WEVL'S 21ST ANNUAL BLUES ON THE BLUFF® JULY 25

Memphis, Tenn. – It’s summertime, and that means it’s time for Blues on the Bluff®, WEVL FM 89.9’s annual party on the river, with cold drinks, hot BBQ, and even hotter music.

Since 1989, WEVL has rented the National Ornamental Metal Museum grounds every summer to host one of its most popular fundraisers. High on the South Bluffs with the Mississippi River as a backdrop, past concerts have showcased some of the mid-south's finest blues, soul, and rhythm and blues artists.

Blues on the Bluff® is a full-grown 21 years old this year. The Bo-Keys, Kenny Brown, and Blind Mississippi Morris & The Pocket Rockets are on board to perform. Once again guests will be able to enjoy the gorgeous view of the Mississippi—“the finest from Cairo to New Orleans,” according to Mark Twain—from the tree-studded grounds of the National Ornamental Metal Museum.

Kenny Brown is up first at 6:30 p.m., this time as a solo artist. Kenny learned his blues licks from Junior Kimbrough, Othar Turner, and R.L. Burnside. Kenny and his slide guitar music were featured in the Craig Brewer film Black Snake Moan. He has produced the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic since 2006.

Next are The Bo-Keys, fresh from their performance at New York’s Lincoln Center. The Bo-Keys are a homegrown group founded by bass player and WEVL member Scott Bomar, film score composer for Hustle and Flow and Black Snake Moan. The band always features some of the region’s premiere players—whether it’s original Stax Records soul men Skip Pitts and Ben Cauley, or John Gary Williams from The Mad Lads.

Last up are Blind Mississippi Morris & The Pocket Rockets, led by acclaimed bluesman Morris Cummings. A Mississippi Delta native and cousin of blues legend Willie Dixon, Blind Mississippi Morris was ranked as one of the ten best harmonica players in the world by Bluzharp magazine. Blind since age four and playing the blues “ever since I can remember,” he made his first appearance on WEVL over 30 years ago.

Artists will perform in the Riverbluff Pavilion, a unique gazebo constructed from architectural castings salvaged from a 19th century Beale Street building. The grounds are handicapped accessible.

There certainly can’t be a Memphis summertime party without food, and WEVL is excited to welcome back Central BBQ. They’ll be serving pork shoulder sandwiches, smoked turkey legs, barbecued portobello mushroom sandwiches, and other Memphis-based dishes. Central BBQ is generously donating all food sale profits to WEVL, so leave the cooking to them and come hungry! Beer, wine, coolers, and non-alcoholic drinks will also be sold, with all proceeds going to WEVL.

Collectible posters from past events and other WEVL items can be purchased as well.

Guests are asked to bring blankets and chairs, but please leave ice chests and pets at home. Admission is $15 at the gate ($8 for kids 11 and under) and free guarded parking is provided across from the event in Chickasaw Heritage Park.

Photographs, video clips, and posters from past Blues on the Bluff® concerts can be seen on the station’s website at www.wevl.org.

Blues on the Bluff® is dedicated to the memory of Dee “Cap’n Pete” Henderson. Proceeds go to Memphis’ only independent, listener-supported volunteer radio station.

To get there from Memphis, take I-55 North or Crump Blvd. to the Metal Museum Drive exit #12C (the last exit just before the “old” bridge), then follow the signs to Blues on the Bluff®.

###

Contact: Judy Dorsey or Brian Craig at (901) 528-0560 or stnmgr@wevl.org

Images: High res photos available upon request

Website: http://www.wevl.org

WEVL 89.9 FM, Memphis’ only independent, listener-supported volunteer radio station, celebrates 33 years on the air this year. It is licensed to Southern Communication Volunteers, a non-profit, tax exempt §501(c)(3) organization.