DOWNTOWN WEST MONROE TO HOST OUACHITA LIVE CONCERT FEATURING BLUES AWARD WINNER SELWYN BIRCHWOOD
Downtown West Monroe will continue its monthly concert series, Ouachita Live, on May 30 with internationally touring blues artist Selwyn Birchwood and his band. Ruston native D.K. Harrell will make a rare special guest appearance on stage with Birchwood. Sponsor Louisiana Lottery will present the May show.
The free outdoor concert series takes place on the last Friday of every month from March through
October in Alley Park (located on the corner of Trenton and Natchitoches Streets) from 7:00 p.m. to
9:00 p.m. A food truck will be on-site and spirits will be available for the public to purchase from
downtown restaurants. Attendees are asked to bring a chair. Cash donations are accepted and go to
support the artists.
Birchwood’s highly skilled guitar technique and signature voice has earned him numerous awards
including the Blues Music Award, Living Blues Award, and the International Blues Challenge. He dubs his
style as “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues.” Guitar World magazine says, “Blues star Selwyn Birchwood is
the real deal. He puts his own fresh spin on the blues, taking the tradition and making it into something
new.”
Northeast Louisiana’s own D.K. Harrell will join Birchwood as a special guest on stage. Harrell is also a
critically acclaimed blues artist, having won numerous awards in the industry including the B.B. King of
the Blues Award. Initially inspired by B.B. King, his first paying gig was as an invited guest to the B.B.
King Symposium where he played King’s iconic guitar “Lucille.”
Harrell is also the President and Founder of the Ouachita River Blues Society (ORBS), a local
membership-based nonprofit with the mission to honor blues heritage through promotion, education,
and support of live music in the Northeast Louisiana Delta.
ORBS will host an artist Meet and Greet for ORBS members prior to the concert at 6:00 p.m. at Flying
Heart Brewing and Pub.
City of West Monroe’s Main Street Director Adrienne LaFrance-Wells hopes the concert will encourage
people to visit downtown.
“We are thrilled to offer this show featuring two powerhouse blues icons. Their brand of blues isn’t
about feeling low – it’s about bringing electrifying energy to the stage. It’s a rare treat to have a blues
artist of Selwyn’s caliber visit our community. It’s even rarer to have our own D.K. Harrell join him.
These artists headline large festivals around the globe, so having them perform together will make for
an unforgettable show!”
Ouachita Live helps ensure high-quality live music continues to be a part of downtown West Monroe’s
programming. Concerts have gained popularity with people of all ages and have even attracted people
outside of the area. The series is presented by the Downtown West Monroe Revitalization Group
nonprofit which fundraises to make shows possible.
Sponsors for the May show include Louisiana Lottery, Choice Brands, Ouachita River Blues Society,
Bermea Productions, Hamilton House Inn, North Delta Ramble and KEDM 90.3 FM.
More information is available on the Downtown West Monroe and Ouachita Live Facebook pages.
