Bernie Pearl news and shows

Hello Blues Friend:

Summer approaches. Memorial Day weekend was absolutely exhausting, and greatly fulfilling. Mike Barry and I opened the Blues Stage Saturday at the 20th Annual Simi Valley Cajun, Creole Festival with a set of acoustic blues, and were very warmly received. We returned with the full band Sunday and, modestly, we to' it 'tup! The Blues was a big success both days. Alons a Simi!

Mike and I were joined by violinist Jim Shirey Saturday night at Claremont's Folk Music Center. We had a nice turnout and a great response. Hope to return there soon

.June looked to be a fairly quiet month but... suddenly, it heated up.

I play at the Liquid Lounge in Long Beach on Saturday, May 30 around 6:30 for a free Hep C Awareness music event. 3522 Anaheim St., LB 90804. (562) 494-7564. Mike Barry, bass.

Saturday, June 6 Mike and I will be joined by super pianist and vocalist Dwayne Smith in a multi-act concert at Boulevard Music to help our friend and great music man Phil Boroff pay some large medical bills. $15 donation, 8:00. 4316 Sepulveda Bl., Culver City. (310) 398-2583

Out of nowhere, an opportunity to return to the world of the theater, when I play slide guitar in a production of "Cowboys", a one-act play by Brian Jun, as part of "A New Plays Festival and Competition", Thursday, June 11, and Sunday, June 14, 8:00, at the Promenade Playhouse, 1404 Promenade (at 3rd), Santa Monica. $15, 4 plays. (310) 656-8070.

A possible encore performance on June 21, TBA.

And, the big June event for us comes when we fly to Linden, Texas to perform at the "T-Bone Walker Blues Festival", June 19 & 20. I'll conduct a "Texas Blues Guitar" workshop 2:00-4:00 on June 19, and then Mike and I take the stage at 7:15. We follow up next day with a set at 6:45. Really looking forward to bringing my blues back to where it mostly originated. Also featured are Jimmy Vaughan, Honeyboy Edwards, Guitar Shorty, and more. (903) 756-7774.

And, please tune in "My Kind of Blues" on Saturdays 3:00-5:00 (Pacific) on http://www.wpmd.org/. I change the theme weekly, but the music is always hard-core down-home Blues!!! This Saturday I feature "Blues Piano". In coming weeks: Blues from A-Z, part 2, Father's Day Blues, Blues in the Barnyard. I feel that the audience is growing... good news gets around.