The sounds of the ol’ west coming to our town.

The 2008 Cowboy Festival will be showcasing the best performers in western entertainment at Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studios in Santa Clarita on Saturday, April 26th and Sunday, the 27th. The City’s annual Cowboy Festival honors the great ol’ west with authentic music and an eclectic mix of ballads, western swing, Texas-style fiddling and a Western twist on Jazz. The festival line-up will include headliners such as Don Edwards, The Quebe Sisters Band, Hot Club of Cowtown, Cowbop and the Sons of the San Joaquin.

Don Edwards, a Grammy-nominated singer and guitarist, will be returning to the Cowboy Festival to perform western ballads that paint a sweeping landscape of both the mind and heart. Don Edwards will be featured on the main Melody Ranch Stage from 3-3:45 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

The Quebe Sisters Band, who formed in 2000, will be performing a refreshing blend of Western Swing and Jazz to traditional Texas-style fiddle tunes. They will be featured on the Melody Ranch Stage Saturday the 26th from 1-1:45 p.m.11-11:45 a.m. and on Sunday the 27th from

The Hot Club of Cowtown, will be back in the swing again at this years Cowboy Festival. Hot Club of Cowtown, an Austin-based band who has toured with the likes of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson have performed around the globe in San Francisco, New York, Japan, Russia and England. They will be featured on the main Melody Ranch stage on Saturday the 26th from 4:30- 5 p.m. They will also be playing two times on Sunday on the California Music Stage, from 1:20-2 p.m. and from 4:20 to 5 p.m.

Cowbop, a lively band that mixes it up with their swingn’ groves formed in 2003 has toured extensively throughout the country, blowing away audiences away with their jazz and western style swing music.  Cowbop will be playing at the Festival on Saturday on the California Music Stage from 1:20-2 p.m. and from 4:20- 5 p.m. They will also be playing twice on Sunday, once on the main Melody Ranch Stage from 12:30-1 p.m. and again from 5:20-6 p.m. on the California Music Stage.

The Sons of the San Joaquin will also be returning to the Festival to perform their western melodies and harmony. This band’s past live performances range from rodeos in the west to New York City’s Carnegie Hall. They will be wrapping up the daily festivities by performing on both Saturday and Sunday from 5-5:45 p.m. on the main Melody Ranch Stage.

Since 1994 and for the 15th year in a row, the City of Santa Clarita has continually brought to life the music, magic, and spirit of the old west for the thousands who visit the Cowboy Festival each year.

So grab your hat, put on your chaps, dust off those old cowboy boots, and come on out to enjoy the sounds of the ol’ west and perhaps have a go ‘round the dance floor at the 2008 Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival.

Folks who would like to get additional information on the performers set to play at the 2008 Cowboy Festival should visit the cowboy website at www.cowboyfestival.org.