Ponderosa Stomp 2008 Preview- NY Times Travel

By HILARY HOWARD
Published: March 16, 2008
NEW ORLEANS

Right in the middle of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (www.nojazzfest.com; April 25 to 27 and May 1 to 4) is the seventh annual Ponderosa Stomp (www.ponderosastomp.com), an American roots music festival that celebrates the lesser-known architects of modern American popular music — including blues, funk and rockabilly performers. This year the festival is set to take place on April 29 and 30 at the House of Blues and will include performances by Ronnie Spector, former lead singer of the Ronettes (above); Mary Weiss, former lead singer of the Shangri-Las; the blues and soul singer Syl Johnson; and the Detroit soul singer Nathaniel Mayer. There will also be panel discussions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days at the Cabildo in the French Quarter. General admission: $45 a night