In its seven year history, THE PONDEROSA STOMP has grown from "two nights of insane rock roll" into a revered, year-round institution and leading advocate for the great unsung heroes of American Music. The 2008 Stomp will be the biggest and best to date, promising an expertly curated line-up of performers, daytime panel discussions (a Stomp first), and surprises galore.

Bookended, as is tradition, by the two weekends of JAZZFEST, the 2008 Stomp will take place April 29 and 30, on three stages at the HOUSE OF BLUES in New Orleans, with marathon sets that in years past have run from sundown to sunup!

Confirmed lineup: Ronnie Spector , Roky Erickson , Mary Weiss , Question Mark and The Mysterians , The Collins Kids , The Green Fuz , Syl Johnson , The Hi Rhythm Section , William Bell , The Bo Keys , Bobby Parker , The Mighty Hannibal , Nathaniel Mayer , Eddie Bo , Zigaboo Modeliste , Lazy Lester , Barbara Lynn , Tammy Lynn , Al Johnson , Lil Buck Sinegal and The Top Cats Featuring Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural , Warren Storm , Hayden Thompson , Sonny Burgess , Joe Clay , Jay Chevalier , Deke Dickerson and The Eccofonics , Little Freddie King , Henry Gray , Louisiana Red , James Blood Ulmer , Wardell Quezergue and His Rhythm and Blues Revue , Roscoe Robinson , Ralph "Soul" Jackson , Herman Hitson , Wiley and The Checkmates , and Rockie Charles .

New to the Ponderosa Stomp next year will be the first PONDEROSA STOMP MUSIC CONFERENCE, a full slate of daytime panel discussions and oral histories set for April 29 and 30 at the historic Cabildo on New Orleans' Jackson Square. Featured speakers include Ponderosa Stomp-certified performers SONNY BURGESS, BARBARA LYNN, LAZY LESTER, DALE HAWKINS and ROY HEAD, acclaimed authors PETER GURALNICK, HOLLY GEORGE-WARREN and ROBERT GORDON, and music biz legends JOE BIHARI (founder of RPM and MODERN RECORDS), and BOB SULLIVAN (original engineer for the LOUISIANA HAYRIDE) among others. The conference is presented by the Ponderosa Stomp Foundation and will be co-sponsored by the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME and LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM.