Sacramento Blues Festival founder/promoter Phil Givant has died from complications of heart disease. He was 66. Givant was also a mathematics professor at American River College in Sacramento, California, and had retired only three weeks prior to his death.
During the festival's 17-year run, 1976-1993, the roster of talent represented some of the biggest blues artists: Chuck Berry, Charles Brown, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Ray Charles, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, John Hammond, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Joe Louis Walker, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells and Johnny Winter, among many others.
A memorial service is scheduled Thursday, January 10, at 10 a.m., at East Lawn Mortuary, 5757 Greenback Lane. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Phil Givant Memorial Scholarship, American River College Foundation, 4700 College Oak Drive, Sacramento, CA 95841.
