2006 Madison Ribberfest

Blues Bash committee
announces musical lineup
for August festival

By Don Ward
Editor

(March 2006) – The Madison Ribberfest planning committee has finalized contracts for the 2006 Blues Bash and have announced that The Fabulous Thunderbirds, featuring the band’s sole original member Kim Wilson, will headline the Saturday night lineup Aug. 19 on the Madison riverfront. Friday night’s headlining act will be Roomful of Blues on Aug. 18.
The fifth annual event features amateur and professional division rib cooking contests, plus hot air balloon races and balloon glow, a Pigmania concrete pig decorating contest and children’s activities. The pro cooking event serves as the Kansas City Barbeque Society’s Indiana State Barbeque Cook-Off Championship, with the winner earning an automatic berth in two national contests. Cash prizes total $10,500 across seven cooking categories in the event, which this year is expected to draw a record 60 teams, said chairman Shawn Auxier. The KCBS is the largest international organization of barbecue enthusiasts and established the rules for the competition and certifies its own judges.
With the recent death of festival founder Jeff Garrett, Auxier has asked Garrett’s son, Drew, to co-chair the competition this year. Auxier also is considering the creation of a spirit award named in honor of the late Garrett to be presented to a team each year.
The amateur contest, the Backyard Barbeque Blast, also is expected to grow this year, said chairman Steve Thomas. This judged event takes place on Friday with teams competing in five categories.
The festival, sponsored by the Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, is highlighted by the Blues Bash, featuring bands performing Friday evening and all day Saturday. Friday’s complete lineup will feature Miranda Louise at 6 p.m.; Roy Rogers at 8 p.m.; and Roomful of Blues at 10 p.m.
Saturday’s complete lineup will feature One Shot Johnny at noon; the Madison-based Blues Devils at 1:30 p.m.; Madison-based Jimmy Davis Band at 3 p.m.; Bettye Lavette at 5 p.m.; Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish at 7 p.m.; and The Fabulous Thunderbirds at 9 p.m.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been performing for 30 years and are known as the quintessential American band. The group’s distinctive and powerful sound is influenced by a diversity of musical styles. Two of their biggest hits are “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up.”
Co-founder Wilson, a Californian, still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation. He says the group started as a pure blues band but has since evolved into “a mixture of a lot of different styles. We’re an American music band and we’re much higher energy than we were before.”

In addition to Wilson, the group today includes Kirk Fletcher and Nick Curran on guitar, Jimi Bott on drums, Ronnie James Weber on bass and Gene Taylor on keyboards.
In other planning, Advance wristbands purchased before Aug. 1 are $20 for a two-day pass and includes $10 in food/beverage tickets. Two-day tickets purchased between Aug. 2-20 are $20 with no food/beverage tickets. Friday only tickets at the gate will be $10 Friday and $15 Saturday. Food and beverage tickets will be sold on site. Children 12-under are free.

• To order wristbands, call the tourism office at 1-800-559-2956 or visit: www.MadisonRibberfest.com. To view coverage of previous years’ festivals, visit: www.RoundAboutMadison.com.

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