Things are hotting up for the Southern Fried Festival of American Roots Music in Perth, Scotland as the final line-up is confirmed.

Four-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett tops the bill at the fourth annual celebration of all things Americana which takes place over the weekend of 22 to 24 July 2011.

Also on the menu is a sizzling selection of top musicians from home and abroad including the legendary Stax! band, Blind Boys of Alabama, Iris Dement, Justin Townes Earle, former Mavericks front man Raul Malo and more, plus a side order of free workshops, smaller gigs and singalongs as well as the legendary Southern Fried soul food.

Southern Fried Festival takes place in Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre and other venues within easy strolling distance. Mixing up blues, country, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, gospel, soul, Cajun, bluegrass and Western swing, according to festival director Andy Shearer, this year’s Southern Fried Festival features the strongest and most diverse line-up of musicians in its four year history:

“Southern Fried has always aimed to present the most diverse and inclusive programme of American roots music possible, and I think we’ve excelled ourselves on that front this year. We have arguably the greatest gospel group of all time in the Blind Boys Of Alabama; we’re delighted that our first ever Cajun band is the Savoy Family as they are the living embodiment of this music and culture; we have truly world-class singer songwriters with Lyle Lovett, Iris Dement and Justin Townes Earle; soul legends Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn and Eddie Floyd; latino, pop and country rolled into the wonderful voice of Raul Malo; groundbreaking Americana from Abigail Washburn, Samantha Crain, Star Wheel Press, Southern Tenant Folk Union and Phantom Limb; plus a wealth of local and Scottish acts, free shows, open mic, workshops and wonderful food to create a great weekend festival.”

Blind Boys of Alabama kick things off in Perth Concert Hall on Friday 22 July. Masters of bringing out the most spiritual aspects of mainstream music, the gospel vocal group have collected five Grammys in the process. In a Southern Fried Festival exclusive, Americana artist, Iris Dement joins the Blind Boys for a rare solo performance. Late and Southern Fried in Perth Theatre on Friday night serves up the tasty double helping of Justin Townes Earle and Abigail Washburn And The Village. Son of Steve, Justin won the Best New and Emerging Artist at the 2009 Americana Music Awards. Bouncing between China and Appalachia has informed much of Abigail Washburn’s musical output and influenced a body of work that goes far beyond the usual banjo repertoire.

Lyle Lovett And His Acoustic Group hit the Perth Concert Hall stage on Saturday 23 July. Possessing one of the most distinctive artistic voices today, four-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett’s career spans 14 albums and more than four million records sold. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, he fuses elements of country, Texas swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues. Over to Perth Theatre for Saturday night’s Late and Southern Fried and there’s a chance to get up close and personal with former Mavericks frontman Raul Malo. Considered by many to be one of the finest singers in the world, performing in a duo, this intimate show will reveal the many sides of this great singer, songwriter and interpreter. Cajun comes to Southern Fried for the first time with Savoy Family Cajun Band, the first family of Cajun music who bring their raw, sensual and expert renditions of some of the best Cajun music you’re ever likely to hear.

Solid gold soul legends Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn and Eddie Floyd are joined on stage in Perth Concert Hall on Sunday 24 July by keyboardist Lester Snell (Isaac Hayes) and ace drummer Steve Potts to celebrate one of the great record labels. As half of Stax/Volt’s house band, Booker T and the MG’s, guitarist Cropper and bassist Dunn defined the spare, punchy sound of Memphis soul music. A sensation on their Southern Fried debut last year, we’re delighted to welcome as special guests Phantom Limb with the full band accompanying this time. Fronted by the extraordinary voice of Yolanda Quartey, Phantom Limb’s unique blend of influences distils into a highly distinctive sound without peer in the UK or US.

Daytime gigs include The Twa Tams rocking out to the sound of top UK folk/bluegrass band Southern Tenant Folk Union and Perthshire Americana supergroup Red Pine Timber Company on Saturday and there’s another chance to see the amazing Iris Dement in Perth Theatre on Saturday along with a solo set from Felsons frontman Dean Owens. Redrooms, Perth Theatre is the place to be on Sunday at 4pm to discover Perthshire ‘find’ Star Wheel Press who are joined by US singer songwriter Samantha Crain.

Festival-goers can swing out with the Gospel Truth Choir and perform with them in the Gospel Big Sing in Perth Concert Hall on Saturday. A total sell-out in 2010, this year’s live music brunch on Sunday in Redrooms at Perth Theatre is a feast of southern and soul food to the mellow sounds of Rancho Rebop And The Full Moon Howlers. Southern Fried Open Mic in Greyfriars Bar on Sunday is a great chance for visiting musicians and local performers to show off what they’ve got in an informal setting. Scotland’s foremost country guitarist Stuart Nisbet is joined by Felsons frontman Dean Owens for an entertaining introduction to the intricacies of the Pedal Steel Guitar – free in Perth Concert Hall’s Norie-Miller Studio on Saturday.

And, setting the scene for the weekend there’s a free Southern Fried Launch Party in The Twa Tams on Thursday 21 July with Perth’s own Wang Dang Delta.

So hitch your wagon in the Fair City this summer as the Southern Fried Festival serves up a slice of warm Scottish hospitality – Southern style!

Check out the latest info as it emerges on  www.southernfriedfestival.co.uk   and make sure you are our Facebook buddy for all the back stage chat.

Source: Horsecross Arts