Fourth Annual Ponderosa Stomp Roots Romp Scheduled for April 26-27 at New Orleans' Rock'n'Bowl Mid-City Lanes

Tickets on sale now for ultimate roots fest which will feature Archie Bell, Nokie Edwards (The Ventures), Betty Harris (first show in 30 years), Roy Head, Lazy Lester, Lil' Buck Senegal & the Top Cats with Stanley "Buckwheat Zydeco" Dural, Barbara Lynn, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Nathaniel Mayer, Scotty Moore, Ray Sharpe, Brenton Wood and Link Wray plus 30 others

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Unsung creators of rock'n'roll, r&b, rockabilly, blues and swamp pop -- ones who made influential vintage recordings, perhaps scored a hit, and have been long forgotten by today's pop mainstream -- will be once again celebrated as Ponderosa Stomp announces the lineup for its fourth annual music festival.

The two-night music festival, scheduled for April 26-27, 2005, again will take place on two stages at the legendary Mid City Rock'N'Bowl Lanes in New Orleans from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. each night. Tickets sell for $35 per night through the festival's web site, http://www.ponderosastomp.com, and at the door. Prospective attendees are advised to purchase tickets well in advance as both nights are expected to sell out. The two nights of Ponderosa Stomp are book-ended by the two weekends of JazzFest so thousands of music fans will fill the Crescent City.

This year's lineup represents Ponderosa Stomp's most ambitious assemblage of American roots legends yet. Scheduled to appear are The Bad Roads, Classie Ballou, Archie Bell, Eddie Bo, Blowfly, Lonnie Brooks as Guitar Junior, The Carter Brothers, Jay Chevalier, Joe Clay, Larry De Riuex, Deke Dickerson & the Eccofonics, Skip Easterling, Nokie Edwards (of the Ventures), Johnny Farina (of Santo & Johnny), H Bomb Ferguson, Henry Gray, Betty Harris, Dale Hawkins, Roy Head, Al Johnson, Johnny Jones, Little Freddy King, Eddie Kirkland, Lady Bo, Lazy Lester, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Matt Lucas, Barbara Lynn, Mando & the Chili Peppers, Nathaniel Mayer, Scotty Moore, Phil Phillips, Freddie Roulette, Lil' Buck Senegal & the Top Cats with Stanley "Buckwheat Zydeco" Dural on Hammond B3 organ, Ray Sharpe, Warren Storm, Willie Tee, Travis Wammack, Barrence Whitfield, Brenton Wood and Link Wray.

Ponderosa Stomp is presented by the Mystic Knights of the Mau-Mau, a group of rock'n'roll fanatics who are obsessed with celebrating the overlooked pioneers of blues, country, swamp pop, jazz, soul and New Orleans r&b. In the past three years, the Mystic Knights have presented more than 40 shows featuring a combined roster of more than 200 musical legends which reads like an impossible dream lineup of American roots music.

Ponderosa Stomp has won numerous citations in the media. The New York Times' Jon Pareles wrote, "The Ponderosa Stomp plunges into the obscure byways of rock'n'roll past...regional hits and eclectic combinations...a dream!" Added Gambit magazine, "For roots aficionados, the Stomp was nirvana; you almost had to pinch yourself to make sure it wasn't a dream." And CNN, advancing the event, proclaimed, "History will be in the making at the Stomp." In addition, the festival has been covered by MSNBC, Associated Press, Mojo, Christian Science Monitor, Offbeat, Living Blues, High Times and more.

The Mystic Knights of the Mau-Mau (MKMM Charities, Inc) is a 501(c)(7) organization, seeking to recognize the forgotten and unsung pioneers of blues, rock'n'roll, country, jazz and soul by presenting those pioneers to today's audiences through an annual series of live, intimate house party settings in New Orleans. Their shows have helped resurrect the careers of several lost music legends.

According the Mystic Knights of the Mau Mau's grand poobah Dr. Ike: "The Ponderosa Stomp is the ultimate ass-shaking house party. Where else can you shake and groove for over 24 hours of pure rock'n'roll insanity in the land in rock'n'roll was born. Throw in the fact that it takes place in a 1950s bowling alley. Nowhere else could this take place other than New Orleans. Grab your back cat bone and monkey paws, throw your goofer dust on the floor and do whatever's necessary to get here!"