First Fests for 2014 - Florida's The Place

Husband and wife Grammy winners Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks' band headlines
the Sunshine Music and Blues Festival 

In Florida, we don't wait for no stinkin' spring to start our festing engines. We clean up the New Year's refuse and get back in the jamming saddle.

This month's best bets are the Sunshine Music and Blues Festival  -- a day-long event that happens twice -- January 18 in Boca Raton and  January 19 in  St Petersburg.

This is the second year for this fest, which is headlined by the excellent Grammy-award winning Tedeschi Trucks Band  Also on the bill for this year:  JJ GREY: GALACTIC; LEON RUSSELL; ACOUSTIC HOT TUNA, STANLEY CLARKE; THE RINGERS FEATURING JIMMY HERRING; TAB BENOIT( Boca Raton show only); BOBBY LEE ROGERS;and OLI BROWN.

In the Panhandle, singer songwriters are getting ready to converge at the 30A Songwriter's Festival Jan. 17-19, during which 150 songwriters hold more than 200 performances in 25 different bars and restaurant venues along Scenic Highway 30A in gorgeous Walton County (the little towns of Seaside, Rosemary Beach, etc. between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City.) The level of talent at this fest is top-notch, with truckloads of Nashville professional songwriters heading South to Florida to showcase tunes. It's $180 for a ticket that will get you in to all the performances.

Headliners include Richard Thompson, Ani Defranco, Kristian Bush (Sugarland,) Loudon Wainwright III, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Shawn Mullins, Tinsley Ellis, and more.

Richard Thompson

Be aware this fest is pricey; It's pricey to stay anywhere around there (except camping at Grayton Beach State Park,) and you have to buy food and drinks at swanky venues. The good news is the food is very, very good in this part of the world, and the scenery is divine. I have seen some jaw-dropping performances at the 30A Songwriters Festival, and I am not ashamed to say I cried a couple times at the poignancy of homemade, heartfelt songs! 

In February, head down to Miami to dance your ass off and camp by the sea for the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival, which has a killer lineup of roots and world beat bands, and a decent ticket price as well. Check the link above for my previous post with info about that little gem, now in its second year.  

Ahhhhh....Virginia Key