Keeping the Blues Alive in the Heart of the South Bay
It’s that time of year again when the spotlight shines brightly in the City of Lawndale. The blues community and other music lovers from all walks of life came together for the 12th Annual Lawndale Blues Festival, Saturday, September 13, 2025, on this beautiful, overcast day with a slight breeze. The weather was a nice respite from the warm weather experiences during the month of August.
By Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer
Lawndale, CA- It’s that time of year again when the spotlight shines brightly in the City of Lawndale. The blues community and other music lovers from all walks of life came together for the 12th Annual Lawndale Blues Festival, Saturday, September 13, 2025, on this beautiful, overcast day with a slight breeze. The weather was a nice respite from the warm weather experiences during the month of August.
This annual celebration of the blues was held from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Jane Addams Park, 15114 Firmona Avenue, Lawndale, CA. 90260. The park was buzzing with a lot of energy and good vibes. The festival offered guests an opportunity to enjoy some great music with family, friends, neighbors, and fellow coworkers. This gives new meaning to “chillaxing,” chilling, and relaxing in the park.
Back by popular demand, the South Bay Locals Car Club showcased some classic cars for all to enjoy. Selfies galore, but no test drives of the vehicles. The car show brought back a lot of fond memories for attendees of all ages.
The festival wouldn’t be complete without some tasty food options. Filling the bill and guests’ appetite: Kettle Corn, John Que’s Smokeout, Korean BBQ, KBBQ Fusion, Maria’s Catering, authentic Mexican Food, A Taste of Nature, and Munchy Dawgs.
Guests enjoyed a variety of games for the entire family at this popular free, family-friendly celebration of community and all things blues, for listening and grooving!
I’m probably among a handful of people who have attended the festival from the very beginning in 2013. I’m delighted to witness the growth of the festival over the years. This year’s iteration might have brought out the largest crowd or somewhere near the top of the list.
The festival was cancelled for one year due to the pandemic and another year due to inclement weather.
Lawndale Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles welcomed guests to the city and to the festival. Mayor Robert Pullen-Miles, Councilmember Pat Kearney, Councilmember Sirley Cuevas, and Erica Harbison, Lawndale City Clerk, were onstage to receive a scroll from Ara An, Deputy, Constituent Engagement on behalf of the Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Second District. Councilmember Francisco Talavera, City Manager Sean M. Moore, and City Commissioners were also on-site, enjoying the festival.
Sensational saxophonist Walter Gentry performed an amazing version of The National Anthem to open the show. Bill Magee fired up the proceeding (blues cylinder) to get the show underway. Bill Magee is a popular, in-demand band based in San Diego. The crowd and I were delighted that they were returning to perform at the Lawndale Blues Festival for the third time. The Bill Magee Band entertained the crowd with an electrifying set of down and dirty Chicago and New York-style blues.
Bill allowed his fiery guitar solos to do the talking. The band performed “The Blues Is Alright,” which could have served as the unofficial theme for this year’s festival. The band continued with “Listen Girl,” “Worry,” “Sweet Home Chicago,” and “Summertime,” to name a few.
Just Dance Company, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)
Just Dance Company thrilled the crowd with their lively dance performance to “Boots on the Ground.” The track “Boots on the Ground” and the related dance have taken the nation and the world by storm. Check out some videos on YouTube! Saxophonist Jason Hemmens followed with a crowd-pleasing performance. This was a nice segue for the amazing stage crew and sound techs to set up for the next band.
Jason Hemmens, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)
Uncle Vic and The Blues Maestros took it up a notch with a set of blues fused with a lot of heart and soul. It didn’t take long for the party people, aka grown folks, to hit the dance floor throughout their set. The band opened with “Willow Tree,” followed by “Going to Kansas City.” They continued to romp through their set with some popular blues tracks and originals. Their set featured each band member on lead vocals for several selections. They continued with “Troubles Go,” “Take Some Time,” “I Wonder Way You So Mean to Me and “Trying to Make a Living.”
The Corn Hush Toss Game is fast becoming a popular feature of music festivals in Lawndale. An enthusiastic crowd lined up for their chance to play the game. Two attendees were successful in playing the game and walked away with a tasty gift basket with some goodies.
The South Bay Locals Car Club had a raffle that featured a gift basket filled with Dodgers memorabilia and a pair of tickets to an upcoming Dodgers game.
Laura Morvan Band is another tremendously popular local band. The band returned for their third year. Laura charmed the crowd with her engaging personality as she introduced each song of their set. Laura showcased blistering guitar riffs throughout her set of good rocking blues. The band performed “Sugar Coated Love,” “Shake Your Tail Feather,” “My Moderation,” “I’m Your Mojo Mama,” and “No Working During Drinking Hours.” I’m going to reach out to my local elected officials to see if they can take up this cause the next time that they are in session with their colleagues. Hoping that Y’ALL can be a part of the movement! A toast is in order. Raise your cup filled with adult beverage!
A great time was had by all in attendance for the 12th Annual Lawndale Blues Festival, in the Heart of the South Bay. Looking around the grounds of the park, one could see proof of this in the laughter, smiles, high fives, and, most importantly, the dancing.
The above-mentioned blues bands are all on social media. Check out live performances of the bands on YouTube and other platforms if you are interested in booking the bands.
