Chicago Blues Festival

History of the festival

Chicago has a storied history with blues that goes back generations stemming from the Great Migration from the South and particularly the Mississippi Delta region in pursuit of advancement and better career possibilities for musicians. a year after the death of McKinley Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters, who is generally considered "the father of Chicago blues". Each year the organizers choose a theme, generally to honor a recently departed blues musician. Obviously, Chicago blues acts are common. In 2015, the festival celebrated the centenary of the births of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. The Centennial Tribute featured several musicians who had played with Muddy Waters as well as his sons Mud Morganfield and Big Bill Morganfield, with Alex Dixon playing bass. Also, in keeping with the blues' influence on other musical genres, there are some soul, jazz blues and blues-rock acts.

There was no festival in 2020.

Since those early beginnings the festival has risen to a status that the City of Chicago has billed as the world's largest free concert of its kind, and the largest of the city's music festivals. |access-date = May 3, 2007 |access-date=June 18, 2017

Notable performers

Albert King, The Aces, B. B. King, Bill Doggett, Golden "Big" Wheeler, Billy Branch, Bo Diddley, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Bobby Rush, Buckwheat Zydeco, Buddy Guy, Calvin Jones, Carey Bell, Carl Perkins, Barrelhouse Chuck, Chuck Berry, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Dave Myers, Dion Payton, Dr. John, Eddie Boyd, Eddie C. Campbell, Eddie Vinson, Eddy Clearwater, Etta James, Fenton Robinson, Floyd Jones, Fontella Bass, Hank Ballard, Henry Townsend, Homesick James, Hubert Sumlin, James Cotton, Jerry Portnoy, Jimmy Johnson, Jimmy Rogers, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Jody Williams, John Lee Hooker, Johnnie Taylor, John Brim, Johnny Shines, Johnny Winter, Junior Wells, Keith Richards, Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Little Willie Littlefield, Lonnie Brooks, Lowell Fulson, Louisiana Red, Luther Allison, Eddie Cusic, Lurrie Bell, Magic Slim, Matt Murphy, Memphis Slim, George "Mojo" Buford, Mick Taylor, The Neville Brothers, Otis Rush, Pee Wee Crayton, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, Ray Charles, Robert Cray Band, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Sam Lay, Otis "Big Smokey" Smothers, Snooky Pryor, Son Seals, Lacy Gibson, Staple Singers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sugar Blue, Sunnyland Slim, Grady Champion, Johnny Dollar, Taj Mahal, Willie Dixon, Yank Rachell, Lil' Ed Williams and the Blues Imperials, Johnny B. Moore, Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Harmonica Hinds, Linsey Alexander, Toronzo Cannon, Liz Mandeville, Nora Jean Bruso, Holle Thee Maxwell, Eddie Taylor Jr.

References

References

1. Runice, Jacky. (August 2017). "Chicago Blues Festival}}{{dead link". AOL, LLC..
2. Green, Adam. (2005). "Blues". Chicago Historical Society.
3. "City of Chicago :: Chicago Blues Festival to Celebrate Legacy of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon".
4. Whiteis, David. (2003). "Chicago Reader: Chicago Blues Festival". Chicago Reader.
5. Kening, Dan. (June 8, 2001). "Chicago Blues Fest turns 18".
6. "American Blues musician Johnny Dollar performs during the Chicago...".
7. "TERRY 'HARMONICA' BEAN – CATFISH BLUES". Parsifal.be.
8. . (2014). ["Chicago Blues Festival - Performer Bios"](https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicagobluesfestival.html). *City of Chicago*.
9. "Eddie Taylor Jr. : Keeps The Flame Alive".