-Abbey From Luckenbach, Fan Reporter #002

Luckenbach Texas held their 2nd Annual Blues Festival on Saturday January 31st, 2009. It was a perfect Luckenbach event. Advance ticket sales were really strong this year in anticipation of an All-Star Blues line up including Grammy Award winning Pinetop Perkins. Dressed to the nine’s in his red top hat, long smoking jacket and shiny platinum red shoes, Pinetop did not disappoint. At 94 years of age, he smiles, he laughs, he hugs, he takes 4 sugars, 2 creams and a bit of decaf to wash it down...

The show started at 2pm in the Legendary Dance Hall. Texas Hill Country bluesman, Rev Ben Beckendorf, set the tone for the day: hard and loud. Local musicians combined to form the Bona-Fide Blues Band. Shelley King, Texas’ reigning state musician, belted out soulful tunes as only she can do. The crowd loves Shelley. Clay McClinton gave us a Texas Blues edge and kept the house rockin’. My good friend Danny Brooks from Toronto, Canada took everyone down a notch with an incredible solo performance and surprised even the biggest blues snobs. Yes, Canada embraces the Blues, equal to any Chicago house or Mississippi Delta crib.

Seth Walker: "When Pinetop Perkins is your biggest fan, you have to be doing something right." Seth does it right...every time. I booked Seth a year prior to this event because I knew everyone would embrace his “different-kind-of-blues.” Pinetop took the stage at 9:30pm. I was told Pinetop would only play for 30 minutes. At 94, I’m taking what I can get. Pinetop played for 50 minutes. He had so much fun. The crowd was going wild...dancing, screaming, cameras flashing. I had chill bumps. Backstage, someone asked Pinetop if he had ever played Luckenbach before, he replied “No, but I played with Muddy Waters." Here’s to you Pinetop “Willie” Perkins...now you’ve done both!

The Luckenbach Blues Festival is held every year the last Saturday of January. Check out our website for next years information.

Everybody’s Somebody in Luckenbach Texas. 

Miles of smiles and music,

Abbey