Andy Hackleman, entertainment coordinator for Saturday's River to the Rails street party, says the band lineup has something for everyone.
Southern rock, blues, bluegrass and gospel are among the styles represented, and there are some well-known Delta names, Hackleman said.
"Most people are familiar with all these people," he said.
Starting early Saturday afternoon, the bands will appear on two stages - the North Stage, at Howard and Market streets facing south, and the South Stage, at Carrollton Avenue and Howard Street facing north.
Hackleman said he was thinking about putting together a downtown entertainment event emphasizing local acts, for some time, even before the organizers of River to the Rails approached him.
Also, he has worked with Main Street Greenwood before. So, he said, "when Main Street approached me about this thing, it was basically the same idea I had, so I went along with it."
He said it took a couple of months to assemble the band lineup.
One big draw should be Curb Service, a party band featuring Joe Seawright, Johnny Jennings, Charles Hall, Johnny Freeman and John Elliot. The group, which was formed in the 1970s and became a favorite all over the state, stopped performing a few years ago but is now getting back into it.
"If all their old friends and family come out, it should be fun," Hackleman said.
Duff Dorrough of Ruleville also will play, collaborating with bassist Barry Bayes of Cleveland. Dorrough, a singer and guitarist, is a founding member of the Tangents. Hackleman called Dorrough "an absolute Delta legend" and said he was excited about getting the two musicians together. "It should be interesting what they come up with," he said.
Other styles will be represented, too. For "roots" music, there are the Old Union Outlaws, a band from Carroll County, and the Duck Hillbillies, a bluegrass group.
For those who enjoy gospel, the West Singers will perform.
Gunboat is a jam band that placed second in the Battle of the Bands at last year's BalloonFest and is working on a recording. Under the Gun specializes in Southern rock and country.
For blues, there will be Eden "Little Boogaloo" Brent and Little Dave Thompson, both of Greenville, and Terry "Harmonica" Bean, a singer, guitarist and harmonica player who has performed all over the state.
Also featured will be Jamie Isonhood, a rockabilly and boogie-woogie pianist from Sunflower County.
Will Pleasants - who, Hackleman said, "claims to be the hardest-working man in Delta show business, and he probably is" - will perform with his uncle, Dudley Pleasants.
Brandy Ward, a freshman music student at Delta State, has drawn some attention for her singing and piano playing. She is a former first-place winner in the Colgate Country Challenge, a national talent contest.
Hackleman, who has plenty of experience coordinating music for this type of event, said it's much easier when he deals with people he knows. Then there's not the hassle of going through booking agents. But he wanted to keep the events as local as possible anyway, and he had a limited budget.
Next year, when they have a year to plan and raise money, they should be able to do more, he said.
BAND SCHEDULE
12-12:45: Old Union Outlaws
1:15-2:15: Terry "Harmonica" Bean
2:45-3:30: Duff Dorrough and Barry Bayes
4-5: West Singers
5:15-6: Will and Dudley Pleasants
6:30-7:30: Gunboat
7:45-8:15: Brandy Ward
8:30-10: Curb Service
12:30-1:15: Duck Hillbillies
1:30-2:30: Eden Brent
3-4: Jamie Isonhood
4:30-5:30: Under the Gun
6-7: Little Dave
