Smyrna's second Blue Soul Festival launches Oct. 15, featuring headliner Duke Robillard.

You’ve probably heard of blue-eyed soul. But how about Ron Price’s genre: blue soul?

Price, a veteran musician and beer scientist, will share his flavor of music and drink in the second Blue Soul Festival at Blue Earl Brewing Company in Smyrna on Saturday. Six artists will entertain, featuring renowned bluesman Duke Robillard as headliner. There will be food trucks, too.

“It’s mostly soulful, bluesy, jazzy type of music genres that we’re bringing together,” said Price, describing the brand of music folks will hear Saturday. “It’s food, music and brew for your soul.”

The musical lineup includes Lower Case Blues, Barrelhouse Blues Band, Blue Cats, Dukes of Destiny, Dr. Harmonica & Rocket 88 and Duke Robillard.

Roger Girke Band will keep the ball rolling during the after party from 7 to 10 p.m.

Raising the bar

Former Allman Brothers keyboardist and respected Wilmington native Johnny Neel headlined the inaugural Blue Soul Festival last year. Wanting to raise the bar, this year Price knew getting Robillard, a Grammy Award-nominated bluesman, on board would help him achieve that.

“I wanted to step it up another notch and I felt like Duke is that guy. He’s very special as a guitar player,” Price said. “He’s recorded with numerous national award-winning artists like Bob Dylan.”

Robillard will bring his new album, “Blues Full Circle,” to the Smyrna festival.

“I’d describe it as a traditional electric-blues album. Most of it’s based on the kind of blues from the late ‘40s to late ‘50s,” Robillard said. “There’s only one tune that’s got a mid-’60s funk-soul kind of groove to it. That’s the opening track: ‘Lay A Little Lovin’ on Me.’”

A native of Rhode Island, Robillard has worked with a number jazz and blues icons such as Muddy Waters and Herb Ellis.

Having a performer with a bigger name for this year’s festival was important because Price, owner of Blue Earl, anticipates a larger turnout. He’s confident around 450 revelers will arrive. Last year 150 festivalgoers came.

“We had to turn away literally 100 people because we were so packed. We couldn’t fit anyone else in the establishment,” Price said.

To accommodate more people this year, “we decided to host the festival inside and outside,” he explained.

In addition to coming for the live music, festivalgoers will want to wet their whistles, too. Blue Earl’s most popular drink at the moment is the year-round Honey Suckle Rose, a German blonde ale.

“It’s converted non-beer drinkers,” Price said. “I find a lot of people like it because it has a Belgian flair to it.”

What’s in a name

For those curious about the name behind the brewery, Blue Earl, it was coined by Price’s brother-in-law. It’s the result of fusing Price’s middle name, Earl, and his love for bluesy tunes.

All of this ties in with the theme of Saturday’s festival.

“It was most fitting,” Price said about choosing the name Blue Earl, which wasn’t the first moniker he wanted to use for his brewery that he opened in 2015. “It brought us full circle, back to what we’re all about: basically brews and blues.”

IF YOU GO

WHEN 12 to 7 p.m., Saturday

WHERE Blue Earl Brewing Company, 210 Artisan Drive, Smyrna

INFO blueearlbrewing.com or call 653-2337