23rd annual Live Oak Festival to feature 20 acts

By TPR Staff

Twenty acts with musical genres ranging from folk, bluegrass and gospel to Tex-Mex, boogie-woogie and jazz are booked for the 23rd annual Live Oak Music Festival set for Father’s Day weekend.

The festival that offers day and full-festival passes as well as overnight camping is set for Friday through Sunday, June 17 to 19, at Live Oak Camp off Highway 154 near Lake Cachuma.

In addition to performances on the main stage, the event includes two other stages — including the Hot Licks Stage where breakfast concerts and after-hours dances are held.

Jamming workshops are on tap, along with teen concerts and entertainment for children.

Vendors will offer food and drinks as well as arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry, musical instruments, massages and face painting, and a performers tent offers a place to meet the musicians, buy their music and have it autographed.

Festival souvenirs are available in the Live Oak Mercantile tent, and a misting tent just inside the audience area provides a place to cool down during the heat of the day.

All proceeds from the festival benefit Public Radio KCBX in San Luis Obispo.

Music will fill the air from 2 p.m. until midnight Friday, 8 a.m. until midnight Saturday and 8 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. Sunday.

Here’s a look at some of the notable talent featured at this year’s festival:

n Mavis Staples — Headlining the festival with an 8:45 p.m. concert Sunday, the blues, gospel, folk and pop singer is a member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and a National Heritage Fellowship Award recipient.

Her most recent album, “You Are Not Alone,” just won a Grammy for best Americana album.

n Texas Tornados — Described as the ultimate Tex-Mex supergroup, the band will bring its fusion of country, rock ’n’ roll, Mexican folk, R&B, polka and other roots music to the Main Stage at 8:45 p.m. Saturday.

Full on: http://www.timespressrecorder.com/articles/2011/06/30/ae/ae64.txt