Post by Jonel on Apr 26, 2003 22:28:48 GMT -5
Balloon Fest will offer temptations
By John Martin, Staff Writer April 20, 2003
That's Dennis Edwards & the Temptations Review. And, Mavis Staples will headline Blues Fest.
By JOHN MARTIN
Staff Writer
The 2003 Greenwood Balloon Fest has added Grammy award winners from the Temptations and the Staples Singers to a lineup that already features the Doobie Brothers.
Festival organizers are counting on the two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and the wide offering of music to bring the whole community out to this year's event, which will be Friday night, June 20 through Sunday, June 22.
"I think this lineup is, top to bottom, probably the best we've ever had," said Andy Hackleman, Balloon Fest entertainment chairman. "It's more diverse. We wanted to get away from the country thing and try something new."
Dennis Edwards & the Temptations Review will hit the stage Friday night with their classic soul sound. Edwards, who is the only living member of the Temptations, sang the hit that won Motown Records its first Grammy Award. The Temptations won five Grammys in all.
They should make the first night in Whittington Park one to remember, Hackleman said.
"Dennis Edwards is a major part of the Temptations," Hackleman said. "He sang all the cool '70s songs like 'Papa was a Rolling Stone' and 'Ball of Confusion,' and they're still going to do 'My Girl' and all the old ones."
Although the attendance at last year's Sunday Blues in the Park was lower than Hackleman would have liked, it was one of the most celebrated events of the festival. This time around, he shouldn't have any problem drawing a large crowd, and the lineup will include a well-known gospel act.
Mavis Staples will close out this year's Blues in the Park. She sang lead for the Staples Singers, who were pioneers of what has come to be called "message music." During the 1960s and '70s, they carried gospel music to the Top 40 with hits that included the number-one singles "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There."
The group was founded by Staples' father, the legendary guitarist and singer Pop Staples, who grew up in Drew.
Steve LaVere, a blues historian who lives in Greenwood, calls Mavis Staples "one of great all time voices in black music, secular or gospel."
"I've watched her progress from being an independent label gospel singer to being a fairly heavyweight pop star in '60s and '70s," he said. "She's so emotional and so emotive, she just commands you to listen."
She has worked with Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Dylan and Prince, among others.
Balloon Fest this year will kick off Thursday evening with Art Alfresco, a Main Street Greenwood-sponsored display of local artwork, and a free street dance. The city will block off a section of Howard Street for the dance, with food vendors, children's activities and music by Under the Gun providing the music.
This new event is to celebrate the re-emergence of Greenwood's downtown district, Hackleman said.
"We wanted do something to put a little part of the festival downtown, and we thought Main St. and Balloon Fest could work together on this part of the deal," he said.
Sharing the stage over the weekend with the Grammy-caliber performers already listed will be a number of bands with local and regional acclaim.
On Friday night, the Memphis Ice Breakers will open up with some heavy-hitting soul music. Dennis Edwards an the Temptations Review will follow, and Mississippi favorites The Kudzu Kings will finish off the evening.
The music will start back up late Saturday afternoon with Delta-base The Electric Mudd, followed by the high-energy bluegrass of Rollin' in the Hay and the Krackerjacks. The Doobie Brothers will headline.
The Sunday lineup for Blues in the Park is still incomplete, but already on the list are local bluesman Steve Cheseborough, Bobby Rutledge of Greenville by way of Oregon, the gospel sounds of the West Singers, and Tab Benoit, along with Mavis Staples.
Courtesy of the Greenwood Commonwealth
Greenwood, Mississippi
www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=7769570&BRD=1838&PAG=461&dept_id=104621&rfi=6
By John Martin, Staff Writer April 20, 2003
That's Dennis Edwards & the Temptations Review. And, Mavis Staples will headline Blues Fest.
By JOHN MARTIN
Staff Writer
The 2003 Greenwood Balloon Fest has added Grammy award winners from the Temptations and the Staples Singers to a lineup that already features the Doobie Brothers.
Festival organizers are counting on the two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers and the wide offering of music to bring the whole community out to this year's event, which will be Friday night, June 20 through Sunday, June 22.
"I think this lineup is, top to bottom, probably the best we've ever had," said Andy Hackleman, Balloon Fest entertainment chairman. "It's more diverse. We wanted to get away from the country thing and try something new."
Dennis Edwards & the Temptations Review will hit the stage Friday night with their classic soul sound. Edwards, who is the only living member of the Temptations, sang the hit that won Motown Records its first Grammy Award. The Temptations won five Grammys in all.
They should make the first night in Whittington Park one to remember, Hackleman said.
"Dennis Edwards is a major part of the Temptations," Hackleman said. "He sang all the cool '70s songs like 'Papa was a Rolling Stone' and 'Ball of Confusion,' and they're still going to do 'My Girl' and all the old ones."
Although the attendance at last year's Sunday Blues in the Park was lower than Hackleman would have liked, it was one of the most celebrated events of the festival. This time around, he shouldn't have any problem drawing a large crowd, and the lineup will include a well-known gospel act.
Mavis Staples will close out this year's Blues in the Park. She sang lead for the Staples Singers, who were pioneers of what has come to be called "message music." During the 1960s and '70s, they carried gospel music to the Top 40 with hits that included the number-one singles "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There."
The group was founded by Staples' father, the legendary guitarist and singer Pop Staples, who grew up in Drew.
Steve LaVere, a blues historian who lives in Greenwood, calls Mavis Staples "one of great all time voices in black music, secular or gospel."
"I've watched her progress from being an independent label gospel singer to being a fairly heavyweight pop star in '60s and '70s," he said. "She's so emotional and so emotive, she just commands you to listen."
She has worked with Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Dylan and Prince, among others.
Balloon Fest this year will kick off Thursday evening with Art Alfresco, a Main Street Greenwood-sponsored display of local artwork, and a free street dance. The city will block off a section of Howard Street for the dance, with food vendors, children's activities and music by Under the Gun providing the music.
This new event is to celebrate the re-emergence of Greenwood's downtown district, Hackleman said.
"We wanted do something to put a little part of the festival downtown, and we thought Main St. and Balloon Fest could work together on this part of the deal," he said.
Sharing the stage over the weekend with the Grammy-caliber performers already listed will be a number of bands with local and regional acclaim.
On Friday night, the Memphis Ice Breakers will open up with some heavy-hitting soul music. Dennis Edwards an the Temptations Review will follow, and Mississippi favorites The Kudzu Kings will finish off the evening.
The music will start back up late Saturday afternoon with Delta-base The Electric Mudd, followed by the high-energy bluegrass of Rollin' in the Hay and the Krackerjacks. The Doobie Brothers will headline.
The Sunday lineup for Blues in the Park is still incomplete, but already on the list are local bluesman Steve Cheseborough, Bobby Rutledge of Greenville by way of Oregon, the gospel sounds of the West Singers, and Tab Benoit, along with Mavis Staples.
Courtesy of the Greenwood Commonwealth
Greenwood, Mississippi
www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=7769570&BRD=1838&PAG=461&dept_id=104621&rfi=6