feature article - september 2008

Paramount Blues Festival celebrates Blues musical roots in Grafton

PARAMOUNT Blues Festival Sept. 19 & 20 will bring internationally known blues entertainers to Grafton, where blues music was first recorded nearly a century ago.

This is the third year for the festival in the city just 20 miles north of Milwaukee. The Grafton Blues Association launched the event to honor the village's links to blues music and the musicians who recorded for Paramount Records.

While the festival is held from 4:30-10 p.m. Friday and 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday in Lime Kiln Park, Grafton's downtown also has been remodeled to reflect the blues heritages, with a Walk of Fame, fountain, concert area and the Paramount Restaurant.

Along with the music, the event features a BlueSKool with free workshops for adults and children, food and beverage vendors and Paramount Blues Festival souvenirs.

A limited number of entry wristbands are available. Those interested in attending are encouraged to order in advance. Seating is general admission (first come first served) and audience members must bring their own chair. (Limited chairs are available for rent at the festival for $3). Mail-in orders must be received by Sept. 10 or tickets will be held at the gate. Wristbands are $25 plus $1 shipping and handling ($2 for orders of four or more). Checks should be payable to Grafton Blues and mailed to Grafton Blues, P.O.; Box 566; Grafton, WI 53024. Orders also can be placed online, www.graftonblues.org

The lineup, as of press time
(performers and times subject to change):

FRIDAY
5 p.m. Sue DaBaco & Wise Fools
6:45 p.m. Zac Harmon
8:45 p.m. CTA - California Transit Authority

SATURDAY
Noon Fruteland Jackson
1:15 p.m. Honeyboy Edwards
2:30 p.m. Sharrie Williams
4 p.m. Bryan Lee
5:45 p.m. Watermelon Slim & the Workers
7:30 p.m. Tab Benoit
9:15 p.m. Elvin Bishop
Festival sponsors include Aurora Health Care, Harris Bank, Ozaukee Press, Kohler Credit Union, Port Washington State Bank, Bank Mutual, D&G Transportation Inc., Slingshot Marketing, Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce, Cary Rentals/Apartments & Townhomes and Faymous Music & Sound.

For more information, visit www.graftonblues.org.

Paramount's link to Grafton

While most music lovers associate blues music with Chicago or Memphis, Grafton was the home of Paramount Records, which recorded, manufactured and distributed music from some of the most important and influential blues musicians of the 20th century.

Founded as the Wisconsin Chair Company, the business that was to become Paramount records first manufactured wooden chairs from a Port Washington, Wis. location before branching out to manufacturing wooden phonograph cabinets for Edison Records. With the success of the phonograph cabinet division, company executives in 1915 decided to produce their own line of phonographs and 78 records under a subsidiary called Paramount.

While the company recorded music from 1917 to 1932, it wasn't until 1922 that it entered what was to become known as Race Records - primarily blues and spiritual recordings aimed at black audiences in both urban cities and the rural south.

The label folded in 1932, but by recording early blues, jazz, spirituals, gospel and country music, Paramount Records inspired future musicians such as Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, B.B. King, Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Howlin' Wolf, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton.