ERIN EDGEMON, Business Editor
Posted: Sunday, August 31, 2008 8:31 am

Huddie (Lead Belly) Ledbetter

Get ready to sing the blues.

The third annual Boro Blues Fest kicks off Friday and continues Saturday at Patterson Park Community Center.

Presented by The Lead Belly Foundation, the Boro Blues Fest features blues rock guitarist Scott Holt, who formerly played with blues legend Buddy Guy.

Event Organizer Cindy Phiffer said the Boro Blues Fest was started to provide an “educational and entertaining experience” for the community.

“Our goals are to educate people on where the blues came from and how many types of blues there are,” she said. “We make an effort to present bands that represent a variety of musical types within the blues format.”

The Murfreesboro-based Lead Belly Foundation, named after blues legend Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter, has the same mission — to provide support and education to preserving Lead Belly’s style of blues and folk music.

“They have such a heart for this community and music education,” Phiffer said. “They give scholarships for music lessons for students.”

Attendance at the festival continues to grow, last year doubling over the first year, she said.

This year’s festival also will feature activities for children and food and art vendors.

The Boro Blues Fest kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 with the McCarthy Gause Elementary School Choir. The Central Middle Blues Band, DJ Singh playing Lead Belly, Jim Robinson and Jackie Simon, Miranda Louise, C.J. Vaughn & Highway 58 and Debbie Ritter & 4-40 Blues round out the evening.



Ritter, who was raised in Memphis, is an award-winning blues vocalist and will take the stage at 9 p.m.



Robinson will perform and share stories of Lead Belly’s life during his 6:30 p.m. slot.



Music will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13 with the Blackman High School Rock Band, Def Kat Music’s Blues Jam, Richard “Sweet” Waters & The Blues Boyz, Casey Clark & The Firehouse Band, The Boomers, Civil Service & Max Johns and BB Queen.



Holt closes the festival with a 9 p.m. show.



Casey Clark & The Firehouse Band and Civil Service & Max Johns feature local fire fighters, police officers and other area civil servants.



John Salaway, owner of Def Kat Music, said his blues jam slated for 3:30 p.m. will feature some of his favorite local musicians but wouldn’t disclose any names.



The jam will be freestyle and unrehearsed, spontaneous and improvisational.



“The blues is supposed to be loose and felt, instead of planned out and rehearsed and this little jam will be all about that,” Salaway said.



Phiffer said volunteers are still needed for this year’s event. Volunteers receive a free Blues Fest T-shirt and one free meal.



Overflow parking for the event is at Central Middle School. Rover, Murfreesboro’s public transit, will transport music fans to the festival.



Erin Edgemon can be reached at 869-0812 and at eedgemon@murfreesboropost.com.



Boro Blues Fest 2008

Friday, Sept. 12-Saturday, Sept. 13

Patterson Park Community Center

521 Mercury Blvd.

For more information or for a full festival schedule, visit www.borobluesfest.com.



To volunteer, contact Cindy Phiffer at 893-4117.