Bluesapalooza headliner Damon Fowler will add a splash of country

SPRING HILL

Legendary blues musician B.B. King once admitted that he didn't choose to play the blues. Rather, the blues chose him.

Damon Fowler can relate to that. He fell in love with the genre the first time he heard it, and one of the first songs he taught himself after he got his first guitar at age 10 was Steamroller Blues, a song he learned from a James Taylor record.

Now 30, Fowler is well on his way to becoming one of the country's most respected guitar talents, performing at blues festivals, clubs and concerts throughout the country. And though blues is still his first love, Fowler has happily expanded his musical territory in recent years. His latest CD, Sugar Shack, is full of surprises — and, yes, even a little hint of country twang.

Fowler, who headlines this weekend's Bluesapalooza festival at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill, admitted that after nearly two decades of playing straight blues, a little musical detour was in order.

"I've always loved country music," Fowler said. "Not the stuff you hear on the radio these days. I'm talking about George Jones, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, stuff like that. That was all over my house when I was growing up."

Fowler, who lives in Bradenton Beach, has long been an integral part of the Tampa Bay blues scene, known for being a hotbed for emerging talent in the genre. While still in high school, he was sharing bills on weekends with such nationally known stars as Greg Allman, Bernard Allison, Rick Derringer and Jimmie Vaughan.

Through the years, Fowler has built a loyal following that celebrated his musical triumphs. And when he needed help, they came through as well.

Such a time came nearly four years ago when Fowler was severely injured after his van flipped on Interstate 75 while he was on his way to a gig in Citrus County. Several benefit concerts organized by fellow blues musicians helped raise thousands of dollars to help with medical expenses.

Fowler, who has performed many a benefit show himself, said he was overwhelmed by the show of support.

"That's why this music will always be so special to me," he said. "Blues people are the best."

The two-day festival will also feature local entertainers, plus several other notable Tampa Bay area acts, including Sarasota Slim and Nitro, Sean Chambers, the WhooDoos featuring Bodie Valdez, Josh Lamkin & Automatic Heat, and the Shaun Rounds Band.

The festival, sponsored by Hernando County's Parks and Recreation Department, is the second in a series of special concerts designed, according to Recreation Department director Harry Johnson, "to create a spark for the community" and to bolster the department's coffers.

Johnson is looking to repeat the success of the reggae festival his department hosted in April at Linda Pedersen Park, along the Hernando coast. That one-day event netted $8,324 in profits, which came primarily from the sale of beer and wine by department staffers.

Johnson said that county employees will once again be staffing beer and wine booths and, as before, will not serve alcohol to folks who appear to have had too much.

"Our desire is to keep this a family-oriented event," he said. "It's okay to come and have a good time, but anyone who overdoes it will be dealt with."

As with the previous event, sheriff's deputies will be on hand to provide security.

In addition to music, the event will feature a number of food and beverage vendors and kids' games plus arts and crafts vendors.

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1435.