Kudos to Bobby Rush for winning three Blues Music Awards (formerly known as the WC Handy awards) this past May. Bobby was recognized as Best Soul Blues Male Artist, Best Acoustic Artist and for Best Acoustic Album. We are thrilled to have Bobby as one of our headliners at Winthrop this year.

The music world mourns the loss of Rock 'n' Roll icon and Hall of Famer BO DIDDLEY.
Mr. Diddley passed away Monday June 2, 2008 surrounded by loved ones after months of ill health. Winthrop Blues Festival had the privilege of hosting Mr. Diddley in 1994.

Headliners for 2008 include:
ELVIN BISHOP
BOBBY RUSH
THE BLASTERS
ROSIE LEDET
TOO SLIM & THE TAILDRAGGERS
TERRY EVANS
and NW PIANORAMA

July 18th, 19th, and 20th 2008


CONGRATULATIONS to the Red Hot Blues Sisters voted BEST BLUES BAND and Suze Sims of the Red Hotz voted BEST BLUES PERFORMER of the Year by the Washington Blues Society. Check 'em out at our Friday night street dance and Saturday center stage. Congrats to Polly Okeary, voted BEST FEMALE BLUES VOCALIST & BEST BLUES SONGWRITER. Polly will again be hosting our nightly jam sessions & performining center stage on Sunday. And congratulations to Ms. Rhea Rolfe for receiving the prestigious KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE Award...Rhea is Winthrop's volunteer coordinator. Finally, congrats to photographer Tom Hunnewell for his BB Award win for BEST BLUES IMAGE. We are honored to have all of you as part of our Winthrop family


Members of WMA board accepting the award for Best Blues Event at the Inland Empire Awards

Located at the Blues Ranch on the Methow River in the resort town of Winthrop, Washington, the Winthrop Blues Festival is a three-day event packed full of exciting national and regional entertainment for all ages. There is on site camping, food and craft vendors, portable showers, and a beer garden. The Blues Ranch is the perfect setting for one of Washington's greatest blues festivals. The Winthrop Blues Festival is the largest and longest running festival in the state of Washington. Over seventy thousand people have attended this event in the past twenty years. Past festivals have featured such national artists Bo Diddley, Susan Tedeschi, Koko Taylor, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tower of Power, Delbert McClinton, Elvin Bishop, Little Milton, Tommy Castro, Eric Burdon, Charlie Musselwhite, and many others. The festival has rightfully become a destination event with fans traveling from all over the world to enjoy and celebrate the Blues.

This year's festival is scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 18, 19, 20, 2008. We will again kick off with a Mardi Gras style street dance in downtown Winthrop Friday night. The live music then moves back to the beer garden at the Blues Ranch for a rocking jam session until 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday's music begins at 11 a.m. and ends each night with electrifying blues jam sessions in the beer garden. A state of the art P.A. and lighting system will be provided to ensure the very best sound and entertainment.

The Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival is brought to you by Winthrop Music Association (WMA) , a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All board members and volunteer staff pride themselves in providing the very finest in rhythm & blues entertainment each year. We look forward to another great year and hope to see YOU at the 21st Annual 2008 Winthrop Rhythm and Blues Festival!!

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The Winthrop Music Association is a
Blues Foundation Affiliate Member