Ponderosa Stomp Festival

The legends of American music take the stage at the Ponderosa Stomp, an American roots music festival dedicated to recognizing great influencers in jazz, rock-n-roll, blues, swamp pop, country, soul, and reggae. Usually in the fall, the festival has expanded from a two-day evening concert to include a film festival, a music conference, dances and DJ parties.

The festival’s name comes from Lazy Lester, a Louisiana-born blues harmonica player. The Ponderosa Stomp was started in 2001 to celebrate and pay tribute to the unsung heroes and heroines of rock-n-roll, R&B and other forms of American roots music while they are still alive. Most of these musicians are natives of Louisiana or the Deep South, and their work has helped shape music and American culture for over 60 years.

In previous years, the event has featured Barbara Lynn, Lazy Lester, Archie Bell, Sam the Sham, the Sun Ra Orchestra, Robert Jr. Lockwood, DJ Fontana, Dale Hawkins, Roy Head, Bobby Rush, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Bartholomew, longtime Fats Domino sideman Herb Hardesty, and former Elvis drummer Scotty Moore. For many of these musicians, playing at the Stomp has helped re-ignite their careers.

The two-day conference offers attendees a chance to hear about music history from the people who were there. Panels and discussions range from how some of the greatest American songwriters got their start, to how some of the most famous records were recorded.

The Mystic Knights of Mau Mau sponsors the event. The organization honors artists and educates audiences about their influence on the culture of America through special events, concerts, festivals, and outreach activities that feature living musical legends. Though the Ponderosa Stomp is their primary event, the organization has sponsored over 40 concerts featuring over 150 famous musicians.

Tickets to the concerts and the conference are sold separately. For more information on the Mystic Knights and the Ponderosa Stomp, or to buy tickets, visit www.ponderosastomp.com