Between The Lakes Blues music event coming to Jefferson City
September 16, 2022

Jefferson City to welcome legendary blues artist, Wayne Baker Brooks for Blues Between the Lakes kickoff event

Wayne Baker Brooks. Image courtesy of Jefferson City Tourism

JEFFERSON CITY, TN -- Sounds of the Blues are coming to Jefferson City at the historic Mossy Creek Station. The event featuring internationally touring artist, Wayne Baker Brooks will be the start of a new music festival that is planned to take place annually in Jefferson County, TN hosting some of the top names in Blues Music today.

Beginning at 5:00 P.M., Saturday, October 7, 2022, at the Mossy Creek Station Venue located in historic Downtown Jefferson City, Blues Between the Lakes will also feature special guest entertainment and local favorite, BBQ 865 Food Truck.

A fifteen year resident of East Tennessee, event organizer, Dan Nivinski, has a long history of working with Blues artists and festivals. He produced scores of Blues shows and festivals in Rockford, IL for over 15 years and has worked with famed Blues artists such as Lonnie Brooks, James Cotton, Son Seals, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, KoKo Taylor, Eddie Shaw and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. When asked about his reasons for wanting to bring a Blues festival to Jefferson County and East Tennessee, he relayed that when he saw Wayne would be performing at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena Arkansas, “I called him and he showed an interest in traveling to East Tennessee, Having arranged a dozen shows with his father, and brother near Chicago over the years, I jumped at the chance to do a show with Wayne’s band here in Jefferson County.”

Blues music runs deep in Wayne’s family. His father is world-renowned Blues artist Lonnie Brooks, who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2010 with Bonnie Raitt and W.C. Handy, and his brother, Ronnie Baker Brooks is also an acclaimed Blues artist. Wayne follows in his father’s legacy of remarkable music, performing internationally at many top Blues venues and festivals, carrying with him the soulful sound unique to Blues itself. His sound flows between gospel blues and soul, to the electric blues made famous in Chicago, his hometown. Wayne's entire life has revolved around the Blues and his sound is nothing but authentic. In fact Wayne states, “I actually co-authored the book on the Blues, Blues for Dummies”.

Historically, Blues has a great connection to Tennessee, particularly Memphis, which is the home of the Blues Foundation and Museum. Many famous Blues artists began their careers in Memphis with their “Memphis Blues” and went on to perform on Beale Street. The “Father of Blues,” W.C. Handy published the song “The Memphis Blues,” marking Tennessee’s influence in the Blues world. Now, we revel in our connection to the history of Blues and celebrate with a festival of the sound here in East Tennessee, the home of so many music genres.

“We’re thrilled to have such a distinguished Blues artist like Wayne Baker Brooks here in Jefferson City, and we’re looking forward to watching the Blues Between the Lakes Festival grow into an annually longstanding festival,” says Lauren Hurdle, Jefferson County Tourism Director.

The event is sponsored in part by Visit Jefferson County Tourism Department, The Smoky Mountain Blues Society, Smoky Mountain Grip and Lighting, Mossy Creek Financial, Twilight Contracting Corp., and Mossy Creek Roasting Company. Mark Havely of Porta Party will provide sound and backline.

Visit the festival’s website, BluesBetweenTheLakes.com for more information on special guest appearances and additional event information. For information on sponsorship opportunities contact Richard Hall, richard.financial@psmail.net.