​Announcing the Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival 2019 – July 27th & 28thPlanning is well underway for the 2019 Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival to be held on July 27th and 28th at The Syria Mosque, site of last year's festival.
The festival will continue to serve as a benefit for autism.
The planning committee is working at this time to acquire the local and national acts that will be playing this year. Seeking sponsorship commitments is a full time effort for the group as they seek to turn this year's event beyond last year's success.

​​2019 PITTSBURGH BLUES AND ROOTS FESTIVAL 
LINE-UP BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE FOR THE 
JULY 27 & 28 CONCERT AT THE SYRIA SHRINE CENTER
 
For the past two years, the Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival has played host to some of the biggest names in Blues -- Walter Trout, Bernard Allison, Tinsley Ellis and Tas Cru, to name just a few. Now, Ron “Moondog” Esser and his team are planning the 2019 Blues and Roots Festival, which will return to the Syria Shrine Center for the weekend of July 27th and 28th.

We can now reveal that one of this year’s international headliners will be the soul—blues rocker Tommy Castro & The Painkillers. Tommy is a “BB King Entertainer of the Year” award winner. In the world of Blues, it doesn’t get any better than that. They’ve just released their latest album, “Killin’ It Live.”
 
As always, the Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival will feature some of the best local and regional bands. This year’s festival includes Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers and Pittsburgh’s Women of the Blues, electrifying the audience as they did in 2018.
 
The “ROOTS” part of the festival will be well represented with traditional Zydeco and Bluegrass bands taking the stage. (That’s why we call it the Blues and “Roots” Festival.)
 
Ron “Moondog” Esser will be announcing the complete Blues and Roots line-up at a special event to be held Thursday, April 11, at Moondogs in Blawnox. You know there’ll be a party.
 
Proceeds benefit the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Band Together Pittsburgh, a community-based nonprofit that uses the power of music to enrich the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. "This event is not only exciting and fun, but the money raised helps the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Band Together Pittsburgh continue providing musical opportunities to persons on the spectrum through our Autism Open Mic and Summer Music Workshop", says Jesse Torisky, Esquire, President of the Autism Society of Pittsburgh.
 
Ron Esser and musician John Vento are founders of Band Together Pittsburgh, the force behind the Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival. Vento states, “The highlight of this wonderful event is witnessing the performances and contributions by those on the autism spectrum.”
 
To quote a visitor at last year’s Festival: “What a wonderful event! Fantastic music, great venue and good people. Hopefully, this is the start of a new yearly tradition.”  We can confirm, it is.
 
For updated information, check out the Pittsburgh Blues and Roots Festival website at www.pghbluesrootsfest.com.

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Some of the comments that we’ve received via our Facebook Page:​
“Great cause! Great bands! Great food! Great turnout! Hope the funds raised were abundant!”
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“What a wonderful event! Well organized, great venue, fantastic music, and good people. Happy to be a part of it. Look forward to next time.”
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“…hopefully the start of a new yearly tradition. Great venue, great music and great food.”
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“Fantastic event, wonderful organizers & volunteers, and of course AWESOME bands! Well done- see you next year!”