The Sarasota Blues Fest is an annual music festival held at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. In addition to all day live entertainment, the festival has vendors selling a wide array of food, drink and crafts.
The 22nd annual Sarasota Blues and Music Festival will be held September 29, 2012 at the Ed Smith Stadium Complex. This year's event will feature six national artists starting with headliner, Delbert McClinton, and he'll be joined by Ana Popovic, Curtis Salgado, Paul Thorn, Royal Southern Brotherhood (super group made up of Mike Zito, Cyril Neville, Devon Allman, Yonrico Scott and Charlie Wooten) and prodigy act, Pett Crow.
The Sarasota Blues Fest was started in 1991 by the Sarasota Blues Society. They went bankrupt in 1992. Concert producer Barbara Strauss took over the Sarasota Blues Fest in 1993. The festival is now incorporated by Strauss's company, Sovereign Ventures, Inc. The festival was originally held at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds but moved to Ed Smith Stadium Complex in 2006. In 2011 The Sarasota Blues Fest and all rights to the name and property was purchased by ExtremeTix Inc., a Houston based Ticketing Solutions and Event Services company.
Partial proceeds from the event go to a charity. Past recipients of donations have included United Cerebral Palsy, Police Athletic League Sailor Circus Capital Campaign, United Way, Florida Center for Child and Family Development & All Faiths Food Bank.
1993 - Pinetop Perkins, James Cotton, Derek Trucks, Chris Anderson1994 - Gregg Allman & Friends, Junior Wells, Michael Farris, Twinkle, Lil' Ed & The Blues Emperials1995 - Buddy Guy, Chris Duarte, Sandra Hall, Josh Smith1996 - Dr. John, Tab Benoit, Lady Bianca, Lucky Peterson, Floyd Miles, Sean Chambers1997 - The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Tinsley Ellis, Bill Wharton "The Sauce Boss"1998 - Jimmie Vaughan, Gregg Allman, Derek Trucks, Bernard Allison, Mary Cutrofello1999 - Booker T & the MG's, Deborah Coleman, Henry "Son" Seals, Bryan Lee, Steven Seagal w/Dickie Betts & Lee Sklyr2000 - Gregg Allman & Friends, Lonnie Brooks, E.C. Scott, Walter Trout & The Free Radicals2001 - Delbert McClinton, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Hubert Sumlin, Liz Manville Greeson, Walter Smith2002 - Jeff Healey Band, Little Milton, Eric Sardinas, Kelly Richie Band, Gibbs Brothers2003 - Solomon Burke, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Coco Montoya, Eric Steckel Band, Delta Moon2004 - Ike Turner & Kings of Rhythm, Radiators, Larry McCray, Nick Curran & The Nitelifes, Robin Thrush2005 - Delbert McClinton, Shemekia Copeland, Sonny Landreth, The Lee Boys, Reggie Sears2006 - Gregg Allman, Magic Slim & The Teardrops, Maria Muldaur, Devon Allman, Jamie Eubanks2007 - Buddy Guy, Oteil & the Peacemakers, Zac Harmon, Mighty Lester, Conrad Oberg2008 - Bobby Rush, Bob Margolin & Diunna Greenleaf, JJ Grey & MOFRO, Jason Ricci, Wyatt Garey2009 - Little Feat, Duke Robillard, Larry McCray, Bruce Katz, Floyd Miles, Mojo Myles, Fogts Junior Allstars2010 - Elvin Bishop Band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Tommy Castro, Moreland & Arbuckle, Jake Haldenwang2011 - Los Lobos Band, Ryan Shaw, Shaun Murphy, Lightnin' Malcolm, Selwyn Birchwood Band, Mike Imbasciani with Special Guest Alex Shaw