Scott Sebastian, President of the Connecticut Blues Society (CBS), was Mike Crandall's friend, and he feels it's fitting to have Franklin's blues festival named for him.

"He was just a great human being, and he is extremely missed," says Sebastian, pointing out that Crandall "grew up hard. Everything he had he had to struggle and scratch to get."

Crandall, who would mentor and support fellow blues artists, made music his life, Sebastian says, and "he died doing what he loved, on stage."

The Connecticut Blues Society, in fact, will have a booth at the Franklin 4th celebration, raising funds for the Mike Crandall Scholarship Fund (https://www.ctblues.org/MC-Scholarship-Fund).

"Mike Crandall played this festival and would help get the bands in," says Sebastian, "When (Mike) died, he was a pretty good friend, and the Crandall family and I got this scholarship going." The Connecticut Blues Society, with over 600 members and over 40 events a year, also holds an annual blues fundraiser for the scholarship, but Sebastian adds he's enjoyed playing in the festival for several years and will be singing with the Mike Crandall Tribute Band, with all the original members of Mike's band.

Also at the festival, as he was in all the previous Franklin Blues Festivals is Tom Retano, friends with Crandall for about 24 years. Retano met Crandall at the Berlin Blues Festival that he ran in Connecticut.

"(Mike) played every other year and was also master of ceremonies for a lot of the Connecticut Blues Society events," says Retano. Three times, he says, Crandall won the CBS Memphis Challenge, where he got to go play in Memphis, TN. "We traveled together, and we worked a lot together. He was also a carpenter by trade, the hardest working person I ever met in my life," says Retano, "He worked hard himself, and he pushed everyone else ... His band members have an immense amount of respect for him."

The Franklin Mike Crandall Blues Festival this year takes place exactly on the nation's 250th birthday. See the entire schedule of Franklin 4th events below. For more information or to donate, visit www.franklin4th.com. You can also support this annual celebration by franklin4th to (508) 501-7173.

Wednesday, July 1

Carnival Hours: 6-10, Wrist bands: 6-10, Music: 6-10

6 p.m.: Ricky Brennan, Jr., 8 p.m.: GQ & The Lady, a musically diverse dance band with versatile and dynamic lead female vocalists

Thursday, July 2

Carnival Hours: 6-10, Wrist bands: 6-10, Music: 6-10, Fireworks: 10

6 p.m.: Garden of Hedon, a 70s-influenced psychedelic blues-rock band.

7:15 p.m.: Ozzie Tribute Band

8:30 p.m.: The Zajac Brothers, features songwriter Tyler Zajac and his brother Matthew on drums

Friday July 3

Carnival Hours: 12-10, Wrist bands: 12-5, MEGAPASS: 12-10, Music: 12-10

12 p.m., Two Guys Who Like Sharks, acoustic rock with driving bass lines

1:30 p.m., Midnight Ride, high-energy rock from 60s to 90s

3 p.m., George Cross Project, a unique blend of 'East Coast Blues'

4:30 p.m., Attleboro School of Rock, a leader in performance-based music education

6:30 p.m., Full Circle, a five-piece Rock & Roll dance band

8 p.m., Jeff Pitchell, an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist

Saturday, July 4

12-10 p.m. Mike Crandall Franklin Blues Festival: Local, National and International Blues Artists perform and pay tribute to Mike Crandall and his music.

12 p.m.: Ed Peabody & The Big Blue Thang

1:15 p.m.: Cliff Taylor & The Undertakers

2:30 p.m.: Neal & The Vipers

3:45 p.m.: Mike Crandall Tribute Band

5 p.m.: Sugar Ray & The Bluetones

6:15 p.m.: Carl Ricci & 706 Union Ave.

7:30 p.m.: The Darrell Nulisch Band

8:45 p.m.: Richiman & Groove Nice

Carnival Hours: 12-10, Wrist bands, 12-5, MEGAPASS: 12-10 , Music: 12-10

Sunday, July 5

Carnival Hours: 12-6, Wrist bands: 12-4, MEGAPASS: 12-6, Music: 12-6

12 p.m.: Jamie Barrett, a beloved Franklin singer, songwriter, guitarist and teacher

1:15 p.m.: Padula Family Band, Franklin's own performs timeless jazz standards and the sounds of blues

2:30 p.m.: David Fields Band with Special Guest Diane Blue

4 p.m., Beantown Swing Orchestra, distinct big band sound recognized by generations worldwide