New comers to the Fort Scott area from Kansas City are planning a blues festival on their property at 2006 Maple Road on September 24 from 2 to 10 p.m. and they are doing it to benefit a local helping organization.
“My wife, Cecilia and I have met and become lasting friends with wonderful people by attending blues music events and venues in the Kansas City area and travels to Arkansas and Mississippi,” said event organizer Cory Bryars said. “We moved to Fort Scott in 2021 from Kansas City and I wanted to have a once-in-a-lifetime housewarming and a thank you to contractors and friends. My wife has roots and best friends here and the kid went to college, freeing us up to leave K.C.”
“As I put (the event) together, it took on a life of its own, and I thought this thing needs to be more than just friends and family,” Bryars said. “Through a friend, Belynda Davenport, I got connected with Lavetta Simmons and Care to Share ( a helping organization for cancer survivors and their families) and it turns out their big annual Fall Fest fundraiser for the last 15 years is no more.”
They decided to turn the event into a fundraiser for Care to Share.
“Before Care to Share, it was all about the music; now it’s all about music being a force for good,” Bryars said. “This is real deal. Any one of these bands could headline a decent municipal blues fest, and we are providing four bands of that caliber.”
“I like to think the town was clamoring for something, and unbeknownst to me, I was apparently organizing it,” he said. “Soooo…our event is now a full-blown fundraiser.”
The music will be provided by the following artists, with performance times listed and comments provided by Bryars:
2pm—The Hermosa Prairie Dogs featuring Randy McAllister and James Van Nuys
o “Randy is an award winning, Grammy Nominated, singer, songwriter, harmonica player, drummer and legend of East Texas Blues/Soul/Roots.
o James is a talented artist in many disciplines and you will love his songs.”
4pm—Kilborn Alley featuring Big Rich McDonough
o “Band Leader Andrew Duncanson is smooth as silk on the vocals and guitar.
o Big Rich masters the guitar, making it SING almost as well as Andrew.”
6pm—Cassie Taylor & Band
o “After starting her music career while still a teenager, Cassie toured Europe as part of Girls with Guitars. She took a break from music to raise a family and her spirit, and now is back on the scene.
o With powerful vocals and a soulful voice perfect for pop and blues, Cassie leads her generation of blues artists.”
8pm—Junebug & The Porchlights
o “Long-time Kansas City favorites with great musicians, there’s never a dull moment as they cover Merle Haggard, Muddy Waters, and other country and blues standards, all with their own fast-paced sound and fury
o If you like 70s classics like John Denver’s Country Roads and the aromatic Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road, wait ‘til you hear the Porchlights’ versions!”
The Venue
