ron Weinstock.