The Early Years
The Orkney Blues Festival has been around in a few formats in its over 20 year span. We now have Marcus Cordock on his 4th year as festival director after taking the reigns from his mentor Walter 'Watty' Gorman. 'Watty' completed a decade of successful blues festivals before taking a step back from driving duties.
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However before Walter Gorman the Blues Festival had been around for many years bringing up artists such as Roy Mette, Blues on Tap, Mr Riff, Charlie Morris, Doctor Feelgood and British Blues Legend; Peter Green.
The festival at this time was held all across the island, with gigs in many of the bars around the more rural areas, on the islands such as hoy, in the Nightclub/venue Fusion, as well as around Stromness. There was also many great opportunities for younger people on Orkney to take part in workshops and enjoy the music from the Stromness Academy.
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There's no real documentation of many of these festivals which has been lost to boxes in the attic and on top of wardrobes, but one things for sure, those who have been present at the Orkney Festival in whatever format it was, they will have many fond memories that will long be forgotten...