Steven Van Zandt Bookends Blues Music Week

Janet Macoska – Steven Van Zandt
Hard Rock Rocksino Northern Park, Northfield, Ohio.

Fans attending Blues Music Week in Memphis are sure to see Steven Van Zandt.  Not only will the E Street guitarist and his Disciples Of Soul play a special show kicking off the festivities, but he’ll also emcee the Blues Music Awards.

Presented by the Blues Foundation, Blues Music Week launches May 8.  That evening Van Zandt And The Disciples Of Soul perform at Memphis’ Minglewood Hall.  Tickets were still available at post time, including VIP soundcheck options.

The Blues Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Halloran Centre For The Performing Arts takes place May 9.  Inductees include Roebuck “Pops” Staples, drummer Sam Lay, Georgia Tom Dorsey, Chicago band The Aces, and the first “Queen Of The Blues” Mamie Smith.

But the place to hang before the induction ceremonies will be the Blues Hall Of Fame Museum to check out the new memorabilia connected to the night’s Hall Of Fame inductees, such as the harmonica that belonged to The Aces’ Louis Myers, and Sam Lay’s cape and cane.

Happening the same night as the induction ceremonies but timed to begin following the fun at the Hall Of Fame is Big LLou’s 6th annual Blues Hall Of Fame Tribute Jam & Juke Joynt Party at The Warehouse.  Set to begin at 9 p.m., the extravaganza is a fundraiser for the Blues Foundation and Generation Blues, which sends music students to blues camps or workshops.

Van Zandt returns May 10 to host the Blues Music Awards at the Memphis Cook Convention Center’s Grand Ballroom.  Little Steven was a finals judge for January’s International Blues Challenge and was so impressed with the work the Blues Foundation does to preserve and promote blues music that he volunteered to host the Blues Music Awards.

But we’re just scratching the Blues Music Week surface. Head over to Blues.org for more details.