A weekend of diverse tunes

A testament to its musical diversity, this year’s Live Oak Music Festival will include Swedish folk, Chicago blues, Mexican rock and a band that once lived in the Cameroon rainforest with pygmy hunter-gatherers.

Rickie Lee Jones officially headlines this year’s festival, which was founded at Linnaea’s in San Luis Obispo in 1988. But the three-day concert, which benefits local public radio station KCBX, features 19 other acts. Here are some of the highlights:

Rickie Lee Jones (Sunday, June 20, 8:45 p.m.)

Jones’ most recognizable song is “Chuck E’s In Love,” which broke the top 10 in 1979. But early chart success didn’t necessarily motivate Jones to write more commercial hits. On her next album, she explored more complex song structures. After that she would explore jazz standards, Tin Pan Alley ballads and acoustic music.

Santa Maria ghost? Her “Pirates” album was largely inspired by a breakup with fellow singer-songwriter Tom Waits. “Western Slopes,” a song from that album, is about a ghost that supposedly haunts a Toys-R-Us in Central California.

Red Skunk Jipzee Swing Band (Sunday, June 20, 10 a.m.)

San Luis Obispo County teenager Molly Reeves first got into Django Reinhardt during a summer at the Mammoth Youth Traditional Jazz Camp in 2005. Now 18, she’s the founder of this gypsy swing-style band that draws from Reinhardt, 1930s European jazz and American roots traditions.

Born to be wild: Reeves grew up riding in motorcycle sidecars, a passion of her father’s.

Terri Hendrix (Friday, June 18, 5:30 p.m.)

She shares a famous name, but, no—not related. While Jimi Hendrix mastered acid rock, Terri Hendrix is more of a country-tinged folk singer. Raised mostly in San Antonio, her military family also spent time in Panama. She co-wrote the Grammy-winning instrumental “Lil’ Jack Slade,” recorded by the Dixie Chicks.

Night at the opera: Hendrix once had a scholarship to study opera before she dropped out of school to milk goats for farmer Marion Williamson, who taught her Mississippi-style guitar pick-

ing and tricks of the trade in exchange for farmhand duties.

Väsen (Friday, June 18, 7 p.m.)

“Väsen” is a Swedish word meaning many things, including “spirit,” “noise,” “a living being” and “essence.” With all that, these Swedish folk musicians decided it was a good band name. Band members include Olov Johansson, the former world champion of the nyckelharpa, and Mikael Marin, who once played in a world orchestra under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.

A what? A nyckelharpa is a traditional Swedish instrument that looks a little like a violin but sounds more like a hurdy gurdy.

The Chicago Blues Reunion (Friday, June 18, 8:45 p.m.)

Though you might not recognize the names from this collaboration of Chicago blues musicians, you’ll surely recognize their work. Band members have performed with Bob Dylan, written for Janis Joplin and recorded with The Rolling Stones.

Far out, man: Guitarist Harvey “The Snake” Mandel appeared at Woodstock in just his third gig with Canned Heat. He later auditioned for The Rolling Stones and recorded two songs for their “Black and Blue” album. His two-handed fretboard tapping technique would later inspire guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai.

Rita Hosking and Cousin Jack (Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m.)

Growing up in Shasta County, Rita Hosking played washboard for the Farmerettes, a group formed by the school cook. Meanwhile, she grew up listening to her neighbors, who had a band called the Mountaineers. Now based in Davis, she performs Americana and bluegrass songs.

Blue-collar bluegrass: Her father worked the night shift at a California sawmill while her grandfather worked as an underground coal miner in England.

Frank Vignola (Saturday, June 19, 1 p.m.)

Raised in New York, Vignola began playing guitar at age 5, eventually recording and touring with artists such as Madonna, Leon Redbone, Chet Atkins, Woody Allen and Ringo Starr.

Bookings: Vignola has written 18 instructional books for Mel Bay Publications, covering jazz, blues and classical styles.

Los Cenzontles (Saturday, June 19, 7 p.m.)

The core members of this traditional Mexican group also operate Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center, which has trained San Pablo youth in traditional Mexican music, dance and crafts since 1994. The group has recorded 17 albums, including the Grammynominated “Papa’s Dream.”

A.K. A: Los Cenzontles is a Nahuatl term meaning “the mockingbirds.”

Los Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos (Saturday, June 19, 6:45 p.m.)

After opening for groups such as X, the Blasters and Oingo Boingo as a member of the James Harman Band, Kid Ramos quit music in 1988 and became a bottled-water delivery driver for many years. Then, in 1995, Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds invited him to join the T-Birds. With Los Fabulocos, he performs a mix of Mexican, blues and rockabilly.

No hurry: Unwilling to make a set list — or a time limit — the band has been known to do gigs that last as long as six hours.

The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker (Saturday, June 19, 8:45 p.m.)

Walker first cut his teeth at the Apollo Theater, famed for its hallmark soul performances, opening for acts like James Brown, Etta James and Wilson Pickett. His work with the horn-heavy Dynamites represents retro funk, a la James Brown.

Split the check: There are 11 members of the Dynamites.

John Batdorf (Sunday, June 20, 8 a.m.)

In the 1970s, Batdorf’s bands, Batdorf & Rodney and Silver, opened for some of the biggest acts of the day, including Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, Linda Ronstadt and Hall & Oates. Later, the roots rocker would write music for commercials, TV shows and movies. (Shows included “Tom and Jerry Kids,” “Garfield and Friends” and “Touched by an Angel.”)

A painful experience: Batdorf sang backing vocals on every song on Motley Crue’s 1985 album “Theatre of Pain.”

Josh Ritter (Sunday, June 20, 6:45 p.m.)

The son of two neuroscientists, the Idaho native began studying neuroscience as well — but then he dropped it to become a musician. Known for literary lyrics, the folk artist’s first novel, “Bright’s Passage,” is due out next year.

Mummy music: Recently, while stricken with a bout of writer’s block, Ritter began studying ancient Egypt in New York’s museums and libraries. Awakened by garbage trucks one night, he wrote “The Curse,” a parable about a mummy’s affair with the archaeologist who revived him.

Dr. Lonnie Smith (Sunday, June 20, 5 p.m.)

Known for his trademark turban, the Buffalo native is a master of the Hammond B3 organ, having first stumbled upon one in the late 1950s. Once signed with Columbia and Blue Note Records, he has delved into acid rock, jazz and funk.

Stop, in the name: In his teens, Smith was in a vocal group called The Supremes, formed long before Diana Ross used the name.

Cache Valley Drifters (Sunday, June 20, 9 a.m.)

This modern take on bluegrass actually began in 1972, when a bunch of self-proclaimed hippies started playing music for fun. Fusing genres, the band — which includes Atascadero’s Wally Barnick on bass— has been known to put bluegrass takes on tunes by Paul Simon, Etta James and Cream. It also played at the wedding reception for Rodney Crowell and Rosanne Cash.

All uke can do: Band member Bill Griffin lives in Hawaii, where he is a luthier with Kanile’a Ukulele Co. There he created a mandolele, a mandolin-ukulele hybrid.

Baka Beyond (Sunday, June 20, 1 p.m.)

In 1992, musicians Martin Cradick and his wife Su Hart traveled to Africa to live with the Baka tribe in their rain for-est environment. Eventually, the Afro-Celtic band started recording with musicians there, including sounds from the rain forest in their tracks.

From beyond the trees: In 2004, Baka Beyond toured the U.K., taking with them seven Baka musicians who had never previously been outside the rain forest.

Jade Jackson (Saturday, June 19, 8 a.m.)

Only 18, Jackson has already had big gigs, opening for country legends Merle Haggard and Charlie Daniels. A senior at San Luis Obispo High School, this folksy singer with country influences writes a song a day.

Jade Jackson unplugged: Jackson, of Santa Margarita, has grown up without Internet or cable TV in her home.

Reach Patrick S. Pemberton at 781-7903.