The Piedmont Blues was born in Laurens, South Carolina – now, the city is bringing back this heritage with the Piedmont Blues and Roots Festival, made possible by the South Carolina Arts Commission Festivals Program Grant. Laurens County was the birthplace and home of prominent blues artists Rev. Gary Davis, born in Gray Court South Carolina, and Pink Anderson, a Laurens Native. Other blues artists such as Willie Walker, Lil McClintock, and Arthur Guitar Boogie Smith were also born in Laurens.

After the first successful Piedmont Blues and Roots festival in 2022, the 2024 festival is returning on Saturday, May 4th, starting at 2 P.M. and continuing into the evening, taking place in downtown Laurens, and is free to the public. The 2024 lineup includes performances by Jerron Blind Boy Paxton, Veronika Jackson, Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, the Holler Floppers ft. Ali Kafka and Hunter Holmes, all of whom preserve and perform traditional music.

For more information, visit the official Piedmont Blues and Roots Festival website.
https://www.laurensbluesandroots.com/