Blues Festival enjoys success

Bean Blossom, Ind., is known for the annual bluegrass festival that takes place at the Bill Monroe Campground and Music Park.\nBut John Hall hopes his fledgling creation, the Bean Blossom Blues Fest, will become synonymous with the tiny town as well. He said the popularity of the 34-year-old bluegrass festival has given the relatively young blues event a boost.\n"It's really helped us," Hall said. "We get to ride on the coattails of their history."\nThe blues fest was first held in 1999, and Hall said attendance at last year's event was three times greater than the debut of the festival. He expects attendance to triple again this year, with 5,000 projected to turn out for the three-day event that begins tonight.\nThis year's festival features two headliners. Tonight's big name is guitarist Walter Trout, who was recently named the sixth-best guitar player of all-time in a poll conducted by BBC Radio. Although Trout is extremely popular in Britain, Hall said it's somewhat of a mystery why he remains relatively unknown in the United States.\n"We're really excited to have him," Hall said. "To be named sixth-best guitarist ever, behind only guys like Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, that really says something. When he's on stage, he acts like he's on fire. People are going to be at the show with their chins on the ground watching him."\nTrout and his band, the Radicals, are touring in support of the latest album, "Go the Distance," released this year on Ruf Records.\nHarmonica legend James Cotton headlines Saturday night. Cotton, whose harp skills and raspy vocals have made him one of the most popular blues musicians in the world, has played the blues for five decades and earned three Grammys. He was named this year's recipient of the W.C. Handy Award for Best Traditional Blues Artist by the Blues Foundation.\nThe attendance of Cotton is especially pleasing for Hall, who owns the Harp Depot, a harmonica store in New Palestine, Ind.\n"For me, that will be something of a dream," he said. "(Cotton) is still at the top of his game. He's still really aggressive on stage, and he still puts on the same show that he always has."\nCotton's most recent CD, "Fire Down Under the Hill," was released last year by Telarc Records.\nIn addition to Cotton and Trout, more than 20 other blues acts will perform on two stages. Hall said a new feature of this year's festival is the second blues stage, displaying more acoustic, laid-back music.\nThe weekend will also include harmonica seminars for players of all skill levels, as well as a harp contest Saturday. Barbecue ribs and Cajun cooking will also be available throughout the festival. Fest-goers can also camp on location.\nTickets are $45 for all three days, or $20 for Friday, $25 for Saturday and $10 for Sunday. They can be purchased at the gate or by calling 1 (800) 783-7996. For details about camping, call 1(800) 414-4677. \nOn the Web\n• For more information about the festival, go to www.harpdepot.com/blues.cfm.