June 30, 2023 3:20 a.m.

In the KQEN Cultural Spotlight:

Riverbend Live! kicks off its 2023 summer concert season Friday night.

The series began over a quarter of a century ago and is held at Riverbend Park in Winston.

After his vision which led to the formation of Music on the Half Shell in Roseburg, the late Dick Nichols and his wife Mo, wanted to start a second series that was slightly different, for the community in which they lived. Riverbend Live started five years later in 1997.

This year the series has five Friday nights of entertainment. Blues and Americana artist Amythyst Kiah, who received a Grammy nomination in 2020, will be the first artist to hit the stage.

Kiah was on Inside Douglas County Wednesday on News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN. That interview is a KQEN podcast at www.541radio.com

Concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. Those who attend can bring food and drinks, including beer and wine, or purchase dinner and beverages from the vendors. Tobacco use and pets are not allowed at the venue. Concert goers can put out blankets or chairs earlier in the day.

Get complete information on Riverbend Live! events at www.riverbendlive.org