In its thirteenth year, the Carolina Downhome Blues Festival continues to be a must-do weekend in Camden featuring legendary international talent. Over 3 days we have 47 performances at 18 different sites with 28 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 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
www.camden-sc.org.
Camden is easily accessable from Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Camden is also served by
Amtrak and Greyhound.
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
Kristin Cobb/Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County
kcobb@fineartscenter.org
Marketing Director
Jim Litzinger/Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County
jlitzinger@fineartscenter.org
Sponsors
TruVista, Alpine Agency, Flowers Heating & Cooling, South Carolina ENT, Budweiser Columbia, and Wach Fox 57.
Artists
FLOYD CALLEN (Texas)
Country Blues with South Carolina Roots
COTTON BLUE (South Carolina)
www.cottonblueband.com/
Swampy husband/wife blues duo from the jungles of Edisto Island
RUSTY DAVIS GROUP (South Carolina)
Local guitarslinger & his rockin blues band
DR PICKUP (France)
www.drpickup.com
Parisian guitarist/singer pays homage to the roots of electric blues
ELEANOR ELLIS (Louisiana/DC)
www.eleanorellis.com/
Spellbinding Piedmont blueswoman walks us through blues history
PETE "BIG DOG" FETTERS (Detroit)
www.petebigdogfetters.com/
Gritty Motor City guitar & vocals from a veteran performer
HITMAN (Savannah)
www.myspace.com/hitmanblues
Rockin' trio hijacks the best of Jimi, Clapton, and Stevie Ray
WANDA JOHNSON (South Carolina)
www.wandaj.com
The New Voice of South Carolina soul & blues...just back from France
JUKE JOINT JOHNNY & DREW BALDWIN (South Carolina)
www.myspace.com/jukeharp
www.baddrewbaldwin.com/
Harmonica & harp-guitar duo plays blues, vintage jazz, standards
BRYAN LEE & THE BLUES POWER BAND (New Orleans)
www.braillebluesdaddy.com/
The King of Bourbon Street Blues takes the Big Easy sound to the world
LIL ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS (Chicago)
www.liledandthebluesimperials.com/
Delirious slide guitar & rockin' band tear the roof off the place
NAZ & THE FALSEHOODS (South Carolina)
www.nazharp.com
One of the Palmetto State's top blues harp players & his new band
JEFF NORWOOD (South Carolina)
www.myspace.com/jeffnorwoodblues
Back-in-the-alley roots blues & backporch boogies
THE SHADES (South Carolina)
www.myspace.com/freddievanderford
Union County-based workingman's blues band
SHANE PRUITT BAND (South Carolina)
www.shanepruittband.com/
Wailing guitar, Hammond B-3, and big drums - funky side of the blues.
featuring original Steve Miller Band keyboardist Jim Peterman
SHRIMP CITY SLIM (Charleston)
www.shrimpcityslim.com/
Blues on the beach...this hot band is a Lowcountry institution
DRINK SMALL (South Carolina)
www.myspace.com/drinksmallblues
The 77 year-old patron saint of the SC blues...in action since the '50s
RJ SPANGLER'S BLUE FOUR, featuring BILL HEID (Detroit)
www.eastlawnrecords.com/
www.myspace.com/billheidmusic
Keyboard/sax/drums/bass quartet swings the blues like nobody's biz
SUGAR BLUE (Chicago/The World)
www.sugarblue.com/
The original blues harp pyrotechnician and blues legend. Recorded with The Rolling Stones. Most notably on "Miss You".
NORMAN TAYLOR (New Jersey)
www.myspace.com/normantaylormusic
Acoustic bluesman cites Keb Mo, Taj Mahal, Eric Bibb as influences
FREDDIE VANDERFORD & BRANDON TAYLOR (South Carolina)
www.myspace.com/freddievanderford
Harmonica & guitar duo with a masterful grasp on Piedmont blues
REV. MARV WARD & CONGAREE (South Carolina)
www.marvward.com/
Midlands favorites know their blues backroads and Americana highways
Sites
(all telephones: area code 803)
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.
- 1. Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County, York & Lyttleton St., 425-7676
Festival office and headquarters - 2. Wood Auditorium (in Fine Arts Center), 425-7676
Acoustically-delightful 300-seat theatre. - 3. Carolina Cafe, 1011 Broad St., 713-9977
Intimate cafe offers a casual atmosphere in which to enjoy up-close-and-personal performances. - 4. The Boykin Co. Grille, 73 Boykin Mill Rd., 803-425-6724
Great Food in a nice relaxing atmosphere. - 5. The Venue on Broad, 1020 Broad St., 713-8333
Camdens premiere home for live entertainment. - 6. Clock Tower Stage, Under King Haigler Clock Tower on the corner of Rutledge & Broad St.
Outdoor Stage in the heart of the festival.. - 7. Gadgets of Camden, 110 East DeKalb St., 425-0000
Hot wings, cold beers, and smokin' blues promises a real-deal roadhouse experience. - 8. Old Armory Steak House, 514 Rutledge St., 432-3222
Fine-dining and vintage blues find superb balance in this sophisticated restaurant. - 9. Davis & Sons Guitar Shop, 953 Broad St., 713-1000
A fabulous guitar shop AND performance space. - 10. La Fiesta, 29 E. DeKalb, 425-7137
Local favorite - family-run Mexican restaurant offering booze, food, and blues on the deck rain or shine. - 11. Blues Kiosk, Across from Clock Tower Stage
Place to purchase blues arm band and blues merchandise. - 12. Sam Kendall's, 1043 Broad Street, 424-2005
Enjoy excellent cuisine and exhilarating blues in this welcome new addition to Camden's restaurant scene. - 13. Kershaw County Farmers Market, 631 W. DeKalb Street
Some of the best farmers, nurserymen, bakers, gardeners and hobbyists in all of Kershaw County. - 14. Kirkwood Books, 944 Broad St., 432-5169
Enjoy some excellent reading at this nice little bookstore in the heart of Camden. - 15. Indigo Jones, 511 Rutledge St., 432-1616
- 16. The Crescent Grille, 1035 Broad St., 713-0631
- 17. Vittel Salon & Day Spa, 1025 Broad St., 432-4446
- 18. Fatz Cafe, 212 Wall St., 432-3439
Where everyones a regular
- 19. The Pearl Resturant, 707 West Dekalb St., 432-2285
Performance Calendar
Coming Soon
* Most of the venues are located in a two block radius of Broad Street (Hwy 521) and Dekalb Street (Route 1) in downtown Camden, South Carolina.