Festival Archives

PAST EVENTS

October 18th, 2009 Blues & Heritage Festival 2009

Approximately 8,000 people attended this event. The weather was beautiful and the stage featured: 4 Christ, Arthur Migliazza and Tom Walbank, Heather Hardy and Ed Delucia, Sweet Willie D Blues Band, Dennis Jones Band, the BOOGINATOR, and John Mooney and Bluesiana. The evening finished with an all start jam onstage.

October 21, 2007 Blues & Heritage Festival 2007

Approximately 8,000-9,000 attend this annual, family-friendly, FREE musical event held in Reid Park at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Stage. Artist: The Reed Family featuring Francine Reed; Train Wreck, 2007 Blues Challenge Winner; 56 Deluxe; Del Rey and Steve James; John Cephas & Phil Wiggins - leading exponents of the Piedmont Blues; George Howard and the Rhythm & Blues Review; Arthur Migliazza and New Town; and GRANDE FINALE.

October 15, 2006 Blues & Heritage Festival 2006

Approximately 6,000 people enjoyed the Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation's FREE family-friendly day-long music festival. National and regional artists were sponsored by The Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation, Budweiser Light, Tucson Parks & Recreation, and The Tucson Weekly. Artists included: Marcia Ball; Scott Holt; Leon Kittrell and Statesboro Blues Band; Big Pete Pearson with Bob Corritore & the Rhythm Room All-Stars; Hans Olson; Winners of the SABHF Blues Challenge - the King Bees; Apocalypse Horns; AND the SABHF Blues Challenge alternate band - Triple Threat! A free pre-festival party was held at the Hotel Arizona featuring Big Pete Pearson with Bob Corritore and the Rhythm Room All-Stars and opening by Tucson's own, The Sinners. A free post-festival jam was held at the Boondocks Lounge and featured many of the artists who had performed during the day. Thank you to all our guests and thank you to all the hard working folks on the planning committee, our generous sponsors [Alliance Bank of Arizona, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Arizona Shuttle, The Boondocks Lounge, Budweiser, The Chicago Store, Dizzy G's Restaurant, 5 Star Termite & Pest Control, The Hotel Arizona, Kalil Bottling Co., KXCI 91.3 FM, National Endowment for the Arts, NIHOTO, Rhythm & Roots Concert Series, 17th Street Market, Tucson (City of) Parks & Recreation Department, Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association (TKMA), Tucson Weekly, Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona, Zia Record Exchange, and Zivaz Mexican Bistro], the talented musicians, Marty Kool and KXCI Community Radio for the live festival broadcast on 91.3 FM, AND, last but not least, to all the eager volunteers who helped make the festival a great success. Please support our sponsors--let them know how much you appreciate their support of the festival. We look forward to seeing all of you next year.

October 16, 2005 Blues & Heritage Festival 2005

SABHF, Golden Eagle Distributors & Tucson Weekly presented the Blues Heritage Festival 2005. Between 5,000 and 7,000 people attended the free festival featuring Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King, Kelley Hunt, Dennis Jones Band, Lazy Ed & The Stratoloungers, Wayde & the Southside Healers, Markiss Band, Philip R. Borzillo and Jovert. A free pre-festival party was held at the Hotel Arizona featuring Bad News Blues Band and a post-festival jam was held at the Boondocks and hosted by Wayde and the Southside Healers. Thanks to the artists, the hard-working volunteers, Tucson Parks and Recreation, Finley Distributors, Golden Eagle Distributing, The Tucson Weekly, Arizona Commission on the Arts through funding from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts, Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association, Rhythm & Roots Concert Series, Zia Record Exchange, Famous Sam’s, Dizzy G’s, Hotel Arizona, Boondocks, KXCI Community Radio, NiHoTo, IKON Office Solutions, Photographers David Horwitz & Ken Paul Chernock, Tucson City Councilmembers Carol West & Jose Ibarra, Beowulf Alley Theater, Signs by Kurt, Print Management, Sun Station, Del Sol Stores, and Pepsi.

April 9, 2005 Blues Revue

Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation, Finley Distributing and many other sponsors presented the free Blues Revue. Thousands of people enjoyed the cool weather and hot music. The performers were outstanding and the crowd had a great time. Artists included: Guitar Shorty, Mem Shannon & The Membership, Terry Hanck, Arthur Migliazza, Stefan George, and The Night Owls. A post-festival jam was held at the Radisson in downtown Tucson.

September 20, 2003 Blues & Heritage Festival

The inaugural Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation Festival was held on Saturday, September 20, 2003 -- a great start for this young blues organization. Among other sponsors, Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation and Finley Distributing presented a free Blues Heritage Festival, featuring Kid Ramos, Lynwood Slim, Huckfelt & Ramsey, Ken Tucker, Tony & The Torpedoes, Dr. Mojo & The Zydeco Cannibals, The Fremonts featuring Mighty Joe Milsap, Hurricane Carla & Jovert. Thousands of people enjoyed beautiful weather and a well executed event. The performers were in top form, the crowd enjoyed themselves, there were plenty of food and beverage vendors to choose from, the broadcast on KXCI Community Radio sounded great, and the whole thing was finished off by a wonderful post-festival gathering at the Boondocks.

Photos by Tucson’s own Ken Paul Chernock