When I first decided I wanted to plan a Blues Festival, somewhere in the back of my mind, I had envisioned getting to watch all my favorite artists whenever they came to Phoenix or Flagstaff, and I was beyond giddy – after all – wasn’t that part of my job? Then reality set in and turns out there are still only 24 hours in a day and mortgage has to be paid before concert tickets. But last Saturday, I was lucky enough to be one of the 800 people in Sedona who had tickets to a wonderful performance by Keb Mo. Now I’ve been a Keb Mo fan for years and have most if not all of his albums, and although he’s in my “dream team” lineup, I know it’s going to take a few more years before Flagstaff Blues and Brews can afford that lineup. Saturday night was a reward and a validation. I’ve been working on all the “grunt” stuff festival producers must do – funding, vendors, insurance, applications, permits, layouts, rentals, security – the stuff that makes the event a festival. And although I enjoy getting everything together, it’s not nearly as sexy as people think. So, for me sitting 5 rows back from the stage listening to Keb play his guitars and sing his ballads was a much appreciated reward. It was a validation because as I listened to the applause, and watched people who didn’t know much about Keb Mo becoming fans, it validated my belief that the Blues are special. The Blues are at the root of country, rock n roll and soul music. The Blues are American, they come from the gospel, the slaves, from share croppers and from a need to be heard. The Blues touch my soul the way no other music can, and I am so excited to share my love, my passion with everyone who walks through those festival gates. On June 29th, the Flagstaff Blues and Brews will be happening at the Continental Country Club Driving Range and I can hardly wait to sit back, drink a beer and share the Blues!
Debbi