Houma, Louisiana, native Tab Benoit played his gritty, high energy swamp inflected blues to an overflow crowd of blues lovers. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Bourbon Street regular Big Al Carson gives it his all in the Blues Tent. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard gave inspired performances, whether during his own set or sitting in with Pharoh Sanders. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

CJ Chenier, son of Zydeco legend Clifton Chenier (who performed at the first Jazz Fest in 1970) and a master in his own right, brought the crowd in the Blues Tent to its feet. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

New Orleans own Dr. John brought his special brand of rockingsoulfunkblues to the delight of the crowd. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Woodstock hero, singer/songwriter Richie Havens, played with his usual intensity and joy to an enchanted and enthralled audience. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Local New Orleans jazz stalwart James Rivers played an inspired set for folks in the Jazz Tent. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Jerry Lee Lewis, aka The Killer, wowed the crowd with his hits and cuts from his new CD, Last Man Standing. The title refers to the fact that he is the last surviving member of Sun Records' famous Million Dollar Quartet of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Lewis. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Veteran rocker Johnny Rivers showed he still has everything and more that it takes to fire up a crowd. He played his hits, including "Memphis", "High on A Mountain of Love" and "Secret Agent Man", much to the delight of the audience. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Louisiana's own Sonny Landreth used his deft touch and slide guitar wizardry for a sweet, rocking, soaring set. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Singer, songwriter and poet Lucinda Williams sings a heartfelt song to the crowd in her former home town. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Once a child prodigy (Willie Dixon produced an album for him when he was 6 years old), multi-instrumentalist bluesman Lucky Peterson stuck to the guitar during his high energy set in the Blues Tent. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Mose Allison displayed his own special brand of bluesy, muscular piano playing and wry lyrics to the delighted crowd in the Jazz Tent. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Modern day chantuese Nora Jones inspired the crowd with her warm jazzy style and lush vocals. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Soul legend, and recent inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Percy Sledge gave an inspired performance. His renditions of "Dark End of the Street", "Out of Left Field", "It Tears Me Up" and of course "When a Man Loves a Women" were sublime. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Jazz legend Pharoh Sanders gave an intense, driving performance which had the crowd mesmerized. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

The ever popular, ever youthful, Bonnie Raitt wowed the crowd. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Straight from the swamps, Louisiana legends Paul "Little Buck" Sinegal and Rudy Richard, former bandmate of Slim Harpo, joined forces for a Blues Summit that thrilled the crowd. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Rock-blues thrasher George Thorogood & the Destroyers destroyed the crowd in the Blues Tent. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Modern country singer-songwriter Gillian Welch brought joy and happiness to the Fais-do-do Stage. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.

Members of the Wimberly Family Gospel group inspired and elevated the crowd to a hand clapping, foot stomping moment of joy in the Gospel Tent. Image © Joseph A. Rosen.