WILLIAMSPORT — The 34th Annual Billtown Blues Festival officially begins at 6 p.m., June 21. The music continues at noon, June 22, offering world class blues music from 12 performances. All festival details including ticketing options, onsite camping accommodation, a link to the festival’s host hotel in downtown Williamsport and downtown bus service details are available at www.billtownblues.org.

“There is a certain tradition in place with the Billtown Blues Festival, beginning on Friday (June 21) at 6 p.m. when the Uptown Music Collective Blues Band once again sets the vibe for the next two days,” a news release from the festival’s organizers said. “The band will deliver an energetic rousing display of blues music showcasing their UMC educational experience. The UMC has, from the beginning, included the history of and foundational impact of all modern music derived from the blues art form as part of their teaching curriculum.”

Next up on Friday, from Pittsburgh, is Soulful Femme. Although well-known across Pennsylvania and beyond as a dynamic duo, Soulful Femme will be performing in band format joined by rhythm section Ronnie Biggs and Brice Foster. Stevee Wellons on vocals and Cheryl Rinovato, guitar, are the principals, each with individual impressive resumes, according to the news release. As often happens in the blues community, the two met at a blues society function, went on to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, which has set the stage for their continued success both performing and recording.

Their newest release, Attitude, was produced by Albert Castiglia.

“Soulful Femme is a unique act,” world-renowned Tommy Castro said, according to the news release. “Cheryl’s guitar style compliments Stevee’s voice, their songs are well crafted and I’m a FAN!”

Returning to Billtown is Tas Cru from “way up” in New York State.

“Tas is part of the Billtown family, having performed twice before and participating in two Master Classes for the Uptown Music Collective students,” the news release said. “When presented with an offer to return in 2024, Tas responded with ‘I’m thrilled!’ Tas is a past ‘KBA’ (Keeping the Blues Award), recipient presented by the Blues Foundation in the education category. Tas has offered years of service teaching and helping others learn about the blues art form.”

He has generated five releases in the past seven years with “Riffin’ The Blue” his latest.

“Closing Friday night will be the flamboyant, effervescent, roof shaking, fasten your seatbelts! Annika Chambers and Paul Deslauriers,” the news release said. “Annika and Paul look back to Memphis, Tenn., and the International Blues Challenge in 2018 when they first met. Not only did their music click – but ‘they’ clicked and eventually married. Annika is a Houston, Texas, native and two-time (2019 and 2022) Blues Music award winner for Female Soul Blues. Her ‘Kiss My Sass’ release garnered a debut on the Billboard Blues chart. Canada native, Paul is a multiple Maple Leaf awarded artist: Entertainer of the Year, Electric Band, Solo Artist, Guitarist – to mention just a few of his honors. Paul took second place in 2016 at the IBC’s in Memphis.”

Saturday’s first two performance sets are saved for the BBA’s own IBC local challenge, to be held March 9 at the Pajama Factory. The winners, as judged by a slate of BBA members in the band category and the solo/duo category are guaranteed to perform in the Billtown Blues Festival. Both winners become eligible to compete in the prestigious International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January of 2025.

The 2023 IBC winner, Houston-based Mathias Lattin will follow.

“Mathias came home from the IBC’s not only as the overall band winner, but also honored by the panel of industry professionals with the Gibson Guitar Award,” the news release said. “Mathias at just 20 years old, is perhaps the youngest winner in IBC history for both awards. After two attempts prior at the IBC’s with the Keesha Pratt Band in 2018 and Brazilian bluesman Chris Crochemore in 2022, stepping up as frontman with his own band in 2023 was the ticket for success.”

Music was not necessarily a no-brainer for Mathias, being the grandson of NBA Hall of Famer David “Big Daddy” Lattin. He has the stature and drive, but, instead chose a path of music, educated at the Kinder High School of Performing and Visual Arts.

Duke Robillard, who follows Lattin on the stage, along with Al Copley were both drawn to the early “jump blues” sound of the 40’s and 50’s and formed the legendary Roomful of Blues. Soon they assembled a horn section which created the famous “Roomful Sound.” They drew in elder fans already familiar with the heavy horn driven sound, but also exposed their own generation and younger to the “big band” sound – which was all about dancing. Quickly becoming New England legends, the Rhode Island-based musicians went world-wide in short order. Duke led this powerhouse band for the next 12 years. Roomful is responsible for spawning the careers of many early band members including Greg Piccolo, Ronnie Earl and Curtis Salgado, to mention a few.

New Orleans based Jason Ricci will return after just two years to the Billtown Blues Fest stage.

“Ricci is at the top of his game and at the top of the list of world class masters of the blues harmonica,” the news release said. “After hearing the power of his latest release ‘Beyond the Veil’ along with Billtown festival fan requests another live Billtown festival stage performance was in the making. Reading the biography of Jason Ricci is an amazing read. From growing up in Portland, Maine, he went wherever he needed to go to find and learn from his idols and soon to be mentors. Despite challenges galore, countless hurdles to overcome, but always rooted in his music, Ricci has shown incredible strength, endurance and wisdom.”

His current band, The Bad Kind, tours world-wide, with Ricci also offering support to New Orleans B3 master Joe Krown, Kenny Wayne Shepard and JP Soars’s The Gypsy Blues Revue when called upon. Joining Ricci on this third trip to Billtown will be Kaitlin Dibble, singer, songwriter, guitarist and Jason’s wife.

Alligator Records recording artist Carolyn Wonderland will be making her first trek to Billtown. The Texas guitar slinger and vocalist has stepped out on her own after three years with John Mayall joining the impressive palette of others who served that coveted role: Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, Walter Trout and Coco Montoya, according to the news release. Her personal recording catalog includes 10 self-produced releases and four produced by multiple Grammy winner Ray Benson from Asleep at the Wheel. Her Alligator release, Tempting Fate, was produced by Americana icon Dave Alvin.

“Her spine-chilling, soul-deep singing matches her guitar prowess note for note,” a statement from Alligator Records says. “And she has a knack for writing songs that sound like instant classics.”

Her journey to Alligator slates Carolyn as the only guitar-lead female band leader among Alligator Records’ over 50 years of signings.

“As our luck would have it, Greensboro, North Carolina’s Bob Margolin will be in the Northeast the week before the Billtown Blues Festival while performing with The Weight Band,” the news release said. “There are multiple variations to this story, but…. with Muddy Waters in a pinch for an immediate guitar replacement in 1973, someone introduced him to Bob Margolin. Little did Muddy know that Bob had studied his music as part of his self-education of the blues. When the interview happened, it included a few tonally perfect, well-placed notes and Bob landed the job. He played with Muddy around the world for the next 7 years. Bob soaked in every note, every nuance of Muddy’s technique. Infused with Bob’s own style, Margolin delivers a spirited, heart-felt performance. You can sense the reverence he still holds today for the precious time spent with Muddy Waters 50 years ago. One will hear the closest living sound today of Muddy Water classics as well as Bob’s own material as a clever and gifted song writer. Along the way, in 1976, when The Band’s Last Waltz was created and Muddy Waters was invited to join, Muddy chose Bob Margolin to be by his side. While there Bob also joined in with The Band and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Today, various incarnations of The Last Waltz tours, world-wide as well as The Last Waltz film feature Bob Margolin. Bob is proud to say he plays every song on the Gibson archtop guitar he played next to Muddy in the original Last Waltz. It is fitting that Bob celebrates his 50th year with his Vizztone Label release titled simply ‘Thanks!’ ”

Backing Margolin, from Birmingham, Alabama, is Skylar Saufley and his band. Margolin speaks of Saufley and his band as a unit who knows just what to do. Approaching the blues with a “less is more” simplicity allowing the music to tell the story, the news release said.

Closing the festival on Saturday is Bywater Call. This seven-piece monster band from Toronto Canada first traveled south of the border in 2022. Relatively new-comers to blues audiences, formed in 2017, the group has carved deep waves world-wide, both from their hi-energy performances as well as their stellar recordings, according to the news release. The band’s mission is to leave behind an exciting, powerful, and moving experience for all listeners of their music. Meghan Parnell (vocals) and Dave Barnes (guitar) are the driving force behind what is labeled Southern Soul, Roots Rock. Despite their short tenure the band has multiple Maple Blues and Independent Blues nominations under their belt. During a main-stage performance at the Moulin Blues Festival, word spread throughout Europe with immediate calls for return performances. Various European media tag Meghan as one of the best singers in blues and roots today. Rounding out the band are Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel (bass), John Kervin (keys), Stephen Dyte (trumpet) and Julian Nalli (tenor sax). Blues Magazine says, “the powerhouse voice of Meghan Parnell and the slide guitar mastery of Dave Barnes form the basis of Bywater Call.

Music gates for campers and music only attendees open at 5 p.m. on Friday. With music starting at 6 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Saturday gates open at 11 a.m. with music from noon to 10:30 p.m. The festival’s host hotel is the Genetti Hotel in downtown Williamsport offering special festival lodging rates. Bus service is also offered between the Genetti to and from the Festival on both days.

Tickets are on sale now with discounted “early bird” pricing until March 9. All ticketing, (credit card and by check), general festival and onsite camping information is available at www.billtownblues.org. Local ticket outlets for cash sales will open May 1.