Brownsville Blues Festival approaches, continuing a lively legacy

The Brownsville Blues Festival in Brownsville, which began around 1994, continues to be a vibrant celebration of blues music. Before the festival’s inception, Stevie Ray Vaughan, a blues icon, died in 1990.

Clay Thompson, who started the festival with his wife, related to Vaughan’s songs. You see, Vaughan achieved sobriety after struggling with addiction, and Thompson himself used to be quite the drinker.

“I was listening a lot to his music, and it inspired me because I knew I wasn’t the only one who went through that,” Thompson said.

Around the time of Vaughan’s death, Thompson became sober. Thompson explained that when he was pretty down and out, he would repeatedly listen to Vaughan’s “In Step” album. The title “In Step” can be seen as referring to Vaughan's sobriety.

“I knew that I couldn’t go back. I had to go forward,” Thompson said.

According to Thompson, the blues are about when something bad happens to you, and you get through it.

“You look at it from the other side now, and it’s a reason for celebration,” Thompson said. “You made it through.”

Notably, flyers for the coming Brownsville Blues Festival feature a sketch of Vaughan. According to organizers, the Brownsville Blues Festival will occur this year from noon until dusk on Sept. 1 at the Ponderosa Park Amphitheater in Brownsville. The Ponderosa Park Amphitheater is outdoors and it is all shady and lush; the ponderosa pines are serene – the fest is like a fun picnic, and there are food and craft vendors that will add to the event’s energy.

In terms of the value of this festival, Vaughan noted that with the coming election, he sees division, but this is a chance for folks to come together.

“I just see a line right down the middle and I want to get past that line. I want everybody to come together. … And let all that stuff go and just have fun,” Thompson said. “When the kids see the parents dancing to the music, that’s what inspires me.”

Kids have even grown up with this festival, he said, now bringing their own children.

“They tell me, wow, I remember when I was a little kid and I saw everybody dancing – it meant so much to me, the balloons and the tie dye and everything,” Thompson said. “I’m trying to run the show the same way as when we started.”

From Oakland, Willie G, with his tremendous horn section, will play at the festival; he is a crowd favorite and is considered a mainstay at the annual event.

“He plays the old-school R&B, blues, and a little bit of gospel (and soul). And Willie’s a big, tall guy, he’s about 6 foot 5 or so, and he wears a big top hat, and he dresses real flashy. And he goes out into the audience, you know, with his microphone and really gets close and gets in touch with the audience,” Thompson said. ”He’s a showman and he’s got a monster band behind him.”

Also from Oakland, Michael Skinner and the Final Touch Band are expected to shine at the show. They are legit, Thompson said. They know a thing or two about the blues.

“It’s a good opportunity for people to listen to music they wouldn’t normally be able to hear up here,” Thompson said.

Then, from the Nevada City and Grass Valley area, the event will feature the Banner Mountain Blues Band and the JB Eckl Band.

Thompson said that the Banner Mountain Blues Band sort of fashions their music around Vaughan, so they are a natural for him. Then the JB Eckl Band also hits the spot.

“Boy are they good. I was very lucky to get them,” Thompson said.

Andrew Little will also play; Thompson said he is a younger musician.

“Which is young in the blues, and he’s a very good guitar player,” Thompson said. “I go to all these nightclubs, and I go all over the place finding these guys. And when I hear something I like, I try to recruit them, you know. And so, and Andrew’s one that I see potential in. He’s probably going to be famous.”

Tickets are available for purchase at the event for $25 per person, and for children 12 and under, the event is free.

The Ponderosa Park Amphitheater is located at 17103 Ponderosa Way in Brownsville.

This event is sponsored by Brownsville Farmers Market, Gold Eagle Market, Browns Valley 76 Station and Christopher Hayhoe Real Estate.