'A great celebration of music': Six musical acts will perform during the eighth annual Stoogefest on Saturday

If you're a fan of live music and enjoy being outdoors, grab a blanket or lawn chair and head to Stooge's Restaurant in Jackson on Saturday for Stoogefest.

The annual outdoor music festival begins at 11:30 a.m. and lasts until 10 p.m. No food or drinks may be brought into the space, but servers will be on hand to make sure people have food and drinks, which may be ordered off the menu. Food and drink service ends at 11 p.m.

Doug E. Rees, left, performs with Big Larry Williams.Submitted photo

A lineup of six bands will keep the crowd entertained.

Ron Cook, owner of Stooges, said the event is always popular.

"Some people plan their vacations so they can be here," he said.

Folks come from St. Louis and as far away as Nashville, Tennessee, to attend.

Stooges, at 507 W. Main St. in Jackson, opened 10 years ago.

"After about two years, we decided to have an outdoor music event," Cook said.

Each of the six bands will be on stage for 90 minutes.

Admission is $10 at the gate, and the event will take place rain or shine.

Ticket to the Beetles will close out Stoogefest tomorrow night in Jackson. (submitted photo)

If it does rain, the bands will move inside, Cook said, though the indoor space will not accommodate as many people as the outdoor space does.

The musical acts vary from rock 'n' roll to country and blues.

One of the acts in the lineup is Big Larry Williams, an 87-year-old blues man.

"He's old-time blues," Cook said. "He is the blues."

The veteran performer has uncanny talent.

Van Gogh's Ear is shown performing at Stooges on April 16. (submitted photo)

"He has the ability to make up a song right on stage," Cook said. "You may never hear it again, because he might not remember it."

Since Stooges opened, it has featured live music on a regular basis.

"It's something that's lacking in our area," Cook said.

His commitment to live music, and having musicians to play their original works, is something that has made Stooges a favorite with members of the musical community.

Travis Bowlin, a musician from Cincinnati who currently lives in Nashville, said he has played at Stooges once before and is looking forward to returning because Cook treats performers so well, providing them with food and drinks during the gig, and even a place to stay if they need it.

Van Gogh's Ear is shown performing at Stooges on April 16. (submitted photo)

"At Stooges, we have a family," he said.

Bowlin's song "See You Again" was considered for a Grammy nomination in 2015.

This is his first year to perform in Stoogefest.

His performance starts at 4:45 p.m., and he will play with Herbert Aaron, a harmonica player.

Doug E. Rees, a local musician who plays with The Stooge Band, said he's been playing at Stooges since it opened and is excited about Stoogefest.

"It's a great celebration of music," he said.

Rees' cousin, Mark Rees, along with Scott Bierschwal, make up The Stooge Band, along with an occasional sit-in guest performer -- though Doug is basically a solo artist and also will play guitar with Big Larry Williams.

Wayne Givens, bass player in Ticket to The Beatles, a tribute band to the '60s rock idols, is looking forward to performing at Stoogefest.

"To get to play music here is really fun," he said.

The band has been a constant on the St. Louis music scene for the past 19 years and was named People's Choice Best Cover Band in 2014 by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Givens said his wife is a native of Cape Girardeau, and the couple is moving back to the area.

Ticket to The Beatles performs many of The Fab Four's most popular songs.

"The Beatles played 200 songs," Givens said. "We don't play them all, but we play a lot of them. The good thing about The Beatles is that it's universal music."

Givens said small children seem to enjoy the music as much as their grandparents do.

Ticket to The Beatles will finish out the show, taking the stage at 8:05 p.m.

Cook said he is planning for Stoogefest to continue for a long time.

"We'll start planning right away for next year," he said.

For more information about the event, call Stooges at (573) 204-7187.

Pertinent address:

507 W. Main St., Jackson, Mo.

---------------------------------------

STOOGEFEST LINEUP

11:30 a.m. -- The Stooge Band

1:15 p.m. -- Shannon Cox and Friends

3 p.m. -- Eric Dahl and Van Gogh's Ear

4:45 p.m. -- Travis Bowlin

6:25 p.m. -- Doug E. Rees and Big Larry Williams

8:05 p.m. -- Ticket To The Beatles