Oxford got a taste of the Blues Friday as musicians Sweet Claudette and Howard Glazer performed during a press conference announcing plans for the community’s June 25 festival dubbed ‘Hot Blues and BBQ.?
‘It’s going to be a hot day in Oxford,? said Suzanne Ardelan, chair of the Oxford Downtown Development Authority’s Promotions Committee, who noted that between 2,000 and 3,000 people are expected to attend the summer festival.
Hot Blues and BBQ is the kick-off event for the 2005 Detroit Blues Challenge and will feature 10 of the state’s top Blues bands competing for more than $6,000 in prizes and an automatic spot in the finals of the Motor City Breakdown.
Sponsored by the Detroit Blues Society and Royal Oak-based Big City Rhythm & Blues magazine, the Motor City Breakdown is a series of local blues competitions in which winning acts advance to the next round, the ultimate goal being to send one unsigned, independent, Blues band from metro Detroit to the February 2006 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
Last year’s Detroit winner, Lady Sunshine & the X Band ? who will be performing at Oxford’s festival ? took second place out of 84 bands from 32 states and eight countries.
Oxford’s Hot Blues and BBQ will ‘feature some of the tops bands (from the Motor Cty Breakdown’s) final round last year,? according to Shirley Mae Owens, president of the Detroit Blues Society.
Bands include the Smokin? 45s, Michael John Boyd, Howard Glazer and the EL-34s, The Terraplanes, Measured Chaos, Luther ‘Badman? Keith, Sweet Claudette and Friends, Motor City Music Cartel, Billy Davis Rhythm Machine and Lady Sunshine and the X Band.
Sweet Claudette and Glazer gave an advance performance during the press conference.
Of her first visit to Oxford, Sweet Claudette (aka Claudette Harrell) said, ‘I love the small town ambiance because it reminds me of my hometown.? The singer/song writer, who’s the goddaughter of Detroit Blues legend Alberta Adams, is originally from Heflin, Alabama.
Since man cannot live by music alone, Hot Blues and BBQ will also feature 10 barbecue vendors including the Mount Morris-based Bone Daddy’s BBQ (owned and operated by former Parkside Dairy owner Chef John Thomas and his wife Holly), White Horse Inn, Oxford Tap, Red Knapp’s American Grill, Kalloway’s Restaurant and Pub, Tenny Street Roadhouse (Dearborn) and DnA Pig Roast (Holly).
To quench the crowd’s barbecue-induced thirst, a beer garden ? co-sponsored by the Great Oaks Civitan Club ? will be set up with plenty of Budweiser and Widmer Brothers products.
But the fun won’t just be confined to the parking lot behind the municipal offices on West Burdick Street.
Ardelan said Oxford DDA’s Promotions Committee is organizing a ‘Business Browse,? in which downtown merchants and restaurants will showcase their products and welcome visitors.
‘We hope that in response to this festival we’ll have continued business throughout the rest of the year,? she said.
Ardelan said she hopes Hot Blues and BBQ will ‘entice people from outside our community to come and see what a beautiful village we have.?
Councilman Steve Allen, one of the event’s organizers, said the Blues festival is ‘part of a vision that I personally have for Oxford.?
Instead of saying ‘Where is that?? when Oxford is mentioned, Allen said he wants people to say ‘That’s the cool place that has Concerts in the Park every Thursday night throughout the whole summer and into the fall. You’re the people that have the really cool Blues festival. You have that neat summer festival ? Celebrate Oxford.?
Allen said the common thread that binds all of the above events is ‘they all feature music.?
‘I’d like this town to be know as a cool place to go and listen to great music,? the councilman said. ‘This is not the only year for Hot Blues and BBQ. This is the first year.?
Allen stressed the number 10 is a ‘recurring theme? in Hot Blues and BBQ.
Tickets are $10 each for general, all day admission.
There are 10 Blues bands performing for 10 consecutive hours.
Ten barbecue vendors will keep the crowd fed.
The festival opens at 10 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m.
A commemorative CD featuring Blues music from bands is available for $10.
‘So, this event is a 10,? Allen said.

$6,000 in prizes and an automatic spot in the finals of the Motor City Breakdown.
Sponsored by the Detroit Blues Society and Royal Oak-based Big City Rhythm & Blues magazine, the Motor City Breakdown is a series of local blues competitions in which winning acts advance to the next round, the ultimate goal being to send one unsigned, independent, Blues band from metro Detroit to the February 2006 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.
Last year’s Detroit winner, Lady Sunshine & the X Band ? who will be performing at Oxford’s festival ? took second place out of 84 bands from 32 states and eight countries.
Oxford’s Hot Blues and BBQ will ‘feature some of the tops bands (from the Motor Cty Breakdown’s) final round last year,? according to Shirley Mae Owens, president of the Detroit Blues Society.
Bands include the Smokin? 45s, Michael John Boyd, Howard Glazer and the EL-34s, The Terraplanes, Measured Chaos, Luther ‘Badman? Keith, Sweet Claudette and Friends, Motor City Music Cartel, Billy Davis Rhythm Machine and Lady Sunshine and the X Band.
Sweet Claudette and Glazer gave an advance performance during the press conference.
Of her first visit to Oxford, Sweet Claudette (aka Claudette Harrell) said, ‘I love the small town ambiance because it reminds me of my hometown.? The singer/song writer, who’s the goddaughter of Detroit Blues legend Alberta Adams, is originally from Heflin, Alabama.
Since man cannot live by music alone, Hot Blues and BBQ will also feature 10 barbecue vendors including the Mount Morris-based Bone Daddy’s BBQ (owned and operated by former Parkside Dairy owner Chef John Thomas and his wife Holly), White Horse Inn, Oxford Tap, Red Knapp’s American Grill, Kalloway’s Restaurant and Pub, Tenny Street Roadhouse (Dearborn) and DnA Pig Roast (Holly).
To quench the crowd’s barbecue-induced thirst, a beer garden ? co-sponsored by the Great Oaks Civitan Club ? will be set up with plenty of Budweiser and Widmer Brothers products.
But the fun won’t just be confined to the parking lot behind the municipal offices on West Burdick Street.
Ardelan said Oxford DDA’s Promotions Committee is organizing a ‘Business Browse,? in which downtown merchants and restaurants will showcase their products and welcome visitors.
‘We hope that in response to this festival we’ll have continued business throughout the rest of the year,? she said.
Ardelan said she hopes Hot Blues and BBQ will ‘entice people from outside our community to come and see what a beautiful village we have.?
Councilman Steve Allen, one of the event’s organizers, said the Blues festival is ‘part of a vision that I personally have for Oxford.?
Instead of saying ‘Where is that?? when Oxford is mentioned, Allen said he wants people to say ‘That’s the cool place that has Concerts in the Park every Thursday night throughout the whole summer and into the fall. You’re the people that have the really cool Blues festival. You have that neat summer festival ? Celebrate Oxford.?
Allen said the common thread that binds all of the above events is ‘they all feature music.?
‘I’d like this town to be know as a cool place to go and listen to great music,? the councilman said. ‘This is not the only year for Hot Blues and BBQ. This is the first year.?
Allen stressed the number 10 is a ‘recurring theme? in Hot Blues and BBQ.
Tickets are $10 each for general, all day admission.
There are 10 Blues bands performing for 10 consecutive hours.
Ten barbecue vendors will keep the crowd fed.
The festival opens at 10 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m.
A commemorative CD featuring Blues music from bands is available for $10.
‘This event is a 10,? Allen said.