FitzGerald's 36th American Music Festival

Americana and roots music fans will find a full menu of talent at FitzGerald’s 36th Annual American Music Festival brought to you by FitzGerald’s, 93XRT and Miller Lite. The 4-day event, June 30-July 3, the longest running festival of its kind in the Chicago area, features more than 60 acts from Chicago and around the country.

Yes, you want it, we got it — blues, rock, pop, zydeco, soul, funk, jazz, country and folk. See below for the complete lineup that includes club favs — Los Straitjackets with Marshall Crenshaw, Dave Alvin, Shinyribs, Marcia Ball Band, Eric Lindell, Robbie Fulks, Southern Culture on the Skids, Shemekia Copeland, Ike Reilly, Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Robbie Fulks and Redd Volkaert, Sarah Borges with Eric Ambel, Jon Dee Graham, Expo ‘76 and Curtis McMurtry, as well as newcomers to the festival including The Pines, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, David Luning, Wesley Bright & the Honeytones, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Western Centuries, Terry Hanck Band, The Blue Eyed Bettys, Jack Klatt.

Our friend Jimmy LaFave, who passed away May 21, will be remembered at the festival by his friends including Marcia Ball, Shinyribs, Jon Dee Graham and Ray Bonneville who all performed at his final tribute show in Austin, Texas, on May 18. Jimmy performed many times at FitzGerald’s, and when Bill asked him in March if he wanted to perform at this year’s fest, he said “that’s on my bucket list.”

The 2016 line-up is as follows:

JUNE 30 (doors open at 4:30 pm):

IN THE TENT: Terry Hanck Band (5 pm), Western Centuries (6:30 pm), The Zimmermen (8:15 pm), Southern Culture on the Skids (10:15 pm).

IN THE CLUB: David Luning (6 pm), The Waco Brothers (7:45 pm), Robbie Fulks & Redd Volkaert (9:30 pm), Expo ’76 (11:30 pm).

IN THE SIDEBAR: Jenny Bienemann (6 pm), Northsiders Barbershop Quartet (7:30 pm), Charlie Parr (9 pm), The Shams Band (10:30 pm).

JULY 1 (doors open at 1 pm):

IN THE TENT: Chicago Salty Dogs (1:30 & 4 pm), Semi-Twang (2:45 pm), Chicago Salty Dogs (4 pm), The Tillers (4:45 pm), Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience (6:30 pm), Los Straitjackets with Marshall Crenshaw (8:30 pm), Shemekia Copeland (10:15 pm).

IN THE CLUB: Charlie Parr (1:30 pm), Liz Vice (3 pm), Kevin Gordon Band (4:30 pm), Los Straitjackets (6:15 pm), The Pines (7:45 pm), Sarah Shook & the Disclaimers (9:30 pm), Shiny Ribs (11:15 pm).

IN THE SIDEBAR: Kim Kaler (2:30 pm), Gerald Dowd (4 pm), Babe-alon 5 (5:45 pm), Curtis McMurtry (7 pm), Blue Eyed Bettys (8:45 pm), The Belvederes (10:30 pm).

JULY 2 (doors open at 1 pm):

IN THE TENT: British Buddy Alumni Big Band (1:30 pm), Switchback (3 pm), Funkadesi (4:30 pm), Tributosaurus becomes The Monkees (6:30 pm), Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band (8:30 pm), Shiny Ribs (10:30 pm).

IN THE CLUB: Ryan Joseph Anderson (2:15 pm), Wesley Bright & the Honeytones (4 pm), The Deslondes (5:45 pm), Jon Dee Graham (7:30 pm), Sarah Borges with Eric Ambel (9:15 pm), Ike Reilly (11 pm).

IN THE SIDEBAR: Jack Klatt (4 pm), Ron Lazzeretti (5:15 pm), Girls of the Golden West (6:30 pm), Liv Mueller (7:45 pm), Brett Newski (9:30 pm), Wild Earp (11 pm).

JULY 3 (doors open at 4 pm):

IN THE TENT: The Commonheart (4:30 pm), C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band (6 pm), Marcia Ball Band (8 pm), Dave Alvin & the Guilty Ones (10 pm).

IN THE CLUB: The Blisters (5:45 pm), Miles Nielsen (7:30 pm), Red Elvises (9:30 pm), Eric Lindell (11:30 pm).

IN THE SIDEBAR: Lonesome Still (5:15 pm), Ray Bonneville (6:45 pm), Cannonball (8:15 pm), Bunkertown (9:30 pm), Wes Chicosz Band (11 pm).

On the food front, those familiar with Tom "Festival" Cimms' past offerings consider his food a festival highlight. Tom is an old friend and former restaurateur who makes his specialties exclusively for our festival — look for a delicious mix of classic American and New Orleans favs.

More than three decades ago, Stevie Ray Vaughan and jazz artists Art Hodes and Jim Beebe sparked the idea for the festival during a July 4 weekend that featured performances. The following year the American Music Festival was born in a one day event featuring Clifton Chenier and his Red Hot Louisiana Band, The Famous Potatoes, The Salty Dogs and Jazz Members Big Band. Today the AMF has grown into a multi-day festival featuring a wide array of American roots music from Chicago and around the country. As far as we know, it’s the longest running festival of its kind in the Chicago area.

FitzGerald’s American Music Festival takes place rain or shine on three stages — club, tent and SideBar. Hours are 4:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. June 30, 1 p.m. to 3 a.m. on July 1, 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. on July 2, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on July 3.

Advance tickets, $30 (June 30) and $40/day July 1-3 are available at TicketWeb and in person at FitzGerald’s. ($5 discount the first hour we are open.) A 4-day pass, $120, is available at TicketWeb only (lanyard picked up at will call during fest).

The TicketWeb link is http://www.ticketweb.com/venue/fitzgerald-s-berwyn-il/32814?pl=

Children 12 and under are welcome with parents until 10 p.m. Tickets are $5; no children’s tickets will be sold in advance.

For more information on FitzGerald’s and the American Music Festival, go to http://www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.