Waterfront Blues Festival 2024: Reggie Houston

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — As we gear up for Waterfront Blues Festival 2024 this upcoming Fourth of July weekend, we’re taking a moment to learn about the artists who are on the lineup for Portland’s annual tradition at Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Reggie Houston’s roots can be traced to New Orleans, where he found himself surrounded in a musical community.

“In my particular case, it starts in a church,” he says, with his family involved in the choir and services.

But as Houston explains, his family also owned businesses in New Orleans as Black entrepreneurs in the city, where he saw some of the greats, including Nat King Cole, perform.

Watch the video above for the full interview, including what the City of Roses means to him.