Boogie Woogie at Marshall’s 30th Annual Fireant Festival

The music and dancing have transformed the festival.

MARSHALL — Get ready to boogie with an incredible array of musical talent and dancing in the streets at the 30th Annual Fireant Festival on the Courthouse Square in downtown Marshall.

The festival kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12 with Texas Blues King Bobbie Oliver and Boogie Woogie Wildman Dr. John Tennison. Tennison, whose virtuoso piano astounded the audience at the spring tribute concert for the late piano master Omar Sharriff, is the San Antonio psychiatrist and musicologist whose research determined that boogie woogie music originated in the Marshall area. He’ll be accompanied by Omar’s Band of Brothers, drummer Mike Mitchell, bass man Carl Mitchell, and guitarist Barney Canson. Veteran blues belter Bobbie Oliver, a Jimmy Reed-style guitar and harp player with powerhouse vocals, will be bringing his real-deal blues back home to Marshall after wowing his overseas fans on a European tour.

Robin Black and Stanton Hoffman. Photo courtesy of Bruce Flett Productions.

Saturday night, Oct.13, will showcase two of the hottest young blues bands in America. From Shreveport, the Matthew Davidson Band will play featuring the award-winning 14-year-old phenom who is dazzling the music world. The Peterson Brothers, from Bastrop, Texas, will appear. They are also in their teens, and also garnering national praise - these kids recently opened for Los Lonely Boys. Both the Matthew Davidson Band and the Peterson Brothers were sensations at the 2012 T-Bone Walker Blues Fest in Linden.

The Peterson Brothers Photo courtesy of Nancy Canson

The entertainment Saturday starts at noon, with dance performances and Marshall’s fantastic R&B/soul band, Anthony G. Parrish & Friends. They’ll be followed by the Robin Beach Black Trio featuring the incomparable female vocalist from Shreveport’s Robin & the Bluebirds. Also from Shreveport: Dan Garner, Airheart and AJ Haynes. Dancers will include Longview’s Ryan Allgood Dancers, the Dancebag Dancers, Mahogany Rush, and the Purple Dynasty from Wiley College.

The Fireant Festival is Marshall’s longest running annual celebration and is produced by the Marshall Chamber of Commerce. In recent years, the Chamber has turned to Marshall’s Birthplace of Boogie Woogie program for live entertainment at the event. The music and dancing have transformed the festival.

“This will be the third year with Boogie Woogie, which was a huge success and we hope it continues,” said Festival Chairman Millie Green. “They have a lineup of fantastic people.”

Bobby Mercy Oliver

The Fireant Festival presents great arts, crafts, vendors, food, an abundance of kid stuff and contests all day long Saturday, including a kids’ dance contest at noon. The 5K Fireant Run begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, the Tour de Fireant bike ride begins at 9 a.m., and the Fireant Parade starts at 10 a.m. For parade, vendor and festival information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 903-935-7868.

Admission to the festival is free and the entertainment, Friday night, all day Saturday and Saturday night, is also free. Contact Boogie Woogie Marshall for more information on the entertainment at 903-217-7486 or go to their Facebook page.