Get ready for an unforgettable experience at Orkney Blues Festival. This year, we are thrilled to present a stellar lineup of headline artists who will set the stage on fire with their electrifying performances. Join us for a weekend filled with soulful music, vibrant energy, and pure blues magic.
Our incredible Headline Artists
Welcoming Deborah Bonham Band to Orkney Blues Festival 2026
Blues / Rock / Soul
Deborah Bonham has established herself as one of the finest Blues, Rock and Soul singers that the UK has produced. Over an impressive career, she’s collaborated with Foreigner, Nazareth, Robert Plant, Paul Rodgers, and Ann Peebles, delivering captivating standing ovation performances from London’s Palladium and Royal Albert Hall to the Amphitheatres of the USA on the ‘Stars Align Tour’ with Paul Rodgers, Jeff Beck and Ann Wilson of Heart.
Her most recent album ‘Bonham-Bullick’, released on USA label Quarto Valley Records, peaked at #9 on the Amazon Chart, with the lead single “See You Again” reaching #1 and album of the week in the European Hit Tracks Top 100 Blues and Rock chart. Hailed by Blues Matters Magazine as contender for ‘Album of the Year’, the album received multiple 5* reviews.
The band features Guitarist Peter Bullick (chosen by Paul Rodgers to fill the shoes of the late Paul Kossoff), Rich Newman on Drums (Rory Gallagher/Alvin Lee/Steve Marriott), Ian Rowley on Bass, and Gerard Louis on Keys.
Performing: Saturday Night Owls & Sunday Finale
Follow Deborah Bonham Band
Stay updated with their latest news and music:
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Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/deborah-bonham
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/deborahbonham
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Official Website: https://www.deborahbonham.com
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Get Your Orkney Blues Festival Weekend Pass Now!
Link: https://www.orkneybluesfestival.com/tickets
Welcoming Jon Amor Trio to Orkney Blues Festival 2026
Blues / Songwriting / Soul
🏆 2026 UK BLUES AWARDS NOMINEES - Band Of The Year
Having made his name as a guitar player with the legendary UK blues band THE HOAX, Jon Amor has pushed blues boundaries throughout his career. He formed AMOR with Wayne Proctor and Matt Beable, making two ground-breaking albums before establishing himself as a fine singer/songwriter, releasing a string of highly acclaimed solo albums.
Jon also spearheaded the widely acclaimed JON AMOR BLUES GROUP and played key roles in blues “supergroups” DVL, Birdmens, and the all-star UK line-up of THE BOOM BAND with Marcus Bonfanti, Paddy Milner, Matt Taylor and Mark Butcher.
The latest project is the JON AMOR TRIO with Gerry Soffe (bass – Larry Garner, Malone/Sibun Band, John Etheridge) and Tom Gilkes (drums – Eddie Martin, Elles Bailey, Willie & The Bandits). The three-piece format is the platform best suited to Jon’s superb songwriting and creativity.
Performing: Friday Night Owls (Trio), Friday Early Birds (Solo Acoustic), Saturday Night Owls
Follow Jon Amor Trio
Stay updated with their latest news and music:
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonAmorTrio/
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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcLX-ZVWJ9GcQwbCtrCLpHQ
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Official Website: https://jonamor.tumblr.com/shows
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Get Your Orkney Blues Festival Weekend Pass Now!
Link: https://www.orkneybluesfestival.com/tickets
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Welcoming Liz Jones and Broken Windows to
Orkney Blues Festival 2026
“When this group of eclectic, casual looking musicians join a stage, you could be forgiven for thinking they’d be there to ‘entertain’, a leg up from some decent gigging bar in their home town. At the end of the gig, you are a fan, wondering why they aren’t widely celebrated in the rockin live music world. There’s so much to love. Vocally, musically, in spirit and in energy, they deliver original songs in a way that make you feel part of the band.”
— Audience Review, Edinburgh Fringe Show 2022
Corralling some of Scotland’s best players, this six-piece have the talent to roam beyond the prescribed pentatonic box.
— Classic Rock Magazine
Performing: Friday Party in the Pom, Saturday Early Birds, Sunday Finale
Follow Liz Jones and Broken Windows
Stay updated with their latest news and music:
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Official Website: https://lizjonesmusic.com/
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Get Your Orkney Blues Festival Weekend Pass Now!
Link: https://www.orkneybluesfestival.com/tickets
Welcoming Richard Townend and the Mighty Bosscats to Orkney Blues Festival 2026
Blues / Jazz / Country
Essex Original Song band with roots, laid back guitar and great tunes – think of JJ CALE meets Dire Straits meets Chris Rea.
Richard began his professional journey after graduating from Leeds College of Music in 1984. He’s released seventeen albums (Jan 2011 – Nov 2025), 15 studio and 2 live, one recorded in Moscow. His work has earned critical acclaim and multiple nominations in the British Blues Awards for Original Song and Album (2012–2016, 2018), with several albums reaching No.1 in the Independent British Blues Chart.
Often described as a prolific writer, he has recorded well over 150 songs and penned more than 300. His style draws favorable comparisons to JJ Cale, Chris Rea, and Dire Straits, yet remains distinctly his own.
Performing: Friday Night Owls, Saturday Hoolie in Hoy, Sunday Finale
Also leading: FREE Songwriting Workshop (Saturday 11am)
Welcoming Ray Cashman to
Orkney Blues Festival 2026
Mississippi Delta Blues / Songwriter
Ray Cashman is a Mississippi singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose gritty, blues-driven sound has carried him across stages throughout the United States and Europe.
For over 20 years, he has toured USA and Europe annually, earning a loyal following with his powerful voice, raw guitar style and storytelling through song. Performing mostly original material, Cashman’s music blends traditional blues roots with a modern edge, creating songs that are both timeless and deeply personal.
His catalogue includes several acclaimed albums, and his work has been featured in television and motion pictures, further cementing his reputation as an authentic voice in American roots music.
On stage, Cashman’s performances are electric yet intimate - whether solo, with a duo, or a full trio, he brings audiences into his world with each note.
Performing: Thursday Opening, Friday Party in the Pom, Saturday Orkney Brewery & Stromness Legion
Welcoming Tom Rhodes to
Orkney Blues Festival 2026
Acoustic / Songwriter / Blues
Tom Rhodes is a young blues musician from a small village in Aberdeenshire. First spotted on the local gig circuit, he supported the Andy Taylor Band at the Blue Lamp in October 2024 before making his festival debut at the Orkney Blues Festival last April.
Performing solo ahead of the main acts, Tom made such an impression that he was invited back on stage to play with Paolo Fuschi and members of the Kyla Brox Band. We’re delighted to welcome him back for 2026, bringing a set rooted in the blues tradition, blending original material with some covers, all delivered in his own distinctive style.
Performing: Friday Royal Hotel, Saturday Early Birds, Sunday Bike Show
