BIBLE HILL - David DeWolfe rhymes off the musicians’ names with ease and excitement.
Robert Cray, Jonny Lang, James Cotton, Ronnie Hawkins, Johnny Winter, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, James Harman .... They are just some of the major acts that will take to the stage this summer for the sixth annual Dutch Mason Blues Festival.
“It’s better than last year,” said DeWolfe, the festival founder and co-producer. “All these names are major headliners.”
A year ago, the festival had headliners each day and had its best Sunday on record.
The list of performers for this year’s show also includes Ronnie Baker Brooks, Zac Harmon, The Respectables, Dutch’s son Garrett Mason, Charlie A’Court, Morgan Davis, the Hupman Brothers, Layla Zoe and more.
DeWolfe said there are two special guests he is waiting to announce closer to the festival, which will take place in Bible Hill from Aug. 13 to 15.
He admitted to trying to attract both Cray and Lang the past three years and is stoked to have them on this year’s program. “To have those guys coming to play on the same night is going to be killer,” DeWolfe said.
The festival hosted the blues stage showcase in Membertou on Sunday as part of the East Coast Music Association awards weekend. It was there festival organizers announced the lineup for this year’s show and DeWolfe said the crowd “went nuts.”
The Fabulous Thunderbirds, who have a long list of hits such as Tuff Enuff and Wrap It Up, will be returning to the festival where “they blew everybody away” in 2006.
The festival attracts between 15,000 and 18,000 people to the show each year. Those patrons will be pleased to hear organizers are not increasing the ticket price this year.
“We go out on a limb and thank God we have loyal fans who come and buy a ticket that help support this festival every year,” DeWolfe said.
“We’re probably one of the very few festival events that are starting to stand on its own two feet.”
Advanced tickets will be available through Ticket Atlantic starting March 22 and other outlets will be announced in the future at www.dutchmason.com.
jmalloy@trurodaily.com
