The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
BISBEE — The streets and alleyways of Old Bisbee were crowded with people, vendors and, most importantly, music as the city hosted the 4th Annual Bisbee Blues Fest on Saturday.
Blues musicians from all over the Southwest converged on three stages to entertain more than 1,000 people. Dancing and high spirits were the order of the day, despite sporadic light rainfall and limited parking that forced out-of-towners to park along the highway in mile-long stretches.
“This is probably the biggest event we’ve had in 40 years,” said Renee Rikshiem, chair of the Bisbee Arts Commission, which presented the event along with Old Bisbee Music LLC.
Melanie Greene, the staff liaison for the Bisbee Arts Commission, said that since the festival was produced and set up by local businesses, which makes its success that much sweeter.
  
|
“There’s an enthusiasm,” Greene said, “because we’re doing this within our community for our community.”
From marketing to logistics, everything was handled by Bisbee residents.
“We have a core of 100 volunteers here,” she said.
With bands and musicians ranging from local Bisbee acts such as Train Wreck, Tucson favorite Tom Walbank and the Grammy-nominated, Austin-based Doyle Bramhall, the small Arizona town was the capital of the blues world for one day.
Even with the eclectic and accomplished lineup, few artists at the event, or in the country for that matter, can come close to the lifetime of musical experience of “Big” Pete Pearson.
“This will be my 64th year on stage,” Pearson said. “Music is my life.”
Currently fronting the Rhythm Room All-Stars in Phoenix, Pearson has been playing music since he was 9 years old and has crossed paths with some of the biggest names in blues.
“I’ve worked with B.B., I’ve worked with Ray Charles, Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker,” he said, giving the impression the list could go one much longer. “It made my life in music wonderful.”
Even in his 70s, Pearson hasn’t slowed down, traveling to countries all over the world to sing the blues.
“I think it’s next Wednesday we’re going to Berlin for a festival there,” he said.
Just another notch in the belt of a man who has played for well over a million people, from the smallest bars to crowds of 340,000 in Mexico City.
“I couldn’t believe it. We were playing in what looked like this little village in this canyon. They had took, I guess, picks and shovels, and they carved out seats in the side of the mountain,” Pearson said. “I’d never seen that many people in all my life.
The blues fest marked his first visit to Bisbee.
Though not quite as numerous as Mexico City, blues fans were out in force in Bisbee, including Dick Alrich of Sierra Vista.
“One of the people I work with told me that they were having a festival here this weekend, so I though I’d come out and give it a try,” Alrich said. “Wise decision.”
Sitting in the stands of the city park, enjoying the music, Alrich explained his attraction to the blues.
“It’s got to be the feeling of the music,” he said. “It kind of touches the soul.”
The people in the streets of Bisbee seemed to feel the same way.
People played Frisbee from balconies, live music poured out of the bars, vendors gathered in the streets, and people listened to the music.
HERALD/REVIEW reporter Derek Jordan can be reached at 515-4680 or by e-mail at derek.jordan@svherald.com.
Jack ORoses wrote on Oct 1, 2008 7:29 PM:
Jack O'Roses "