At age 85, Mavis Staples performance had you singing along to "Respect Yourself" and other songs that the Staple Singers were known for.

During the 2025 Chicago Blues festival Grammy Award nomination, Kingfish came to the stage and electrified the crowd .

During the 2023 Chicago jazz festival Chicago's own Kurt Elling showmanship dazzle the crowd with songs that displayed his ability to fill in at the last minute.

John Primer left the stage sizzling.

During the 2018 Chicago jazz festival Chicago NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves performance was halted by a fast moving storm.

Know for his time as a member of the JB's.  Macio Parker's saxaphone playing and vocals provided a funky sound to the festival.

During the 2017 Chicago jazz festival Chicago NEA Jazz Master Dr. Liston Smith performance with a cane like string instrument , mezmerzied the crowd.

In 2014 Clark was awarded a Grammy for "the Best Tradional R&B performance . In 2020 he became a Grammy award winner again for "Best Rock Song" and "Best Rock performance". 

Alto saxophonist Charles McPherson won once performed with Charles Mingus , preformed with 85 year old pianist Barry Harris during the 40th Annual 2018 Chicago Jazz Festival

 Three-time Grammy Award winner as well as Tony Award-winning actress and NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater kept the crowd  on its feet song after song. 

During the 2018 Chicago jazz festival Chicago native born, Ramsey Lewis announced that he would no longer be touring.  On September 12, 2022 Ramsey Lewis passed away.

The versatile fiddle, banjo player, violinist and vocalist Rhianna Gidden quickly captured the crowds  attention.  She won a Grammy in 2011 for Best Traditional Folk album and a 2022 Grammy  for Best folk album . 

Ruthie Foster is an American singer-songwriter of blues and folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. 

Trumpeter, composer, arranger and bandleader, Steven Bernstein. Steven has won Grammy Awards in 2009 and 2011 for BestAmerican Album. and in 2004 for Best Contemporary Jazz Album

During the summer of 2018, Maggie Brown bellowed out the tunes. She was just one of the artist that performed at the  Chicago, South Side "jazz in the Alley".

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In 2022 Copeland won the "2022 Blues Artist of the Year" at the annual Downbeat Critics Poll. In 2019 her album won both Album of the Year and Contemporary Album of the Year at the 40th Blues  Music Awards in 2019.

During the three days of the Chicago Blues festival, there are several other stages going on. There, you can find great performers backing up performers on smaller stages.

Each year Chicago Gospel festival kicks off the summers festival season.   Rhymfest was just one of the featured artist performing in 2017

Home town favorite, blues singer Theo Huff, always a crowd pleaser.  During the 2017 Chicago Blues fest, Theo bumped and grind to the fans delight. 

My family can remember this artist when he was known as "Little Lucky Peterson".  We were living in Buffalo , NY at the time. I still at the vinyl record that he recorded while then, playing the organ at age seven.