BEALE STREET MUSIC FESTIVAL

Van Morrison

The Dave Matthews Band

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Furry Lewis, Carla Thomas and Al Green performed at the first Beale Street Music Festival, held in 1977 in a parking lot near the corner of Third and Beale streets.

This year the Dave Matthews Band, the Allman Brothers Band and Van Morrison are among the headliners who will perform Friday through Sunday at Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis, along the Mississippi River and in the many clubs along Beale Street.

Other headliners include George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars featuring Parliament-Funkadelic, Shirley Brown, Joan Baez, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, the subdudes, Luther Allison, Shawn Colvin, Cracker, Alex Chilton, O'Landa Draper & the Associates, the Blind Boys of Alabama and more than 30 other musical acts who styles include rock, alternative, R&B, blues and gospel.

The festival presents music on two primary stages and in the Blues Tent. This year, Memphis and Gospel stages have been added. Last year, more than 55,000 people attended during the three days.

Performances are scheduled from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, from 2 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Saturday, and from 1 0.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

Scheduled to perform Friday are: Luther Allison, Anson & the Rockets, Joan Baez, Big --- Truck, R.L. Burnside, Corner Shop, Cracker, Dave Matthews Band, Joe Ely, Herman Green and the Green Machine, JACKOPIERCE, Howard Jones, Coco Montoya, River Bluff Clan, Otis Rush, Todd Snider and Keith Sykes.

Scheduled for Saturday are: C.C. Adcock, the Allman Brothers Band, Carey Bell, Blue Mountain, The Bottle Rockets, Doyle Bramhall & the Memphis Horns, Shirley Brown, The Cadillac Cowgirl, Alex Chilton, and George Clinton & the P-Funk All-stars featuring Parliament/Funkadelic.

Also appearing Saturday will be the Dave Thompson Band, Fishbone, Robben Ford & The Blue Line, ho-hum, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Edwin McCain, Bob Margolin, Tracy Nelson, The Reba Russell Band, Bobby Rush, Garrison Starr, Straight Up Buzz and the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz.

Playing Sunday will be: Marci Ball, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Shawn Colvin, Grace Divine, O'Landa Draper & the Associates, The Duke Robillard Band, Big Mike Griffin, John Hammond, Ben Harper, the Jackson Southernaires, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories, Sam Moore, Van Morrison, Dorothy Norwood, Possum Dixon, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and the subdudes.

Tickets are $13 per day in advance and $16 at the gate. A three-day pass is available for $30 in advance or $40 beginning Friday.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster locations or by calling (901) 525-1515. Tickets include admission to all clubs on Beale Street on a space-available basis.