Hey Blues Fans… Can you believe this is our 8th Annual Back to the Blues: Gospel Blues Festival!!

So, for starters, putting together this years mix of talent for the festival has been really fun. With bands from all over North America hearing about what we’re doing up here in lil’old Chilliwack, is creating a bit of a buzz…
Keeping to our Blues roots we’ve put together a line-up that’s gonna move you for sure… and if you don’t walk away encouraged… we haven’t done our job!

For those of you just catching our wave.. we’re a non-profit organization that loves Live Blues Music. Now… even if you don’t have any blues music on your MP3 player (or… I don’t want to date anyone.. a walkman) you have to admit.. everyone Loves Live Blues. There’s just nothing like it. Our festival is all about good music, family time and our charity projects, namely our over-seas water drilling projects. More on that later…

So what do we got in store… Kicking things off this year on Friday night is a great band from Washington State called First Born Live! A super tight local group called the Chopped Liver Band is next, setting the stage for… wait for it… New World Son!!! Just coming off tour with the Newsboys, NWS is setting the pace for new blues music. I can’t wait to see them live!!!

Saturday… wow, what a full day! Great local bands all afternoon. From traditional Blues to Rocky Funk to a First Nations Groove and a full-on Elvis Gospel experience (without the tassels and sweaty towels..) Sliding into the night we have Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne banging out some hot piano licks! Leading right into our Headliner.. Danny Brooks and the Rockin’ Revelators. With multiple JUNO nominations, and the shear energy from this group, you won’t want the night to end. As many a writer and critics around the world have said.. Danny is the ‘Real Deal’. The tightest rhythm section on the planet and a message that’s from his heart.

Starting Sunday off just right will be Jason Latreille with a little Sunday mornin’ praise Blues givin thanx to the Maker of music! Then a special treat with Dalannah Bowen, another multiple JUNO nominee singer who has opened for Blues giants: B.B. King and Buddy Guy! Steve Delamar and Aaron Loewen round out the “locals only” afternoon.

Then, opening for our closer is The Thomas McClary Band. Mr. McClary is the guitarist for Lionel Ritchie and The Commodores and has put together a smokin' hot group just for us… Then… closing out the weekend is, of course, the Legendary Darrell Mansfield backed up by our very own Rob Taylor. Need I really say more… It’s not like.. ‘who has Darrell played with’… it’s more like, ‘who has played with Darrell’… so many classics, so many albums over the decades. Darrell has been with B2B since the beginning. He doesn’t even ask if we’re having him back anymore, he just books his tickets! He’s claimed B2B as his festival… What can we say, we love Darrell and what he brings to the event!!

Bring the whole Family out to “The Best Little Blues Fest West of Chicago”

Back to the Blues 2010:

Last year's B2B festival was another great time of seeing and listening to some of the very best Gospel Blues Artists in the biz. Our Friday night attendance hit new records as we listened to John Lee Sanders close out with a fitting tribute to Danny Brooks who couldn't make the show due to an unexpected medical condition. (Danny is recovering fine now... thank you for your prayers!)

Saturday was fantastic as local bands rocked the afternoon. Then Nashville sensations Ashley Cleveland and husband Kenny Greenberg blew us away with an amazing acoustic set. Setting the stage for Blues Legend: Larry Howard and the Southern Rock of Ages Band from Georgia to close out the evening. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, Larry pulls together a midnight jam featuring some of the best musicians from the day… and just jammed. The finale was having Eric Turner on stage with everyone pulling out all the stops on a cover of Eric Clapton's 'Crossroads'… are you kidding me??? Wow!!! (our very own sound wizard: Lyndon Toftager jumped on the B3, laying down a smooth Hammond solo… awesome!)

Well, what can we say about Sunday? Where does all this talent come from and why are there not 10,000 people at this event? Again, the local afternoon acts where great. Then we had last minute entry Greg Sczebel (from Paul Brandt's Band) bring everybody to their feet. For those who where there… tell me we're gonna have him back!!

Then back to back Legends: Darrell Mansfield and Eric Turner followed by Jim Byrnes. Old school rock n' roll and classic Chicago Blues… I'm runnin outta things to say… Un-real!! Then the Johnny Mannion Band brings it all home with an inspirational rock/blues set to close out the weekend.

Thank you again for coming out. Keep in mind, for those who would like to sponsor B2B to help keep this show going, you are encouraged to contact our office. Back to the Blues: Gospel Blues Festival is a non-profit organization and gladly accepts one-time donations and monthly contributions for administration and travel expenses and artist fees.

See you THIS Summer!!! July 29, 30 and 31.

Don't forget to leave a comment on our Facebook Page and feel free to send in your photos to cary@back2blues.com

To all our dedicated Fans of Back to the Blues...

THANK YOU!!!

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