Great music takes center of two RiverFest stages

Contributed

Spending time floating on the crystal clear Medina River is a favorite thing to do at Bandera Riverfest – second only to enjoying the music that makes the day perfect.

This year, Riverfest organizers have scheduled second musical stage to offer even more great sounds all over the park. The festival on the river is slated for Saturday, June 27, at Bandera City Park.

On the Main Stage by the river, the festivities start with the preliminary finals to the Bandera Idol Competition. In past years, this exciting event has brought some great talent out of the hills and the event promises not to disappoint this year.

Featured entertainment on the Main Stage will be Bandera’s 50 Dollar Dynasty Trio. This versatile group offers their rhythm and smooth sounds of great music from the past as well as some special original tunes.

The afternoon brings a collection of great sounds from the well-known local band, Loose Change. This great variety band not only plays original tunes too, but also music from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, including country, rock, Americana Blues and easy listening.

The upper stage includes new crowd-pleasing performers such as recording artist Bo Rivers. Rivers has been entertaining audiences since 1962, but it wasn’t until he released his first CD single that he earned e recognition he deserved as a singer-songwriter.

“Country Blue” made it to Number 13 on the United States Independent Charts. Rivers now has four CD albums to his credit including, Poetry of a Cowboy, Covering for Willie, Country Blue and “Willie, Roy, And Me.

In addition to performing with Jewel Akins, Rivers has appeared with Willie Nelson, David Allen Coe and Ray Wylie Hubbard at concerts throughout Texas. Additionally, he opened for Michael Martin Murphy in Sonoita, Arizona and was featured in six National Street Rod Association magazines, performing concerts for the association from 1987 to 1991.

Next up are the well-known tunes of Chris Austin Martinez. According to Martinez, music “has always been and always will be who he is.” A friend who has known him since they were young boys once said, “Chris could dance before he could walk and sing before he could talk. He was born with drum sticks in his hands.”

Martinez has shared the stage with such acts as Roger Creager, Johnny Rodriquez, Hank Williams III and country music legend Ray Price. To date, Chris has recorded five CDs and has entertained for event from small intimate weddings to some of the Lone Star State’s largest festivals.

For more information about Riverfest, contact Genie Strickland at 796-4447 or visit
www.banderariverfest.com