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Briggs Farm Blues Festival to return for 19th year; Blues Music Award winners on the bill

NESCOPECK – Briggs Farm Concerts will host the 19th annual Briggs Farm Blues Festival July 8-10 at Briggs Farm, 88 Old Berwick Highway.

Over a three days and three nights of music, the Briggs Farm Blues Festival is continuing its mission of providing the northeast with a weekend of blues music that draws an audience from all over the country and parts of the world. This year features 23 international, national and regional acts on three stages for the largest and most diverse line-up ever at Briggs Farm, featuring three 2016 Blues Music Award-winning artists.

Since its first year in 1998, the festival has been consistently attracting larger audiences with bigger and better acts with each passing year. This year has the festival expanding exponentially, with the addition of Thursday night early arrival camping, which allows the weekend to start early for campers, who in previous years would queue up the night before, regardless. Included in the early arrival camping is the new Camping Stage, featuring a special night of music only for Thursday night campers.

Additionally, 2016 will see the first Sunday Gospel Blues show on Briggs Farm, extending the weekend by another day of music. Headlining is Alexis P. Suter and The Ministers of Sound; Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots will perform a special gospel set that will showcase the exceptional talent of the entire band; and Vanessa Collier, an up-and-coming act with a smooth voice and amazing saxophone skills, also will perform. During the show, the festival will record its second album on the Briggs Farm Record Label featuring Suter, a long-time Briggs Fest performer.

Among the talent that will grace the stages this year at the festival are three 2016 Blues Music Award-winning artists: John Primer, who won for Traditional Blues Male Artist; Cedric Burnside, who won two awards for both Traditional Blues Album and Instrumentalist (Percussion); and Victor Wainwright, who won the B.B. King Entertainer award.

In addition to Primer and Burnside, headlining the Main Stage on Friday night is Nikki Hill, a soul and rock infused blues powerhouse, and the young South Carolinian virtuoso, Marcus King, who – along with his band – has received acclaim for their 2015 debut album, “Soul Insight” on Warren Hayne’s recording label, Evil Teen Records.

Saturday Night Main Stage performances include headliner Devon Allman, whose legendary family has had a huge impact on blues and rock music, a tradition Devon carries on today with his live performances; Carolyn Wonderland, with immense guitar chops and a soulful voice; four-time Blues Music Award winner Victor Wainwright and The Wildroots; and Anthony “Big A” Sherrod and the Cornlickers.

The Back Porch Stage is a place where some regional talent is able to take the stage, a variety of great musicians from all over the area are able to showcase their stuff in a relaxed atmosphere that is intimate and inviting. Among the artists on the Back Porch Stage are J.P. Biondo & Roy Williams; Miner Blues; Jimmy “Duck Holmes (Mississippi) who was the first artist on the Briggs Farm Record Label; Clarence Spady; The Marcus King Band; Anthony “Big A” Sherrod; The Michael Packer Blues Band; The Mighty Susquehanna’s; Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen; Anthony Gallucio & The Retreads; and Lonnie Shields’ Back Porch Party featuring Jesse Loewy, Ben Singleton and Leroy Hawkes.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.briggsfarm.com or call 570-379-334.

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