Singing the blues at Dundee shopping centre

The Dundee Blues Bonanza got under way with a performance by three headline acts in the city’s Wellgate shopping centre yesterday.

Mud Morganfield, son of legendary blues singer Muddy Waters; Lil’ Jimmy Reed, a renowned blues musician from Alabama and Bob Hall, one of the finest boogie-woogie piano players in the UK, performed for shoppers in the centre.

Mr Morganfield said before the performance: “I have never been to Scotland before and it’s a beautiful thing to be here. I think it will be a lot of fun to play a lot of Chicago blues in Dundee.”

He added: “I think it will be a good chance for those who never saw my father play to see what it might have been like if he was still alive.”

The trio, who played a variety of classic and modern blues, were joined by centre manager John Morton and Dundee Lord Provost John Letford for the launch of the three-day extravaganza.

Mr Letford said: “The bonanza has been a huge success over the years and I am sure it will be again this year. There are an extraordinary number of musicians performing across the city and the town will be jumping no doubt.

“It is one of the major events that takes place in the city and I know everyone is looking forward to it.”

The bonanza, billed as the biggest free music festival in the world, will feature more than 120 gigs at 30 city-centre venues..

Voluntary committee chairman Bob Telford said: “The bonanza has been successful every year so far and everybody is rearing to go again this year so I am very optimistic.”

The bonanza, which gets help from the Angus and Dundee innovation and development fund, is expected to inject hundreds of thousands of pounds into the economy.