Lionel Young will headline this year's Bessie Smith Strut.Lionel Young, a fiddle-playing bluesman, will headline this year's Bessie Smith Strut, June 11, as part of the Riverbend Festival.
He will play on the main stage outside the Bessie Smith Cultural Center with Ike Stubblefield at 5:30 p.m., according to talent and production coordinator Joe "Dixie" Fuller.
Stage III, on M.L. King Boulevard under the railroad trestle, will feature Hadden Sayers, followed by Joe Louis Walker.
An after-party will take place at Track 29 featuring Dawes with Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek opening. Dawes opened the 2011 Nightfall Concert Series and was one of the first acts booked at Track 29, which opened in September.
Track 29 co-owner Adam Kinsey said he wanted to partner with Riverbend, and the strut seemed like the best option.
"We have a mural of Bessie Smith on our wall at the venue," he said. "And it's my favorite part of Riverbend, and we
really wanted to work with them on something."
Some details, such as if there will be discounted pricing for fans with Riverbend pins, are still being worked out.
Lionel Young is a classically trained violin player. The Lionel Young Band won the 2011 International Blues Classic band competition. He took top prize in the solo category in 2008.
Ike Stubblefield's resume includes stints with B.B. King, Ike and Tina Turner, Al Green, Eric Clapton, The Jerry Garcia Band and The Pointer Sisters.
"He's been here playing with other people, but this will be his first time here with his own band," said Jeff Styles, assistant production and talent coordinator for Riverbend.
Walker, who was scheduled to appear on "Conan" Monday night on TBS, earned five nominations, including Album of the Year and Instrumentalist-Guitar of the Year at last year's Blues Music Awards.
Sayers' "Back to the Blues" was nominated this year for Song of the Year.
Previously announced Riverbend acts include Foreigner; Lauren Alaina; The Band Perry; The Happy Together Tour featuring Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, The Turtles featuring Flo and Eddie, The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams and Gary Puckett and The Union Gap; Eric Church; and Foghat.
The festival is scheduled for June 8-16.