Blues for a Cause
- When: Saturday, September 17, 2011, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Where: Pine Bluff’s Regional Park, Pine Bluff, AR 71602
- Cost: Free - $15
- Age limit: Not available
- Categories: Sports, Fundraiser, Community, Blues, Musical
Blues for a Cause set for September 16-17, 2011 in Pine Bluff
Blues aficionados can get their fill free of charge at Pine Bluff’s Regional Park Friday and Saturday, September 16 and 17, 2011 at the Second Annual Blues for a Cause, A Helping Hand, Blues Benefit and Music Festival. “That’s a mouthful,” says Joe Powell of Pine Bluff, the event promoter. “But for the size of our event, it’s appropriate.”
Over the two days, seven bands will perform including blues stalwarts, Jimmy Thackery and the Reba Russell Band of Memphis, the event headline acts. Other performers include:
• Billy Jones Bluez
• Tullie Brae and the Medicine Man Revue
• The Joe Pitts Band
• Amy Lee and the Second Line, and
• The Saints of Yesterday
Friday’s festivities start at 5:00 p.m. and go on until 10:00 p.m. Saturday cranks up at 3:00 p.m. and continues until 10:00 p.m.
Though general admission to both days concerts is free, VIP admission and parking is available in advance at the organizations website, bluesforacause.org for $15.00 per person. “The VIP package gives you preferred seating and parking,” Powell said.
The event also features a 5K run starting at Harbor Oaks Golf Club in the Pine Bluff Regional Park at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, September 17. Registration packets for the run will be available from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the Regional Park Amphitheater and from 7:15 a.m. - 7:45 a.m., the morning of the race at Harbor Oaks & are available also on the website. Cost to enter the race is $15.00. The 5-K sponsors include The JRMC Wellness Center, Harbor Oaks Golf Club, Brookshires and Bobo Farms.
The event is part of The Annual Smoke on the Water BBQ competition and festival which has a number of attractions on its own including world-class BBQ competition and a ton of other attractions you expect to see at a major southern festival.
Blues for a Cause, a Helping Hand is the brain-child of Joe Powell who created the event to raise money for deserving individuals who are facing catastrophic medical problems with no health insurance. Tracey Powell, his better half is his co-conspirator in the project as well as Sandra Sallings, widow of late Memphis Grammy Winning blues harmonica player, Mark Sallings.
Blues Award winner and Chicago blues producer, Michael Freeman plans to attend. He weighed in on the event with praise: “During the course of my career, I’ve met a lot of people with good ideas and good intentions. Many people talk about arranging and putting together charitable events like Blues for a Cause-A Helping Hand, but few actually bring those ideas to fruition and even fewer do it with skill and competence. To be able to make even one event happen successfully, is a feat in itself.
“So far, with Joe Powell at the helm, Blues for a Cause-A Helping Hand, is on to it’s second concert in six months . . . I recognize their passion and compassion, their ability to give selflessly and their devoted support of a musical genre that means so much to me. It’s quite obvious that in addition to those qualities they also have the drive and commitment to make sure that this event will be the best it can be.”
Check complete details at bluesforacause.org
