Madison Blues Society

Madison Blues Society secretary Kay Hardy had a specific idea in mind Sunday when the group decided to have its first Picnic in the Park.

"We wanted to keep it accessible to as many people as possible," Hardy said of the free event at Warner Park. "We just wanted a lot of people to come out really casual and kick back.

"That's why we called it a picnic."

Blues fans Sandy Graham and Kay Cronk of Madison did just that. The women were lounging in lawn chairs with their feet up in the shade underneath a pavilion, beverages in hand, enjoying the music and the ambiance on a sun-drenched day.

"I'm here because I love the blues and it's in the park and it's free and there's food," Graham said. "We're not going until it's over."

A coming-and-going crowd that Hardy said remained about 500 strong throughout much of the afternoon turned out to listen to the various groups of musicians who had volunteered to play.

"How often do you see that?" Hardy said of the willingness of performers like Tate and the Million Dollar Blues Band, Clyde Stubblefield, Bob Corbit and Shari Davis & the Hootchy-Kootchy Band to participate. "They just want to get the blues out to the people. And that's part of our mission statement, to match musicians and the community."

The blues society is attempting to do more of that.

"Some of the things we are hoping to promote are blues projects in the schools and libraries," said society treasurer Al Michels.

The organization was formed in 1994, but was shuttered in the fall of 2000 before being reestablished in March of this year. Hardy said that before the event the club had 50 members and that at least 50 more had joined on Sunday.

Future plans call for a Luther Allison memorial project, a Madison Blues compilation CD, road trips to blues events in the Midwest and more social gatherings.