The sixth annual Cashville Blues Festival spotlights a lesser-publicized brand of the genre. It features artists predominantly known for soul/blues or Southern soul, styles that share the music’s flair for storytelling, dynamic lead vocals and impassioned lyrics, but whose approach de-emphasizes, if not altogether eliminates, flamboyant guitar accompaniment. That’s led to an interesting split among fans, as the audience for this idiom tends to be older, uninterested in either vintage rock ’n’ roll or contemporary rock, and predominantly, though not exclusively, African-American. While urban radio stays a million miles away from most acts like this, they maintain their popularity through specialty radio shows that in turn publicize singles and albums issued on regional labels. The best-known among Cashville Blues Festival’s five main performers is Lenny Williams, former lead singer of Tower of Power in the mid-’70s. His later-’70s solo hits have been sampled by a host of rappers, from Jay-Z and André 3000 to Scarface and Kanye West. Self-taught vocalist Sir Charles Jones was once a protégé of Marvin Sease, but has long since established himself as a potent performer, with several regional hits since 2000. Theodis Ealey might be the closest act to a conventional blues artist in terms of being both a strong singer and fierce guitarist (who, as it happens, once opened for Little Milton). Other acts on this weekend’s bill include Terry Wright and Pokey Bear, emerging stars on the Southern soul circuit. Municipal Auditorium will be the site for a great showcase for those who prefer this brand of the blues, a sound that reflects lots of influence from soul and country. RON WYNN
Cashville Blues Festival Feat. Lenny Williams, Theodis Ealey & More
