New artist to perform at Blues concert

HARLINGEN — Bring the kids out Saturday night for another Blues on the Hill.

If they don’t like blues music they may change their minds when they hear a fresh new voice on the blues scene.

Jarekus Singleton, the headliner for the event at McKelvey Park, has been on the road with his new CD “Refuse to Lose.”

However, Chris Maley, entertainment coordinator for the Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau, managed to book him for Saturday’s concert.

“He’ll be coming down from Memphis, Tennessee,” Maley said. “He’s one of the up-and-coming new blues artists that has been making waves all over the blues circuit right now.”

The concert is free and open to the public. Music lovers are welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs. No outside food or beverages are allowed. Vendors will be available to sell food and drinks, and some of the proceeds will help fund future concerts.

Maley, who is also program director for 88FM RGV Public Radio, said the concert will feature a broad range of blues. The Riverside Boys, a Mission band formed about a year and a half ago, will open the show at 7 p.m. They perform more traditional blues. The John Cortez Band from Corpus Christi, which has been performing for about 10 years, will play some blues-rock.

Singleton is the one who will deliver the new sound which is grabbing people’s attention.

“It’s kind of like hard-edged blues rock,” Maley said. “It’s very guitar-oriented and also very melodic with good songwriting and good vocal melodies as well.”

Maley said he organizes Blues on the Hill concerts three times a year to give Valleyites a different experience.

“Basically, there’s country and Tejano music acts all year round,” he said. “This is a very unique outdoor come-together family-oriented event. Kids and adults can enjoy a piece of American musical history.”

Maley gave a little tease about the next Blues on the Hill in June. The title of the concert will be “Ladies of the Blues.”