3rd Annual Fender(R) Catalina Island Blues Festival Scheduled for May 14 -16, 1999

January 28, 1999 -- Blig Nick and The Gila Monsters, Taj Mahal and The Phantom Blues Band, Robben Ford, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Lockwood Jr., Johnny Hammond, Doyle Bramhall Jr. and Karen Lawrence & Blue By Nature will bring their brand of the blues to California's Santa Catalina Island during the 3rd Annual Fender Catalina Island Blues Festival May 14, 15, & 16th.

The weekend festival by-the-sea, which will be held at various venues in the harbor town of Avalon on Catalina Island, is sponsored by Fender Musical Instruments Corp., Guild(R) Guitars, Guitar Player(R) magazine, Catalina Cruises, and DW Drums, and produced by Avalon, CA-based Chee Productions.

To honor the festival's third consecutive year, a one-of-a-kind "Regina Del Mare III Stratocaster(R) created by the Fender Custom Shop's master artisans George Amicay and Pamela Hovnatanian, will be auctioned off at the festial. The uniquely crafted and hand painted Strat(R) features the Island casino's Art Deco inspired mermaid mistress, Regina Del Mare (Queen of the Sea.). Each unique guitar in the series is one of a kind and will never be duplicated. The auction will benefit the music education program at the Fender Museum of Music and the Arts.

The resort-like Catalina Island is located 26 miles off the coast of Los Angeles and is accessible by ferry or helicopter. The popular year round destination offers plenty of recreation on both land and sea, and with the advent of the Catalina Blues Fest, it is truly a music lovers paradise.

Here is the schedule for the three-day fest. All venues are within walking distance of the ferry landing in Avalon.

Friday evening, May 14: Catalina Island Country Club --
Big Nick & the Gila Monsters will be kicking off the festival, beginning Friday night, on the patio stage of the Catalina Island Country Club.
Saturday afternoon, May 15: Descanso Beach Club --
Multi-Instrumentalist, Taj Mahal and his Phantom Blues Band headline the afternoon set at the Descanso Beach Club alongWith Fender Signature Artist Robben Ford. The outdoor, terraced lawn venue is located directly on the beach, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Saturday night, May 15: Casino Ballroom --
Guitarist, songwriter and blues phenomenon, Kenny Wayne Shepherd will headline at The Casino Ballroom, a historic Casino building which overlooks Avalon Harbor and the Pacific Ocean.
Sunday afternoon, May 16: Avalon Theatre --
At the Avalon Theatre, the festival's acoustic blues showcase entitled "Guild Unplugged" will feature the venerable Robert Lockwood, Jr., a contemporary of the legendary 1930s Delta blues guitarist Robert Johnson.
Sunday Evening, May 16: Catalina Island Country Club --
Karen Lawrence and Blue By Nature, LA's own local talent, will end the weekend with a blast.