For each of the last nine years the Maine Blues Festival has pulled into downtown Naples for Father’s Day weekend, Marty Lynch of South Windham has been making a name for himself as a talented player of the electric bass.

At the festival’s 10th anniversary this weekend, Lynch will once again turn up – and tune up – to play bass, this time with the Blues Mafia and Luther James & the River Kings.

Lynch, 51, is excited about performing in the festival for the 10th year in a row, and hearing the 48 other bands that will participate in the festival. But, above all, Lynch is excited about connecting – and reconnecting – with the 179 other Maine blues musicians expected in attendance.

“I think the Maine blues scene is pretty cool in that it’s pretty well connected – a lot of people know each other and it’s a pretty supportive network,” Lynch said. “It’s kind of a celebratory event in a way. When everyone’s out gigging they don’t get to see each other – we don’t get to see each other play. We don’t get to hang out together that much because we’re usually, a lot of times, playing (so) we don’t get to really see each other play and hear each other’s band.”

The Maine Blues Festival, the only blues festival in the state to exclusively feature Maine musicians, is an opportunity to fix that, Lynch said.

Lynch, a guidance counselor at Gray-New Gloucester Middle School, joined the Maine blues scene in 2003, when he moved from Boston to South Windham and proceeded to host a blues jam at the Midnight Blues Cafe? in Auburn. Lynch also began to play with Kevin Kimball, a slide guitarist who performed in the band Blue Steel Express with Lynch’s brother, Bub.

In 2005, Kimball co-founded the Maine Blues Festival with Mike Bray. Lynch joined the effort on the ground floor.

“He’s about as versatile and flexible and quick on his feet as you could ever hope for,” Kimball said, describing Lynch. “He’s the real deal. He’s pro level.”

Lynch, who used to perform with the swing jazz band Bonnie Edwards & the Practical Cats, performs twice a month with the Blues Mafia, an eclectic act that incorporates jazz, funk, soul and Latin music. He plays electric bass and electric upright bass.

For Lynch, his bass work is not about climbing the greasy ladder of show business, but rather experiencing the joy of live performance.

“I’m not trying to become famous or be the best ever or anything like that, I just like to play with good people, and make good music and have a good time versus try to make a lot of money at it,” he said. “It’s really a hobby for me, it’s not a profession or a career. I think there are a lot of people out there who someday aspire to do great things. I just like to go out and have fun (and) play live music with good people. That’s what does it for me, music-wise. I’ll never be a solo act. It’s the interaction with the crowd and the other people in the band that I really enjoy.”

Apart from the camaraderie, Lynch said he’s looking forward to hearing some great blues this weekend, as well.

“There’s going to be a lot of great music there,” he said. “I always enjoy listening to the other bands.”

According to Kimball, a resident of Lisbon Falls, festival attendance has more than tripled in the past decade, increasing from 1,500 to about 5,000. The number of participating bands has increased, as well, from 35 to 50, he said.

All along, the goal has been to feature local musicians, Kimball said.

“This festival has always been at its inception specifically and deliberately about the Maine musicians,” he said. “We always felt, right from the get-go, that there was sufficient talent in the state of Maine to pull off a major festival without importing headliners.”

“We’ve proved it to be true,” Kimball added.

Marty Lynch, a Gray-New Gloucester Middle School guidance counselor, stands with an upright electric bass at his property in South Windham. Lynch has played in the Maine Blues Festival in Naples every year since its inception in 2005.  Staff Photo by Ezra SilkMarty Lynch, at his home in South Windham, shows off his electric bass.  Staff photo by Ezra Silk