Downtown Bryan will host the inaugural Bryan Texas Blues Festival and Celebration on Friday, June 15 and Saturday, June 16 at the Palace Theater (105 S. Main Street).
The Brazos Valley African American Heritage and Cultural Society (BVAAHCS), while partnering with the City of Bryan, have put together a line-up of renowned jazz musicians who all have roots in Bryan, and attended Bryan schools.
Nat Dove, an inductee in the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame is serving as director of the festival and will also perform. Donald Ray Johnson, a Grammy award-winning musician is also in the line-up. Other scheduled performers include Damu Sudi Alii, Sunny Nash, and William Walker. (See attached schedules.)
In addition to the music at the Palace on Friday and Saturday evenings there will be a community parade on Saturday morning starting at 10:00 a.m. in front of the Carver Early Childhood Center, and ending at Sadie Thomas Park.
At 2p.m. on Saturday at the Brazos Valley African American Museum (500 E Pruitt St) all of the scheduled musicians will host a free meet and greet session where they will talk about musical history in Bryan and answer questions from attendees.
Full Schedule & Performance Line-Up
Official Dedication Ceremony
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
City Councilmember Paul Madison Presents Keys to the City to Bryan Texas Blues Festival Featured Artists
Dr. Oswell Person, Author & Educator, Presents Honored Acknowledgment of The Special Recipients Awards:
Waymon T. Webster, Ph.D.
William Portis, Ph.D.
Oliver Wayne Sadberry Reads
Honored Musicians Posthumous Acknowledgements
Background Musical Accompaniment by Fred Gene Smith & Nat Dove
Featured Festival Artists
Sunny Nash, 7:00pm
William Walker, 7:50pm
Damu Sudi Alii, 8:30pm
Donald Ray Johnson, 9:15pm
Nat Dove, 10:15pm
Back-up Band: Eugene Eugene & the Solid Foundation Band
Ernest Gibbs Drummer – Delvin Twitty Saxophone – James Gibbs Bass & Guitar
Renn Carson Guitar – Eugene Smith Keyboards
Thank you for coming! See you next year!
Henry Banks Jr. Piano
Jody Banks Drums
Buster Johnson Guitar
H J Jones Harmonica
Slim Green Guitar
TeenKings R&B Vocal Group
(founded by: Nat Dove)
Melvin Littleton Clarinetist
Dewayne Mosley
Clinton Walton
William Mosley Jr.
The Utility Gospel Singers
(founded by: Jessie Lee Davenport)
Marion “Boddie” Jones Saxophone
L. C. “Bonny” Scurry Trumpet
Fred G. Smith Saxophone
Charles Ray Watson Drums/Vocals
Rainette K. Dove
Piano-Organ-Vocal-Bass Clarinet
Josiah Daniel Piano-Organ-DJ
Donald “Dickie” Childs Saxophone
Horace T. Nelson Jr. Drums
Floyd Johnson Trumpet
Leveris Thurman Guitar
AC Mitchell Vocalist-Guitar
Billy Walker Trombone
Road closures
Due to heavy anticipated pedestrian traffic around the Palace Theater portions of two roads in Downtown will be closed during the Festival.
Main Street will be closed to vehicles from the LaSalle Hotel to 26th Street. In addition, 26th Street will be closed from Carnegie Alley to Bryan Avenue. Both road closures will be in effect from 6:00 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday.
