Sarah Menefee has been fronting Bloomington-based blues, soul and funk band King Bee & the Stingers since 2015, taking over from her father and the band's founder Mark "King Bee" Menefee.
The band, formed in 2006, is trying to link to the blues circuit for the entire U.S., said Jeff Shew, singer, back-up vocalist and band manager. They've had some luck, Shew said, getting air time on Buddy Guy Radio and making connections at the International Blues Challenge .
Next weekend, King Bee & the Stingers will perform at the 2024 Southern Indiana Blues Festival , three days of live blues at Bean Blossom's Bill Monroe's Music Park & Campground. Other headliners include Danielle Nicole and Mike Zito.
"We're getting offers from all over the Midwest," Shew said on the phone. "And we're trying to make it happen."
King Bee: thrice a semi-finalist at the International Blues Challenge
One way to King Bee & the Stingers are getting their name out in the blues world is by competing at the International Blues Challenge. The band was a semi-finalist in 2018, 2019 and 2023, performing alongside between 200 and 300 acts from around the world.
"(Those competitions) have helped our careers — most of us still have day jobs — by bringing us a lot of new fans," Shew said. Attracting fans is a central reason bands do the competitions.
"The International Blues Challenge is a worldwide competition, and you have to win your regionals first," Shew added. "We go with a million business cards and a bunch of CDs and don't worry too much about the competition."
Shew said since the blues crowd in general tends to be older, fans are still eager to purchase CDs, particularly when they know it helps the bands.
"People like to have that physical media in their hand," he said. "King Bee's target audience is probably 40 and up."
Getting Sarah Menefee front and featured
Menefee, an Indiana University grad and past IU Singing Hoosier, is the focal point of King Bee & the Stingers.
"We figure 'Let's get Sarah out in front of as many people as we can,'" Shew said.
Glinting a beam on a single band member might sound ego-challenging for the others. Shew, however, said he's happy to "stand in back."
"We're all professional musicians. And, we are a band. We take an old-school approach." They also try to limit using subs.
Shew's bachelor of arts degree — in ethnomusicology with a minor in music — also came from Indiana University. He's a history and culture man, especially where it pertains to rock 'n roll.
Managing King Bee since January has come naturally for Shew, since he has managed other bands — plus a household, when he was a stay-at-home dad with two kids. He owns a music agency, as well as an antique business in the Bloomington Antique Mall, and has work experience with a variety of night clubs.
He offers some cheerful news for those intimidated by music: he no longer has to read sheet music, just charts.
Bill Monroe's Music Park & Campground
The festival is in the center of Bill Monroe's Music Park & Campground and has two stages and a modern bathhouse. Pets are welcome, and guests may rent golf carts for easy festival access.
Here's the lineup for the festival:
Danielle Nicole, Mike Zito, Ben Levin, King Bee & The Stingers, Jason Wells, Mike Milligan & Steam Shovel, Gordon Bonham, Rock Bottom with Charlie McCoy, JC Clements, Highway 9 Blues Band, The Blues Ambassadors, Dicky James, Homemade Jam, Applegate and Rock, Big Dog, Mandalyn & The Hunters, Top Hat Blues Revue, Scrapper & Skelton, Bloomington Blues Group.
Check the festival website, billmonroemusicpark.com , for specific times and dates.
If you go
WHAT: The 2024 Southern Indiana Blues Festival
WHEN: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Aug. 22-24
WHERE: Bill Monroe's Music Park & Campground, 5163 N. S.R. 135, Morgantown, in Bean Blossom
TICKETS: Starting at $50, single-day and multi-day options are available. Children 12 and under get in free. Festival tickets do not include camping reservations. Guests camping onsite must reserve a campsite or cabin rental separately. Visit billmonroemusicpark.com for tickets and camping information.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Southern Indiana Blues Festival features local band King Bee & the Stingers
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