MUSIC SCENE: It's Bluegrass Gospel Festival time again in Otto

LITTLE ROCK — The ninth annual Bluegrass Gospel Festival will be held today and Saturday at the Lester Flatt Park in Otto, just off Arkansas 107 near Vilonia.

Shows will begin at 7 p.m.

Performers on both nights will be Set Apart, from Tennessee, and Mountain View Connection, from Louisiana, plus Hickory Hill Bluegrass of the Jonesboro/Beebe area tonight and Living Grace from Conway on Saturday.

Admission is $10 per day; $5 for children between the ages of 6 and 12.

Call (501) 835-2451 days or (501) 796-2030 nights.

The One Stone Reggae Band will perform at 9 p.m. today at the Revolution Room, 300 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock.

Admission is $15. Call (501) 823-0090.

Michael Burks and the Eoff Brothers Band will perform at 8:30 p.m. today at Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack, 107 Commerce St., Little Rock.

Admission is $10.

Papa Grows Funk, a New Orleans group, returns to central Arkansas for a show at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Sticky Fingerz.

Admission is $10. Call (501) 372-7707.

Sonny Burgess and the Pacers will perform Saturday night at the Ken Theatre, 103 E. Second St., in McCrory.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10; $5 for children 12 and under. Call (870) 731-0228.

Burgess, who has long made his base in Newport, is famous for his wild, rockabilly style, which he has maintained since the 1950s.

The seventh annual Blues in the Natural State Festival will be held Saturday at George's Majestic Lounge, 519 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville.

Michael Burks will headline the festival.

Activities begin at 4 p.m. with an indoor guitar workshop hosted by Isayah Warford. After the workshop, Isayah's All Star Band will perform at 5:30 p.m., followed by John Horton at 6:30 p.m. A "gospel procession" will take the crowd and performers from inside the club to the outdoor beer garden stage, with featured gospel singers Ocie Fisher, Daryl Brooks, Liz Lottman, Pamela Nelson and Gib Ponder.

The outdoor show begins at 7:30 p.m. with a set by Kory Montgomery, followed byOreo Blue with Brian Crowne on sax, The Jimmy Thackery/Earl Cate Band and then Burks.

Tickets are $5 for the guitar workshop, $12 in advance for all activities and performances or $15 at the door.

Call (479) 527-6618 or see the Web site www.georgesmajesticlounge.com.

All proceeds go to support Blues in the School educational programs and to send a band from Northwest Arkansas to the International Blues Challenge competition Feb. 4-7 in Memphis.

Weekend, Pages 62 on 07/18/2008