By Charlotte Underwood
CARYVILLE, TN (WLAF) – This year’s Louie Bluie Festival is going virtual and will feature about five hours of music and story segments, according to Campbell Culture Coalition Executive Director Manuel Mesa. The final date of the virtual festival has not been nailed down yet, but organizers say it will be on a Saturday in early or mid October. Final details are being decided this week and will be announced soon.Over the last six weeks, plans have been in motion by the Louie Bluie Festival Leadership Committee to set up a virtual festival. Multiple Zoom meetings and brain storming sessions have culminated in what organizers hope will be a unique Saturday program which will tell the story of Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong and showcase his music, as well as other musical talent. Each segment will be set up like a mini concert, according to Mesa. Most of the festival will be recorded live in an undisclosed location, with other segments being pre-recorded. “The festival this year is really going to take us back to Howard, who he was, where he was raised, his legacy and his life,” Mesa said.

One of the main headliners this year is Howard Armstrong’s son Ralphie Armstrong and his band, who will record a special segment in his New York studio. Some of Howard’s old band members will also be playing and telling stories.  “There will be some great stories that come out of this as they talk about Howard’s legacy,” Mesa said. The virtual festival will also showcase the history of Howard Armstrong, as well as music and interviews with local musicians and community members.  “We will be interviewing local people who have been involved in the festival over the years and talking with them about what the festival means to them,” Mesa said.

Some of the festival programming will also include educational segments from programs on Howard that have been presented in the schools over the last 12 years. According to Mesa, he always tries to impart a special message to the students about Howard Armstrong.  “I want them to understand he came from here, he was poor, he was black, he had little education, yet he rose up to be an international recording artist and do the great things he has done,” Mesa said.

The Tennessee Arts Commission, which provides a large funding grant for Louie Bluie, “is very excited about the virtual festival,” according to Mesa, as is the University of Tennessee, which will be putting the recordings of the festival into its archival library.

According to Mesa, the unique circumstances of the festival going virtual this year have posed its challenges, but in the end, he said he feels the leadership committee has “grown from the experience.” He also said these radical changes have made it even more of a “community event” and “brought the focus of the festival back on Howard’s life and re-injected his spirit back into it.”

Look for more virtual Louie Bluie Festival updates on WLAF.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 08/26/2020-6AM)

Related