By Stephen K. Peeples

On Friday night the Valencia Jazz & Blues summer series presents the return of Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps. The world-famous, award-winning local blues band and SCVTV “House Blend” stars just got back from a European tour with Eric Burdon of The Animals.

Showtime for Teresa and the Tramps is 7 p.m. on the street outside the Hyatt Regency off McBean Parkway, and admission is free.

Santa Clarita Valley Entertainment Report

Saturday night is local Country Showdown night at the city of Santa Clarita’s Concerts in the Park, also free for all ages. The headliner is Marie Wise-Hawkins and her band. She’s the local rock ’n’ country star made it all the way to the Country Showdown’s national finals on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville last January.

Opening for Marie on the Central Park stage will be this year’s three local Showdown finalists, Kylie Mac, Suzanne Harper and Jarett James. They scored the top three spots in a recent competition at Keyboard Galleria hosted by KHTS-AM 1220.

After the Central Park show, Showdown judges will choose which one of the three will go on to the next round of the national competition, set for Aug. 8 at Knott’s Berry Farm in Anaheim.

Things To Do In Santa Clarita

The music starts at 7 p.m. at Central Park, but it’s a good idea to get there early to stake out your turf.

And when you get home, you can catch more of Marie and her band right here on SCVTV, in an encore of their butt-rockin’ “House Blend” show from January, just after they returned from Nashville. That’s 10 p.m. Saturday night on SCVTV and streaming at scvtv.com.

You’ll find lots more local entertainment news 24/7 at HometownStation.com, SCVNews.com and my blog, stephenkpeeples.com. That’s what’s thumpin’ on the SCV Entertainment Beat.

Santa Clarita journalist Stephen K. Peeples is an entertainment reporter for AM 1220 KHTS Radio News and the station’s award-winning website (HometownStation.com), and for SCVTV’s SCVNews.com. Peeples also hosts and co-produces SCVTV’s acclaimed “House Blend” program, and posts more entertainment news and reviews on his own site at http://www.stephenkpeeples.com.