The annual B.B. KingHomecoming Festival will return this year to Fletcher Park in Indianolawhile work continues on an expansion of the museum that bears King’sname. Featured at this year’s festival on June 2nd will be
Tito Jackson and the B.B. KingBlues Band. Jackson, well known for his role with the Jackson 5 and TheJacksons, teamed up with the B.B. King Blues Band in
2017 to become their new leadsinger. The band is comprised of many of King’s former band members whostill perform together, so event goers will likely see familiar faces.
This will be the 38th year forthe event, which for most of its years featured its namesake,Mississippi Delta native B.B. King. As long as he was physically able,King returned every year since its inception in 1983. B.B. King MuseumExecutive Director Malika Polk-Lee said, “Although B.B. performed insold-out venues all over the world, nothing made him happier than to beback in his hometown to play this concert for the crowd he considered ashis extended family.” The concert was held in Fletcher Park for most ofthose years, but was moved in 2012 to the grounds of the museum, fouryears after it opened.
Advance tickets are $10.00 and go on sale April 1, and tickets at the gate are
$15. Activities begin at noon with food and art vendors in the park, and musical entertainment will begin at 2 p.m. Tito Jackson and the B.B. King Blues Band will take the stage at 8 p.m.In 2017 Jackson released his first solo album, Tito Time, featuring”One Way Street” and “When the Magic Happens” with Jocelyn Brown, and”Get It Baby,” with Big Daddy Kane. “I always idolized B.B. King, andI’ve always been a blues player, ever since I picked up the guitar, Iguess,” said Jackson. According to Ms. Polk-Lee, other acts will beannounced in the
coming weeks, so people are encouraged to check the museum’s website
for those updates.
Tito and the Band will closeout the day with a show at historic Club Ebony, following the traditionof King who made this a hot-ticket event by performing at the club atthe end of the festival. King always took his time to greet his fans, sothere never was an official starting time for the show, and it wassometimes close to midnight when it got started. This year’s show is planned to begin around 10 p.m., and tickets are available through the museum (662-887-9539 or bbkingmuseum.org.) Food and beverages will be available for purchase on site.