Cee-Lo Green, Air Supply added to Bluesfest line-up

RBC Bluesfest organizers today announced two major additions to an ever-burgeoning line-up. Five-time Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter-producer, television personality, actor, pop culture and fashion icon, and self-professed professional lady killer CeeLo Green has been confirmed to appear on Sunday, July 12. His worldwide hit “Forget You” was certified Gold in the U.S. and Denmark and achieved platinum status in Canada, New Zealand, and the UK, and multi-platinum status in Australia. He’s made several memorable appearances on Saturday Night Live and more recently CeeLo starred in the John Carney film ‘Can a Song Save Your Life?’ along with Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. As a founding member of the seminal hip-hop group the Goodie Mob, and of the Southern-based musical alliance the Dungeon Family, CeeLo has made an enormous contribution to contemporary music. In addition to his success as a recording artist, CeeLo Green has completed three seasons as a coach on NBC’s hit show The Voice and will take a hiatus for the fourth season to focus on music, but will return for the fifth season.

Another act that is sure to resonate with a lot of pass holders is Australia’s own Air Supply, an internationally renowned duo that has been the recipient of unprecedented, world-wide radio airplay for their countless love songs. Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock met on May 12, 1975, at rehearsals for “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Sydney, Australia; they became instant friends with their common love for The Beatles and, of course, singing.

In 1980 “Lost in Love” became the fastest-selling single in the world, topping international charts. Seven top-five singles later, Air Supply had equaled The Beatles' run of consecutive top-five singles. The albums ‘Lost in Love’, ‘The One That You Love’, ‘Now & Forever’, and ‘The Greatest Hits’ sold more than 20 million copies. The trademark sound of Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell’s simple yet majestic songs will be on full display at the RBC Bluesfest on Saturday, July 18.

“It’s always nice to see the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place,” say the festival’s executive and artistic director Mark Monahan. “CeeLo has been on our radar for quite some time—he’s a great fit for the festival. And with the addition of Air Supply, we’ve managed to span a broad demographic and offer something extra for many of our long-time fans.” For more details on this and other RBC Bluesfest updates, including ticket info and performance grid with stages and set times, go to:www.ottawabluesfest.ca .