Organisers of the inaugural Douglas Rock 'n' Blues Bonanza, Radio Port Douglas, have just announced UK’s Bex Marshall will take to the stage at Rex Smeal Park on Sunday, 23 May.

Kim Hurley from Radio Port Douglas said having Bex Marshall on the bill was a huge bonus, and resulted from a late line up change when Jesse Dean Freeman was unable to attend the gig. “Bex is currently touring Australia and we are smiling broadly that she is onboard!” Kim said.

Bex has been to Port Douglas once before and is thrilled to be coming back.  “I just visited recently and I played live on Radio Port Douglas in fact,” she says. “I had such a fantastic time in Port that I’m really delighted to be playing Rock 'n' Blues – I was blown away by the whole laid back vibe and the top people I met there – this gig will give me time to rock out a bit longer with the coolest cats in Queensland. I think real roots blues goes down well in Port Douglas; no gimmicks people like the real deal and I aim to give it to 'em in abundance!” she said.

Described as “an explosion of blue hot acoustic slide roots/rock, polker twisted with a whippin’ of Bluegrass” Bex is a versatile guitarist with a unique earthy melting pot of a voice.

A Devonshire lass now residing in London, she had a great musical upbringing. At every family gathering her uncles would play for the family and she was given a 1973 Gibson Hummingbird when she was 11.

Bex Marshall's recent Australian release ‘Kitchen Table’ is a mix of roots, rock rags entwined with bluegrass frails and home down blues slide and has received stunning reviews to date.

The Douglas Rock 'n' Blues Bonanza kicks off a 1pm on Sunday, 23 May. Tickets are $10 for general admission (kids under 12 free!), and can be purchased at www.carnivale.com.au.

Editors Comments: Her guitar playing has been compared to Robert Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan and her voice compared to Janis Joplin and Tina Turner. This I've got to see !