In its Fifteenth year, the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival (Presented by The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County) continues to be a must-do weekend in Camden featuring legendary international talent. Over 3 days we have 43 performances at 14 different sites with 21 performers (solo, duo or group). We'll have blues for all tastes from classic soul to horn-driven funk to blues rock to the best of acoustic blues...and all points in between. Performances take place in a variety of intimate venues--both indoors and out--bringing you the best in blues artistry, up close and personal, the way it was meant to be experienced.
The festival is the first full weekend in October in Camden, SC - South Carolina's oldest inland
city, located 25 miles north of Columbia, SC on Interstate
20. Aside from the blues festival, visitors can enjoy antique
shops, historic homes, Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site, equestrian
activities, and more. For tourist/hotel info, please visit Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce at
www.camden-sc.org.
Camden is easily accessable from Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
Accommodations
Stay at our Host Hotels:
Programming
Gary Erwin, Erwin Music / Lowcountry Blues Society (same office that books Lowcountry Blues Bash, www.bluesbash.com). emusic@mindspring.com 843-762-9125
Artistic Director
Gary Erwin/Erwin Music
emusic@mindspring.com
http://www.bluesbash.com/
Technical Director
Danny Riddick/Naked Eye Productions
rideye@bellsouth.net
http://www.neyeproductions.com
Executive Director
Kristen Cobb/Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County
kcobb@fineartscenter.org
Marketing Director
Jane Peterson/Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County
jpeterson@fineartscenter.org
Sponsors
Artists (In Alphabetical Order)
EDDIE C. CAMPBELL (Chicago)
www.myspace.com/eddieccampbell
Internationally-noted septuagenarian blues legend works the West Side sound
SKYLA BURRELL (Pennsylvania)
www.skylaburrell.com
Lady rocks the blues (guitar/vocals) with skintight road band
BISCUIT MILLER & THE MIX (Indiana)
www.biscuitmiller.com
Exuberant funky soul-infused blues led by acclaimed bassist
GAIL STORM (New York)
www.gailstormmusic.com
Versatile pianist/singer just back from Asian tour
MARSHALL BALLEW (Tennessee)
www.reverbnation.com/marshallballew
Acoustic finger-picking guitar master with a handle on classic blues
CHRISTOPHER DEAN (New Jersey)
www.christopherdeanband.com
Urban blues and soul are the speciality of this hard-working bandleader
DR. PICKUP (France)
www.drpickup.com
Feisty Euro-blues guitarist/singer on his annual USA tour
FRANKIE'S BLUES MISSION (Atlanta)
www.frankiesbluesmission.com
Shimmering guitar leads and classic Chicago blues from this quartet
WANDA JOHNSON (South Carolina)
www.wandaj.com
The New Voice of South Carolina soul & blues
THE KING BEES (North Carolina)
www.myspace.com/thekingbeesblues
Enduring Tarheel band unveils new CD "Carolina Bound"
ROBERT LIGHTHOUSE (Sweden)
www.robertlighthouse.com
Perennial favorite one-man band channels Dr. Ross, Robert Johnson, more
ROCKIN' JAKE (New Orleans)
www.rockinjake.com
Powerhouse blues harp man and his crew know how to rock the house
SHRIMP CITY SLIM (Charleston)
www.shrimpcityslim.com
Lowcountry blues, coastal swamp shuffles, and groovy ballads
DRINK SMALL (South Carolina)
www.myspace.com/drinksmallblues
78 year-old blues legend is the real-deal
NORMAN TAYLOR DUO (New Jersey)
www.reverbnation.com/normantaylormusic
Acoustic bluesman back by demand, adding bass for extra sonic flavor
BRAD VICKERS (New York)
www.myspace.com/vestapolitans
Respected Northeastern bluesman has worked with many legend
LIGHTNIN' WELLS (North Carolina)
www.lightninwells.com
Superb acoustic stringmaster covers blues, rags, Tin Pan Alley, more
WARNER WILLIAMS DOWNHOME BLUES TRIO
(with Jay Summerour & Eric Selby) (Maryland)
www.littlebitablues.com
82 year-old Piedmont bluesmaster just won NEA Folk Heritage Fellowship
LUCKYMAN BEALL (Virginia)
www.laurencebeall.com
One-man band (guitar/vocals/drums) blends rockabilly and roadhouse blues
FLOYD CALLEN & RUSTY DAVIS (Texas/Camden)
Song-weaving duo recalls the the best of the blues and more
2011 Schedule (PDF)
* Most of the sites are located in a two block radius of Broad Street (Hwy 521) and Dekalb Street (Route 1) in downtown Camden, South Carolina.
No Smoking:
In compliance with the City of Camden's Smokefree Workplace Ordinance (effective September 27, 2008), the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival is proud to enforce a no smoking policy at all performance venues.