Gov't Mule, Gary Clark Jr., and George Thorogood and the Destroyers are headlining this summers Jazz Festival in Sioux Falls. Last year's Jazz Fest brought in over one hundred and twenty thousand people. Members of the Jazz & Blues Society believe this year's attendance could be similar.
Robert Joyce is the Executive Director of the Jazz and Blues Society in Sioux Falls. He says this year's Jazz Fest has a variety of groups and musicians to appeal to a large audience.
"We have some musicians who are large ensembles, you know nine piece, ten piece bands. We also have some trios and some smaller size groups. We have a pretty good mix between male and female, jazz and blues," Joyce says.
Joyce says the size of the crowd that comes to Jazz Fest will depend on mother nature.
"My biggest headliner is the weather and the sunshine. And if the sunshine and the weather is decent, we could see another one hundred twenty thousand people if we really work hard and make sure everybody knows at what's coming," Joyce says.
George Thorogood is one of the three headliners for this year's event. Joyce says Thorogood is a performer who can give all audience members something to relate to.
"George Thorogood, forty years touring. Even if you're not a huge blues fan, we've all heard "Bad To The Bone" or we've heard "Move It On Over." And these are cool songs that I think everybody grew up, or can remember a time when you heard that song," Joyce says.
This three day event is scheduled to run from July 17-19 and takes place at Yankton Trail Park.
