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A blues guitarist, dressed in a chef coat, who uses a simmering pot of gumbo to spread a message of sharing and community, may sound like a shtick to attract an audience or sell bottles of hot sauce.

But when singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett glorified Bill "Sauce Boss" Walton in his 1999 song "I Will Play for Gumbo," it legitimized the music and message; and introduced thousands of Parrot Heads to Walton's "Gospel of Gumbo."

"Music and food bring people together," said Walton, during a recent telephone interview from his home in Florida. "How many parties have you had and everyone ends up in the kitchen? Food breaks down the barriers between audience and performer. My whole show is an effort to do that."

Walton will perform his one-man blues show — including a pot of gumbo — Saturday during the Utah Arts Festival in downtown Salt Lake City. (See box for details.) It marks the first time he has performed in the state. "A couple of years ago we came through Salt Lake City on our way to Yellowstone," he said. "But I've never performed there."

Walton also will give a private concert for Salt Lake City Homeless Youth on Friday as part of his nonprofit Planet Gumbo Foundation. "I play at homeless shelters and soup kitchens all over the country," he said. "It's another aspect of my show, sharing with people who are less fortunate. It has been unbelievably cool."

During a recent telephone interview, Walton talked about his music, his not-so-secret gumbo ingredient and how, at 69, he is "livin' the dream." His comments have been edited for space and clarity.

What can the Utah audience expect at your Saturday show?

It's kind of a juggling routine. I play my own music, all original, very swampy, funky blues from Florida and I make a big pot of gumbo onstage. While I'm playing, I invite the audience up to stir the pot with a wooden paddle that looks like a guitar. It's a community kind of thing, all pitching in, helping each other make something. The gumbo has become as big a part of the show as the music. At the end, a whole lot of people will be getting a bowl of gumbo.

How did you get the idea to add a cooking demonstration to your performances?

I've been a musician all my life, but many years ago I started making this hot sauce. People would come to my house and eat up all of it. I figured if all these people liked it, I should put a label on it and sell it. I started taking my Liquid Summer Hot Sauce to gigs and that's how I started to be known as the Sauce Boss. I decided I wanted to share it with as many people has I could, so I started making gumbo. That was about 27 years ago. Now, 200,000 bowls later it's got a life of its own. Hot sauce has really changed my whole musical life. (Ordering information and the gumbo recipe are available at sauceboss.com.)

Do you follow a family recipe?

This woman from Baton Rouge, Shirley Neal, the mother of blues guitarist Kenny Neal, showed me how to make it.

What's the secret to making great gumbo?

The roux is the foundation of the soup. That is the first thing. However, my hot sauce is a big part of it. It's very distinctive. It's not just heat. It's got amazing flavor and it has this creeper burn. It comes on slow and gives you time to taste the other ingredients before you feel the heat. I make the hot sauce with the datil peppers, which are a cousin of the Caribbean habanero, but not as hot.

Do you go grocery shopping before every show?

I have a rider in my contract. Instead of a bottle of single malt like other musicians ask for, I request okra, onions, pepper and other ingredients. I bring the roux and the hot sauce with me. But the rest is provided. (Utah Food Services, a festival sponsor, will be doing the shopping and chopping.)

Does serving gumbo attract people who might not normally be interested in blues music?

Some people have the idea that the blues is all about down and out. And some of it is like that. However, there is a whole lot of it that's not. It can be very uplifting and high energy. That's what I'm doing when I play my slide guitar. I make you want to get up and move everything you have.

Do you worry that the gumbo will overshadow your music?

I have at times, but I'm over it. Sometimes people discount my guitar playing, saying the gumbo is just a shtick. But this is something that happened to me, it's genuine and real. And what I get out of it, in terms of community, has been a great experience. It's been a really interesting, magical ride for me. I never thought, when I started out, that I'd keep doing it.

After decades of touring, performing and mixing gumbo, what keeps your musical passion alive?

It's not about what keeps it alive, it keeps me alive in a lot of different ways. I'm going to be 70 this year, and I'm not the kind of guy that retires. This music really energizes me. I had a band for 25 years, and it was wonderful. But it's really a whole lot more work than I wanted. So now I do this one-man show all on my terms. It's still a great source of energy and a dream come true.

The Gospel of Gumbo

Blues guitarist Bill "Sauce Boss" Walton spreads his message of community and makes a pot of gumbo at the Utah Arts Festival.

When • Saturday, June 24, 8:45 p.m.; The Round stage, near 300 East entrance

Where • Utah Arts Festival at Library and Washington squares, 200 E. 400 South, Salt Lake City

Tickets • Included with festival admission: adults, $12; seniors and military $6; children 12 and younger, free

Details • uaf.org/thu/event/2046-sauce-boss