Mavis Staples will sing at Chicago Blues Festival

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Mavis Staples will headline an all-female finale honoring Koko Taylor. | Jared Wickerham~Getty Images

Updated: March 1, 2012 9:47AM

Soul icon Mavis Staples will headline a tribute-heavy schedule at the 29th annual Chicago Blues Festival, scheduled for June 8-10 in Grant Park.

Staples will cap the festival’s final day, a schedule that features all female performers at the Petrillo Music Shell, including a tribute to the late Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor, by Melvia “Chick” Rodgers, Jackie Scott, Deitra Farr and Nora Jean Brusco.

The festival will salute five blues greats who died in 2011: David “Honeyboy” Edwards, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Hubert Sumlin and harmonica sideman George “Mojo” Buford, best known for his work with Muddy Waters.

Other top slots will go to Texas Johnny Brown — a jazzy Houston guitarist who toured with Bobby “Blue” Bland and Junior Parker — on June 8 and Floyd Taylor on June 9. Taylor is a Chicago native, DuSable High School grad and son of the great Johnnie Taylor.

Brown’s show will be part of a centennial celebration of Lightnin’ Hopkins, a fellow Texan. Other Lone Star State natives, including the Rev. K.M. Williams, Milton Hopkins (Lightnin’ Hopkins’ cousin) and Jewel Brown open that evening’s salute.

The tribute to “Honeyboy” Edwards will be led by bandmate Paul Kaye. The “Muddy Waters Disciples” will salute Perkins, Smith and Buford in a set featuring Waters’ son, Mud Morganfield; Smith’s son, Kenny Smith; Bob Margolin; Barrelhouse Chuck; Lil Frank, and Bob Stroger.

The tribute to Sumlin, set for June 9 at the Front Porch Stage, will feature Steady Rollin Bob Margolin, Eddie Shaw, Kenny Smith, Dave Spector, Johnny Iguana, Bob Stroger and Bob Corritore.

For more information, call (312) 744-3316 or visit chicagobluesfestival.us.

Thomas Conner