The 5th annual Joliet Blues Festival will be held on Saturday, August 12 on the pavilion in beautiful Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park at 201 Jefferson Street on the west side of the Des Plaines River in downtown Joliet. The event runs 3:00 to 10:00 pm.
There will be food trucks and tents, along with beer and wine available for purchase. No outside food or beverages are allowed. Festival attendees must show ID to enter. Guests may bring blankets and lawn chairs, but no umbrellas.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on Saturday. To purchase tickets online in advance, visit www.bicentennialpark.org orwww.jolietbluesmusicfestival.com.
Entertainment Schedule for 2023
Matt Hendricks and Bill “Cash” Curtis
3:30pm to 4:30pm
Guitarist and blues singer Matt Hendricks and drummer Bill “Cash” Curtis are a Chicago based blues and American roots music duo. Slide guitar player and songwriter Matt Hendrick’s is originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin, while his love for the blues is steeped in the South. Matt is versatile and comfortable with a wide range of blue styles and is equally at home in a solo setting or with other musicians. He has a masterful blues fingerpicking and slide guitar style, which complements a deep bluesy voice delivering original and classic songs.
Darren Jay and the Delta Souls
5:00pm to 6:00pm
Darren Jay Fallas began his career in the music business at 13, playing guitar and performing in venues and night clubs. His skills, discipline and focus on results were later sharpened during several tours of duty with the US Navy. Making Chicago his home, he is a professional singer, songwriter, producer, recording and touring artist for Darren Jay and The Delta Souls, delivering original blues music with flair and energy. Darren has toured with several Blues Music Award winning artists and former member of Derek and The Dominoes Bobby Whitlock’s band. Aside from music Darren has a successful acting career, appearing in popular, locally produced shows like Chicago Med, PD and Fire.
T-Bird Huck and the MVP’s
6:30pm – 7:30pm
“I’m gonna give my soul to the music I love before I have to take it to the Lord above.” This is Joliet bluesman T-Bird Huck’s testimonial from his Lifetime of Blues CD released in 2005. T-Bird has been called the original Joliet Jake based on his antics when he began playing the blues in the 70’s, long before Saturday Night Live’s “Blues Brothers” skit. T-Bird is the long-time host of the “Joliet Heritage Pro Blues Jam”‘ held every other Sunday featuring blues artists from the greater Midwest area.
Brandon Santini
8:00pm to 9:00pm
The Joliet Blues Festival is thrilled to feature Hohner harmonica-sponsored blues ace Brandon Santini and his band as the headlining act! Brandon moved to Memphis, Tennessee from the East coast in his early 20’s. His love for the blues took off after discovering John Popper and Paul Butterfield.
He formed the Delta Highway band and released The Devil Had A Woman in 2008. He released his debut album, Songs of Love, Money, and Misery, in 2011. In 2013, Santini released This Time Another Year which was nominated for numerous Blues Music Awards. His 2019 album, The Longshot, was released to positive reviews and peaked at Number 7 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart. He announced his new group, Tennessee Redemption, a band co-fronted with Jeff Jensen in mid-2019. He won a Blues Blast Music Award in 2019 for best Contemporary Blues Album. Don’t Shake The Devil’s Handwas released in 2022 and released The Longshot in March of 2023.
Santini has toured the world performing throughout North America, Europe, India, and in Egypt. Santini has performed numerous times on Joe Bonamassa’s Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea Cruise. Santini’s song, “Got Good Lovin” is featured in episode three of The NBC Peacock Network’s original series, “Poker Face.” Brandon is also the brand ambassador for Three Chord bourbon.
The event is held in the main park. Free parking is available south of Jefferson Street. For more information, call 815-724-3761 or visit the website, www.jolietbluesmusicfestival.com.