FLORENCE — It’s hot. It’s July. That means it’s Handy Fest time!
With block parties, happy hours, a car show, praise days, music in local parks, and a featured concert, this year’s W.C. Handy Festival has something for everyone all across the Shoals. The festival begins Friday and ends July 30.
Born in Florence in 1873, W.C. Handy was an internationally known composer of songs like “St. Louis Blues“. His 1912 publication of “The Memphis Blues” is considered to be the first blues songs written down as sheet music. Handy, known as the “Father of the Blues,” died in 1958 in New York.
The Handy Home and Museum is on College Street in Florence, and each July, his hometown honors the museum contributions to music with the 10-day Handy Fest featuring performances around the Shoals.
This year’s headline concert features Bobby Rush, Melvia “Chick” Rodgers, and Eric Essix. This show will be at Norton Auditorium on the University of North Alabama campus on July 28 at 7 p.m. Tickets for this special show are $30 for general admission, and $50 for VIP seating. For tickets or information, call 256-766-7642.
As a musician, composer, and singer, Rush’s style blends blues, soul, rap, funk, and spoken word. He won his first Grammy at 83, proving it’s never too late. He was on the blues circuit with Howlin’ Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Etta James, and Muddy Waters, and he wrote an autobiography chronicling his adventures called “I Ain’t Studdin’ Ya: My American Blues Story.” Rush is in the Blues Hall of Fame, Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, and Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.
The multi-talented Rodgers is a singer and actress who has performed all around the world. She will share her take on songs by Aretha Franklin and other R&B greats, plus her own original songs.
Essix, one of the most popular entertainers at the W.C. Handy Music Festival, has performed and recorded for over three decades and released 28 albums.
The Music Preservation Society, a not for profit organization, whose purpose is to preserve, promote, and present the musical heritage of the Shoals in Northwest Alabama, hosts the Handy Fest each year.
Visit this link for the full schedule of performances across the Shoals throughout the festival’s 10 days.
The W. C. Handy Music Festival has earned numerous accolades, including:
- An Alabama Top 20 Event
- Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Events for the months of July, August, September
- Geotourism MapGuide to Appalachia Featured Site
- Three-time Cultural Olympiad Regional Designee
- Southeast Tourism Top 21 Event for July
- Top 100 Event in North America
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