Press Release Submitted by
Amelia Island Blues Festival
Submitted by Jeff Malone
August 28, 2014 3:25 p.m.
The Amelia Island Blues Festival returns back to the ocean breezes of Main Beach on September 12th and 13th for two great days of music. Four award winning artist are set to headline this years event. Curtis Salgado, winner of the 2010 Blues Music Award effortlessly mixes blues, funk and R&B with a delivery that is raw and heartfelt.
Grammy Award and Blues Music Award Nominee, John Primer, a Chicago blues
legend, is one of the finest performers of Chicago Blues today. Samantha Fish won the 2012 Blues Music Award for “Best New Artist Debut” for her album, “Runaway”.
Bernard Allison’s acclaimed career has included decades of performing the Blues. Bernard plays the same smokin’ six string guitar style as his late father, blues legend Luther Allison. “We are very excited to have all of these world-class blues artist at our 4th annual event” adds Jeff Malone, president of the Amelia Island Blues Festival.
Gates open at 5:30pm on Friday, with music starting at 6pm from Fernandina Beach’s
“Blues in School” band with Johnny Robinson and Roger “Hurricane” Wilson followed by
The Mojo Roots.
On Saturday, the gates open at 11:30am, with music from 12:15 -8:00pm.
In addition to the headliners, Ben Prestage will perform throughout the day
with blues guitar prodigy Matthew Curry starting things off. For information and
tickets, visit: www.ameliaislandbluesfest.com
About Curtis Salgado:
“Triumphant, joyful blues-soaked R&B…one of the most soulful, honest singers ever”
–Blues Revue. Award-winning vocalist/songwriter/harmonica icon Curtis Salgado sings
and plays with soulful authority.
Salgado’s been perfecting his craft since he first began playing professionally in
the late 1960s. He fronted his own group, The Nighthawks, which inspired John
Belushi to create The Blues Brothers, after a chance meeting in 1977 with
comedian/actor John Belushi when he was in Eugene, Oregon filming Animal House.
During downtime from filming, Belushi caught a riveting Salgado performance.
Afterwards the two got to talking, a friendship grew. Before long Salgado began
playing old records for Belushi, teaching him about Blues and R&B music. Belushi
soon developed his idea for The Blues Brothers, first as a skit on Saturday Night
Live and then as a major motion picture and a best-selling record album and concert
tour.
The album, Briefcase Full Of Blues, is dedicated to Curtis Salgado, and, as a
nod to Salgado, Cab Calloway’s character in the film is named after Curtis. Over the
years Salgado has shared stages with blues icons like Muddy Waters, Albert Collins,
Bobby Bland, Robert Cray, Steve Miller and Bonnie Raitt. Winner of the 2010 Blues
Music Award for Soul Blues Artist Of The Year, Salgado effortlessly mixes blues,
funk and R&B with a delivery that is raw and heartfelt. Now, with his new release
Soul Shot, Salgado is more focused than ever. “Always give it your best,” he says.
“Be honest, be real and treat every show like it’s the biggest night of your life.