1210 Turner Street Lansing, MI 48906 517-371-4600 Fax: 517-371-1454

CONTACT: Mike Skory 517-230-9190 mobile BOARD OF [email protected] DIRECTORS

Terry Terry, President FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tom Cathey, Secretary Kyle Schafer, Treasurer Toni Alexander, Member Glenna DeJong, Member OLD TOWN BLUESFEST Mike Skory, Member ANNOUNCES HEADLINERS FESTIVAL COMMITTEE Lansing, Mich. (August 19, 2011) – Old Town BluesFest, held Friday, Sarah Bannon Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 17, at the corner of Turner St. and E. Grand Linda Burnham Erika Butler River Ave., has announced this year’s headliners. Rebekah Cathey Chiung Cheng Cee Cee Collins & RJ’s Rhythm Rockers headline the MessageMakers Cathy Dionise Jim Flynn Stage on Friday night. Cee Cee Collins is a vocal powerhouse who has Ed Fountain been described as a “wrecking ball singer,” one who will “bust you up Rosy Goacher Dennis Goff with her cantankerous, full barroom blues.” Since the age of 15, Cee Cee Ben Hall TC James has been pleasing crowds of all genres. Starting her singing career with Mary Johnson soul and R&B, then jazz, blues and Motown, she has performed around Katie Kiter Nancy Lee the world. Cee Cee, known as the “princess of the blues,” has spent the Laurie Lonsdorf last few years touring the country with , ’s queen of Jose Lopez Elizabeth McCarthy the blues, and RJ’s Rhythm Rockers. Krystal Meese Liz Morgan Tamera Nielsen Next up on the Bud Light Stage is Long Tall Deb & the Drifter Kings. Lee Petrovich Emotional, passionate, and powerful vocals with eclectic guitar, bass, and Carrie Quisenberry Tina Ray drum stylings have propelled this group to the top 5 finalist position in 2011’s Dann Reed Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge. Leading the band, Deb Therese Roth Paul Schmidt Landolt is a powerhouse blues/soul vocalist and songwriter who continues Erin Slayter to bring audiences to their knees wherever she goes. Listening to Long Dave Swanson Tammy Tabor Tall Deb and the Drifter Kings, you get a sense of what “drifter” means: Lizzy Thornton the musical influences of San Francisco’s Latin and jazz scene and that Bob Titus Rashel Titus unmistakably bi-coastal NY-LA connection.

Johnnie Bassett and the Blues Insurgents headline Saturday night’s entertainment on the MessageMakers Stage. is a legendary Detroit blues guitarist and singer, renowned by the All Music Guide for “a unique ability to combine and Delta stylings.” That style and sound is the result of a long, rich lifetime of musical experiences.

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A 501(c)3 nonprofit serving as a catalyst for quality arts programming, the preservation of historic buildings and economic development. 1210 Turner Street Lansing, MI 48906 517-371-4600 Fax: 517-371-1454

Johnnie has done gigs with , , Ruth Brown and Eddie Burns—and jammed with a “talented” young Jimi Hendrix, BOARD OF never putting down the guitar as he continued to lead his band, the Blues DIRECTORS Insurgents. Terry Terry, President Tom Cathey, Secretary He recorded a series of excellent albums such as I Gave My Life To The Kyle Schafer, Treasurer Toni Alexander, Member Blues, Bassett Hound, Cadillac Blues (nominated for five W.C. Handy Glenna DeJong, Member Awards) and Party My Blues Away. He kept working and eventually Mike Skory, Member became a hometown legend and treasure, receiving a well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award from the Detroit Blues Society in 1994. His FESTIVAL new album, The Gentleman Is Back, finds Johnnie, at age 72, in prime COMMITTEE form as a player and singer. Sarah Bannon Linda Burnham Erika Butler Then Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers take to the Bud Light Stage Rebekah Cathey as the final headliner of BluesFest 2011. Nominated for three Blues Blast Chiung Cheng Cathy Dionise Music Awards, Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers packed Buddy Guy’s Jim Flynn Ed Fountain house with wall-bangin’ blues! Vast musical backgrounds and influences Rosy Goacher make Jackie Scott & The Housewreckers a smokin’ hot combination of Dennis Goff Ben Hall blues, jazz, and R&B – packed with soul. Jackie has spent the last few TC James years honing her craft as a vocalist, and her quest led her to the steamy Mary Johnson Katie Kiter windows of Chicago’s blues scene. Nellie Travis, Chicago blues woman, Nancy Lee and Westside bluesman and Howlin’ Wolf sidekick, Eddie Shaw, played a Laurie Lonsdorf Jose Lopez major part in mentoring her into the blues, Chicago style. The group has Elizabeth McCarthy opened for BB King & Taj Mahal. Krystal Meese Liz Morgan Tamera Nielsen The Old Town BluesFest is a free community music festival, attracting Lee Petrovich Carrie Quisenberry attendees from across the city, state, and region. It is produced annually Tina Ray by the Institute for Contemporary Art (MICA), a 501(c)3 nonprofit Dann Reed Therese Roth organization that serves as a catalyst for community development through Paul Schmidt Erin Slayter quality arts programming. BluesFest is still accepting volunteers. See www. Dave Swanson oldtownbluesfest.com or call 517-371-4600 for more information. Tammy Tabor Lizzy Thornton Bob Titus ### Rashel Titus

A 501(c)3 nonprofit serving as a catalyst for quality arts programming, the preservation of historic buildings and economic development.