Sixth annual Wallace Blues Festival brings big acts to a small town

While blues music for many may bring to mind sad songs sung in smoke-filled rooms, the organizer of the Wallace Blues Festival argues that’s only part of the picture.

From the dulcet tones of soul to the electric screams of rock and roll, Craig Heimbigner says blues is at the heart of it all – and that’s the blues his festival looks to celebrate.

“At a festival, you can get a bit of everybody,” he said. “I would say if you care about where blues came from and where it’s going, (the festival’s) for you.”

For the past five years, thousands have flooded into the small town of Wallace, to drink, dance in the streets and listen to blues musicians from around the region and the country. Nestled among the green foothills of the Silver Valley, about an hour southeast of Coeur d’Alene, the historic mining town swells over the three-day festival to accommodate crowds that far outflank its resident population of just 760.

Starting with a free day of music on Friday, Heimbigner said he hopes people will “drink, dance, and carry on” and end up buying a ticket for the main events on Saturday.

Asked for which of the 16 acts he’s looking forward to, Heimbigner said these are the artists to check out on Saturday:

Duke Robillard

One-time guitarist for the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Duke Robillard is not someone who often comes out to a small town like Wallace, Heimbigner said.

Robillard has played with the likes of Bob Dylan, and he’s received recognition throughout the world of blues music.

Heimbigner said he was surprised when he reached out to Robillard about playing the festival this year that Robillard himself answered the call – normally one just deals with agents, Heimbigner said.

“The timing was just perfect,” Heimbigner, who was worried his festival couldn’t afford a star like Robillard, said. “He wants us as much as we wanted him.”

Robillard plays the main stage at 8 p.m.

Terrie Odabi

According to her website, Terrie Odabi “performs original stirring blues straight from the soul.”

From Oakland, California, Odabi brings energy and “wit” to the stage, performing songs that had her 2016 album “My Blue Soul” ranked as one of the top 50 blues albums that year by Living Blues magazine.

“She’s a great performer,” Heimbigner said. “We’re proud to get her up here.”

Odabi takes to the main stage at 6 p.m.

Hank Shreve Band

They say practice makes perfect, and according to the biography on his band website, Hank Shreve has gotten a lot of it playing the harmonica, which he took up when he was 8 years old.

And based on the numerous awards Shreve has walked away with over the past decade, it’s paid off.

“He’s a great harmonica player,” Heimbigner said. It’s a big deal for the Hank Shreve Band to come up from Eugene to play the Wallace Blues Festival, Heimbigner said.

The Hank Shreve Band will play the main stage at 4 p.m.

Bottleneck Blues Band

From Alberta, Canada, the Bottleneck Blues Band brings the funk.

Voted Best New Blues Act in 2015 by the Cascade Blues Association, the Bottleneck Blues Band comprises bass guitar, saxophone, piano and drums. The band describes their music on their website as “red-hot funky blues designed to make your body move.”

The Bottleneck Blues Band starts their set on the main stage at 2 p.m.

On Saturday, artists will play at four different locations, including a beer garden. Performances on the main stage will begin at noon and culminate in a festivalwide jam session ending around midnight.

For a full schedule, visit http://wallace-id.com/bluesfest2017.html.