Bradenton Blues Festival Line-up is Stacked with Big Acts

BRADENTON – After much fanfare, the big weekend is finally here. Some of the biggest names in blues will descend on the Friendly City this weekend for the Second Annual Bradenton Blues Festival. From headliner Shemekia Copeland to local favorites Doug Demming, Dennis Gruenling and the Jewel Tones, this year's event is sure to be just as much fun as last year's sold-out inaugural.

Shemekia Copeland photo by Sandrine Lee

Though she's only in her 30′s, Copeland has already become a major name on the blues scene. Her passion for singing, matched with her huge, blast-furnace voice, gives her music a timeless power and a heart-pounding urgency.

The two-time GRAMMY nominee has opened for the Rolling Stones, headlined at the Chicago Blues Festival, scored critics’ choice awards on both sides of the Atlantic (The New York Times and The Times of London), shared the stage with such luminaries as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Mick Jagger, and Eric Clapton, and has even performed at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama.

Musical siblings Danielle, Kris and Nick Schnebelen spring from the rich Kansas City jazz and blues scene and their band, Trampled Under Foot, has quickly become one of the most talked about blues acts.

Winners of the coveted International Blues Challenge in 2008, the trio has been on the road ever since, thrilling and growing their rabid fan base. Their 2011 CD, “Wrong Side of the Blues,” was hailed by critics as a “powerful and electric blues tour de force.” Some tickets are still available.

Line-up and Schedule:

11:00am – 11:40am Albert Castiglia
11:55am – 12:55pm Johnny Rawls
1:10pm – 2:10pm John Nemeth
2:25pm – 3:25pm Anthony Gomes
3:40pm – 4:40pm Trampled Underfoot
4:55pm – 6:05pm Eddie Shaw & the Wolfgang
6:20pm – 7:35pm Shemekia Copeland
and Between: Acts Doug Deming, Dennis Gruenling and the Jewel Tones