Baton Rouge Blues Festival announces lineup – Dr. John, Kenny Neal and more slated for 20th annual event

Baton Rouge will get a heavy dose of the blues this spring.

The annual Baton Rouge Blues Festival celebrates its 20th year in April and its headliners were announced tonight during a Lil Freddie King concert at Mud and Water.

Dr. John & The Nite Trippers will headline the festival. Other performers include Kenny Neal with Henry Gray, Black Joe Lewis, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, Lil Freddie King, Johnny Sansone, Black Pistol Fire, Chris LeBlanc, Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys, Brother Dege, and Baton Rouge Music Studios.

In 2012, Dr. John released the Grammy-winning Locked Down, produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.

Neal was named one of 225‘s People to Watch in 2014. Check out our profile of him here.

The free, family-friendly event kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 12, in Repentance Park and Galvez Plaza downtown. Of this year’s performers, four have previously appeared, including Dr. John, Neal, Gray and LeBlanc.

Talks and informal performances, dubbed “Back Stage at the Blues Fest,” will continue this year in the Old State Capitol’s Senate chambers.

A full schedule for the event will be announced soon. Check out the Blues Fest’s Spotify playlist of songs from the scheduled performers.