Grammy winning blues vocalist and drummer Donald Ray Johnson, born in Texas, now based in Calgary, will bring his blues band to Kimberley August 9 to play the closing concert of the Kimberley Kaleidoscope arts & culture festival on the outdoor stage at the Centre 64 arts centre.

Anyone lucky enough to catch the outstanding Kenny Blues Boss Wayne cabaret concert at Centre 64 on May 31 will know what he/she is in for. Donald Ray Johnson has appeared with Wayne on many occasions and is a blues singer of similar style and calibre. He was voted best male blues vocalist of 2007 by Real Blues magazine and was twice a Maple Blues award nominee.

Johnson began his professional music career at age 14 as the drummer for legendary blues pianist Nat Dove.

He went on to become a member of the Grammy winning group, A Taste of Honey, and toured with such big name blues artists as Big Moma Thornton, Smokey Wilson, and The Islay Brothers. Since then he has become an international recording artist and has toured pretty well every country in Western Europe and appeared at festivals and in concert houses across North America. Shortly before he arrives in Kimberley, Johnson will play the Calgary International Blues Fest and the Kenny Blues Boss Wayne show in Calgary.

The Saturday Night Outdoor Concert at Centre 64 on August 9 will feature Johnson and his five-piece band in a two hour free concert beginning at 7 p.m. Food vendors and a bar will be open on site from 5 to 9 p.m.

While the concert is free, organizers hope patrons will dip deep in their pockets to donate to Kimberley Arts Council, sponsors and organizers of the concert and the Kaleidoscope festival. For information about the other events in the eight-day festival check posters around Kimberley and Cranbrook or go to www.kimberleyarts.com.

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