Local Musicians Van Wilks and Mike Flanigin Join ZZ Top On Stage at Montreux Jazz Festival

AUSTIN, Texas - July 23, 2013 - PRLog -- Local musicians, Van Wilks (guitar) and Mike Flanigin (B-3 organ) joined ZZ Top on-stage as their special guests at the 47th Annual Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland on July 10, 2013, honoring Festival Founder, Claude Nobs.

Wilks, a native Texas-born blues/rock guitar virtuoso, has toured extensively throughout the US and Europe. This was his first opportunity to perform at Montreux.  Although he has appeared on stage with ZZ Top guitarist and long-time pal, Billy Gibbons on previous occasions, this was his first opportunity to play with ZZ Top.  His co-write with Gibbons, "Drive By Lover," is part of a Best Buy promotional track on ZZ Top's recent album, "La Futura."  

Flanigin, also from Austin, is a masterful player of the Hammond B3 Organ, an instrument that went out of production in 1974.  He has also previously performed with Gibbons.  This was Flanigin's first appearance with ZZ Top and at Montreux, as well.


Nobs founded the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1967.  His spirit remained to be part of the festival, despite his death in January 2013.

The ZZ Top show was part of 11 sold-out shows in the Auditorium Stravinsky, including performances from Leonard Cohen, Sting, Prince, Deep Purple, Quincy Jones, Bonnie Rait and others.

The Festival records estimate an attendance of over 250,000 during it’s 18 day duration.