Boogie N' Blues Festival Lineup 2026

• 2026 UK Blues Awards Winner, Instrumentalist of the Year. • 2025 winner HRH Lord of the Blues Award. Will Wilde is a force to be reckoned with - a phenomenal harmonica player with a voice to match. His intense harmonica style steals the spotlight from the traditional blues rock guitar, with a sound that owes as much to Gary Moore as it does to Sonny Boy Williamson. Will won the HRH 'Lords Of Blues' award in 2025 and was nominated " Instrumentalist of the Year" and "Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year" in the UK Blues Awards. His latest album 'Blues Is Still Alive' reached number one on the IBBA (Independent Blues Broadcasters Association) Chart and number five on the UK's Official Jazz & Blues Album Chart. "The best harmonica player on the planet!" -Walter Trout

• 2020 American Idol Top 10 Finalist. • 2025 2X Blues Blast Magazine Award Nominee. Five years before he dazzled millions of viewers on American Idol with his bayou mystique, his humility, and his distinctive gravelly vocals, lifelong musician Jovin Webb was on the verge of giving up on his music career dreams. Bringing Louisiana soul to the famed talent show franchise proved to be a career reset. Today, the Baton Rouge-based artist steps forward with his raw and emotive debut album, Drifter. The 12-song collection is a vibrant mix of Jovin’s wailing harmonica, heartfelt soul ballads, and Little Richards-style rock ‘n’ roll. Drifter was produced by multi-Grammy winning producer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram).

• 2026 American BMA International Blues Album of the Year Nominee for "Not Defeated". • 8X 2026 Canadian BMA Nominee, including Female Blues Vocalist. Coming from Canada, Juno award winning artist Angelique Francis is a multi-talented multi-instrumentalist winner of multiple Maple Blues Awards. Francis is serious star power. She plays the audience like a revivalist preacher. Her smoky vocals evoking shades of Bessie Smith and Muddy Waters are reminiscent of a bygone era.

• 2024 Grammy Nominee. • #1 Billboard Blues Artist. Cummings latest album, STRONG, hit number one on the blues charts in 2024 and is currently nominated for several Grammy awards. Drawing inspiration from blues legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King, Cummings blends traditional blues with a modern edge. His powerful performances and impressive technique have earned him a dedicated following of blues enthusiasts around the world. Known for his fiery guitar solos and emotionally charged vocals, Cummings has become a dynamic force in contemporary blues, captivating listeners with his ability to connect deeply with his audience through both his music and his storytelling.

• 2023 Blues Challenge Winner, Best Band, Best Guitar. Mathias Lattin won the 2023 International Blues Challenge and Best Guitarist at the tender of 20-years old; conceivably making him the youngest to win both. The grandson of NBA Hall of Famer, David "Big Daddy" Lattin, he displays his talent on the stage not the basketball court. He is a 2020 graduate of Houston’s acclaimed Kinder High School of Performing and Visual Arts. He began his foray into the Houston Blues scene when he was 12 years old. Jonn Del Toro Richardson invited him to attend the weekly Blues jam he hosted at The Big Easy. He garnered national attention when he joined the Keeshea Pratt Band (IBC 2018) in 2020. After touring with the Keeshea Pratt Band and joining Brazilian Bluesman Cris Crochemore for the 2022 IBC, Mathias decided to take a shot at the IBC as front man. UP NEXT is the debut release of the emerging Texas musician. He wrote and produced the project which displays some of Lattin’s musical influences. The wealth and breadth of great music/musicians in the Houston music scene had a major impact on the 21-year-old Lattin. UP NEXT is proof that the music is alive and in capable hands.

• 2008 Boston Blues Awards. • 2014 Independent Music Awards Winner. Winning awards and playing to sold out shows across New England and beyond, the Boston based Delta Generators have made quite a name for themselves since hitting the scene in 2008. The band is comprised of front man, Brian Templeton (vox, harp and acoustic guitar). Brian also currently is the singer for the blues all-star band, The Proven Ones with Kid Ramos, Willie J. Campbell, Jimi Bott and Anthony Geraci. Brothers, Charlie O’Neal (guitar) and Rick O’Neal (bass). Rick and Charlie got their first break in their late teens to early twenties touring and recording for Ben Orr. Rick also recorded and toured playing for guitarist Johnny A. for many years. Charlie also plays for Anthony Geraci and played for the band Must who had a top 10 song in the Billboard Rock Charts, toured with such acts as Aerosmith, Stone Temple Pilots, INXS. Jeff Armstrong (drums) who also currently plays for Anthony Geraci and the Boston Blues All-Stars. Together the Delta Generators have blended the best of their best to bring their fans an unforgettable musical experience. Since their inception in 2008 the Delta Generators have won awards, nominations and accolades across the country. In 2008 they won the Boston Blues Society Challenge and in 2009 were a top 10 finalists in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN. They have been nominated for the Boston Music Awards, IBC (best self-produced album) and New England Music Awards (Best Blues Band). Their first album, Devil In the Rhythm, won the Vox Populi category at the Independent Music Awards, and Worcester Magazine named them Best Blues Band. They have also shared the stage with a host of Blues legends including Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughn, Walter Trout, Sonny Landreth, John Lee Hooker Jr, Johnny Winter, Three Dog Night and many more.

• 2026 BMA nominee for Soul Blues Female Artist. Chambers DesLauriers embodies love, resilience, and the stirring power of blues, soul, and rock ‘n roll. Fronted by the magnetic duo Annika Chambers and Paul DesLauriers. Annika has cemented her place as a force to be reckoned with in the blues world, earning three Blues Music Awards for Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year (2019, 2022, 2024), with another nomination in 2025. Their love story began in 2018 during a busy music conference in Memphis, TN, in a jam-packed lobby at the Orpheum Theatre, " we immediately locked eyes," Annika muses simply about their first magical meeting. But they wouldn’t cross paths again for another year. A whirlwind romance, quick engagement, and marriage followed, and now, six years later, their love continues to shine—on stage and off. Their new album, Our Time to Ride, was recorded at Studio MixArt in Montreal by producer Eric Corne (John Mayall, Sugaray Rayford, Joe Louis Walker), with further recording at Eric’s Forty Below Studios in L.A. and Sound Arts in Houston, TX. Rounding out their sound is their touring rhythm section, Gary Davenport on bass and Sly Coulombe on drums. Keyboard duties were handled by Sasha Smith and Jesse O’Brien, horns by Mark Pender and David Ralicke, and background vocals by Corne and Nicoya Polar.

• 2026 BMA nominee for Instrumentalist – Guitar and Contemporary Blues Male Artist. Nominated by the Blues Music Awards in Memphis for 2021 Best Contemporary Blues Artist and Best Blues Guitarist of the Year! Nominated by the Blues Music Awards in Memphis for 2018 Blues Guitarist of the Year. Chris Cain has released his 16th album, Good Intentions Gone Bad on the prestigious Alligator Records label. Cain's debut recording, Late Night City Blues (Blue Rock'it Records-1987) garnered four W.C. Handy Blues Award nominations, including Guitarist of the Year. Dan Forte of Guitar Player wrote, "An impressive debut album by a top notch guitarist." Chris Cain offers up a soulful stew of Memphis style electric blues. His powerfully deep vocals and jazz inspired, blues guitar riffs are unforgettable; uniquely his own, while reminiscent of the legendary BB King and Albert King. As a child, Chris Cain attended concerts with his dad to hear many of the great blues artists of the time. When Cain burst onto the blues scene in 1987 with his award winning debut album, he soon found himself sharing the stage and trading licks with a few of those legends, including Albert King and Albert Collins. Chris Cain has released a dozen albums, each filled with soul-stirring songs pulled from his own blues drenched heart. His brand of blues is unforgettable.

• 2024 Winner of 4 Independent Blues Awards. Texas blues-rock singer/songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire, Ally Venable, entertains wherever she goes. With her signature glitter dresses and black knee-high boots, Venable comes off of the ropes swinging dazzling crowds on tour or throughout the festival circuit. Early releases No Glass Shoes (2016) and Puppet Show (2018) started her fanbase, charting radio play, and several East Texas Music Awards. It was 2019’s #2 Billboard Blues charting Texas Honey and rocking sets on Ruf’s European Blues Caravan tour that propelled her internationally. Venable now in her 20’s, released another Blues Billboard charting album, Heart of Fire (2021), which challenged her to write not only about love but the unguarded honesty of feeling pain.”On this album,I really wanted to create a tone of overcoming your struggles and persevering through them,” she explains. Mentor and featured artist on this album, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, lends his guitar skills on XM Bluesville’s charted song, “Bring on the Pain.” In 2022, Guitar World Magazine named Ally #2 on the top 15 Young Guns Making the Gibson Les Paul Cool Again, and she received the Road Warrior award from the Independent Blues Music Awards.

• 2021 and 2022 Blues Blast Awards Nominee. Eddie 9V has an endless stockpile of cool stories – and you’ll find twelve of them on new studio album ‘Saratoga’, releasing November 22, 2024 on the fabled Ruf label. It’s a record that will thrill both newcomers and fans who have trailed Eddie since the start, showcasing his fresh, fiery spin on Southern soul, blues, rock and funk, with his signature wit and sharp observations of modern America placing him squarely in the here-and-now. Born Brooks Mason in June 1996, he was playing guitar by the age of six. Coming up on his home state’s live circuit – first with cover band The Smokin’ Frogs, then with highly rated blues-rockers The Georgia Flood – Mason soon turned heads, even representing the Atlanta Blues Society at the 2013 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. But his true birth as an artist came when he buried his birth name and adopted that striking solo moniker. Now signed to Easy Eye Sound — the Nashville-based label founded by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys — Eddie 9V is preparing to release a brand-new album in 2026. And the momentum keeps growing. Since Saratoga dropped, Eddie’s monthly listeners on Spotify have exploded, gaining steady spins and major audience love.

• 2026 BMA nominee for Band of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album for Family. Southern Avenue, the Blues Music Award-winning, GRAMMY-nominated Memphis-based family band. prays original Memphis blues, modern soul, and gospel-infused roots music that is uplifting and timeless. They are known worldwide for their inclusive, message driven songs fueled by hard-hitting grooves and electrifying guitar. The band's new album, Family, makes it clear that Southern Avenue creates musical storytelling magic. The band is unlike any other on the scene today, featuring lead vocalist/songwriter Tierinii Jackson, her husband, guitarist/songwriter Ori Naftaly, and her sisters, drummer/vocalist/songwriter Tikyra T.K. Jackson and percussionist/violinist/vocalist Ava Jackson. "Through our music," says Naftaly, " we expand our family to include our fans and whomever is moved by our songs." The inspiring harmonies of the church-raised Jackson sisters are fueled by guitarist Naftaly, whose passion for blues and soul music led him to Memphis from his birthplace in Israel. Together, Southern Avenue blends be city's musical traditions with their own thoroughly modern world view. Their authentic and unfiltered original songs are a bold step in defining the future of Memphis music. They are among the most musically riveting and visually exciting live bands, and are among the few " must see acts the scene today". On Family, Southern Avenue's fourth album, the band unleashes one memorable performance after another, all delivered with soul-healing power and fueled by warm sister harmonies.

• JUNO AWARD & Winner of 6 Maple Blues Awards, 9 Quebec Lys Blues Awards, and a 2019 Blues Blast Music Award. Multiple award-winning, Montreal-based Singer/Songwriter Dawn Tyler Watson has earned her place among the International Blues elite. Her fiery stage presence and soul-stirring performances have garnered her national and worldwide recognition. With two recent Maple Blues Awards; Songwriter of the Year, and Best Album/Producer, she was also nominated by the Blues Foundation in Memphis for a 2020 Blues Music Award for Vocalist of the Year alongside greats like Curtis Salgado & Mavis Staples. Her latest record “Mad Love,” was awarded the 2020 JUNO award for Blues Album of the Year! Add this to the six MBA’s she already has, the nine Quebec Lys Blues Awards, a Screaming Jay Hawkins Award for Live Performance, a Blues Blast Music Award for Female Vocalist of the year, and you’ve got a decorated and consummate performer.

• BMA winner 2023 Best Emerging Artist Singer/ songwriter/ musician. Dylan Triplett Dylan Triplett, an emerging blues musician from St. Louis, has made a significant mark in the thriving blues scene With his soulful voice and raw emotion, he has captivated audiences across the country and around the globe. A 2023 Blues Award winner, Dylan seamlessly combines classic blues elements with his unique style, creating a sound that’s both timeless and contemporary. His electrifying performances, whether delivering heartfelt ballads or energizing the crowd with upbeat tunes, showcase his genuine talent undeniable charisma. Dylan Triplett is a genuine talent in the field of modern blues. He stands out from other artists in the genre thanks to his capacity to establish a meaningful and intimate connection with his listeners. Dylan Triplett exhibits his unquestionable talent and love for the blues with each word he sings.

• 2021 Blues Music Award Winner. The set, produced/recorded by multiple Grammy Award winner Kirk Yano (Miles Davis, Public Enemy, Mariah Carey), showcases Hicks as a writer, player and interpreter. He was WXPN’s "Artist To Watch" for August 2020 , His original song "421 South Main" made the Top 20 Blues songs of 2020 on Spotify and the song "What the Devil Loves" still gets spins on "Sirrus Bluesville" Radio. Has performed on KISS Kruise V, Joe Bonamassa’s Blues Alive at Sea [2017 & 2019]. He's shared stages with Buddy Guy, Samantha Fish, Tony Bennett, Jeff Beck, Ringo Starr, Jimmie Vaughn, Beth Hart, Mavis Staples, Robert Cray, Eric Gales, Norman Nardini and many others. He is a member of the Blues Foundation in Memphis, Solomon has been Judge the IBC's in Memphis [International Blues Challenge] being a supporter of young Musicians and The Blues Foundation. He paid his own success forward by teaching music for the Children's Aid Society, working with the Harlem Arts Alliance and the New York City Jazzmobile.

• 2026 BMA nominee for Contemporary Blues Female Artist and Instrumentalist – Vocals. With five GRAMMY® nominations to her name, 2024-Healing Time-Nominee, 2021-Live at the Paramount-(Ruthie Foster Big Band)-Nominee, 2015-Promise of a Brand New Day-Nominee, 2013-Let It Burn Nominee, 2010-The Truth According to Ruthie Foster-Nominee, Ruthie Foster has achieved a long-awaited milestone: her very first GRAMMY® win. Ruthie’s New Album, Mileage, wins Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album! 2025. The recognition underscores the power of Foster’s artistry and the enduring legacy of a label that continues to champion timeless voices. With soulful melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and unwavering commitment to her craft, Foster continues to carve out a path that is uniquely her own — inspiring audiences and fellow musicians alike. Mileage also won "Best Blues Record" at the 2025 Libera Awards. Turning down a major record deal in pursuit of authenticity, she has stayed true to herself and her vision as an artist, signing with independent label Blue Corn Music to release Runaway Soul in 2002, followed by The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster in 2007, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster in 2009, Let It Burn in 2012, Promise of a Brand New Day in 2014, Joy Comes Back in 2017, and Healing Time in 2022. She has also released three live albums, Stages in 2004, Live At Antone’s in 2011, and 2020’s Live at the Paramount.

• 2020 Grammy Nominee. • 5X Blues Award Nominee. Jontavious Willis is resolved in his mission: to reinvigorate today’s Blues with the spirit of the past. Inspired by a time when the Blues were plentiful and rhythm reigned supreme, Jontavious leverages his unique sound—a synthesis of his Georgia heritage and reverence for traditional Blues—to get the world dancing again. A Grammy-nominated musician and songwriter, Jontavious performs original, toe-tapping tunes in the style of Delta, Piedmont, Texas, and Gospel Blues. Dynamic vocals, technical prowess, and an abundance of Southern charm keep Jontavious sending jolts of vitality through the Blues community.

The Sauce Boss is totally unique, featuring high-energy originals, a commanding stage presence, and a musical/cooking demonstration. He makes a pot of gumbo onstage, mixing media like cornbread, literally singing the recipe. At the end of the show Wharton shares a meal with the crowd, turning strangers into friends as they flock to get a taste of community which no one else can deliver. Bill Wharton (Sauce Boss) is the guy Jimmy Buffett sang about in his song "I Will Play for Gumbo." Wharton’s anthem "Let the Big Dog Eat" is included on Buffett’s "Late Night Menu at the Margaritaville Cafe" album. Albert Castiglia released his cover of the tune, and it hit #1 on blues charts. "Let the Big Dog Eat" has also appeared in the movies, "Something Wild" (Jonathan Demme), and the Rock Doc, "Jimmy Carter Rock and Roll President." This tune and sixteen other works in the documentary earned Wharton "Best Original Score" from the Los Angeles Film Awards. Sauce Boss' 2024 CD "The Sauce" was a finalist at the 2025 International Blues Challenge in the Best Self-Produced CD category.