Legendary guitarist Robert Cray to rock Beaverton on Aug. 9

Less than two weeks remain before five-time Grammy Award winner and Blues Hall of Famer Robert Cray headlines the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District’s 4th annual Groovin’ on the Grass concert in Beaverton.

Thad Beckman will open the show at 5 pm on Aug. 9 at THPRD’s Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex, 15707 SW Walker Road. Gates will open at 4. He’ll be followed by blues queen Shemekia Copeland, then Cray and his band. The event will end at 8:30 pm.

Admission is $5 per person, a bargain for musicians of this caliber. Although the event is designed primarily for adults, children under 5 get in free.

Groovin’ on the Grass unites music lovers for 3-and-a-half hours of fun – a mini-blues festival – at THPRD’s main complex. Beer and wine will be available for purchase from on-site vendors, including event sponsor Golden Valley Brewery. In addition, food carts and other vendors will sell a variety of fare.

Cray is recognized as one of the greatest guitarists of our time and has sold more than 12 million records with his signature blend of rhythm and blues, pop, rock, soul and traditional blues.

His appearance at THPRD in Beaverton will be the latest stop on a worldwide tour in support of “In My Soul,” his new album. “In My Soul” debuted at #1 on the iTunes Blues Sales Chart and #1 on the Blues Roots Music Chart with singles “You Move Me” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” entering at #1 and #3 on the charts.

Reuters says the album “is imbued with mellifluous rhythm and blues redolent of the kind of tunes that came from the Chess and Stax record labels in the 1950s, ’60s and early ’70s.” Yahoo Music! raves, “Cray is never less than good,” and USA Today puts the album track “Fine Yesterday” in its Top 10 Playlist.

THPRD will run a shuttle between the HMT Complex and the Merlo Road/SW 158th MAX light rail station every 15 minutes between 3:30 and 9:30 pm. The complex is served by bus routes 59 and 67, and bicycle racks are available. Parking is free but limited on the complex.

Sponsors for Groovin’ on the Grass include Golden Valley Brewery, NW Natural, Schulz-Clearwater Sanitation Inc., Oregon Cultural Trust, Cultural Coalition of Washington County, ePrint, Hilton Garden Inn and Whole Foods Market.

About THPRD

Formed in 1955, THPRD is the largest special park district in Oregon, spanning about 50 square miles and serving 230,000 residents in the greater Beaverton area. The district provides year-round recreational opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Offerings include thousands of widely diverse classes and more than 90 park sites with active recreational amenities, 60 miles of trails, eight swim centers, six recreation centers and 1,400 acres of natural areas. For more information, visit www.thprd.org or call 503/645-6433.