ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A female guitarist who has topped Billboard’s Blues Albums chart has been added to the lineup of Allentown’s 16th Blues, Brews & Barbecue festival.
Malina Moye, who combines influences of hip hop, rock, funk and soul and whose 2018 album “Bad As I Wanna Be” topped the Blue Albums chart, will perform at the free festival.
Blues, Brews & Barbecue will be noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 22, on six stages along Hamilton Street from Fifth to Ninth streets, and on North and South Seventh Street.Blues, Bres & Barbecue webpage
Blues, Brews & Barbecue will be noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 22, on six stages along Hamilton Street from Fifth to Ninth streets, and on North and South Seventh Street.
Moye joins previously announced headliner Nikki Hill, a rising blues singer who has captured audiences by incorporating influences of classic rock, R&B and punk into her music.
Also previously announced for the festival are multi-award-winning Ghost Town Blues Band, The Badlees guitarist Dustin Douglas and the Electric Gentlemen, James Pace Band and The Bryant Brothers.
Also, Little Red Rooster Band. Bluestime. Mighty Manatees, Regina Bonelli, Soul Miners Union, The Blues Reincarnation Project, Mississippi Pig Farmers and Lehigh Valley favorites such as The Craig Thatcher Band.
Compared to Jimi Hendrix
Moye, who has drawn comparisons to Jimi Hendrix for her left-handed, upside-down guitar playing, had her first chart success at just 19, when her song “Alone” made it into the Top 10 of Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart.
She released her debut album, “Diamonds & Guitars,” in 2009. Its single "Girlfriend" hit the Top 50 on the R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart and was used in an episode of the MTV show “The Hills.”
Her most recent album, 2023’s “Dirty,” peaked at No. 12 on the Blues Albums chart in September.Billboard charts
Her second album, 2014’s “Rock & Roll Baby,” produced the single “K-yotic,” which peaked at No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Singles Sales chart.
But Moye had her greatest success with her 2018 third album, “Bad As I Wanna Be,” which topped the Blues Albums chart for two weeks and hit No. 19 on Billboard’s all-genre Heatseekers chart.
Her most recent album, 2023’s “Dirty,” peaked at No. 12 on the Blues Albums chart in September.
In addition to music, Blues, Brew & Barbecue will offer food, including all styles of barbecue, crafters and non-food vendors.
Blues, Brews & Barbecue also will feature alcoholic drinks, domestic and craft brews, cocktails and wine.
