Blues Festival

21st annual event reflects Peoria's music history

Tools

The Gas House Gorillas perform Saturday during the 21st annual Illinois Blues Festival on the Peoria riverfront.

By Marc Strauss

Story Published: Sep 5, 2009 at 2:35 PM CDT

Story Updated: Sep 5, 2009 at 6:31 PM CDT

The Labor Day weekend is music to the ears of blues lovers. The 21st annual Illinois Blues Festival is rocking the Peoria riverfront.

Groups like Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters, and Janiva Magness are just 2 of the 17 bands that are scheduled to perform through Saturday evening

Festival promoter Jay Goldberg says blues music is a significant link to Peoria's past.

"We're celebrating the blues in Peoria going back to the days when the old blues masters would come out of Chicago and head down to St. Louis and New Orleans," Goldberg told News 25. "They would always stop right here in Peoria and play Peoria. In fact, in the early days there were record companies here, Columbia Records, Warner Brothers, all had offices right here in Peoria."

Dan Smothers and his wife Karen come to the Blues Festival every year.

"The blues are from the soul and from the heart," said Smothers. "It's strictly an American type music. We like it and we come down here. We support our local artists."

One of the bands, the Gas House Gorillas from New York, took their name from an episode of the old Bugs Bunny cartoons.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

WEEK News 25 - and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

More Good Stuff

Advertisement
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Stock Quotes

What's On TonightFull Schedule

Local Business Dir