Back by Popular Demand: Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels Ditch Their Cars for Mackinac Island's 5th Annual Mackinac Island Music Festival

Back by Popular Demand: Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels Ditch Their Cars for Mackinac Island's 5th Annual Mackinac Island Music Festival

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Mackinac Island has been known as a gathering place for centuries, so it is fitting that classical, jazz, folk, country and rock musicians will gather from Tuesday, August 18 through Thursday, August 20, 2009 for the 5th Annual Mackinac Island Music Festival. Presented by Great Turtle Festivals and the Mackinac Arts Council, performances abound around the car-less Island's pubs and historic Mission Point Theatre and include the classic hoedown at picturesque Windermere Point.

Grey Goose presents the unsung hero of Detroit's rock scene, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, on the night of August 19th at Mission Point Resort Theatre. Mitch Ryder is noted for his gruff, wailing singing style, much influenced by rock's icon's Little Richard and James Brown. Rolling Stone Magazine dubs Ryder as "the howling titan of soul and working class party rock ... he's Saturday night in a bottle." Ryder's opening act will be veteran slide guitarist Kraig Kenning from Chicago, who captured first place honors in the National Guitar Slide Festival in North Carolina.

Ash Can Van Gogh featuring Detroit music scene veterans Billy Brandt, JC Whitelaw, Mary McGuire and Nino Dmytryszyn will perform a special reunion show at the Music Festival Hoedown along with blues singer Barbara Payton and northern Michigan songstress Michelle Chenard.

The finale is Mackinac Island's Last Waltz, where festival musicians will come together to pay tribute to Scorsese's rockumentary, the legendary film "The Last Waltz." The film featured The Band with special guests from their career in a farewell gig in 1976. The Forbes Brothers will take on the musical stylings of The Band and festival musicians will portray Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and more to celebrate one of the greatest stage shows of American Roots music in rock history at Mission Point's historic theatre.

About Mackinac Island:

Mackinac Island is a National Historic Landmark located between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas and covers 2,200 acres. The Island banned private motor vehicle use during the last century and today relies on the services of more than 600 horses to provide residents and visitors transportation around the Island.

   For tickets call the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau (800) 454-5227.    Contact:   Mary McGuire Slevin   www.mackinacislandmusicfestival.org   800-454-5227  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau

CONTACT: Mary McGuire Slevin of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau,
+1-800-454-5227

Web Site: http://www.mackinacislandtourismbureau.org/
http://www.mackinacislandmusicfestival.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment