Headliners Announced for the 2019 Chicago Blues Festival

The full schedule will be announced later this Spring but here are the headliners that will appear at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

Friday, June 7, 11am–9pm

Charlie Musselwhite will be joined by Bill Boy Arnold. The famed harp player has jammed on stage with all the greats. Shortly before winning the GRAMMY® Award for Best Blues Album for their collaboration Get Up!, he and Ben Harper played at the White House for President Obama and the First Lady, in a salute to Memphis soul.

The Jimmy Johnson Blues Band with special guest Rico McFarland will mark Mr. Johnson’s 90th birthday.

Bobby Rush will headline the night. The GRAMMY® Award-winning artist was named by Rolling Stone "The King of the Chitlin' Circuit" for his vigorous touring schedule and energetic show.

Saturday, June 8, 11am–9pm

Latimore, the R&B singer, songwriter, pianist and Blues Hall of Famer will kick off the stage.

Don Bryant will take the stage. Bryant started his career as a gospel music artist at an early age and found soul at Hi Records in Memphis, TN. Most recently, he was invited to perform with the Memphis-based soul homage outfit The Bo-Keys.

Bettye LaVette, the award-winning and legendary soul artist will headline. One of very few of her contemporaries who were recording during the birth of soul music in the 60s, LaVette is still creating vital recordings today.

Sunday, June 9, 11am–9pm

Larkin Poe, the American roots sister duo poised to make their mark with the 2018 release of Venom & Faith, will take the stage.

A special tribute set for the late Mike Ledbetter will be performed by blues guitarist Mike Welch, bandmates and friends. Ledbetter had been invited to perform at this year’s festival with the Welch–Ledbetter Connection before his untimely death in January.

Ruthie Foster will headline the closing night. The award-winning artist's latest artist's latest album Joy Comes Back, described as “some folk, some blues, some soul, some rock, some gospel,” illustrates Ruthie’s genre-spanning talent.The full festival schedule will be announced later this spring.