The Kenlake Hot August Blues Festival has been a beloved Midsouth tradition ever since its debut in 1990. Organizer of this year's festival, Lew Jetton, visits Sounds Good to discuss the upcoming weekend-long event.
Kenlake Hot August Blues Festival will be celebrating its 30th anniversary on August 22nd through the 24th at the Kenlake State Resort Park at 542 Kenlake Road in Hardin, KY. The three-day long festival is organized this year by blues guitarist, Lew Jetton, who recently performed on WKMS' Live Lunch series (watch the live-streamed video on Facebook). The schedule for the event is as follows:
Thursday, August 22nd: Music starts at 6 p.m.
- Starting at 6 p.m., Adam & The H-Bombs and 2 Years Wasted will host a super-jam performance. Admission for Thursday night is free, and attendees can also scan their tickets and get wristbands for Friday and Saturday.
Friday, August 23rd, "Harper Brothers Showdown": Gates open at 3 p.m., music starts at 6 p.m.
All artists featured on Friday night are affiliated with Harper Guitars.
- 6 p.m.: John Sutton Band
- 7:30 p.m.: Alonzo Pennington with the Xtraordinary Gentlemen
- 9 p.m.: Jonathon Long
While the John Sutton Band and Alonzo Pennington are recognizable names in the area, Jetton says of Jonathon Long, who is new to the western Kentucky scene: "[He's] out of Baton Rouge and a monster guitar player. He's so good he's signed with Wild Heart Records, which is Samantha Fish's label. She produced his last album, which was fantastic. He is such a good player, this shows you how good he is, Joe Bonamassa heard him and he said 'hey, I want you on my Mediterranean Keeping the Blues Alive cruise, and we're going to have you on there and we're going to play together.' So he'll be coming [to Hot August Blues] straight from the Joe Bonamassa Keeping the Blues Alive cruise in the Mediterranean."
Saturday, August 24th: Gates open at 10 a.m., music begins at 11:30 a.m.
- 11:30 a.m.: Olivia Faye
- 12 p.m.: Nightfish (Nightfish also played at the very first Hot August Blues in 1990)
- 1 p.m.: Gough-Martin Blues Band out of West Union, this year is their Hot August Blues debut
- 2 p.m.: The Beat Daddys
- 3 p.m.: Boscoe France
- 4 p.m.: Big Al and the Heavyweights
- 5:30 p.m.: The Memphis All Stars
- 7 p.m.: The Reba Russell Band (Says Jetton, "she'll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.")
- 8:30 p.m.: Joanna Connor
"I don't think we've ever had a lineup on Hot August with this caliber of guitar players," says Jetton. "Part of it is relationships and part of it is luck. Part of it is when you do a good job, which is what we've tried to do the last couple years, these guys all talk to each other. They'll say, 'hey, what about this festival?' and they go, 'aw, you gotta do that one because they'll treat you good and it's a beautiful setting and everything and that's what all of our performers that are coming in next weekend have been talking about."
Join these legendary blues musicians in a beautiful setting on Kenlake by purchasing tickets via the Hot August Blues Festival website or by visiting the Kenlake State Park Lodge, Music One (Murray), the Murray Transit Lobby, Cellar Door Wine and Spirits (at the Murray, Draffenville, or Benton location), or Bristol Broadcasting in Paducah.
For Murray-Calloway Co. residents, Murray Transit is offering shuttle services from your desired pick-up spot to the festival and back. To reserve a ride, call 270-753-9725.
