Bluesfest Add Zac Brown, Charlie Musselwhite, Music Maker & Locals

It's the first Bluesfest announcement for the New Year and, while we've lost count, we're told it's the eighth one all up. This one is a little different; a couple of the big names on there have already been announced, but one of them has added a very special element to his set, while another has had to add an extra show due to great demand. Anyway, we'll stop crapping on and just tell you what's happening:

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite, Zac Brown Band, Manu Chao La Ventura (second show), The Music Maker Blues Revue Feat. Ironing Board Sam, Major Handy, Pat Wilder & Dr. Burt, Leonardo's Bride, Nicky Bomba's Bustamento, Skipping Girl Vinegar, Allen Stone, Kim Churchill, Shaun Kirk, Genevieve Chadwick, Brotherfox

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite:

Apparently it was at Bluesfest back in 1996 when a young Ben Harper begged to be introduced to his idol, the great Charlie Musselwhite. Since then plenty of things have changed, but nothing has changed the respect these two artists have for one another and their friendship that has now developed into a close musical bond. The harmonica master and huge pop-rock star 26 years his junior will perform a very special show on day one of Bluesfest this year.

Zac Brown Band:

It hasn't completely caught on here, but rest assured that Zac Brown Band fever has well and truly taken the United States by storm over the past couple of years. They're a little bit of a jam band, a little bit folky, a bit on the country side of things and most definitely on the up and up since they formed ten years back. They're ridiculously renowned in the home country and Bluesfest seems the perfect place for them to get acquainted with Australia.

The Music Maker Blues Revue:

This has got to be one of the most important initiatives in contemporary music right now. The Music Maker Foundation make it their business to find musicians who are living in abject conditions, getting them some better instruments, some gigs and, in turn, some money and a better way of life. They always bring some incredible musicians when they are out here and 2013 will be no different, with Ironing Board Sam's classic keys driven blues and r'n'b will have you dancing, as will the music of the Cajun king that is Major Handy. Pat Wilder will show you why she is one of the best electric blues guitar players you've never heard of and, rounding out a great Music Maker line up for 2013, is Dr. Burt who will be back with his 12-string acoustic blues.

Leonardo's Bride:

Yes, they had an enormous hit quite some time ago with the great Even When I'm Sleeping and it would be remiss of us not to mention it, but the fact is Leonardo's Bride spent a hell of a long time making music together before their eventual split back in 2001. We sure as hell weren't expecting that we'd be seeing them in 2013, but they have decided to perform two shows at Bluesfest with their original line up of Abby Dobson on vocals, Dean Manning on guitars, Jon 'Howler' Howell on drums and Pat Wong on bass. What a coup.

Nicky Bomba's Bustamento:

He's one guy in the roots scene that requires no introduction, Nicky Bomba being a huge part of this style of music for many a year now. With Nicky Bomba's Bustamento he looks to the Caribbean with a kind of calypso/ska infused style that is gonna have you shaking. He's already on the bill as the man in front of the Melbourne Ska Orchestra, but you won't want to miss this sextet when they get the Sunday crowd jiving.

Skipping Girl Vinegar:

One of Melbourne's hardest working and most lovable indie-pop/rootsy acts, Skipping Girl Vinegar are ready to show the Bluesfest audience why so many people around the world have loved their shows and their records over the past couple of years. With a few singles set to come out this year, we can't wait to see the band perform with a bunch of fresh new music to unleash upon us.

Allen Stone:

This 25-year-old singer has been compared to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Donny Hathaway and Bill Withers, which ought to give you some kind of idea where he's coming from. American audiences are starting to fall in love with Allen Stone and now we get our chance to see why he is being touted as the next big thing.

Kim Churchill:

He has to be one of Bluesfest's favourite sons and it's exciting to hear that Kim Churchill has gone on to do some seriously great things since he first appeared at the event a couple of years back. He's just done a stint in Canada and returns to Australia with a brand new record under his arm and an even better live show; we can't imagine a better place to see him in action than at Bluesfest 2013.

Shaun Kirk:

If you're at all interested in the Australian blues scene then you probably haven't stopped hearing the name Shaun Kirk over the past few months. This young performer is quickly earning a reputation as one of our country's truly great blues guys and when he whips out that guitar and harmonica at Bluesfest, you'll understand why.

Genevieve Chadwick:

Looks can sometimes be deceiving and that's one of the things that makes a Genevieve Chadwick show so good. You might not be expecting it, but she'll blow your hat off with her stunning guitar playing and incredibly strong vocals and she has an increasingly excellent bunch of songs that make her a force to be reckoned with.

Brotherfox:

They took out the Bluesfest Busking Comp last year and now Brotherfox are getting a shot at reaching a bigger audience in 2013. They have been going hard since their auspicious beginnings early last year and ought to have a new EP out soon