The
2002 Sparta Blues Fest review
By
Dave Beardsley
Just a short drive from St. Louis is where you'll find one of the best
Blues Festivals that Illinois offers, the Sparta Blues Festival. Some
may know Sparta is where they filmed the classic "In
the Heat of the Night", starring Sidney Poiter and Rod Stieger.
The film, with a nonwhite actor in a lead acting role, was so controversial
that it couldn't be filmed in the Deep South, so the sets were recreated
in various small towns, and Sparta was one of them!
Let's jump from 1967 to today, and the Sparta Blues Festival! I've heard
it sang by Billy Peek that "there ain't
no color in the Blues", and this event is living proof of that! Celebrating
their 5th yr. anniversary, the Sparta fest keeps growing every year, as
the word about a good fest does get around! STLBlues arrived just at the
end of Hired Help, just in time to catch up with Alvin
Jett, hanging backstage with Michael
Burks.
Jim Gentry and friends then took to the stage, as Fest Director Debi K.
announced that "this is my favorite act to introduce, he's my Dad!",
and "Dad" replied "She's the only reason we get to play
here! Here's our pictorial review of one of the finest events Southern
Illinois has to offer, the Sparta Blues Festival.
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