By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
Monday 15th June at the Royal Albert Hall will be a night to remember, celebrating the life and works of legendary blues guitarist Lead Belly.
Van Morrison, Jools Holland and Laurence Jones had already confirmed some time ago, but now a number of great new artists have joined the an ever-growing lists of acts. Billy Bragg, Eric Bibb and Walter Trout are just a small selection of musicians, that have now announced their intentions to play.
Lead Belly Fest is a tributefestival with a difference, a night dedicated to the life and works of iconic folk-blues singer, songwriter and guitarist, Lead Belly, whose ability to perform a vast repertoire of songs influenced the likes of Kurt Cobain and Led Zeppelin to name a few.
The one night only event at The Royal Albert Hall, will feature an array of attractions including a photo exhibition and original Lead Belly memorabilia (In his notebooks, Cobain listed Lead Belly’s “Last Session Vol. 1” as one of the 50 albums most influential to the formation of Nirvana’s sound)
Also performing on the night, are: Animals frontman, Eric Burdon, Paul Jones, Gwen Dickey, Dennis Locorriere, Josh White Jnr, Mick Rogers, Gemma Ray and Ruby Turner, uniting together to celebrate a night of blues classics.Throughout the evening, fans will be treated to performances celebrating Lead Belly’s musical genius, with hits such as “Goodnight, Irene,” “Rock Island Line,” “The Midnight Special,” and “Cotton Fields.”
Slim Chance, will also be performing at Lead Belly Fest. Slim Chance are Steve Simpson, guitar, mandolin, fiddle; Charlie Hart, accordion, fiddle, piano; Steve Bingham, bass and Gerraint Watkins. Formed originally by Ronnie Lane, the band are famed for their fantastic live shows. House band for the evening, Blues Inc. will perform under the direction of Mick Rogers, and Mark “Kipper” Eldridge, as Musical Director.
Lead Belly Fest will take place on Monday 15 June at The Royal Albert Hall.
Tickets on sale from now via www.leadbellyfest.com or from:
Royal Albert Hall Box Office 020 7589 8212 www.royalalberthall.com
Bookings Direct 0844 338 0000 www.BookingsDirect.com
Prices £50 – £150. Tickets are subject to booking fee.