Alligator recording artists and multi-W.C. Handy nominees The Holmes Brothers will headline the 19th Annual Carolina Blues Festival on Saturday, May 7th, 2005. The festival will be part of the 2nd Annual Piedmont Jazz & Blues Festival.

Fans enjoy great blues at the 2004 Carolina Blues Festival

The Festival will be held at Center City Park in downtown Greensboro. Gates open at 1:00 pm and the blues will begin at 2:00 pm.

Internationally known for their rich three-part harmonies and unique mix of blues, soul and gospel, The Holmes Brothers have been nominated for six W.C. Handy Awards this year, including Best Blues Album of the Year and Best Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for Simple Truths, their latest Alligator release.

The line-up also includes Michael Burks, considered to be one of the fastest rising blues stars, Kenny Neal, who is a true triple threat on guitar, harmonica and vocals, and John Dee Holeman, who is one of the last surviving connections to the original Piedmont blues style that came to be in the drink houses and tobacco warehouses of North Carolina.

Rounding out the Festival line-up is the 2004 PBPS Talent Showcase winners The Matt Hill Blues Band. At 19, Matt Hill seemingly channels both Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf with his incredibly authentic slide guitar and vocals. He is without a doubt the oldest sounding young bluesman, and that is meant as a compliment. Matt is ably backed by Greensboro blues veterans Shiela Klinefelter (bass) Chuck Cotton (drums) and Terry VunCannon (guitar and lap steel).

In our continuing efforts to educate children about the blues heritage, the PBPS once again will have a kid's area with performances by Abe Reid, as well as balloons, arts and crafts, and much more. Note that there's free admission for kids 12 years old and under who enter with a paying adult.

Check out this website for more information on this event, or call (336) 275-4944.

The Piedmont Blues Preservation Society is a non-profit all-volunteer organization dedicated to keeping the blues alive.