SouthSounds 2016 artist Jamell Richardson, known as the “Gulf Coast Blues Boy,” performed downtown Mobile again on Sunday, April 17, 2016, at the Hangout Festival Free Concert Series at Soul Kitchen Music Hall. Those who missed him during SouthSounds got a second chance, with fellow SouthSounds act Paw Paw’s Medicine Cabinet also on the bill.
A Contest That Changed Everything
Richardson won the Hangout Festival’s Reach for the Beach contest in 2015, and new bands competed for the honor again in 2016. “Winning Reach For The Beach has done more for my career than anyone could imagine,” he said, praising 92ZEW and The Hangout for treating every contestant fairly. He remembered playing in the rain to a handful of people the prior year and deciding then to play for himself.
Advice for Up-and-Comers
For aspiring bands and local musicians, Richardson offered simple guidance: “Do not worry about the crowd, just go and do the best that you can do. Dress well, sound good, be professional on and off stage and most of all enjoy the experience.”