Los Lobos to join Sisters blues fest

The organizers of the Sisters Rhythm and Brews Festival got some bad news last week: headliner, the legendary John Mayall, was forced to cancel all his shows through September due to ill health.

The first-year festival immediately landed some big guns to fill Mayall's shoes - the equally legendary Los Lobos will take the stage in his place during the August 3-4 festival in Sisters.

Festival co-organizer Jennifer Rambo said that the initial news was a blow, and that everyone is concerned about Mayall's well-being first and foremost. When the questioned turned to how to handle the impact of the cancellation, things lined up brilliantly.

Mayall's agent helped facilitate nailing down a replacement of appropriate stature.

"We got really, really lucky," she said.

She said that she and her partner Joe are "really excited" about presenting Los Lobos to a Sisters audience.

The line-up also includes Walter Trout along with 2017 Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year Curtis Selgado, 2016 Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year Shemekia Copeland, 2016 Album of the Year award-winner The Cedric Burnside Project, the 2014 International Blues Challenge winner Mr Sipp as well as former Blues Entertainer of the year Tommy Castro and the Painkillers.

The festival will take place at Village Green Park and Sisters Art Works Friday, August 3, 5 p.m. to midnight and Saturday, August 4, noon to midnight.

The festival is working closely with Sisters Habitat for Humanity and the Heart of Oregon Youthbuild to help demonstrate their positive impact upon the Sisters community. A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to these two organizations.

Coupled with two days of music and the creations of a variety of regional craft breweries will be a selection of carefully curated eats.

"We have about seven years of direct festival experience all around Oregon and are inviting our favorite food vendors," said Rambo.

Tickets and more information may be found at Sistersrhythmandbrews.com.