Blind Willie McTell Festival lineup includes different sounds, including Chuck Leavell
This year marks the 31st year of the Blind Willie McTell Festival, and features all kinds of different sounds that will be making their way to Thomson-McDuffie County.
This year’s festival will be on Saturday, Sept. 6, with a free concert featuring Skyler Saufley in Historic Downtown on Friday, Sept. 5.
According to Don Powers, Saufley is originally from Alabama and is a recent inductee into the Alabama Blues Hall of Fame. Saufley also presents a distinctive style of swing and West Coast style of blues music.
He added that joining Leavell on the lineup for this year’s festival includes The Travelin’ McCourys, the Randall Bramblett Band, Chris Smither, and Monster Mike Welch.
Powers said each year they try to put together a lineup that showcases the very best musicians a festival of their size can afford.
“This year is no different,” Powers said. “There is really no theme year in and year out. Musicians, first and foremost, that the Activities Council Board enjoys listening to, and hopefully the best we can offer in American roots music.”
Powers gave many reasons as to why this was the selection of artists they went with this year.
“It’s been quite a while since Chuck Leavell played McTell Fest, first in year 13 and then again in 2009 at our 16th,” Powers told The McDuffie Progress. “Not only is he a world-class pianist, but he’s also instantly recognizable for his work with the Allman Brothers Band and, for the last few decades, as the keyboardist and musical director for the Rolling Stones. Plus, Leavell and Randall Bramblett, whose band will play a solo set as well as join Chuck for the day’s final set, have a musical relationship that goes back quite a ways, as original members of the band Sea Level. Featuring Leavell at this year’s festival felt like a great way to follow up the special lineup we had for our 30th, which included Wynton Marsalis and Thomson’s Chris Crenshaw.”
He added that they’ve been trying to include The Travelin’ McCourys for the last few years, and it hasn’t worked out until this year.
“This band is at the very top regarding bluegrass and acoustic string band music,” Powers said. “They won the 2024 IBMA’s (International Bluegrass Music Association) Entertainer of the Year as the Del McCoury Band, with their father, Del. They also won the 2024 IBMA award for Instrumental Group of the year as the Travelin’ McCourys, and they are nominated in both categories again this year as well.”
According to Powers, Chris Smither has been to the festival before and has had a strong career as a performer and songwriter. He added that Mike Welch is one of the best electric blues guitarists working, and has also visited Thomson before as a member of Sugar Ray and the Blue Tones.
The benefit of having this festival year after year is because it is another way to honor Thomson’s own Willie McTell, according to Powers.
“The afternoon of music is our way to honor Thomson’s Willie McTell, one of the 20th century’s pioneers of acoustic music in general and the 12-string guitar in particular,” said Powers. “In terms of tourism, the fest brings in visitors from near and far to Thomson-McDuffie County and is a good way to show folks our community and some good old Southern hospitality.”