The Thirsty Ear Festival takes place on an old movie set where Clint Eastwood and John Wayne filmed many a scene.
"When you walk in, it's like walking into 1850s Wyoming," festival organizer Mike Koster said of the J.W. Eaves Movie Ranch in Santa Fe. "There are two streets going through the town, and where they meet, that's the stage. When they built the town, they didn't just build the facade. The saloon is actually a saloon. There are indoor stages where we have acts between main-stage acts."
Thirsty Ear, running Friday through Sunday, celebrates roots music, and, for the ninth year, it's bringing in zydeco, bluegrass, blues, rock and country acts from all over. There are also New Mexico microbrews, wine, food and educational and entertainment booths.
The lineup's highlights include the Santa Fe All-Stars on Friday, New Orleans blues maestro Little Freddie King and Chicago's Shemekia Copeland on Saturday, and Buckwheat Zydeco on Sunday night. He's the first successful mainstream zydeco act on a major label.
"He's probably the most popular zydeco player in the world, actually," Koster said.
King's manager and drummer Wade Wright said it's difficult getting King to fly.
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"I have to beg him to go to the airport," Wright said. "He hates going through the machines. He feels they humiliate him."
But, preparing for his 6 a.m. flight, King was packing his black and white shoes into his suitcase Wednesday evening and wondering if he should bring his bright blue shoes, too.
He said he's the last remaining king of blues down south. Born in Mississippi, he got his fame by mixing the Mississippi Delta blues with New Orleans blues.
"Gut bucket blues is exactly as deep and low as you can go," King said. "Gut bucket blues is when you be down and out in hard times - you worked hard all year and they took everything you got. Also gambling, women, alcohol - that'll really give you the blues."
King moved to Dallas after Hurricane Katrina hit.
"I was there for two years and six months," he said. "When I first got there, I didn't like it at all. I couldn't hardly get used to it, but after a year passed, I came to like it a little bit."
When he returned home, his community crowned him Master Musician in residence.
Alex Maryol, who performs at 4:30 p.m. Sunday with a backing bassist, drummer and singer, has been playing the show for the past six years. He said the festival has grown a lot since he first performed.
"It's gotten a lot of spectators, which is great, and the setting is awesome," Maryol said. "The cool thing is you're going to see artists who you probably wouldn't see at other festivals, which is kind of unique. You'll see artists that are not as prominent in the mainstream."
Thirsty Ear Festival
Friday-Sunday
For more info, go to thirstyearfestival.com
Call 505-988-1234 to buy tickets
