It's Little Walter's Birthday - Can the Chicago Blues Festival Be Far Behind?

Little Walter's birthday has traditionally marked the kick off of Blues Season, the build up to the annual Chicago Blues Festival, the biggest FREE blues festival in the world.

To celebrate the blues, a number of blues-related events are taking place throughout Chicagoland. Here are a few of them.

Free tours of Chess Records Studio. Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation will give a free tour of the Chess Records Studio at 2120 S. Michigan Ave. to anyone arriving between 12 noon and 1 p.m. daily during the month of May.

The 90-minute tour begins with a viewing of a 60-minute documentary about Chess Records called Sweet Home Chicago. Then a guided tour will take you through the rooms, where you can view blues artwork, photographs and memorabilia on display.

Eddie C. Campbell Free Concert. Eddie C. Campbell will perform at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., in the Randolph Cafe. Free.

Aaron Moore Free Concert. Blues pianist Aaron Moore, 87, will perform along with Dave Weld and Jeff Taylor at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., in the Randolph Cafe. Free.

Chicago Blues Tour. Blues University® and the City of Chicago will host the annual spring Chicago Blues Tour on Saturday, May 16. The tour will leave from the Wabash Tap, 1233 S. Wabash St., and visit seven blues clubs including the (new) Checkerboard Lounge, Rosa's Lounge, Lee's Unleaded Blues, Rooster's Place, Catcher's Inn and Linda's Place.

Bands slated to perform include Li'l Ed and the Blues Imperials, Johnny Drummer and the Starliters, Mz. Peachez, Killer Ray Allison, Vance Kelly and the Fantastic L-Roy.

Tickets are $40 and include bus transportation and admission to clubs.

Aron Burton Free Concert. Aron Burton will perform at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., in the Randolph Cafe. Free.

Johnny Drummer Free Concert. Johnny Drummer will perform at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., in the Randolph Cafe. Free.

Willie Dixon's Birthday. Willie Dixon was born on July 1, 1915, but why not celebrate a month early? The Blues Heaven Foundation will welcome the public in celebrating the great bluesman's 94th birthday from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 2 at 2120 S. Michigan Ave. Food, drink and birthday cake included.

Record Row Festival. Blues Heaven will host its 10th annual Record Row Festival beginning Thursday, June 11, the eve of the Chicago Blues Festival. Every Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m., the Foundation will offer a free, all-ages blues concert featuring a different blues artist or band. The concerts will take place outdoors in Willie Dixon's Blues Garden at 2122 S. Michigan Ave.

Matthew Skoller, Speakin' of the Blues. Blues harp player Matthew Skoller will be interviewed for the Chicago Public Library's Speakin' of the Blues series at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, June 19 at the Harold Washington Library Center, Cindy Pritzker Auditorium, 400 S. State St. Free.