Wheeling, WV and Bruce Wheeler have done it again at the Heritage Blues Festival! This year's lineup was extraordinary, with a well-rounded lineup and exposure to all aspects of the Blues in America. Truly a family event, this festival remains intimate and friendly. Dancing is allowed, and so is artist meeting. The fans lined up heavy for every artist's CD signing. It may have been hot weather, but at least we missed the rain. What luck!

Bruce Wheeler, in case you don't know, is the head organizer and master of ceremonies. Nobody works harder, but many on his team work just as hard. Thanks to those people for making this a great event. Thanks to Bruce for giving BluesSource a plug, we can use it in our new venture. We recorded artists telling us about their great time there. We also recorded an interview each, with Nora Jean Bruso, Watermelon Slim and Jimi Hocking. Don't miss these podcasts.

Friday started off at about 5 PM and the fans were there and waiting. The beautiful and talented Ana Popovic knocked everyone out and laid some Yugoslavian - American Blues on a hungry crowd. Man! That girl sold so many CDs, and met so many fans it was crazy! Very popular with the men (Smiley here)! Next up was Cephas & Wiggins, who strummed through a great set for all the purists. It was exactly what people expect to hear at a Blues festival and they did not disappoint anyone. Piedmont & Delta Blues at it's best! Then, along comes Dave Hole and he burns a hole in the night with his furious, action-packed hot slide guitar set. He was SMOKIN'! It was furious, but, then, Charlie Musselwhite turns up to mellow out the crowd with some great harp. Charlie has become the true Memphis Gentleman without losing any of his Chicago style, Jazz background and mellow phrasing and vocals. I could have listened all night, but Saturday would come early.

I could have listened all night, but Saturday would come early.HOT! ALL DAY! I think if everyone could have jumped in the river, they would have done that. We all kind of wished we were on one of those smarty-pants' boats on the river. But we all paid to support the Blues! But, maybe we made some new fans that will support this next year. Then they can sweat with the rest of us. HAH! Never mind that WE got to see IBC winner Jimi Hocking entertain the audience with his clever lyrics and smart guitar. This was a real treat for those who have not heard this Aussie Blues Acoustic player. He is truly amazing!

Diunna Greenleaf, the IBC winner in the best blues band category was ominous! She has one of the most beautiful voices, yet she can shout with the greatest. A no holds barred show, with the style of the great Bessie Smith to the rockin' grit of Koko Taylor. This woman has a great future as one of America's top Blues voices.

Deb Callahan showed up to rock and soothe the fans with her special blend of Blues. She's a great writer and an even better voice for new Blues. With a finely tuned band, she has a very special appeal. It's as if she's an old soul, but with a sense of what's new. She's a must hear. Anthony Gomes was up next, with his top-flight bunch of Blues rockers, kicking the slats out for the fans to go crazy to. This guy can play the strings, and he kicked some Hendrix and others around. Oh, he can play Delta and Jazz too! Gee, he's not all about loud or Rock. It was just mind meltin' Blues for all. So the fans had to expect a left hand turn when John Lee Hooker, Jr. showed up with a great stage band to whomp the R&B and Blues on ya'. Definitely his own man, he doesn't rely on his legendary father to provide him with material. He is an Entertainer with a true love for getting the audience out & up. He made everybody feel good.

Eric Bibb, new on the scene the past couple of years, absolutely put a spell on the audience. You could have heard a pin drop while he took us through a crafted, beautiful lot of tunes that adopted a number of styles and traditions. Truly an exceptional voice and some of the finest acoustic guitar you'll ever hear. That's the Truth! James Blood Ulmer was up next, with a sound so dark, menacingly evil and downright psychedelic alligator-infested Swamp music, that everyone had to think over their own personal experience with the Blues. One fan told me, "What is that, man?; It's the most interesting and deep stuff I've ever heard. Man, What is that?? He's right; I got to give it another listen. I've heard him before, so I listened hard this time, and I think I got it. Too much!

The finale of the evening was pretty interesting, since I couldn't figure out how such great players as John Hammond, Jr., Duke Robillard, and Coco Montoya were actually going to do something together. Gee, I guess I've forgotten how to JAM! Hammond did the best, most intense, sweating, hard-driven acoustic set I've seen him do in years. He laid it all open for the Duke, who whipped that great guitar on the crowd and played with a real intense smile, obviously enjoying this whole thing. Coco hit the stage and wowed us with his soaring licks and beautiful voice and then they all played and it got really intense. Hammond doing stand-up, fronting the band, and what a band! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! This was GREAT! WOW! The BEST!

Well, Sunday was a bit cooler, but not much. It was getting cooler when Jill West & the Blues Attack hit the stage. With a couple of great guitars and keyboards, she thanked all of the local fans from Ohio - PA, and then got down with some power punching beats. She's all about this music, and is very much loved in the area. Nora Jean Bruso showed up with the great Carl Weathersby on guitar. This proved to be the most hot, soul-driven piece of dynamite on the ticket. This gal has a big heart and a big voice! Truly a singer's singer, Nora Jean is the ticket to that rough and tumble Chicago Blues ladies' sound that is now needed in this business. Believe me, she can be as gentle and beautiful as she can be gutbucket. She's got the stuff it takes to be a Blues Lady! She's so bubbly i's outstanding. The Bobby Bland song "Members Only" brought tears to many eyes, as Nora Jean & Carl did one of the most touching and sweet-soul versions to be heard at any time. Be sure to catch our interview with this gal, it's a real hoot and informative too.

Watermelon Slim is one of the newest Blues people on the Blues scene, but he's not as new as one might think. He's an OLD SOUL; with a voice, style and lyrics that can really fool you. You'd think he was pickin' cotton in the Delta and singing in the shade. Truly, he's the "real thing", and many at the festival followed him around just to talk to this guy. He is interesting, and you can hear the interview we did for our podcast. Don't miss it! He hosted a Jam on Sunday night, which turned me on so much that I had to sit in on harp. Thanks Slim! Watermelon Slim is not to be missed, so be sure and catch him if you haven't heard him. Smokin' Joe Kubek and B'nois King dropped by the rock the crowd with Joe's hot guitar and then, we got to hear the great mellow voice of B'nois King. Now, that's worth the price of a ticket. Joe has really got that guitar on fire, so it is great to hear them anywhere. Following this amazing set was Bernard Allison, who flashed everybody with his great shirt and hot, hot guitar. He is a premier player, and he learned from the best - Luther Allison, his father! But Bernard is taking his own route to the top, tearing off licks that amaze and singing some great tunes. We really enjoyed this set. It was a broad range of tunes, from deep Blues, to Chicago, to Hendrix, to wowing the crowd.

Well, Sunday was about over, but the great James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin lined up to thrill the crowd with real Chicago Blues. Every thing from Muddy Waters - Howlin' Wolf, to their own tunes, was enough to keep this crowd rockin' to the very end. Two giants of Blues for one price-you can't beat that. Truly a night of greatness, this festival proved to be the best of the season. I've said it before, but it is truly one of the greatest Blues festivals in the country. Thanks, Wheeling! We'll be back!

© 2005, Gary W. Miller
BluesSource.com

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