It’s OK to Sing the Blues in the City of Lawndale
Excitement was in the air, on Saturday, September 14, 2024. The occasion was the annual Lawndale Blues Festival, In Jane Addams Park, 15114 Firmona Avenue.
Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer
(Lawndale, CA) Excitement was in the air, on Saturday, September 14, 2024. The occasion was the annual Lawndale Blues Festival, In Jane Addams Park, 15114 Firmona Avenue.
For those who didn’t get the memorandum of understanding… summer may be over but there are still lots of blues to enjoy in the Southbay.
A large diverse, multicultural crowd of blues enthusiasts and music lovers from the Southbay and Los Angeles area gathered to hear and dance to various hues of the blues on another picture-perfect warm day in Southern California.
Pity the guests who showed up at the festival expecting a break from the heat. Musically, violinists and guitarists on the lineup served up a generous portion of fiery, scorching guitar riffs. This was the order of the day. Each band kept turning up the heat during their respective time on stage.
The blues festival has been going on for over a decade (11 years). I can say with 100% certainty that the festival will continue for many more years. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the proverbial blues torch (a nod to the Olympics) was successfully handed over to Jason Minter, City of Lawndale Director of Community Services. Jason Minter hit the ground running (nod to the Olympics) preparing for and organizing the blues festival. This came about as a result of the retirement of Mike Estes several months ago.
Lionel Young was the first act tasked with rockin’ the blues for an attentive crowd. Blues violinist Lionel Young is a high-energy performer bent for the blues. My first thought was the late great Poppa John Creech when I heard him perform. Lionel Young Band has won the 2011 International Blues Challenge (IBC) band competition. In 2008, he won the International Blues Challenge in the solo duo category that makes Lionel Young the first double champion in the history of the International Blues Challenge, held each year in Memphis, Tennessee.
How can you go wrong with an impressive and historic resume that Lionel Young brings to the stage? His solo set featured originals and arrangements of blues classics. Lionel opened the show with a wonderful performance of The National Anthem. He continued his set with the selections “Blues and Boogie Woogie,” “C.C. Rider,” “Tears Falling Down on You,” “Wasted Time,” “I’m a Stranger Here,” and “Fire on the Mountain.”
Steve Riddle is a guitarist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist. If that wasn’t enough, he is also an acclaimed fine artist. The band took it up a notch to entertain festivalgoers with the following selections “Shufflin,” “Cold Shot,” “Things That I Used to Do,” and “Thrill is Gone,” and concluded his set with a John Mayall Tribute “All Your Love,” and “Help the Poor.” The band members are Steve Riddle-guitar, vocals, George Mike Wallace-bass, Dave Eakin-keyboards, and Rick Johnson on drums.
Did someone turn up the lever on the thermostat? It’s getting hotter and hotter from a musical standpoint. Laurie Morvan is a singer, songwriter, and a very good guitarist. It didn’t take long for Laurie to connect with the crowd with her engaging and fun personality and searing guitar riffs. Laurie Morvan Band held the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout their entertaining set. The band performed original selections “You Can Have My Husband,” “Shake Your Tail Feather,” “My Moderation,” and “Wiggle Room (a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix). They continued their set with an official anthem “No Working During Drinking Hours,” and “Gotta Dig Deep.” Laurie Morvan Band consists of Laurie Morvan- guitar/vocals, Lisa Morvan-vocals, “Pretty Boy” Pat Morvan-bass, Chris Rhyne-keyboards, and Adam Gust-drums.
Bill Magee, Photo by Ricky Richardson
Guitarist Bill Magee is one of San Diego’s busiest musicians. Voted the Best Blues Band in San Diego by the San Diego Music Association and Reader Magazine. It’s no wonder Bill Magee is referred to as THE REAL DEAL!
Bill Magee Band closed out the festival with an electrifying set with his guitar virtuosos and New York/Chicago style down home blues, to the delight of all in attendance. Bill Magee performed “The Blues is Alright,” “Worry, Worry, Worry,” “Walking the Dog,” and Stormy Monday,” to name a few. The Bill Magee Band featured Bill Magee-guitar, Mike Mitchell-rhythm guitar, Dave Lingrin-bass, Walter Gentry-sax, and Dwayne Hathorn on drum.
Check out the above-mentioned bands live whenever you see their name on the marquee of a club, concert, or festival.
Now you know why they sing the blues in the City of Lawndale. Blues lovers know that the blues is a fact of life. It’s ok to sing hey, hey, the blues is alright!
