GREETINGS... FROM YOUR 'CAT HEAD' STORE IN BLUES-HISTORIC CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI!

(PHOTO: Chuck Lamb's fabulous shot of the CAT HEAD store at 252 Delta Avenue with Terry "Harmonica" Bean playing out front. Thanks Chuck.)

WELCOME to another sporadic edition of the CAT HEAD UPDATE e-newsletter, coming at you live from the Mississippi Delta. As always, there's plenty to report about recent and future blues, Cat Head and Mississippi happenings.

FIRST OFF... our sympathies go out to the friends, fans and families of some iconic Delta blues figures who have passed into history since the last Cat Head newsletter. The Delta blues world recently lost legendary drummer Sam Carr, blues supporter Dennis Brooks, blues folk artist Willie Kinard and juke joint owner Miss Sarah Moore. These incredible losses follow the passings of Delta blues guitarist Michael "Dr. Mike" James and old-school bluesman Wesley "Junebug" Jefferson earlier this year. It's been a tough year for the personalities and culture behind the music down here. More on Dennis, Miss Sarah and Mr. Kinard below. RIP.

ON A BRIGHTER NOTE... Man oh man, has there been a TON of live, deep blues lately in the Mississippi Delta! Sunflower, Howlin' Wolf, Mississippi Delta, Arkansas Blues & Heritage, Bukka White, Tommy Johnson and two Cat Head Mini Blues FESTIVALS (just since August)... not to mention all of the Mississippi Blues Trail, juke joint and blues club action... and the recent Indianola Blues Challenge. We've had great blues shows here in Clarksdale from Tuesday through Sunday most weeks this summer, including at least 3 venues each Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- Ground Zero Blues Club, Red's Lounge and Tricia's Restaurant. Amazing. Go to http://www.cathead.biz/livemusic.html for more info on what's coming up!

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING! Give a gift that keeps on giving like blues CDs or DVDs... or maybe something truly unique like a "Cat Head/Crossroads" tee or hoodie. We're plenty stocked up on all the Mississippi blues music, books, art, shirts, caps, etc. that music lovers, well... love. See section 8 below for more great ideas, or drop by the store if you can. Thanks.

FINALLY, I want to remind folks that I'm available for 'hire' above and beyond my daily Cat Head duties. If you need professional assistance with blues or Mississippi projects involving writing, producing, marketing, PR, artist coordination, voiceovers, tour guidance, etc., just email me at roger@cathead.biz. My rates are reasonable. From album liner notes to CD/DVD production, I may be able to help. Also, I have advertising opportunities through this e-newsletter, my www.cathead.biz web site and my physical store. Thanks so much.

Happy blues travelings,
ROGER STOLLE at Cat Head
http://www.cathead.biz

PS - Interesting observation... Anthony "Big A" Sherrod opened up for Bilbo Walker at a local Union Hall show recently, and he had to start the show with no microphone (since Bilbo hadn't shown up with it yet!). That didn't stop Big A from taking the stage by storm and playing long, interesting instrumentals until a mic could be scrounged up. Even then, it was a crappy mic, but he kept the show going. Now, THAT'S the blues, right there. Some bands won't even get up to play unless every cymbal is in place or the sound is perfect. Real-deal, juke joint bluesmen don't give a damn; they just come to play! Great job, Big A.

PPS - Recently, I was asked, "Where can vegetarian blues fans eat in Clarksdale?!" Well, to paraphrase Alan Lomax, the Delta is "The Land Where Frying Began," so it's a good question. Here's a quick list: Rest Haven (hummus, tabuli salad), Tricia's (veggie pizza), Rust (they'll customize a curry), Atzimba (good Mex food), Stone Pony (more pizza), Ranchero (salad bar) and Madidi (tasty salads or they might customize). Vegetarians can also stay at a place with a kitchen or kitchenette and cook for themselves, of course.

CLICK HERE... Cat Head 'one of America's coolest record stores' (Paste Magazine).

CLARKSDALE BLUES KITCHEN OWNER "MISS SARAH" DIES IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT

(PHOTO: Thanks to Rev Peyton and his family band for the beautiful photo of Miss Sarah. Peyton's Big Damn Band played a series of highly-successful "Blues, Biscuits & Gravy" breakfasts for Miss Sarah through the years.)

MISS SARAH MOORE KILLED IN TRAGIC, EARLY MORNING AUTO ACCIDENT:
A week ago last Friday, firefighter and blues supporter Robert Birdsong called me with the horrible, horrible news. Miss Sarah of Sarah's Kitchen & Blues Club had been killed in an auto accident just outside of town. It's still just as shocking for me to write as it was for me to hear, and my thoughts and sympathies go out to her family and friends. I first met Miss Sarah over a decade ago at the original location of her kitchen (208 Sunflower Ave.). Through the years, I was fortunate enough to see dozens of juke joint blues acts at her venue... eat waaayyyy too many BBQ rip tip plates with her... and help out occasionally with marketing, promotion, contacts, bookings, etc. She was part of our now annual Juke Joint Festival from the start and was, in fact, one of the reasons the festival idea first came about. Through the years, Miss Sarah held many successful blues events and some that were, well... less so. More than once, after an event that didn't go as well as hoped, she told me, "That's all right. You can't make all the money all the time. Sometimes you have to let someone else make a little." As the story goes, Miss Sarah used to cook for the local jail but in recent years cooked for a Tunica casino as her 'real' job. But always, on the side, she ran her little juke joint kitchen. There are just too many fond memories to share, but one that sticks out in my mind was the night she decided to give away some 'door prizes' to paying customers. When you paid your cover, she gave you a little ticket. Then, when the band (actually, Lightnin' Malcolm) took a break, she called out numbers and gave out the gifts. Now, the gifts were meant for the visiting tourists, but when my number was called, she absolutely insisted that I had to accept the ridiculous rooster cookie jar that she was holding up. It's sitting in my kitchen as I write this and will always remind me of how giving and loving Miss Sarah was to all of her friends and customers. Farewell, Miss Sarah. We will deeply miss you. Your friend, Roger at Cat Head (ONE OTHER NOTE: Miss Sarah's daughter is keeping the kitchen open for lunch most days, so please pay her a visit soon!)

WHO WERE SOME OF THE ACTS WHO PLAYED AT SARAH'S?:
The list of blues musicians who graced Miss Sarah's stage through the years includes Robert "Bilbo" Walker, T-Model Ford, Lightnin' Malcolm, The Deep Cuts w/Razorblade & Dr. Mike, Super Chikan, Louisiana Red, various Burnsides/Kimbroughs, Sam Carr, Dave Riley, The Mississippi Marvel, Terry "Big T" Williams, Wesley "Junebug" Jefferson, David Lee Durham, Pat Thomas, KM Williams, Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band, "Mr. Johnnie" Billington, Big Pete Pearson, etc etc. The Delta Blues Education Fund also held regular blues classes for local kids at Sarah's Kitchen for several years. In addition, Sarah's hosted numerous CD Release Parties and other special events. It was always like a house party there... Comfy, friendly and warm.

ACCIDENT REPORT courtesy of the CLARKSDALE BLUES-STAR:
"At approximately 4:00 Friday morning (Oct. 30), the Coahoma County Sheriff's Department responded to a 911 call of a motor accident on Highway 61 North of Lyon in front of the Shady Nook Truck Stop. Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene and found a late model four-door Nissan Sentra driven by Erica Stringer completely disabled sitting in the inside lane of Highway 61 North. Pafford Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene to treat the injured and discovered the passenger, Sarah Moore, to be unresponsive. After further investigation, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Moore was the owner of Miss Sarah's Kitchen a well-known restaurant on Sunflower Ave. that has long be a venue for local musicians..."

OBITUARY courtesy of CLARKSDALE PRESS REGISTER:
"Sarah Moore, 74, of Clarksdale, died in an automobile accident, Friday, October 30, 2009. She was born September 20, 1935 in Coahoma County to Benjamin Franklin Elmore and Louetta Griffin. She was the owner of Sarah's Kitchen and Blues Club in Clarksdale. Mrs. Moore is survived by her daughters Angela Moore and Darlene Moore, both of Clarksdale, her son Calvin Moore of Clarksdale, six sisters, eight brothers, and ten grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, and two daughters Shirley Moore and Linda Moore. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., Friday, November 6 at Century Funeral Home in Clarksdale. Funeral services are scheduled for noon, Saturday, November 7 at Chapel Hill M. B. Church in Clarksdale with the Rev. Horton officiating. Burial will follow in Heavenly Rest Cemetery. Century Funeral Home of Clarksdale is handling arrangements."

CARDS AND SYMPATHIES MAY BE SENT TO:
According to Robert Birdsong, cards/etc may be sent to 1300 Buena Vista, Clarksdale, MS 38614 in care of "Family of Miss Sarah Moore."

SARAH'S KITCHEN ON YOUTUBE.COM:
- T-Model Ford/Lightnin Malcolm playing at Sarah's at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC-aAuFQgOk
- Bilbo Walker performing at Sarah's at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEEKElUMXwQ
- "M for Mississippi" trailer w/Miss Sarah cooking midway thru at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqVc652oTVI

FAN OF SARAH'S KITCHEN posted a typical plate lunch photo (CLICK).

GENERAL BLUES MUSIC, ART AND (mostly) MISSISSIPPI NEWS

(PHOTO: Wooden replica of the Delta Blues Museum built by Clarksdale folk artist Willie Kinard who passed away recently. Sad news/obits on Mr. Kinard, Dennis Brooks and Sam Carr below. RIP.)

ONE NOTE ON THE WEB LINKS PROVIDED BELOW:
Due to the formatting of this e-newsletter 'boilerplate', the links in this "General Blues...News" section may not appear as clickable. If they do not, then please just copy and paste into your web browser... and hit 'return' to go to the appropriate web pages or sites. Enjoy, Roger.

CNN.COM VIDEO REPORT ON CLARKSDALE'S GROWING 'BLUES TOURISM ECONOMY':
CNN iReport -- Embracing the Economic Blues by NEAL MOORE -- "When you walk the streets of Clarksdale, Mississippi, you can still hear the voice of blues legend Robert Johnson - ringing from the shop windows as well as from passing cars. There's a revival going on here and it's all about the blues – about a respect for the first generation bluesmen who are honored and revered. But it's not just about a cultural renaissance – the blues pays, a concept that folks from all walks of life have begun to latch on to." Either click on this web link or past it in your web browser to view, http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-346909 . (I've also added it as a hot link below.)

BLUESMAN WILLIE 'RIP' BUTLER SUFFERS HEART PROBLEMS:
"Dear Friends, Willie 'Rip' Butler, a local musician and member of the Wesley Jefferson Southern Soul & Blues Band has recently been hospitalized due to heart problems. After going to the emergency room, he learned that two of his arteries are 100% blocked and another one is 75% blocked. He is currently at home until he is able to have heart surgery. It is uncertain if he will be able to return to work. Cards and donations may be sent to: Rip Butler, PO Box 831, Shelby, MS 38774." -- Shelley Ritter, Director, Delta Blues Museum (CAT HEAD NOTE: Thx to Shelley for the info from about a month ago. Rip continues to do ok for the moment, but any support is appreciated. He's a super guy and great singer. You might remember him from the Do Drop Inn segment in "M for Mississippi.")

BAD NEWS ABOUT BLUESMAN MICKEY ROGERS IN GREENVILLE, MS (thx Shelley):
Musician Mickey Rogers was robbed/assaulted recently. Here's wishing him a speedy recovery. (Article also included in "Newspaper" section near end of this e-newsletter.) Read about at http://www.ddtonline.com/articles/2009/11/12/news/news2.txt

BLUES/FOLK ARTIST WILLIE KINARD PASSED AWAY OCT. 23, 2009:
Obituary excerpt courtesy of Clarksdale Press Register -- "Willie James Kinard, 65, of Clarksdale, died Friday, October 23, 2009, at Methodist University Hospital. He was born February 2, 1944 in Roundaway, Miss. to William Kinard and the late Inez Kinard. He was a member of the Morning Star Baptist Church in Rena Lara and a limo driver for Delta Burial Corporation Inc. He was also a graduate of Coahoma Agricultural High School. ... Burial [was at] Locust Grove Memorial Garden. Delta Burial of Clarksdale [handled] the arrangements." (CAT HEAD NOTE: Mr. Kinard was my buddy when I first moved to the Delta. He was a school bus driver who made colorful artwork on the side. I met him right before opening my Cat Head store in 2002, and he would drop by almost daily for the next couple years -- often double-parking his school bus out front while he ran inside with his latest painted-wood creation. His signature piece was mini version of the "Crossroads Marker" at 61/49 in Clarksdale. On his small, wooden version, there was always a man standing at the Crossroads. For the first six months, each one he brought by the store featured an African-American figure standing there. I just figured the black man was 'Crossroads' bluesman Robert Johnson. Then, one day, he brought some by that were, well... white. I said, "Mr. Kinard. I just have to ask. Why is Robert Johnson 'white' this time?" He tossed his head back, laughed loudly, and replied, "Oh, that's not Robert Johnson. That's those darn tourists who always stand out there in traffic trying to get their pictures taken at the Crossroads!" Next time y'all visit Cat Head, please take a moment to notice the store sidewalk sign, the twin towers tribute on the front porch and the listening stations inside; Mr. Kinard made all of them. Thanks Mr. Kinard... and thanks for grilling out at my early "Cat Head Mini Fests," too. RIP.)

BLUES SUPPORTER DENNIS BROOKS PASSED AWAY OCT. 20TH (info via Bob Corritore & others):
RIP Dennis Brooks 3/28/50 - 10/20/09 Dennis Brooks is best known as the founder and former president of Memphis' Beale Street Blues Society. He passed away on Tuesday, October 20th of a sudden heart attack. He was 59. Dennis was known by all as a tireless friend and supporter of the blues. He saw that blues artists would always have an airport pickup or a place to stay. Born and raised in Memphis, Dennis embraced his hometown music. He helped along and booked many artists including Blind Mississippi Morris, Richard Johnston, Super Chikan, Slick Ballinger and Jessie Mae Hemphill. He did extensive volunteer work for the Blues Foundation, Memphis in May and Blues Ball, produced the first Jug Band festival in Memphis, and he was a contributor to this newsletter. Dennis was also very involved in Memphis' Jewish community. Just minutes before his heart attack he was enjoying a deep discussion on the blues with his friend Heidi Knochenhauer. Rest in peace Dennis, you served the blues well. Thanks to Charley Burch, Bruce Iglauer and Joe Whitmer for providing this information. (CAT HEAD NOTE: Dennis was a helluva guy... always helpful, always friendly and always willing to help out where the blues was concerned. He will be missed by many. I remember when he used to always be telling me about this "young kid" who played the blues... named "Slick." He had an eye for talent, too.)

BLUES DRUMMER SAM CARR PASSED AWAY ON SEPT. 21, 2009:
By The Associated Press (CP) - JACKSON, Miss. -- Sam Carr, a drummer who was considered an anchor in the blues scene that continues to draw fans to the poverty-stricken Delta region where the music form was born, died Monday. He was 83. Carr died of congestive heart failure, said John Andrews, director of Century Funeral Home in Clarksdale. Carr had a reputation as one of the best blues drummers in the country, but he made his living in the Mississippi Delta where he was raised. At one time or another, Carr had backed big names like Sonny Boy Williamson II and Buddy Guy. Carr had received multiple honours, including the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2007. He also received several awards from Living Blues magazine. Carr's father was 1930s blues guitarist and vocalist Robert Nighthawk who made famous the song, "Sweet Black Angel." Early in his career Carr often played with father. Carr was born Samuel Lee McCollum in 1926 near Marvell, Arkansas. His name was changed after he was adopted as a toddler by a Mississippi family with a farm near Dundee, according to a biography written by Scott Barretta, a blues professor at the University of Mississippi. He moved back to Arkansas at age 16 and collected money at door of clubs where his father performed. He worked as a sharecropper before turning his full attention to blues music, moving to St. Louis and playing bass with harmonica player Tree Top Slim. He returned to Mississippi in the early 1960s and formed the Jellyroll Kings. Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved. (CAT HEAD NOTE: What can you say? If you ever saw Sam Carr play when he was still at his peak, he was absolutely among the best. Inventive, inspiring and always decked out with that hat and smile. His impact has been felt far and wide. He'll be missed, but his music lives on both on CDs and in the music of younger Delta drummers like Clarksdale's Lee Williams -- one of his biggest fans. Mr. Carr was buried in Thompson Chapel Cemetery in Dundee, MS, and will not soon be forgotten. RIP.)

LISTEN TO THE ONE-AND-ONLY "CAT HEAD DELTA BLUES SHOW":
Nothin' but the real-deal blues -- the music that made Mississippi famous! Tune in every Saturday night from 7-9pm with an encore presentation Sundays from 10-midnight... with your host, Roger Stolle from the Cat Head store downtown. From Robert Johnson to Big Jack Johnson, you'll hear it all... along with the upcoming concert calendar. Broadcasting from the 'Crossroads' on WROX AM 1450 and http://www.wroxradio.com. Brought to you by First National Bank of Clarksdale AND Tricia's Italian Restaurant -- and 'blues club'. (CAT HEAD NOTE: I'm planning to present a special "Tribute to Miss Sarah" edition on Sat/Sun Nov 21-22. I'll feature music by a sampling of the amazing blues artists who played for the late Sarah Moore through the years at Sarah's Kitchen.)

HONEYBOY EDWARDS TO RECEIVE MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR'S AWARD:
(Excerpted article via Billy Hutchinson, courtesy of ClarlionLedger.com and author Sherry Lucas) - Bluesman David "Honeyboy" Edwards, 94, a Shaw native who took Mississippi's music around the world yet still brings it home, will be recognized for lifetime achievement by the state's highest arts honor in February. Joining Edwards is a roster of Mississippi-generated talent in the 2010 class for the Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts. Clinton watercolor artist Wyatt Waters, West Point basket-maker Bessie Johnson, Mississippi Public Radio's Grassroots program and Cleveland community arts educator and advocate Lenagene Waldrup also will receive awards in the public ceremony. The five recipients were chosen from 46 nominations. A project of the Mississippi Arts Commission, the awards recognize outstanding work by individuals and organizations in visual and performing arts, patronage, support, community development through the arts, and arts broadcasting and more... (CAT HEAD NOTE: Congrats to Mr. Honeyboy Edwards; we'll see you for Juke Joint Festival in April!)

BLUES BYTES REVIEWS EXCELLENT NEW JIMMY "DUCK" HOLMES CD:
The latest issue of Blues Bytes is raving about Ain't It Lonesome, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes' latest CD for Broke & Hungry Records: "Holmes continues his hot streak with his latest for Broke & Hungry . . . the acoustic numbers capture perfectly the haunting aspects of the Bentonia style . . . the electric numbers are first rate . . . sound like long-lost Hooker tracks. Ain't It Lonesome is arguably Jimmy "Duck" Holmes' best release yet." http://www.bluenigh t.com/BluesBytes /wn1109.html (CAT HEAD NOTE: You can buy this essential new country blues CD via http://www.brokeand hungryrecords. com OR at my Cat Head store, of course.)

INDIANOLA BLUES CHALLENGE WINNERS AND INFORMATION:
Alan Jones of Inverness won the Solo Competition at the 6th Annual Mississippi Delta Regional Blues Challenge held October 24, 2009 at the Historic Club Ebony in Indianola Mississippi. The Grady Champion Band of Canton Mississippi won the Band Competition. The winners will now advance to the Semi-Finals of the International Blues Challenge held in Memphis, January 21-23, 2010. For more info on the Indianola Blues Society, go to http://www.indianolablues.org. For more info on IBC in Memphis, go to http://www.blues.org. (CAT HEAD NOTE: A special thanks and 'great job' goes out to Janet Webb who -- along with her friends, volunteers and musicians -- put on another stellar Challenge. Thanks to Janet, the world will get yet another wonderful dose of Mississippi blues this January in Memphis...)

EARWIG MUSIC PRESENTS "BLUES FROM MISSISSIPPI TO CHICAGO" EVENT:
(News via Betsie Brown and others) - Blues Legends David 'Honeyboy' Edwards, Johnny Drummer, Big Jack Johnson, John Primer, and Aron Burton will come to national television on MHz Networks Worldview this holiday season. On November 27, 2009 the 2-hour broadcast premier entitled "Earwig Music Presents Six Generations of the Blues From Mississippi to Chicago" takes an in depth look at contemporary Chicago Blues and traces it's roots to rural Mississippi. The two-hour special is produced by the award winning roots music television production group www.frontrowmusic. tv and features live performance footage from the 2nd annual Blues on the North Shore concert. The show hosted by Sirius XM Radio's Bill Wax presents the best of the Earwig artists in this beautifully edited footage from the Delta to Chicago. The broadcast premier is part of an ongoing production of blues music programming and content created by the online TV network www.frontrowmusic.tv ... To see previews of the 2 hour concert event and to find air dates for the B.B. King's Bluesville radio interview & concert preview with Sirius XM Radio's Bill Wax and television listings for the November 27 broadcast go to http://www.frontrow music.tv/ node/382/ . The broadcast will air in its entirety on November 27, 2009 and in February 2010 in celebration of Black History Month. For airtime in your city visit, MHz Networks Worldview, http://www.mhznetwo rks.org/mhzworld view/affiliates/ .

SEE PHOTOS FROM SOME 'CAT HEAD' CUSTOMERS' RECENT BLUES ROAD TRIPS (thx guy!):
From Kip at http://classic.kodakgallery.com/rudkipon66/main/trek_to_the_arkansas_blues_and_heritage_festival_a
From Scott at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottlindsey/sets/72157622497474631/

PHOTOS AND REVIEW OF RECENT FESTIVAL IN HELENA, ARKANSAS:
Another great festival last month in Helena, AR. See photos and more at http://www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/index.php/2009/10/24/review-24th-arkansas-blues-and-heritage-festival-the-king-biscuit-festival-8-to-10-october-2009/

U OF NORTH CAROLINA 'SOUTHERN CULTURES' MAG HEAVY ON BLUES:
(Info via Blues Foundation) - "The University of North Carolina's Center for the Study of the American South has just released the new Blues-heavy Southern Cultures Special Music Issue with free CD..." More info at http://www.SouthernCultures.org . Readers will journey into Delta culture with Leland's own Son Thomas in "The Devil and His Blues," the amazing interviews William Ferris conducted with the Blues great. These interviews are part of Ferris’s incredibly powerful GIVE MY POOR HEART EASE, which will be released in November and which already has drawn pre-publication acclaim. You can read the Son Thomas interviews now in the special music issue—and even listen to Thomas play on the free CD. (CAT HEAD NOTE: I'm currently stocking the excellent "Give...Ease" book above and hope to soon stock the referenced magazine as well. Thanks, Roger.)

INTERESTING BLUES BLOG WEB PAGES 'CAT HEAD' RAN ACROSS ON THE NET (info/links):
http://bluesman2001.blogspot.com AND http://squeezemylemon.blogspot.com

NEW BLUES CLUBS IN JACKSON, MISS. (VIA PETE EVANS AND SCOTT BARRETTA):
- The Underground 119 at 119 S. President Street features blues pretty prominently in its schedule, http://www.underground119.com/home.html
- F Jones Corner on Farish Street and on-line at http://www.fjonescorner.com

CHECK OUT THESE YOUTUBE VIDEOS SHOT THIS MONTH AT 'CAT HEAD':
Arkansas bluesman Lucious Spiller performs, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Tc_z4EURc&feature=player_embedded

YET ANOTHER UNFORTUNATE BLUES PASSING (INFO VIA BOB CORRITORE):
October 19, 2009 -- RIP Johnny Jones 8/17/36-10/16/09 Nashville blues and soul singer/guitarist Johnny Jones passed away on Friday Oct 16th. He was 73.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE BB KING MUSEUM IN INDIANOLA, MS:
- November 20th: 12:00 p.m. - High Noon with Luther Brown
- November 24th: 5:30 p.m. - Taste in Music with Arthur Marble
- November 27th - 28th: Indianola Open House
For a listing of all upcoming events, check out the Museum's Event Calendar at http://www.bbkingmuseum.org

NOVEMBER EVENTS AT CENTER FOR SOUTHERN FOLKLORE IN MEMPHIS, TN:
- Thursday, November 19 @ Noon to 1 p.m. Free Brown Bag Concert - Randal Morton, Master of the Banjo.
- Friday, November 20 @ Noon to 1 p.m. Free Brown Bag Concert - Daddy Mack Blues Band, Urban Blues.
- Saturday Night, November 21 @ 9 p.m. Admission: $5.00 - Josh Shoe, Americana Singer/Songwriter.
- Thursday, December 3 @ Noon to 1 p.m. Free Brown Bag Concert - J.D. Westmoreland, Jazz/Rock/Americana.
http://www.southernfolklore.com

MAKE A MOVIE OR BLUES DOCUMENTARY IN MISSISSIPPI:
Here is a blurb courtesy of the Tupelo Film Commission regarding the State's excellent incentive program... "The Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program includes a 20% cash rebate for all in-state production expenditures, including non-resident payroll, a 25% cash rebate on all resident payroll, a 7% sales and use tax exemption on most production items, and a 5.5% sales and use tax reduction on most production equipment. The incentive program applies to motion picture, television, DVD, documentary, and commercial production. There is a $20,000 minimum spend, an $8 million per project rebate cap, and a $20 million annual cap. Check the Mississippi Film Office website at www.filmMississippi.org for more information." (CAT HEAD NOTE: We -- the producers of the "M for Mississippi" movie -- took advantage of a similar incentive program from the MS Film Office, and it really helped out a lot. Great folks at the Film Office, by the way.)

"OXFORD AMERICAN" MAG'S ANNUAL SOUTHERN MUSIC ISSUE COMING SOON:
The issue will hit newsstands and mailboxes on December 1, 2009 and will include TWO music CDs. Also: This year we introduce our new SOUTHERN STATE SERIES OF CDs, kicking off with, naturally, the Natural State (aka Arkansas). This means that one of the two CDs you receive will focus on music from Arkansas. (CAT HEAD NOTE: Remember, Cat Head stocks this wonderful magazine, so we'll have the music issue in-store by Dec. 1st.)

"AMERICA'S BLUES BLOG" SPENDS TIME WITH MEMPHIS MUSICIAN/PRODUCER BRAD WEB:
"Tonight we visit with old friend Brad Webb who is the engineer and main man/producer/guitarist for I-55 Productions, a new label out of Memphis, Tennessee..." Go to http://www.americanbluesblog.com/2009/11/memphis-i55-productionswhats-cooking.html for the whole interview, including photos of Willie Foster, Blind MS Morris, Morgan Freeman and others.

"AMERICA'S BLUES BLOG" VISITS GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB IN CLARKSDALE, MS:
"This week we venture south from Memphis down old 61 Highway (a topic of the famous Mississippi Fred McDowell song) to play at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. This place is a converted cotton grading building and warehouse where samples of cotton from growers were assembled and graded upstairs by holding them up to a skylight in the roof. Now the upstairs area is furnished with nice apartments which are available for rent. It is known as the Delta Cotton Company apartments..." Full story/photos at http://www.americanbluesblog.com/2009/10/memphis-ground-zero-clarksdale-ms.html

MUSIC MAKER RELIEF FOUNDATION'S ANNUAL FISHING EVENT:
"8th Annual Fishin' Blues Tournament to be held February 15th-20th, 2010 at Casa Vieja Lodge in Puerto San José Guatemala. This year's talent line up features Fishin' Blues veteran Mudcat, Atlanta's Soul of the Blues, Albert White, and the world's happiest bluesman Big Ron Hunter." Info at http://www.musicmaker.org.

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE ON EARLY ST. LOUIS BLUES HISTORY:
Got the St. Louis blues? City focuses attention on its musical heritage By Associated Press (October 30, 2009) - ST. LOUIS (AP) - There's a renewed effort in St. Louis to celebrate and preserve its blues music heritage. A new book, museum show and nonprofit organization are making the case that St. Louis brought together a mix of country and city musicians, resulting in significant contributions to the genre. There's a widely held belief that blues music was born in the Mississippi Delta, traveled up river to places like Memphis and then north to Chicago. But author Keven Belford has written "Devil at the Confluence" to highlight St. Louis' contributions to the blues. A new show about the music has opened at the Sheldon art galleries. And the St. Louis Rhythm & Blues Preservation Society plans master classes where musicians can play and teach others.

EXCERPT OF CEDELL DAVIS/BRETHREN REVIEW BY TERRY MULLINS:
"A person would have been hard-pressed to decide just which glowed the brightest on a clear, crisp Halloween night in West Plains. Was it the beautifully-intoxicating full moon that radiated down from the Heavens onto the Court Square? Or was it the brilliantly beaming face of Cedell Davis, lit up with a smile so infectious that you couldn't help but feel warm inside? Truth be known, it was probably Davis, the 83-year-old living blues legend from Pine Bluff, that cast the biggest glow, as he closed the book on another outstanding chapter of Robert Lynn's annual Back Alley Blues Bash in the elegant Opera House in West Plains, Missouri. It wasn't hard to understand why Davis was smiling so broadly and favoring those in attendance with stories of when he ran with blues icons like Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Nighthawk back in the wild-and-wooly days when Helena rivaled Chicago for blues capital of the world. It's a little thing called fresh air. Rescued from the confinement of being a nameless, faceless resident stuck in the back room of some forgotten nursing home, Davis is right where he feels most at home these days. Up on the stage, in front of adoring fans. Lovers of the real-deal Delta blues have Brethren, a smoking-hot band from Hot Springs, Ark., to thank for Davis' re-emergence into the spotlight. Brethren founder Greg "Big Papa" Binns began visiting Davis in a Pine Bluff nursing home a few years ago and that led to the one-of-a-kind pairing of a Delta blues treasure with a band that Binns describes as "Soundgarden meets Skip James." Although a debilitating stroke has robbed the wheelchair-bound Davis of the ability to play his unique slide guitar, using a butter knife for a slide, he can still belt out his signature tunes like "Chicken Hawk" and "Let Me Play With Your Poodle" with all the power and force of a man half his age. ... The real beauty of this Cedell Davis/Brethren combo is the mutual respect they share. Just by looking in Davis' eyes and watching the way he nodded his head in approval, one could tell he genuinely loves having Brethren back him up. They understand and get what Davis is about. And as for Brethren, their faces looked like a kid's face on Christmas morning might - full of excitement and true joy- as they breathed life into Davis' classic songbook. The 2009 edition of the Back Alley Blues Bash, which since its inception a half-decade ago has brought artists such as Jimbo Mathus, T-Model Ford, Mem Shannon and Little Charlie and The Nightcats to West Plains, got off to a blistering start thanks to the Dallas-based duo of K.M. Williams and Washboard Jackson, better known as Trainreck. But regardless of what their name might imply, Trainreck is a perfectly-matched twosome and they had jaws dropping in disbelief at the Opera House, just as they normally do at the Juke Joint festival in Clarksdale every April. ..."

CHECK OUT THE 'SOUTHERN FOODWAYS' EVENTS HELD RECENTLY:
The twelfth Southern Foodways Symposium was held October 30-November 1, in and around the town of Oxford and on the campus of the University of Mississippi. The Delta Divertissement took place October 29-30 in nearby Greenwood and Indianola. Both events explored music and food as intertwined evocations of Southern peoples and places. Details and interesting web site at http://www.southernfoodways.com

DELTA BLUES MUSEUM NEWS COURTESY DIRECTOR SHELLEY RITTER (edited for space)...
For even more DBM news, go to http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/low/index.asp .
- NEW WINTER HOURS: (November-February), 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- NEW EXHIBITS & RECENT ACQUISITIONS INCLUDE: A collection of prints from folklorist "Give My Poor Heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi Blues," William Ferris's new book of the same name. Bill signed copies of his book on Nov. 6th, while Robert Belfour entertained the crowd with his unique style of Mississippi Hill Country Blues. ... Another exhibit is opening next month; Michael Loyd Young, a Houston-based photographer, has just had his first book published by PowerHouse Books. Blues, Booze, & BBQ documents the 150-mile stretch of Highway 61 through the Mississippi Delta -- the birthplace of the blues -- and the communities that struggle to survive there today. ... A big thank you also goes to Gary Miller, publisher, editor and owner of BluesSource.com. Miller donated a rare 1929 vinyl 78 record "Pony Blues," Charley Patton's first recording for Paramount Records, to the museum.
- RECENT & UPCOMING EVENTS: We've had some fun visitors and events in town recently, including the annual - and now semi-annual -- screening of Barefoot Workshops' Mississippi Delta Workshop students' films. ... And just to keeps things interesting, Clarksdale was recently the location for a country music video shoot! Nashville recording artist Randy Houser - recently nominated for two Country Music Association awards for Best New Artist and Best Music Video -- may not be a blues musician, but he is from Mississippi and he is true to his roots. http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/low/news-randy-houser.asp
- ARTS & EDUCATION PROGRAM NEWS: The Arts & Education Program is sailing along smoothly, with several of our former students transitioning from being graduates of the program to becoming student-teachers, including Travis Calvin, P.J. Walker -- who had an exciting and information-packed time at Berklee College of Music this summer -- and Jeremie Horton. The A&E Band recently performed at the Clarksdale Farmers Market Fall Festival (see below) and is gearing up for some holiday performances, including a private event for the River Partnership of Community Foundations on Nov. 30.

'MISSISSIPPI BLUES TRAIL' VANITY LICENSE PLATES COMING IN JANUARY!:
Thanks and congrats go to Janet Webb and everyone else who worked feverishly to make the Mississippi Blues Trail license plate a reality. The deadline was met and over 200 folks ordered the new plates. These plates will look very cool on our Mississippi vehicles, and more importantly, raise money for the Mississippi Blues Trail/Blues Commission and act as rolling billboards advertising the Magnolia State's deep blues history. More info on the Blues Trail at http://www.msbluestrail.org.

MISSISSIPPI'S TERRY "HARMONICA" BEAN PLAYS CAIRO, EGYPT:
As part of the "Steve Simon presents Historic Blues on the Nile Tour," Pontotoc, Mississippi's Terry "Harmonica" Bean (as seen in "M for Mississippi) joined Zac Harmon, Deanna Bogart and friends at a series of shows in Cairo, Egypt. Pretty cool. (CAT HEAD NOTE: I asked Terry Bean -- a self-proclaimed "soul food eater" -- what he thought of the food in Egypt. He said it was "ok." He thought the lamb was pretty good. On another recent overseas tour, to Terry's dismay, airport security confiscated his multiple cans of Vienna sausages!)

ALEX THOMAS INVITES EVERYONE TO WOODVILLE, MS, FOR MARKER DEDICATION:
Alex invited you to "Woodville Blues Marker" on Wednesday, November 18 at 11:00am. Ceremony in downtown Woodville. www.msbluestrail.org. (CAT HEAD NOTE: I would expect that Woodville bluesman Robert Cage might be on hand as well; he's a cool guy who did a CD for Fat Possum back in the 1990s...)

JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL IS COMING BACK TO CLARKSDALE IN APRIL....:
Here's a slide show from a past Juke Fest (thx Bob Agee - "happy almost retirement!") view it at http://www.photoshow.com/watch/SX6pp2cw . Plan now for the 2010 edition -- April 16-18! www.jukejointfestival.com.

MORE CNN.COM iREPORT STORIES, ETC. AT THE LINKS BELOW (thx Neal):
"Neal Moore is a world traveler, creative activist and CNN citizen journalist currently documenting America in association with the Creative Visions Foundation. The game plan: to canoe the entire length of the Mississippi River (July - December, 2009) - participating/reporting/blogging on positive American stories whilst highlighting multiple uplifting community projects. So why not come along for the ride? You can follow the journey via the net at http://www.flashriversafari.com." A couple more of Neal's video stories on Clarksdale are below...
- Politics Meets the Blues with Mississippi's Bill Luckett - http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-346661
- Livin' the Blues with James "Super Chikan" Johnson - http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-347855

'ST. LOUIS FRANK' OFFERS ACCOMMODATION INFO FOR DELTA:
"Jay Cannon, owner of Magnolia's Place in Greenwood, MS just left me a message that the website is now operational for his new alternate venture in Blues lodgin right outside of Greenwood, MS... Call 309 453-8232 and tell him St Louis Frank sent ya." - http://www.magnoliasplace.com

ANOTHER NEW RESTAURANT OPENS IN DOWNTOWN CLARKSDALE, MS:
The Stone Pony & Brick Bar opened a couple months back in the 200 block ('my' block) of Delta Avenue, downtown, in the old Brick Gallery space. The family- and tourist-friendly restaurant offers up a fresh, updated look inside with tasty pizzas and beers. (CAT HEAD NOTE: Nice job on the logo, Nan!)

CLARKSDALE CELEBRATES DOWNTOWN "HOLLY DAYS" EVENTS:
Events include... 11/21 - Pet Parade. 11/28 - 'No Sales Tax Day.' 12/5 - Santa In The Park.

MADIDI -- FINE DINING IN DOWNTOWN CLARKSDALE, MS:
Enjoy some tasty dinner at the fine restaurant co-owned by the Ground Zero Blues Club folks -- including actor Morgan Freeman. http://www.madidires.com. A few customer comments from Madidi's recent e-newsletter: "We had a great time. Wonderful food and ambiance." (Brookline, MA) "On my "Bucket List" to return!" (Cocoa Beach, FL) OH YEAH... and enjoy live music there on Wednesday nights -- including 11/18 Marshall Drew and 11/25 Sean "Bad" Appel and Big Boy Martin.

CNN.com iReport story on Clarksdale, Mississippi's 'blues economy' (CLICK HERE for video).

STAY AT CLARKSDALE'S BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED 'CLARK HOUSE RESIDENTIAL INN' NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

THE CLARK HOUSE -- A RESIDENTIAL INN

"For business or blues -- affordable comfort and convenience!"

Originally constructed in 1859 by Clarksdale founder John Clark. It was the first home built in Clarksdale, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Clark House has just been extensively refurbished and beautifully redecorated as a residential inn.

The Clark House offers four elegant bedrooms in the main house, and three bedrooms in the cottage, just behind the main home. Each room features a private bath, desk and sitting area. All rooms enjoy the use of the beautiful parlor, library and dining room. A continental breakfast and internet access is included.

The Clark House is located in the historic residential area, just two blocks from Downtown Clarksdale's government, business and entertainment center.

Rooms are available from $75, and reservations can be made online at http://www.clarkhouse.info or by calling the Innkeeper at 662-621-1632.

(CAT HEAD NOTE: This is a wonderful property with an amazing history. Don't wait... Book your visit to Clarksdale today. Remember, festival weekends -- and some others -- typically book up here in town, so time really is of the essence.)

Check room availabilities at The Clark House Residential Inn (CLICK HERE).

BLUES NEWS EXCERPTS COURTESY BLUESWAX.COM

ARKANSAS BLUES & HERITAGE FESTIVAL REVIEW BY DON WILCOX (excerpted for space):
Blues Beat: Biting The Biscuit -- King Biscuit Blues Festival, Helena, Arkansas Oct. 8-10, 2009... "Robert Belfour's black suit with iridescent peach handkerchief stood out in bold relief against the stark broken cement pavement and a stage that butted against the loading dock for Helena Wholesale where all the King Biscuit Flour was dispatched on flatbeds in the 1940s. It was Saturday afternoon, October 10, at the 24th annual King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Askansas. Officially called the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival, everybody - and I mean everybody - still calls it The Biscuit. Belfour's vocals were marble-mouthed truisms about mistreatment and his Blues; his electric guitar a virtual kaleidoscope of broken brown and amber chips that fall together in a darkly colorful array of his hill country heritage falling in ever changing patterns that caused the crowd of about two hundred to put down their drinks and disappear into the ethos with him. "Catfish," "Two Trains Running," "All Night Long," "Killing Floor," "Rock Me Baby;" the music rolled across the broken cement, whistled through the broken windows of the vacant buildings and breezed back over the hillside onto the flowing Mississippi River. It was ground zero for a festival once billed as the largest free Blues festival in the south. In three days the temperature had gone from eighty-six and sunny on Thursday to a Friday of fifty-one with rain, a bruised sky and winds that caused tents at the campsite to blow away. Now on Saturday, it was cloudy, a little warmer and the weekend crowds were building." ... "In four blocks I caught Blind Mississippi Morris, Adam Gussaw (of Satan and Adam), Donna Herula and others playing to gaggles of oglers bopping their heads to the sounds. It took about twelve minutes to get to the Main Stage where John Hammond was playing to a surprisingly thin crowd." ... "Officially, it's called the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival, but in spite of the legally enforced name change several years ago, everybody, it's The Biscuit to artists, fans and organizers alike. The politics behind the name change are complex but dumb and boring to anyone not involved. In a nutshell, imagine the Hatfields and the McCoys battling it out in the small southern town of Helena, Arkansas that once was a beehive of Blues creativity right at that spot on the Mississippi River where the bridge connects Mississippi and Arkansas. In come the suits from The Big Apple, and both the Hatfields and the McCoys take hits." ... "To experience this music on the grassy levee of the Mississippi and walk the streets where Sonny Boy Williamson and Robert Nighthawk developed their music, to smell the verdant soil and park your lawn chair on the loading dock where they shipped the flour that paid for the music that inspired countless generations of Blues and rock stars is to be part of something that's much larger than the politics that threaten its future. I would be amazed if there isn't a 2010 Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival. There's even talk about getting the name King Biscuit Blues Festival back for 2010, the 25th year. The only question seems to be who's running the store, and how do they define 'store'."

'BLUES BLAST MUSIC AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED:
The 2009 Blues Blast Music Awards held a Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago on October 29 presented the following awards:
Best Contemporary Blues Recording: The Insomniacs - At Least I'm Not With You
Best Traditional Blues Recording Various Artists - Chicago Blues: A Living History
Best Blues Song: Albert Castiglia - Bad Year Blues
Best Blues Band: Nick Moss and The Flip Tops
Best Male Artist: Elvin Bishop
Best Female Artist: Robin Rogers
Best New Artist Debut Recording: Chris James & Patrick Rynn - Stop & Think About It
Sean Costello Rising Star Award: Kilborn Alley Blues Band
http://www.chicagobluesguide.com

CONGRATS TO CLARKSDALE'S BIG JACK (AND YOU, TOO, DALE!) FOR XM RADIO PLAY:
B.B. King's Play List for the Week of October 24, 2009; Bill Wax, Proprietor of Sirius/XM Satellite Low-Fi's Bar and Pool Hall in the heart of Bluesville on channel 74 lists this week’s top 10:
#1. Big Jack Johnson, "Katrina" - Big Jack Music

ROOTSY SINGER ERIC BIBB PLAYS TRIBUTE TO DELTA BLUES LEGENDS:
"Eric Bibb channels Delta Blues legend Booker White on new Telarc CD 'Booker's Guitar,' set for release on January 26, 2010. Itinerant troubadour Eric Bibb one night in a London hotel after a gig just a few years ago, found himself holding a National steel-body guitar that had belonged to Delta Blues legend Booker White. In a moment that could only be described as intoxicating, Bibb found himself holding Booker's guitar, and catching a brief but revealing glimpse of all the stories locked within it.
The encounter inspired a song, and the song became an entire album."

JIM DICKINSON TRIBUTE LP RELEASED NOVEMBER 10:
Onward and Upward was released on November 10 by Memphis International, the label for which Jim Dickinson, as his performing alter ego James Luther Dickinson, released his last three albums. Just three days after the death of his father, Memphis (and Muscle Shoals and Miami) music legend Jim Dickinson, Luther Dickinson opened the doors to the family’s Zebra Ranch studio in Independence, Mississippi and recorded Onward and Upward, an album of gospel songs and hymns over the course of a few hours. Luther, one third of the North Mississippi All-Stars and now a member of The Black Crowes, was joined by an ad hoc group dubbed "The Sons of Mudboy" (an homage to his late father's influential rock band Mudboy and the Neutrons) who were all close to Dickinson the elder and wished to address his loss in a musical way. The Sons of Mudboy include two veterans of the original Mudboy: Sid Selvidge (guitar, vocals) and Jimmy Crosthwait (washboard, vocals). Also on the session were Jimbo Mathus (guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals) formerly of the Squirrel Nut Zippers and of the South Memphis String Band, Steve Selvidge (guitar, dobro, vocals) and Paul Taylor (washtub bass) as well as vocalist Shannon McNally.

NEW PHOTO EXHIBIT OPENED NOV. 6TH AT STAX MUSEUM IN MEMPHIS:
The Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis is hosting new "Still Life in Soul" exhibit that explores the current life, activity, and resurgence in popularity of soul music through portrait, performance, and documentary photography made since 2005 by music photographer Jacob Blickenstaff. Artists represented in the forty photos in the exhibit include Bettye LaVette, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Lee Fields & the Expressions, Barbara Lynn, Maxine Brown, Roscoe Robinson, Harvey Scales, Candi Staton, Sir Lattimore Brown, Otis Clay, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Skip Pitts, Ben Cauley, Mighty Hannibal, John Gary Williams (of the Mad Lads), and many others.

FOR EVEN MORE blues news, go to BluesWax.com today (CLICK).

"M FOR MISSISSIPPI" BLUES MOVIE CELEBRATES ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY! (Thanks.)

FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF "M FOR MISSISSIPPI" THEATRICAL DEBUT:
"M for Mississippi: A Road Trip through the Birthplace of the Blues" first screened publicly one year ago last month to a packed house at Delta Cinemas in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It was the culmination of a two-year process to bring this blues road trip story to the silver (and TV) screen(s). Since it's debut, it has screened at numerous film festivals and special events in the US, Canada, Italy, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, etc. and received international press ranging from Blues Revue and Vanity Fair.com to ABS Blues (France) and Red Hot Rock (Sweden). It has also led to both domestic and international gigs for many of the film's musical subjects and led many newcomers to visit and explore the Mississippi Delta -- two of our goals from the outset. In short, it's been a helluva year, and we (the filmmakers) thank you -- our friends and customers -- for it! I'd also like to again thank all of our film marketing sponsors as well as my fellow filmmakers: Damien Blaylock, Jeff Konkel Kari Jones and Bill Abel.

"M FOR M" MOVIE TO SCREENED LAST MONTH IN GEORGIA AND MISSISSIPPI:
Thanks to the friends and organizers who made last month's screenings of "M for Mississippi" such a success at the Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and at the Peachtree Village International Film Festival in Atlanta, Georgia. We appreciate it. "M for M" is now available for public screenings, events and festivals -- from large theaters to home 'house parties'; please just contact me at roger@cathead.biz or Jeff Konkel at jeff@brokeandhungryrecords.com for details.

NEW REVIEWS OF "M FOR M" COMPANION CD SOUNDTRACKS
Buy the movie plus either or both of the CD soundtracks CDs at http://www.mformississippi.com or pick 'em up at Cat Head or on Broke & Hungry's web site. Here are the latest CD reviews (excerpts):
- 'LIVING BLUES' Magazine (review of Vol. 2) - "...All of the artists and producers involved with the 'M for Mississippi' project should be proud of this release, as it provides an important historical snapshot of the contemporary Delta's blues scene." (Roger Gatchet)
- 'BLUES REVUE' Magazine (review of Vols. 1 & 2) - "[The movie] was made on a shoestring budget by blues lovers who just wanted to bring exposure to the music... 'M for Mississippi'... resulted in an unexpected hit... [The soundtracks'] tunes resonate because the musicians are playing for the love of it... Few are formally trained, but that doesn't make the sound any less powerful..." (Hal Horowitz)

ALSO AVAILABLE AS A DOWNLOAD PURCHASE OR A NETFLIX RENTAL:
You can now legally download the "M for M" movie on-line for half price at http://www.filmbaby.com/films/3455 . OR, you can simply rent it through NetFlix.com if you are a member. (5-star review on NetFlix says, "Engaging and especially inspiring since you can see it was just a handful of people making the film. Loved the music, the reverence and even the drive from place to place.") Enjoy!

BUY "M for Mississippi" DVD or CD soundtracks (CLICK HERE).

BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE E-NEWSLETTER EXCERPTS

- FOR BLUES NEWS UPDATES, subscribe to the Blues Festival Guide e-newsletter by going to their web site at http://www.bluesfestivalguide.com

MORGAN FREEMAN: 'BLUES CLUB CO-OWNER LUCKETT FOR MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR'...
(Photo credit: Actor Morgan Freeman, right, and his business partner Bill Luckett -- Rogelio V. Solis/The Associated Press) - CLARKSDALE, MISS. -- Academy-Award winner Morgan Freeman says Mississippi is "starving" for the right leadership, so the actor is using his celebrity status to help his friend run for governor in 2011. Freeman has written a fundraising letter and is one of the hosts for a cocktail party in Los Angeles next week for Bill Luckett, an attorney seeking the Democratic nomination. Term limits prevent Republican Gov. Haley Barbour from seeking a third term. ... Freeman lives in Charleston, a small town in the Mississippi Delta where farming is the main economic engine. The area has been plagued by poverty, illiteracy and racial tensions. Freeman said in the fundraising letter that Luckett, who co-owns the Ground Zero Blues Club and the upscale Madidi restaurant with the actor, will help the state improve education, health care and economic development. ... (CAT HEAD NOTE: Good luck Bill! You have Cat Head's vote. If you'd like to learn more or support Mr. Luckett, please check out http://www.progressformississippi.com )

DELTA BLUES MUSEUM IN CLARKSDALE HOSTS NEW BLUES BOOK RECEPTION:
The Delta Blues Museum invites the public to attend the opening reception for "Give My Poor Heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi Blues" featuring a collection of prints from folklorist William Ferris's new book of the same name. ... Give My Poor Heart Ease is a documentary record of Ferris's home state during the 1960s and '70s, illustrated with Ferris's photographs of Mississippi musicians and their communities and includes a CD of original music and a DVD of original film. The book also features more than 20 interviews relating frank, dramatic and engaging first-person narratives about black life and blues music in the heart of the American South. (CAT HEAD NOTE: This event was earlier this month, but I believe the exhibit continues on at the DBM. Also, the new book is available at the museum as well as at Cat Head. Congrats Bill on a great new piece of work. I LOVE the DVD, in particular. FYI... I understand that Bill Ferris will also hold a book signing event at TurnRow Books in Greenwood, MS, on Wednesday, December 16 at 5:30 p.m. with remarks to follow. http://www.turnrowbooks.com)

Read ENTIRE BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE 2009 ON-LINE (click here).

CAT HEAD DELTA BLUES & FOLK ART... YOUR HOLIDAY HEADQUARTERS FOR BLUES GIFTS...

CAT HEAD IS YOUR 'HOLIDAY SHOPPING HEADQUARTERS' FOR MISSISSIPPI BLUES GIFTS!

Surprise your blues-lovin' friends with something special this yule tide season ... OR, start your own 'wish list' with ideas Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art in the Land of the Crossroads.

Here is just a tiny sampling of killer Cat Head gift ideas (a few of which are shown in the PHOTO ABOVE):

1. BLUES BOOKS
- "Give My Poor Heart Ease -- Voices Of The Mississippi Blues" is a fabulous new hardcover book by William Ferris that features an excellent blues DVD and companion CD; all that for just $35 plus s/h.
- "Memphis & The Delta Blues Trail" by Melissa & Justin Gage is a new, comprehensive guide for visitors to Memphis and the Mississippi Delta; the listings and directions are totally up to date and quite expansive; a bargain at just $19.95 plus s/h.
- "R. Crumb's Heroes Of Blues, Jazz And Country" book w/bonus CD inside... in HARDCOVER for only $19.95.
- "In Search Of The Blues" by Marybeth Hamilton in soft ($15.95) or hard ($24.95) cover, plus s/h.

3. 2010 WALL CALENDARS
- "R. Crumb's Heroes Of Blues, Jazz And Country" wall calendar (includes bonus postcards inside) for $13.99 plus s/h.
- "Blues Images' Classic Blues Artwork" wall calendar (includes bonus blues CD inside) for $20 plus s/h.

4. BLUES DVDs
- Blues Music Award/Living Blues Award-winning "M For Mississippi -- A Road Trip Through The Birthplace Of The Blues" (of course!) for $20 plus s/h.
- Finally back in print (w/bonus materials) "And This Is Free" documentary DVD about Chicago's famed blues/gospel/flea market street (Maxwell St.); it includes killer footage of guys like Robert Nighthawk and Blind Arvella Gray; bonus CD packed inside; all for $34 plus s/h.
- "Hard Times" (the story of bluesman Big George Brock) DVD, reg. $20, SALE $15.

5. BLUES CDs
- Where do I start? Recommended newer/local blues CDs include titles from Pat Thomas, T-Model Ford, Big George Brock and Jimmy "Duck" Holmes -- for $15 each plus s/h.
- Other recommendations include the new Homemade Jamz "I Got Blues For You" ($18), Super Chikan import "Chikadelic" ($20), LC Ulmer "Long Ways From Home" ($16) or Jimbo Mathus country CD "Jimmy The Kid" ($16) -- plus s/h.
- "M For Mississippi" CD soundtracks, Vol 1 and 2 -- just $15 each plus s/h.
- We also carry all of the Fat Possum Records and Broke & Hungry Records blues titles, of course... as well as a selection of Christmas blues CDs.

6. 'CAT HEAD' LOGO MERCHANDISE
- "Cat Head logo/Crossroads art" T-shirts for (adult white or black for $20 each; youth size heather gray for $15) and hoodies (adult brown for $30). High quality shirts feature our famous "Cat Head" red square logo on the front and artist Grego's killer 'Crossroads' folk artwork on the back. Please call for current in-stock size selection, 662-624-5992.
- "Cat Head" logo caps (hats) w/"Clarksdale, Mississippi" on back if it fits; various colors/styles; please call for selection; $20 each plus s/h.
- "Cat Head" logo beer glasses, reg. $10, SALE $5 !!! (Plus s/h -- must be specially packed since glass.)
- "Cat Head" logo shot glasses, $5 plus s/h.
- "Cat Head" bumper stickers or postcards, $1 each plus s/h.
- "Cat Head" logo rubber drink coasters, $2 each plus s/h.

7. TASTY PECANS IN BLUESY TINS
- Delta Pecan put together these wonderful, colorful "sampler" (4 flavors) pecan tins that feature artwork by Tutwiler, MS' Cristen Barnard; choose "Blues," "Cotton" or "Memphis" themed designs. GREAT, easy gift idea -- my relatives love 'em every year! Just $15 each plus s/h.

8. COOL STOCKING STUFFERS!
- Be the only gift-giver at work or the in-laws who gives a genuine MOJO BAG by Mr. Harvey Ellington of Clarksdale. Small, tied-up burlap bag containing a secret mix of Delta materials said to give one an edge over the other guy. A mere $10 plus s/h.
- "Delta Slider" glass bottle guitar slide for the guitar-playing gift recipient on your list. $12 plus s/h.

9. SPECIAL ORDERS
- We can special order many CDs and DVDs (especially 'blues' but honestly from any genre). Just call or email at roger@cathead.biz for availability and price.

TO ORDER, please call 662-624-5992 during regular business hours (Mon-Sat, 10-5 Central) with a credit card and your address info, etc. For more information about sizes/availability, you can also email at roger@cathead.biz.

CAT HEAD ON THE WEB at http://www.cathead.biz (but frankly, the merchandise on my site is largely outdated, etc... so please call or email to inquire about stuff. Expect a brand-new web site in 2010!)

CLICK HERE... for the official CAT HEAD web site with store, town and music info.

ROCK N ROLL & BLUES STORIES FROM CLARKSDALE'S THEO D...

(PHOTO: Theo Dasbach of Clarksdale's 'Rock N Roll & Blues Heritage Museum.')

Below are some interesting blues and/or Clarksdale stories written by music museum man, Theo Dasbach, and first published (in most cases) in the Clarksdale Blues-Star newspaper -- http://www.blues-star.com. Thanks Theo!

MUSEUM CELEBRATES 3 YEARS IN CLARKSDALE:
(By Theo Dasbach and Cindy Hudock.) Last month, the Rock n Roll & Blues Heritage Museum celebrated its third year in Clarksdale. What an exciting 3 years it's been. We've had visitors from around the world and we've met many artists including Jerry Lee Lewis, Delaney Bramlett, Dale Hawkins, Watermelon Slim, Super Chikan, T-Model Ford, Robert Belfour, Robert 'Bilbo' Walker, Roger Earl, Sonny Burgess & the Pacers, and many many more. With artists like Super Chikan and Robert 'Bilbo' Walker donating memorabilia, we've enhanced our local touch and also now have a permanent but ever changing photo exhibit of the Clarksdale music scene included in the rich history of American music. As we have so much memorabilia, we've organized the Museum so that you walk straight into the past starting with the first written blues sheet music by W.C. Handy and the first ever recorded blues record by Mamie Smith, you then move along in time from the roots to the fruits! Old acetates and 78 rpm recordings of Charley Patton, Robert Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson prove the influence these blues singers had on artists such as Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones and almost every other artist from the 60s. From Muddy Waters to Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix, you'll enjoy the artwork of the record covers and concert posters from the time when music was something could hold not just download. Clarksdale's own legacy is richly represented by Little Junior Parker, Eddie Boyd, Lil Green, Sam Cooke, John Lee Hooker and foremost Ike Turner, who composed the first ever rock 'n roll record in 1951 here in Clarksdale at The Riverside Hotel on Sunflower. It's Ike's record that Bill Haley recorded in 1951 and started Haley's world famous career in rockabilly making him change the name of his group from the Saddlemen to the Comets. Brian Jones named his group the Rolling Stones after the Muddy Waters' record Rolling Stone, but when Clarksdale native Andy Anderson visited our museum a few months ago, we discovered that he had already formed a rock 'n roll group in the 50s called the Rolling Stones. The Rock 'n Roll & Blues Heritage Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is totally dependent on donations from the general public and sales of gift shop items, including CDs, t-shirts, photos of musicians and vinyl records. The Museum is located at 113 E. 2nd Street in downtown Clarksdale. The opening times are Thursday through Saturday 11 am to 5 pm or otherwise published on our website: http://www.blues2rock.com . (CAT HEAD NOTE: Congrats to Theo and Cindy for 3+ successful years in Clarksdale. We appreciate the enthusiasm, generosity and investment y'all have shown. Best of luck with the next 3... no, make it 30... years!)

REMEMBERING POPLAR TUNES:
Poplar Tunes, Memphis oldest music store, has closed its door. An historic landmark gone. Another loss for the music scene due to a change in the record industry--downloading and internet sales. Founded by Joe Coughi and John Novarese in 1946, Poplar Tunes (nicknamed Pop Tunes) would become the store where people would buy the latest hit record. This was the place where Elvis Presley bought his first records and where Elvis's own records were sold. It's also the place where the famous Memphis Disc Jockey Dewey Philips hung out. The success of Poplar Tunes gave birth to the Hi Records label with artists like Bill Black, Willy Mitchell, Ace Cannon, Ann Peebles and Al Green in the Sixties. For me Poplar Tunes has a special meaning. When I arrived in Memphis in 1978 from the Netherlands, I met Bobby Roll who was working with Poplar Tunes. Bobby introduced me to the owner John Novarese and his crew Jimmy Wagner, Frank Beretta, Perino, Red and others. To my surprise Poplar Tunes was one big family; after work the employees would hang out playing cards and having fun. Poplar Tunes also owned jukeboxes and vending machines, which they serviced in restaurants, skating rinks, bars and local juke joints. I was invited to hang out in the back of Poplar Tunes and to go "on route" collecting money from the machines, talk to the owners of the joints and have a little fun. When my vacation in 1978 came to an end, they told me that "The Dutzman" as they named me should visit them again next year. So the "Dutzman" came for a visit every year! Until John died, I hung out in the back of Poplar Tunes and had a great time. When they found out that I was an avid collector of music memorabilia and records, they would get me all kinds of stuff. Some of these items are now on display here in the Rock 'n Roll & Blues Heritage Museum in Clarksdale. It's always sad to see an historic landmark disappear, but Poplar Tunes meant much more to me--music, family and friendship. I still see the Roll's when I can. It may be a bit of a stretch, but without the Roll's and Poplar Tunes I would probably not have discovered how great the American music heritage is in reality, and the Rock 'n Roll and Blues Heritage Museum would probably not exist. Now at Pop Tunes, the blinds are closed and the sign put up in 1977 which said "Elvis we'll miss ya" is gone. "Pop Tunes, where The King was a customer and where the customer is still king" was the motto. And that's an understatement!

REMEMBERING DRUMMER SAM CARR:
Sam Carr, the famous blues drummer from Mississippi has died. Another Delta musician of the old school has left the (blues) world. I heard of Sam Carr when i was living in Europe in the early sixties for the very first time. Carr's father was the 1930s blues guitar player and vocalist Robert Nighthawk who composed the famous song Sweet Black Angel . I heard that Sam played with his father in his early years. He became known as one of the best blues drummers, who played with Sonny Boy Williamson (II) before settling in Lula in 1959 with Frank Frost. Sam formed a trio with Big Jack Johnson on guitar in 1962 and they issued the LP Hey Boss Man on the Sun records subsidiary Philips International, billed as Frank Frost and the Nighthawks. Guitarist Scotty Moore produced sessions for the trio in Nashville where the recorded for Jewel records. Michael Frank located the trio in the Clarksdale tavern, the Black fox in 1975 and released Rockin the Juke Joint in 1979 on Earwig records on which the trio was billed as the Jelly Roll Kings. And the rest is history..... Sam Carr played on numerous gigs, an excellent drummer. I always have had a passion and admiration for drummers as they keep the band together, they drive the band and are usually not in the spotlight. To me drumming is a form of art, which i tried to master once when i was young. When I was 15 years old i traded some old records for a used drum se ,much to my dismay of my parents. After 6 months my father told me that he had enough of my noise and the drum set had to go..... Unfortunately i did not have a father like Sam. My comfort however was that my parents had an old piano in the living room, on which i taught myself to play some blues. When I established our Museum in Clarksdale i had the chance to meet Sam for the first time during his blues marker dedication in Lula. When Sam got sick Roger Stolle of Cathead and I went to see him in the nursing home in Clarksdale. He was quite upbeat and in good spirits. Down to earth he said that when his time had come his time had come, so he was prepared i think. The week after i played piano for the folks there as i promised, but Sam felt not good and did not come out. Lately it looked that he was doing a lot better.
But now Sam has played his final gig. It was a pleasure to have met him. One of my favorite records is the live album " Rock the Night" by Robert Bilbo Walker recorded in 2000, with Sam on drums. And i play that record a lot........

VISIT R 'N R & BLUES HERITAGE MUSUEM ON-LINE:
http://www.rockmuseum.biz

Theo and Cindy's ROCK/BLUES MUSEUM web site (click here).

NEW JOBS AVAILABLE AT RENOVATED CLARKSDALE HOTEL (info via Chamber of Commerce)

(CAT HEAD NOTE: This info came in via the local Chamber of Commerce. Thinking about moving to Clarksdale? Why not start out in the 'tourism' biz by managing a hotel?)

Per the request of Comfort Inn owner Suresh Chawla:

The Executive Inn Hotel, which was closed down on October 11, 2009, will be re-opening hopefully by the end of this month. Some major renovations are planned for this hotel, including adding a 50-person meeting room/reception area, an additional lane of driving at the hotel, carpet changing in the rooms and public areas, and improvement in landscaping. Long term plans include returning the hotel to Best Western status and adding an elevator to the hotel.

We are presently looking for some key personnel to reopen this hotel (see below). A General Manager who is proficient in customer service and quality control is needed. Furthermore, a technical maintenance person who is proficient in landscaping, janitorial, and light electrical/plumbing is needed. Please encourage anyone that would be good for these positions to email me at deltamotels@yahoo.com or call me on my cell at 662-299-5150.

STAFF NEEDED:
- Full time manager (we have a managers apartment on premises if necessary)
- 4 front desk people full time and 1-2 part time (part timers could be people who work full time elsewhere)
- 4 housekeepers
- 1 breakfast host
- 1 technical maintenance person

Thanks,
Suresh Chawla

CLICK to go to the Clarksdale-Coahoma County Chamber of Commerce site.

In This Issue:

MOVE TO CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI... FOR YEAR 'ROUND BLUES MUSIC!

CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI HOME FOR SALE...
Affordably priced at $79,900. Go to this web link for more details and photos: http://rogerstolle.vflyer.com/home/flyer/home/2548360. The listing web site is http://www.middletonrealtyinc.com.

CHECK OUT 111 CATALPA STREET FOR YOURSELF...
Please contact Joe or Brett Middletown today at middletonrealty2003@yahoo.com, cell 662-902-1678, office 662-627-7311. Here's what Joe Middletown says about my house: "Great home! Has 3 bedrooms, and 2 baths. Located next to the downtown area. It is approximately 2,250 sq.ft. It has nice built-in bookcases. The backyard is fenced." I'd just add that it has a spacious front porch, small side deck, large attic, plenty of windows, long driveway that spans two streets (very convenient for visitors), etc.

NO WORRIES... CAT HEAD AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE...
My Cat Head store is now a 7-year-old fixture of Clarksdale, and it ain't goin' anywhere. My girlfriend and I are just trying to consolidate our two households, so I'm selling my house at 111 Catalpa Street, so we can get one together that we can truly call "ours." I've lived in this wonderful abode for 7 great years and found it perfect for both relaxing and hosting blues fans, journalists and musicians from around the world. The floor plan makes it possible to host guests without everyone stepping on everyone else. (The dining room and front porch/yard are briefly shown in the movie "M for Mississippi," by the by.) My neighbors include other Clarksdale transplants.

CLARKSDALE'S RENAISSANCE CONTINUES...
According to Clarksdale Revitalization's Mac Crank in Blues-Star newspaper, "22 buildings currently undergoing repairs or renovation [downtown]." Downtown is currently buzzing with new businesses, new construction, planned renovations and more live blues than ever before (seriously... ever before). Recent weekends have featured live blues shows at an unprecedented 4 venues, and there is now reliable live blues in Clarksdale, Mississippi, from Tuesday through Saturday (and often Sunday) nights! Current renovations/construction/new businesses downtown include Tricia's Italian Restaurant (opened by ex-Indiana couple at 226 Yazoo; it held it's Grand Opening 9/4-5 and is excellent), The Lofts At Five & Dime (Bubba O'Keefe's loft condos, retail and restaurant space in the old Woolworth's building), the former Club Champaign building (amazingly turned into a classic "Main Street" looking store/restaurant front -- beautiful and ready to rent!), the former golf cart building next to Delta Amusement (the future location of Sun House Art Gallery), the former Brick Gallery building (where the new and interesting Stone Pony Pizza & Brick Bar just opened), the former Rampant Lion building (now Delta Creations and just stripped down to its historic brick exterior), old Stackhouse Record Mart aka Cream Boat building (Charles Evans has crews working on its restoration), Rust Restaurant (in old Delta Eye location; not new but not old either; really great), etc. etc. Oh yeah, the "Clarksdale Farmer's Market" continues to grow, by the way, with the semi-permanent shade covering added to the park in the 200 block of Delta Ave. Other key businesses that continue to grow include Cat Head (my store), Ground Zero Blues Club, Rock N Roll & Blues Heritage Museum (Dutchman Theo recently bought a second building downtown as well), Shackup Inn (in the past two years, it has grown into dang near a city out there; amazing), Delta Blues Museum (which has plans for a new Muddy Waters wing addition), etc. etc. We now have two newspapers here, more music festivals than ever before and as much international publicity as ever. Jump on board, and enjoy the ride. Make Clarksdale your next home.

Thanks so much!
Roger from Cat Head

PS - Thanks for all of the interest in my house. It's been kind of tough. Interested folks seem to either need to find a job here first, sell a home 'back home' first, can't get the credit they need... or want to retire here 'in a couple years'! Hopefully, we'll find a good fit soon.

MORE ON THIS CLARKSDALE HOME LISTING (click here to see).

OFFICIALS TO RESTORE BIRTHPLACE OF BLUES LEGEND ROBERT JOHNSON

(Sent in via Billy Hutchinson. Thx.)

OFFICIALS TO RESTORE BIRTHPLACE OF ROBERT JOHNSON - By SHELIA BYRD (AP) - JACKSON, Miss. -- The mystery surrounding bluesman Robert Johnson's life and death feeds the lingering fascination with his work. There's the myth he sold his soul to the devil to create his haunting guitar intonations. There's the dispute over where he died after his alleged poisoning by a jealous man in 1938. Three different markers claim to be the site of his demise. His birthplace, however, has been verified. The seminal bluesman came into the world in 1911 in a well-crafted home built by his stepfather in the Mississippi town of Hazlehurst. Now, 71 years after his death, local officials want to restore the home in hopes of drawing Johnson fans and their tourism dollars to Copiah County, about 100 miles from the Delta region that most bluesmen called home. Johnson's life and music have been the subject of multiple books. And producers are shopping a script in Hollywood about him penned by Jimmy White, the screenwriter for the Academy Award-winning film, "Ray." "It's amazing that after all these years, people still talk about Robert Johnson on the level that they do," said the bluesman's grandson, Steven Johnson. Johnson's influence can be heard in the works of numerous artists, from Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton, who covered 14 of the bluesman's songs on his 2004 album, "Me and Mr. Johnson." The house is an important piece of Johnson's legacy, said Grammy-winning pianist George Winston, who will headline a fundraiser for the restoration Monday at the Belhaven College Center for the Arts in Jackson. "Everything with Robert is mysterious, but the more we can demystify, we can get down to the truth," said Winston. "He was an inspired musician. He took a quantum leap." The story goes that Johnson didn't play all that well at first, then left town for awhile. When he returned, his music had undergone a transformation. "He came back and everybody couldn't believe how well he played," Winston said. That's likely what gave rise to the soul-selling rumor, a transaction purportedly taking place at the crossroads of U.S. 61 and U.S. 49 in the Mississippi Delta. Johnson's birthplace was verified in a letter from his half-sister years ago, said Janet Schriver, executive director of the Copiah County Office of Cultural Affairs.
The 1,500-square foot home now owned by the county has fallen into disrepair, but it still bears evidence of craftsmanship. Johnson's stepfather, Charles Dodds, was a furniture maker and a prosperous landowner. The house had a double-parlor, a long front porch and a pump that allowed water to flow into the kitchen, a modern convenience unheard in most homes occupied by blacks in the early 20th century, said Schriver. Schriver said the county is trying to raise $250,000 for the restoration project, which coincides with efforts to get Johnson's life story to the screen. White was commissioned by HBO about three years ago to write the script, but the production company's management changed and the project was scrapped, said Cathy Gurley, who handles publicity for the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation. HBO confirmed Thursday a project had been in development, but subsequently producers were allowed to take it elsewhere. Gurley said "we're currently shopping the project." White, who is based in Santa Monica, Calif., said he was moved by the "sheer genius" of Johnson, who was self-taught on the guitar. "He was so good that he would literally turn his back when they were recording him. He didn't want the other musicians to see his fingering technique," White said. A restored Johnson birthplace would offer his latter-day fans something rare: a tangible relic linked to the long-dead musician. Few personal artifacts from Johnson's life remain. Only two photographs of Johnson are known to exist, one known as the "studio portrait" made for Johnson by Hooks Brothers Studios in Memphis, Tenn., and the other referred to as "the dime store portrait" or "the photo booth self portrait" taken by Johnson himself. White spent months researching Johnson's life and interviewing other blues artists, including David "Honeyboy" Edwards, who knew Johnson. Little known in their prime, outside of the audience for "race music," the bluesmen created an enduring musical legacy. "As a writer, it was exciting for me because nobody has been able to crack the code of how to tell the story of a blues singer from that era, especially the legendary one who sold his soul to the devil," White said. Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
(CAT HEAD NOTE: Want to read more about the life and legend of Robert Johnson? Give us a call at Cat Head, 662-624-5992. We've got a books and DVDs about the man and his legend... as well as his original recordings on CD.)

READ the Wikipedia biography of Delta blues legend Robert Johnson (CLICK).

DELTA NEWS from CLARKSDALE BLUES-STAR and CLARKSDALE PRESS REGISTER and more...

RECENT ARTICLES COURTESY OF THE CLARKSDALE BLUES-STAR NEWSPAPER
(subscribe to the paper and/or on-line editions today at http://www.blues-star.com):

SUNFLOWER RIVER BLUES ASSOCIATION FUNDRAISER NOV. 25TH:
(Sunflower River Blues Association) - Pumpkins and pilgrims may inhabit many Thanksgiving stages, but at Ground Zero Blues Club, the Delta's best blues musicians are playing center stage Wednesday, Nov. 25, for the Sunflower River Blues Festival. The annual Thanksgiving Eve fund-raiser features four top bands including 2009 Blues Music Award (BMA) winner Cedric and Malcolm; Howlin Madd Bill Perry, Razor Blade, and Daddy Rich. "It's a dynamite lineup, and terrific way to introduce family, friends, and holiday visitors to real Delta blues," agree Sunflower’s three co-chairmen Melville Tillis, Maie Smith, and Laura Mayfield. All four bands will be performing at the 2010 Sunflower Festival August 6-7-8 -- an event ranked in America’s Top 10 places to hear authentic music by USA Weekend. "Free door prizes will be given to everyone paying admission," adds Sunflower member Chris Coleman. Coleman and John Sherman promise many more blues freebies -- festival caps, posters, t-shirts, and huggies to oldest, youngest, shortest, cutest, best dancers, guests traveling the longest distances, and other unique categories. "It’s gonna be a lively, fun night worth every penny of the $10 admission to enjoy four great bands," say Sunflower members. Tillis says the party helps keep the Sunflower Festival a free event, Mississippi's largest and America's purest blues festival. Another Sunflower special being offered is discounted VIP membership, according to Sherman, VIP tent chairman. "Until May 1, VIP membership and weekend access for four guests to the VIP tent is reduced from $300 to $250," says Sherman. The Sunflower Blues Association is a 501 c 3, non-profit organization. For additional information, photos and articles, visit the festival’s website: http://www.sunflowerfest.org.

'CLARKSDALE REVITALIZATION INC.' CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY
(By Nathan Duff) - The Clarksdale Revitalization, Inc. (CRI) celebrated its first anniversary Tuesday with a function at 225 Yazoo Ave., in a building that has been restored by California physician, Dr. Gail Guynup. Local business owners, elected officials and concerned citizens were treated to food from local restaurants and music by Theo Dasbach, owner of the Rock n Roll and Blues Heritage Museum. Restaurateurs Tricia and Steve Kolbus of Tricia's Pie Hole and Buddy and Kris Bass of Stone Pony Pizza, along with Guynup, were presented with customized guitars in appreciation of their investments in the downtown area. President of the CRI board Bill Luckett addressed the gathering, expressing his thanks for the many people who have contributed to the group's first year of success. He also announced the appointment of Jimmy Giles as the company’s new Tourism Facilitator, and indicated that Giles would be working closely with Mac Crank, the CRI Coordinator. Giles indicated that he is ready to hit the ground running. "This has me excited to get up and go to work every morning." Crank said, "Year one we did a lot of groundwork, and made some headway on projects. In year two we want to step it up a notch by getting into some business recruitment." He stated that there were 22 buildings currently undergoing repairs or renovation, and that the group was working with property owners to help them in any way possible. "We are looking for infrastructure money," Crank continued. "We are looking to build a large playground, and some outdoor venues." Luckett said, "We spent the early part of year one getting focused on where we could make the most impact." The group has helped property owners clean up building facades and has been instrumental in getting intersections cleared of unsightly wiring and out-dated traffic lights. "We have developed a lot of interest from outsiders, and we are trying to get owners who may have bought property looking to flip it involved in doing something positive with their property," said Luckett.

MASSIVE REDEVELOPMENT DEAL ANNOUNCED
(By Nathan Duff) - Monday, a group of around 60 local citizens concerned about the future of Clarksdale and Coahoma County met at the offices of the Delta Regional Authority. They were there to hear details about the formation of a new venture that will bring millions of dollars in development money to Coahoma County through partnership with Southern Bancorp, a Community Development Corporation. Federal Co-chairman of the DRA Pete Johnson said, "This thing has enormous promise." Johnson indicated that representatives from Southern Bancorp had been interested in investing in Clarksdale for some time, and that the timing was right for the company to get involved. The stockholders of Southern Bancorp include The Walton Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Entergy, The Kellogg Foundation and others who established the company in order to generate funds for rural development. ... Southern Bancorp representative Joe Black, principal advisor to the group said, "In each community we go into, we do a strategic planning initiative. Each community has unique areas that have to be addressed." ... (full story at www.blues-star.com).

'DELTA CENTER' TO OFFER SUMMER WORKSHOPS IN AMERICAN HISTORY/CULTURE
(The Blues-Star) - CLEVELAND - For the second year in a row, Delta State University has received major funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) "Landmarks in American History and Culture" program. Funding will allow the Delta State Delta Center for Culture and Learning to offer two week-long workshops focusing on the Delta's rich cultural heritage. The first workshop will be held the week of June 20 and the second workshop will be held the week of July 11. Each workshop will serve forty K-12 teachers, who will come from Mississippi and all over the United States. Dr. Luther Brown, Director of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning says "Last year we had almost 300 applications, with participants coming from 42 states. This is a very exciting workshop, and we hope to draw applicants from all of Mississippi and the rest of the country." Classroom teachers in public, private, parochial, and charter schools, as well as home-schooling parents are eligible to participate. They will receive a stipend to assist with expenses and gather together with leading humanities scholars, innovative master teachers and Delta State staff to develop powerful lesson plans relating to the Delta’s heritage and the heritage of their own home regions. The workshops are titled "The Most Southern Place on Earth: Music, Culture and History in the Mississippi Delta." Participants will travel throughout the Delta as they visit sites where significant events occurred. They will discuss and learn about issues involving civil rights and political leadership, immigrants' experiences in the Delta, the Blues, the great migration, agriculture, and the Mississippi River, among other things. They will sample Delta foods, visit local museums, and listen to the Blues. Field trips will roam as far as Greenville, Greenwood, Clarksdale and Memphis, with stops in between. Participants can earn up to six graduate semester hours upon completion of the workshop. ... For more information about the "Landmarks in American History and Culture" workshops, visit the Delta Center's web site at http://www.blueshighway.org or contact the Delta State Delta Center for Culture and Learning at (662) 846-4311.

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RECENT ARTICLES COURTESY OF THE CLARKSDALE PRESS REGISTER NEWSPAPER
(Subscribe at http://www.pressregister.com):

LEGENDARY DELTA BLUES DRUMMER SAM CARR DIES
(By BILLY HOWELL) - Monday, September 28, 2009 - Widely acclaimed Delta blues drum legend Sam Carr passed away Monday evening in Clarksdale. Carr was born in Friars Point, Mississippi in 1926. His father, whom he played with as a child and later in life, was the legendary Blues Man, Robert Nighthawk. Sam was adopted by the Carr family and raised on a farm near Dundee. He did not meet his father, Nighthawk, until he was seven years old. Around the age of eight or nine he would dance and perform with his father’s band. When Carr was 16 he moved to Helena where he worked the door at his father's gigs, taking up money at the city’s then thriving night clubs. "Sam was the last great Delta blues drummers,” said Roger Stolle, owner of Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art in Clarksdale and a friend and fan of Carr. Stolle said that most of the first and second generation blues musicians were influences on Carr, and Carr's shuffle style of drumming has been influential on local drumming prodigy, Lee Williams. Williams always wanted to learn the Delta Shuffle from Carr, and his dream came true when he and Carr began playing gigs together. "If you gonna play 'Sam style,' you just use a three-piece drum kit," said Williams, who still drums often at Ground Zero Blues Club and other local venues. Bill Luckett, co-owner of Ground Zero Blues Club, said, "Sam Carr was truly a living legend. He was a quiet man, very humble, but always full of energy sitting at our drum set at Ground Zero Blues Club where he played many times. His wife Doris was always dutifully in attendance looking on from a side table. We will miss him." Big T, who plays guitar with the Jelly Roll Kings and Big Jack Johnson, said that he loved watching Carr do the "stick-trick," where he would twirl it in the air during play. Big T started playing with Carr and his friends when he was young, and he said that playing the blues was "Business for them and fun for him." Carr was innovative in his drumming style. According to Stolle, Carr would place his wallet or another object on the drums to tamp the sound, and would even place his keys on his symbols to get a different ring. One night after playing drums at Red's in Clarksdale, Carr arrived home realizing that his keys were still nestled on the drums back at the club. Six years ago Stolle held a one-time Sam Carr Day at Ground Zero Blues Club. According to Stolle, "Sam Carr Day made Sam some money and gave him some recognition." Carr's trademark hat and big smile as he played a small, stripped down drum set, even using the wall to bust occasional beats on, was one of Stolle's fondest memories of Carr. "It's impossible to verbalize what Sam Carr's tremendous talents have done for our community and blues music. He and his wife Doris welcomed countless people into their home who shared their love of music. Playing music gave him a special energy that you could see and hear. He was a true legend and will be greatly missed," said Shelley Ritter, Director of the Delta Blues Museum. Hambone Gallery owner and local harp player Stan Street first met Carr when he was visiting the Helena King Biscuit Blues Festival. He played with Carr during the festival at Lefty’s ArkaBlue Club on Cherry Street in Helena. On several other occasions over the years Street played with Carr and local musician Bill Abel. "It's not what Sam played but what he did not play that made him great, meaning that he never stepped on anyone else; he stayed in the pocket and set down a good groove," said Street. Street's favorite memory of Carr was after he had been placed in Greenbough Nursing Home shortly before his death. Street went to see him and he was concerned that Carr might not recognize him or anybody else. Carr had been unresponsive and had not been eating. Street asked the nurse when he arrived if he could play some music, and she let him set up in the hall. When Street began playing Willie Dixon's famous blues tune, "Wang Dang Doodle," the entire staff began singing and dancing. When Street looked in on Carr, he noticed the "old Sam" Carr smiling from ear to ear -- he had come alive at least for a while. Carr friend and owner of Tricia's Italian Restaurant and Pie Hole in Clarksdale, Steve Kolbus, followed up on Stolle's idea, holding the Annual Sam Carr Day this past August 9 at Hopson Plantation Commissary. Kolbus was with Carr, local blues fan Dr. Patti Johnson, and two nieces when he passed away Monday evening. Kolbus, like all of Carr's friends, said that the "Sam Carr" tales are endless. Kolbus and his wife Tricia travelled to Clarksdale yearly for many years, always stopping by Carr's home, where they always brought the Carrs a sweet potato pie, and in exchange they were regaled with stories of times gone by. "Being able to get a history lesson from a guy who lived the history himself was a privilege," said Kolbus. At this year's Sam Carr Day, Carr played and got to see many of his old friends whom he had not seen in years. It was a day of rejoicing, as Carr got to see camera lenses snapping all day as he performed. He would make eye contact with his friends and both parties would break into tears -- knowing that this might be the last time that they would share fellowship and laughter. Carr later told his nieces that this was about his best day ever. Kolbus said that he promised Carr that he would hold the Sam Carr Day at least one more year, and "even with Carr gone, I plan on keeping my promise..."

RECENT ARTICLES COURTESY OF GREENVILLE, MS' "DELTA DEMOCRAT TIMES":

BLUESMAN MICKEY ROGERS RECOVERING; SUPPORTER IS ANGRY
(By DARYL BELL darylbell@ddtonline.com) - Thursday, November 12, 2009 - GREENVILLE, MS - Danny Peeples is angry. The owner of the Walnut Street Blues Bar is hoping Greenville police find two suspects who beat, stabbed and robbed blues guitarist Roosevelt "Mickey" Rogers early Sunday morning. "What happened to Mickey, shouldn’t happen to anyone, especially him," said Peeples. "I'd like to see them catch them, and let Mickey do to them what they did to him. I think that would be fair." Rogers has since been released from Delta Regional Medical Center. According to Greenville Police Capt. Andrew Kaho, Rogers was approached by an unidentified man and woman in the 600 block of McAllister Street. Kaho said Rogers was forced into his home, where he was tied up, beaten and stabbed in the back. The couple also robbed him of $350 and stole his 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Jeep is black with Washington County license plate number WSP 365. "It makes me angry because this happened to someone I know who doesn't bother anyone. It doesn't make any sense," he said. Rogers was born in Panther Burn but his family moved to Chicago. However, he did return to the Delta in the summer. As a teenager, Rogers began playing in bars in Chicago. He has performed with outstanding talent such as Howlin Wolf, Gladys Knight & the Pips, The Temptations, The Chi-Lites, Tyrone Davis, and Bobby Rush. Rogers was also a force behind Willie Foster's band, The Rhythm Upsetters. Peeples said that he may host a benefit to help defray medical costs for Rogers. "I'm planning to do something," said Peeples. "I don't know exactly what yet, but we're going to help him out." (CAT HEAD NOTE: What a terrible incident. Mickey Rogers really is a super nice guy who has played with darn near everybody -- from Bobby Rush to Big George Brock, Barbara Looney to Willie Foster. If anyone has any tips on the assailants, please contact the Greenville Police Department at (662) 378-1515. Best wishes to Mr. Rogers for a speedy recovery. The DBM's Shelley Ritter tells us, "An event to mark on your calendars is a benefit for Mickey Rogers, who was recently assaulted in his home. Rogers's Soul Master band is the house band for Club Ebony in Indianola. The benefit is Saturday, November 21, 8 p.m., at Club Ebony. $5 admission.")

MORE NEWS AVAILABLE FROM "CLARKSDALE BLUES-STAR" (click).

BLUES FOUNDATION NEWS AND UPDATES FROM NEARBY MEMPHIS

(PHOTO: Photo of Blues Foundation leader Jay Sieleman ALLEGEDLY taken in 1978, though the rumor is that Jay has gone hippie again and is now sporting a weave...)

2010 'KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE' AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED:
Art and Photography: Michael Maness, Memphis, Tennessee
Blues Club: Bradfordville Blues Club, Tallahassee, Florida
Blues Organization: Connecticut Blues Society
Education: Spencer Bohren, New Orleans, Louisiana
Festival: Heritage Music Blues Festival, Wheeling, West Virginia
Festival International: Piazza Blues, Bellinzona, Switzerland
Historical Preservation: Eric Leblanc, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
International: Finnish Blues Association, Helsinki, Finland
Journalism: David Fricke, Rolling Stone, New York, New York
Literature: Crossroads: The Life and Afterlife of Blues Legend Robert Johnson, Tom Graves, Memphis, Tennessee
Manager: Pat Morgan, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Print Media: Block, Almelo, Netherlands
Producer: Andy McKaie, Universal Music Enterprises, Santa Monica, California
Promoter: Pozitif Productions, Istanbul, Turkey
Publicist: Richard Flohil, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Radio Commercial: Charles Evers, Jackson, Mississippi
Radio Public: Rick Galusha, Omaha, Nebraska
Record Label: Crosscut Records, Bremen, Germany
Visual Broadcast: Film, Television and Video: Pocket Full of Soul.
CEREMONY: Nineteen individuals and organizations will be honored with The Blues Foundation's 2010 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award during a recognition brunch at the Downtown Doubletree Hotel Saturday, January 23rd, 2010, in Memphis, TN. Tickets to the KBA ceremony are sold only as part of the IBC Big Blue ticket package, available online at www.Blues.org or by calling 901.527.2583.

INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE (IBC) COMING TO MEMPHIS IN JANUARY:
The dates for the 2010 International Blues Challenge will be January 20-23. This is one week earlier than usual and two weeks earlier than 2009. The 2010 International Blues Challenge will be the 26th year of Blues musicians from around the world competing for cash, prizes, and industry recognition. The world's largest gathering of Blues acts represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage. In 2009, 100 bands and 60 solo/duo acts entered, filling the clubs up and down Beale Street for the semi-finals on Thursday and Friday and the finals at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday. We will have at least that many in 2010. The weekend’s events will once again kick off Wednesday night with a Meet & Greet hosted by the Beale Street Merchants Association at the New Daisy Theater, followed by the FedEx International Showcase. In addition to the evening Blues competition, the days are filled with seminars and workshops and topped off in a moving Saturday morning brunch in which the Blues community will honor its own with the prestigious Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) awards that honor the men and women, who have made significant contributions to the Blues music world, in 20 categories such as journalism, literature and photography and to the best clubs and festivals, as well as managers, promoters and producers. ... More info at http://www.blues.org.
(CAT HEAD NOTE: For folks comin' on down to the Memphis area for IBC, please consider dropping by our Annual Pre-IBC Blues Jam at Ground Zero Blues Club in nearby Clarksdale, MS, on that Wednesday night, Jan. 20th at 8pm; if you play, then plan to sit in with Tas Cru and his great hosting band; if you just listen, then get there early for a good seat and some fried catfish! See y'all there -- http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com.)

BLUES FOUNDATION ELECTS FIRST-EVER FEMALE PRESIDENT:
The Blues Foundation, the non-profit organization dedicated to the past, present and future of blues music, has completed the annual election of its Board of Directors and its officers, electing nine individuals to lead and assist The Blues Foundation in establishing a permanent home in downtown Memphis. The plan for a permanent home proposes to centralize the Foundation's educational, audio-visual and retail opportunities, in addition to housing its staff and operations. The new board members elected will contribute their respective expertise in finance, marketing, consulting and development to the Foundation's efforts through 2012, and as Foundation members will continue to provide the worldwide Blues community with support, information and news. The membership of the current Board voted to fill the nine available seats in this year's election, including seven new members: Phil Barkett, a Chicago area financial analyst, Steve Bryson, Chairman and CEO, Global Electronic Technology, Cypress, CA; Tom Jones, Smart City Consulting, Memphis; Stefan Levy, Big Cat Search, Barrington, IL; Craig Ray, Mississippi Development Authority, Jackson, MS; Eric Simonsen, AlixPartners LLC, Providence, RI; and Laurie Tucker, Senior Vice-President of Corporate Marketing, FedEx, Germantown, TN. The Board members re-elected two current members: Dorothy Moore, a Grammy-nominated performer, Jackson, MS; and Kevin Kane, President and CEO, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau. All recently-elected members will begin three-year terms October 23 at the next Board meeting in Nashville, TN. Following the Board election, the new Board selected the following Board members to leadership positions, who will serve for one year each: the Board's first female President Pat Morgan, artist manager for Pinetop Perkins and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, and Vice President Bill Wax, Program Director and on-air host of Sirius XM Satellite Radio's B.B. King's Bluesville channel. Additional members of the Executive Committee are: Gary Anton, a Tallahassee, FL attorney and owner of Bradfordville Blues Club, Kevin Kane, and Gaynell Rogers, a Nevada City, CA marketing & publicity consultant. In addition, Clay Purdom, an attorney with the Memphis law firm of Martin, Tate, Morrow & Marston, is the Treasurer. The newly-elected members and officers join fellow Board members Barbara Blue, Betsie Brown, Thomas Cain, Jostein Forsberg, Zac Harmon, Jerry Mason, Karen McFarland, Thomas Ruf, Joey Sichting, Ricky Stevens, Cassie Taylor and C. Sade Turnipseed. Newly-elected Board President Pat Morgan stated, "I am very excited to take on this new leadership role. I believe the Blues Foundation is now poised to take on new challenges, to continue to provide for our membership, and to further our mission of keeping the blues alive for generations to come." Executive Director Jay Sieleman added "Adding people of this caliber from outside of the blues music community is critical to taking The Blues Foundation to the next level. But they were not just recruited; each is a Blues fan and was a Blues Foundation member before coming on the Board. I fully expect the next three years to be the best ever for The Blues Foundation and therefore, for blues music." The Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having already seen this year their 25th anniversary of the International Blues Challenge and the largest, star-studded 30th anniversary of the Blues Music Awards. As the Foundation moves into its 31st year, several new programs will soon be announced to further assist blues musicians and those making their careers within the blues music community. The following Board members will be concluding their Board service in September: Paul Benjamin, Dom Forcella, Bruce Iglauer, Fred Litwin, Patrick Reilly and Chris Sabie. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, The Blues Foundation is the hub of the Blues world. With 175 affiliated Blues societies and a membership that spans the globe, the Foundation's signature events - the Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, International Blues Challenge and Keeping the Blues Awards - place it at the center of the Blues universe. The Blues Foundation is a non-profit organization, with a mission to preserve Blues history, celebrate Blues excellence, support Blues education and ensure the future of this uniquely American art form. Throughout the year, the Foundation staff serves the worldwide Blues community with answers, contact information and news.

VISIT THE NEW BLUES FOUNDATION WEB SITE (click here).

SAMPLING OF BLUES EVENTS COMING SOON TO THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA!

(PHOTO: Event poster for THANKSGIVING BLUES BLOWOUT at Cleveland, Mississippi's Boliver County Expo Center on Thanksgiving, Thurs., Nov. 26 starting at 4pm and going till midnight. Nellie Travis, Big T & more! Note that Mr. Barnes will not be appearing. 662-846-4311 or 846-7434.)

FOR MORE 'LIVE BLUES EVENT' INFO
in the Delta, please tune in to Bill Wax's "Bluesville" show on XM Radio (Ch. 74) most Thursdays at 4pm Central/5pm Eastern for the Delta Blues Report with yours truly, Roger Stolle. http://www.xmradio.com. (ALSO, catch the Cat Head Delta Blues Show with Delta blues music and info on WROX 1450AM or www.wroxradio.com every Sat night 7-9 or Sun night 10-midnight Central time.)

SPECIAL BENEFIT CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Per DBM's Shelley Ritter, "An event to mark on your calendars is a benefit for Mickey Rogers, who was recently assaulted in his home. Rogers's Soul Master band is the house band for Club Ebony in Indianola. The benefit is Saturday, November 21, 8 p.m., at Club Ebony. $5 admission."

AND NOW, THE REGULAR LISTINGS...

Miss. State Blues Trail Marker Dedications, www.msbluestrail.org
11/18 - Scott Dunbar and Lester Young (Corner of Royal Oak St. & Bank St. in Woodville, MS), 11am.
11/25 - WC Handy (Tutwiler).

Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale, MS, www.groundzerobluesclub.com
11/18 - All Night Long w/Mary Ann "Action" Jackson
11/19 - CLOSED (sorry, private party -- Try Tricia's below for BLUES JAM.)
11/20 - "Rock Music Night" (Looking for Blues? Try Red's or Tricia's below.)
11/21 - Mark "MULE MAN" Massey Blues Band
11/25 - Annual SUNFLOWER RIVER BLUES FEST fundraiser w/multiple live blues acts, www.sunflowerfest.org!
11/26 - CLOSED (Thanksgiving... Try Red's below or 'Thxgv Blues Blowout' in Cleveland, above.)
11/27 - Big T & the Family blues band
11/28 - Lucious Spiller Blues Band

Red's Lounge, Clarksdale, MS (Sunflower Ave. & MLK Dr.)
11/20 - James "T-MODEL" Ford & grandson Stud on drums
11/21 - BIG JACK JOHNSON - legendary "Oil Man"!
11/26 - Thanksgiving Night w/RL Boyce & Como Breakdown
11/27 - Birthday Blues Bash for juke owner RED PADEN w/Robert "Wolfman" Belfour!
11/28 - John Alex Mason (from Colorado)
11/29 - Live blues TBA

Tricia's Italian Restaurant, Clarksdale, MS (226 Yazoo St.; 662-627-3677)
11/19 - Blues Jam w/DJ Johnson
11/20 - All Night Long Blues Band
11/21 - Big Dave Dunavent & Audie Blues Duo
11/27 - Robert "Bilbo" Walker Blues Revue
11/28 - Live blues TBA

Madidi Restaurant, Clarksdale, MS, www.madidires.com
Live music on Wednesdays in bar...
11/18 - Marshall Drew
11/25 - Sean "Bad" Appel and Big Boy Martin

Bluesberry Cafe, Clarksdale, MS (662-627-7008)
TBA - call for listings.

BB King Museum, Indianola, MS, www.bbkingmuseum.org
11/20 - High Noon with Luther Brown
11/24 - Taste in Music: An Evening of Simple Food, Wine and Music
11/27 - Indianola Open House

930 Blues Cafe, Jackson, MS, www.jesdablues.com
Thursdays - Jackie Bell, Norman Clark & Smoke Stack Lightning
11/20-21 - Blues/Jazz 5:30-8 p.m.; Jackie Bell, 9 p.m.

F Jones Corner, Farish Street in Jackson, MS, www.fjonescorner.com
11/20 - Virgil Brawley
11/21 - The House Rockers
11/27 - Sherman Lee Dillon's Miss. Sound w/Jamie Isonhood (blues) 12-4 a.m.
11/28 - Sons of the Subway (blues) 12-4 a.m.

Carroll County Market, On The Square in Carrollton, MS, www.carrollcountymarket.net
11/21 - Jimbo Mathus

"Christmas in Como, a Musical Medley, 2009."
12/5 - 5th annual celebration on Como, Mississippi's Main Street boasts more free music than ever... 3 till around 6 p.m. with children's choruses, an organist, a jazz pianist, a FIFE & DRUM BAND...

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PLUS, NEW YEAR'S EVE BLUES SHOWS ARE COMIN'!!
Plan now to ring in the new year in Clarksdale, Mississippi, with live music at Ground Zero Blues Club (Super Chikan performs), Red's Lounge, Tricia's, Hopson Commissary and more. Book some interesting accommodations today at the Clarksdale Residential Inn, Delta Cotton Company Apts, The Loft at Hopson, The Shackup Inn, Riverside Hotel, Big Pink Guest House, Blues Hound Flat, etc etc. Make New Year's more than just an Eve or a Day... Make it an EVENT with great live blues, unforgettable personalities and a fun place to stay. "Happy New Year, y'all!"

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MORE MUSIC INFORMATION AVAILABLE 24/7 AT:
http://www.cathead.biz/livemusic.html - http://www.msbluestrail.org
http://www.jukejointfestival.com - http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com

CLICK for FULL list of upcoming blues in Delta -- from now into 2010!