WELCOME TO OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT EDITION OF THE CAT HEAD UPDATE FROM CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI... |
 (PHOTO: That's me restocking CDs for y'all. Travel writer Shane Mitchell snapped the shot during her recent visit to Clarksdale. Thanks Shane!)
Welcome to the holiday edition of the CAT HEAD UPDATE: The Mississippi Blues Newsletter -- "all the blues that's fit to print."
ANNOUNCING THE "OCCUPY CAT HEAD" MOVEMENT!!!
 Oh wait… sorry… wrong message. How about "PUT DOWN THE LEFTOVER TURKEY" and help us celebrate Black Friday / Small Business Saturday / Cyber Monday by either shopping Cat Head's one-and-only brick & mortar location in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi… OR our new and exciting on-line WEB STORE at http://www.cathead.biz/CatHead/Web_Store.html. Little says Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or [insert favorite holiday here] like a CD by a 79-year-old bluesman with 42 kids OR a book that claims to tell you where the REAL "Crossroads" is! You'll find plenty of blues and Mississippi-oriented CDs, DVDs, books, calendars, caps, hoodies, T-shirts and more -- most of which you can now buy quickly on-line via PayPal. Read on a bit further down below for more info.
HAPPY (BELATED) THANKSGIVING FROM CAT HEAD IN CLARKSDALE...
 I'm personally very thankful for many things in my life this year -- regardless of a challenge here or there. A U.S. presidential advisor was once famously stated, "It's the economy, stupid!" Well, the state of the economy has definitely been a challenge for many of us this year -- particularly in the worlds of Mississippi entrepreneuralism and blues/cultural tourism. But, to paraphrase Greeeeenville, Mississipppppi's should-be-a-presidential-advisor James "T-Model" Ford, "Nobody gets us down!" That's right. Y'all tourists, fans and musicians have made this a successful year in many ways above and beyond green and gold.  And my personal friends, family and business partners have made 2011 extra special. Lots of good's been goin' on. (And 2012 is gonna kick proverbial butt...) Perhaps that presidential advisor should have said, "It's the people, stupid!" 'Cause it's the people at Cat Head, in Clarksdale, in Mississippi, and from around the globe that make each morning merry & bright here... and make this holiday season a truly happy one.
Thanks y'all and happy happy holidays!
ROGER STOLLE
(and Cat Head's faithful blues pug, Sadie)
 Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art
252 Delta Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 38614
662-624-5992 - roger@cathead.biz
http://www.cathead.biz
PS - PICK UP THE NEW ISSUE OF BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE
 Catch my regular "Down in the Delta" column in Blues Revue mag. The current issue features an interview with legendary Delta blues drummer Frank Vick of Greenville, Mississippi. The next issue features a behind the scenes view of blues filmmaking with the crew and musicians of We Juke Up In Here. Pick Blues Revue up at Cat Head or click to subscribe... THANKS!
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GIVE GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING AT CAT HEAD'S NEW HOLIDAY WEB STORE......... |
GO TO THE CAT HEAD DELTA BLUES & FOLK ART STORE WEB STORE TO START YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING... And we'll ship your favorite blues and Mississippi fans gifts from Clarksdale, Mississippi!
CDs • DVDs • books • calendars • caps • shirts • more
http://www.cathead.biz/CatHead/Web_Store.html
WE'VE GOT LOTS OF COOL "CAT HEAD" LOGO (FRONT) AND "CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI" (BACK) CAPS IN STOCK...
  ALSO, FOR THE NON-BLUES FOLKS ON YOUR GIFT LIST... We have books such as the new "The Delta Magazine Cookbook" ($35 plus s/h)." You'll have to call the store to get it, though, since that title is not yet on our web site -- 662-624-5992. Same goes for the updated edition of "Mississippians" ($49 plus s/h)... 
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WE JUKE UP IN HERE DVD/CD PRE-ORDER MAKES A TRULY UNIQUE GIFT FOR BLUES FANS (Buy it as a gift, and we'll tell 'em for you!) |
PRE-ORDER DVD/CD SET TODAY AS A HOLIDAY GIFT AND WE'LL SEND YOUR RECIPIENT A POST CARD NOTIFICATION: Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a We Juke Up In Here
pre-order! So... from November 25th through December 16th, 2011, when you place a gift pre-order for our forthcoming DVD/CD set at www.wejukeupinhere.com, we'll mail your gift recipient a post card announcing your pre-order gift. Just tell us who the gift is FOR and FROM in the PayPal comments/notes section when you process your order. You may also add a brief message (up to 25 characters), and we will do our best to include it in genuine handwritten scrawl. ALSO remember to provide the mailing address for the post card announcement in December (and the glorious DVD/CD set in April).
 ADDITIONAL BLUES ACTS FILMED IN OCTOBER DURING 'BISCUIT' WEEK: Check out these cool production stills by project photographer Lou Bopp. We added Big George Brock, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes and Terry "Harmonica" Bean to a We Juke Up In Here DVD/CD line-up that already included Anthony "Big A" Sherrod, Louis "Gearshifter" Youngblood, Elmo Williams, Hezekiah Early and Lil' Poochie (plus some great sidemen, including drum legend Frank Vick). All real-deal bluesman, for sure!
 
ABOUT THE MOVIE: We Juke Up In Here is the new film and music project from the makers of the award-winning blues movie M for Mississippi. We Juke Up In Here follows producers Jeff Konkel and Roger Stolle as they explore what remains of Mississippi’s once-thriving juke joint culture. The film is told largely from the vantage point of Red Paden, proprietor of the legendary Red’s Lounge in historic Clarksdale, Mississippi. Paden, a true Delta character and jack-of-all-trades, has been running his blues and beer joint for more than 30 years – providing one of the region’s most reliable live blues venues and an authentic stage for a cavalcade of veteran blues performers, both legendary and obscure. Told through live music performances, character-driven interviews and rare on-camera blues experiences, viewers are taken below the surface of the quasi-legal world of real Delta jukes – while it’s still living and breathing. A joint production of Broke & Hungry Records and Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art.
   MEET THE PRODUCTION TEAM: Talented M for Mississippi film/soundtrack alumni Damien Blaylock and Bill Abel also return for the new film (as director of videography and chief recording engineer, respectively); also on board this time around is photo-videographer Lou Bopp (see his photos above).
 A BIG THANKS TO OUR CHIEF MARKETING PARTNER & SUPPORTER:
 Our chief partner, principal sponsor and European distribution partner is the Rootsway Roots & Blues Association (www.rootsandblues.org), a nonprofit organization from Parma, Italy. Founded in 2004, the group is dedicated to promoting rural and indigenous American and African-American musical art forms throughout northern Italy. The Roots & Blues Association has brought several Mississippi blues performers to Italy in recent years and was an essential partner on M for Mississippi.
 AND THANKS TO OUR OTHER AMAZING SPONSORS: Our friends at Nayati Dreams (www.nayatidreams.fr), Cathead Vodka (www.catheadvodka.com),  Lemuria Books (www.lemuriabooks.com), AJStevens Company/Jeff Rose (ajstephans@verizon.net), Roadhouse Lou, Smokestack Blues (www.smokestackblues.com), New Roxy (www.newroxyclarksdale.com), and Jerry & Marge Konkel. Thanks y'all!
JOIN OUR SPONSORSHIP TEAM: For marketing sponsorship info, please contact either Roger Stolle (roger@cathead.biz) or Jeff Konkel (jeff@brokeandhungryrecords.com) for basic sponsorship options or to discuss a special sponsor package that addresses your unique promotional needs. ASK ABOUT SPECIAL "WORLD PREMIERE" SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES coming soon!
http://www.wejukeupinhere.com
http://www.mformississippi.com |
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PRICED PERFECTLY FOR STOCKING STUFFING... HIDDEN HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI BLUES BOOK... PERSONALIZED! |
HIDDEN HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI BLUES BOOK (The History Press, 2011), just $19.99 plus $5 s/h (U.S.) via Cat Head's web store at www.cathead.biz. All copies are signed. Please just ask via email or PayPal message if you'd like it personalized. Thanks y'all, Roger
AN OVERVIEW OF BOOK REVIEWS...
 MISSISSIPPI LEGENDS MAGAZINE REVIEW BY BILLY HOWELL (excerpt): "Well-articulated portrayal of the blues and the Delta musicians for whom it was and still is a way of life. 'Hidden History' provides a fun and informative romp in a figurative cotton field replete with anecdotal stories, authentic lyrics, great photography by Lou Bopp, and some insight into the hard times that birthed a form of music responsible for just about everything heard musically in America and often around the world today." http://mississippilegends.com/articles/hidden-history-of-mississippi-blues
 BLUES BYTES E-MAGAZINE REVIEW BY GRAHAM CLARKE (excerpt): A book that ranks with the best on its subject. What Roger Stolle has accomplished with Hidden History of Mississippi Blues is to produce a concise, but comprehensive history of the music that played a vital role in the development of nearly all other forms of American music. It’s a book that will appeal both to newcomers to the blues and to the grizzled veterans who think they’ve seen and read it all. This book is absolutely essential reading for any blues fan." http://www.bluesbytes.info
 RED HOT ROCK MAGAZINE REVIEW BY RITCHIE ADAMS (excerpt): "Cut into short, straight-to-the-point chapters that touch on many of the subjects regarding the history of Delta blues and featuring lots of great photos taken by Lou Bopp. Topics such as cotton plantations and their relation to blues music, juke joints as the traditional venue at which performers of this music ply their trade and the legend of the crossroads as a place where one would travel to sell one’s soul in exchange for fame and fortune are all addressed." http://www.redhotrockhq.com/
GENERALLY ECLECTIC REVIEW BY TOM BINGHAM (excerpt): "Because Stolle is an active participant on the modern Delta blues  scene, he has perspectives to offer which only an insider can develop. ... Stolle’s easy-to-read text is complemented by some well-chosen photographs by Lou Bopp, which add to the authenticity and atmosphere of Stolle’s narrative. In all, this is a very welcome addition to the long bookshelves of the blues, and one which you can trust to tell you the truth as it happened." http://generallyeclecticreview.blogspot.com
BRIEF EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK ITSELF (FROM INTRO & ALSO CHAPTER 1) COURTESY OF THE HISTORY PRESS...
 
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ARE YOU A FILMMAKER? SUBMIT YOUR WORK TO THE CLARKSDALE FILM FESTIVAL! |
FILMMAKERS SUBMIT TODAY AT... http://www.jukejointfestival.com/film_fest.php for our next big event -- the 2nd annual CLARKSDALE FILM FESTIVAL (January 26-29, 2012). Last January's inaugural event was pretty darn cool -- with dozens of excellent films, visiting filmmakers, Q&As, live blues music and more in historic Clarksdale, Mississippi. Our Clarksdale Film Festival web page features a downloadable application form, etc. (Email roger@cathead.biz with questions...) Thanks.
AS SEEN IN GARDEN & GUN MAGAZINE AND ON-LINE...
http://gardenandgun.com/article/southern-agenda-dec-jan-2012?page=0%2C2
PHOTOS FROM 2011'S FIRST CLARKSDALE FILM FESTIVAL:
 
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DELTA BLUES MUSEUM MUDDY EXPANSION CONTINUES... BUT THEY'RE STILL OPEN, SO VISIT! |
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DELTA BOHEMIAN.COM COVERS CLARKSDALE SCENE & MORE (subscribe today for all their updates, blogs, etc.)... |
MEET THE DELTA BOHEMIANS: Billy and Madge of DeltaBohemian.com provide multimedia coverage of all things Delta and most things bohemian. Check out their web site full of blogs, photos, info and more. You can subscribe to their email list for free. www.deltabohemian.com
CHECK OUT DB'S CLARKSDALE VIDEO TRIBUTE TO OUR FRIENDS & VISITORS FROM AUSTRALIA...
http://www.deltabohemian.com/australia-love-delta-bohemian-mini-movie-clarksdale-friends-australia/
 THE DELTA BOHEMIAN WEB SITE LISTS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE EVENTS IN THE DELTA... Such as the night recently when Scott Coopwood booked a party with bluesman Big T at Po Monkey's Lounge. (PHOTO of Billy, yours truly and the lovely Janet Coursin by Madge.)
PS - Billy is also your friendly host at the Clark House in Cdale! |
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STAY AT THE CLARK HOUSE RESIDENTIAL INN IN HISTORIC CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI... |
THE CLARK HOUSE RESIDENTIAL INN -- AFFORDABLE COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE IN CLARKSDALE, MISS.
The Clark House is your comfortable alternative to motels. Located in the beautiful residential section of the Clarksdale Historic District -- just three blocks from the center of downtown's government, business and entertainment center. Rooms from $75, each with private bath, desk and sitting area, including internet access and continental breakfast.
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.
Reservations can be made online at http://www.clarkhouse.info or by calling the Innkeeper at 662-621-1632.
CLICK HERE for official web site |
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THEO D. AND THE 'ROCK & BLUES MUSEUM' ... |
NEXT TIME YOU VISIT CLARKSDALE, MISS., BE SURE TO SAY HELLO TO THE FINE FOLKS AT THE ROCK & BLUES MUSEUM!
As Cat Head likes to say:
"It's retired Dutchman Theo's obsessive, life-long collection of blues and rock music memorabilia!"
113 East 2nd Steet, Clarksdale, Mississippi 38614. Go to blues2rock.com for hours & more. |
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JUST CAN'T WAIT FOR 'CAT HEAD UPDATE'? JOIN US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE UPDATES... |
 SOCIAL NETWORKING WITH CAT HEAD ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Through the magic of lasers and extension cords, you can join Cat Head (o.k... it's actually under the name of owner "Roger Stolle" if you're searching for it) on that big 'n fancy Facebook thingie. The Stolle/Cat Head Facebook page provides photos, blogs, press releases, event info, etc. in a much more regular way than the sporadic (if hopefully quite in-depth) Cat Head Update e-newsletter. "Friend" us and see watcha think. Thanks so much. Also, feel free to share your own blues or Mississippi news via Facebook. Hope to see y'all floating out in cyberspace!
HERE'S A LINK TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE:http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=668255573 |
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'LOFTS AT THE FIVE & DIME' LUXURY CONDOS IN CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI |
THE LOFTS AT THE FIVE & DIME ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS
One of the newest places to stay in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi, is also one of the most luxurious and updated -- with master suites, full kitchens, wi-fi, flat screen TVs (w/cable and DVD player) and much more. Check out the room photos at www.fiveanddimelofts.com. Then, plan to make the most of your next Delta visit.
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KEEP UP WITH CLARKSDALE VIA PRESS REGISTER NEWSPAPER -- ON-LINE OR PRINT EDITIONS |
 SUBSCRIBE AT PRESSREGISTER.COM...
Subscribe to Clarksdale, Mississippi's hometown newspaper and supporting their efforts to tell the world about our vibrant Clarksdale community. You can subscribe on-line only or to the print edition and on-line. (CAT HEAD NOTE: Before I moved to Clarksdale in spring of 2002, I used to read the Press Register on-line to keep up with blues, tourism, business and community news and events. I subscribe and recommend that you do, too.)
HERE'S THE COVER OF TODAY'S EDITION... Check out the new downtown restaurant. Pretty cool.
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PLAN NOW FOR THE 2012 'CLARKSDALE FILM FESTIVAL' AND 'JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL' |
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 KBA AWARDS ANNOUNCED BY BLUES FOUNDATION...
Memphis, TN – The Blues Foundation will honor 17 individuals and organizations with its 2012 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award during a recognition brunch Saturday, February 4, 2012, in Memphis, Tennessee. Each year, The Blues Foundation presents the KBA Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to blues music. The KBA ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 28th International Blues Challenge (IBC), which begins January 31.
2012 Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Awards recipients:
Agent: Rodgers Redding - Macon, Georgia
Club: Red’s Lounge - Clarksdale, Mississippi
Education: Dan Treanor - Arvada, Colorado
Festival-US: White Mountain Boogie ‘N Blues Festival - North Thornton, New Hampshire
Festival-International: Rawa Blues Festival - Katowice, Poland
Film, Television and Video: Treme, David Simon and Eric Overmyer, Executive Producers - New Orleans, Louisiana
International: Mike Lecuyer - Saint Michel de Montaigne, France
Journalism: Scott Barretta - Oxford, Mississippi
Literature: Life by Keith Richards - New York, New York
Manager: Toni Ann Mamary - Totowa, New Jersey
Organization: Blues Society of Western New York - Buffalo, New York
Photography: Aigars Lapsa - Riga, Latvia
Print Media: Soul Bag - Clichy, France
Promoter: George Wein -New York, New York
Radio: Commercial: Ted Todd–KKZX-FM - Spokane, Washington
Radio: Public: Harvey Stauffer–WVPE-FM - Elkhart, Indiana
Record Label: Severn Records - Annapolis, Maryland
A COUPLE MISSISSIPPI CLOSE-UPS... There are several friends and biz associates on the list above -- congrats to all!! -- but in particular, there are a couple recipients right here in North Mississippi who deserve a special Cat Head callout -- friends Red Paden and Scott Barretta. Congrats you guys, and thanks for all the blues help through the years! (Due to space considerations, I've edited out the paragraphs about everyone else up above, but go to http://www.blues.org for more info.)
Club: Red’s Lounge – Clarksdale, Mississippi
Other Mississippi juke joints have come and gone, but for over 30 years,  Red’s Lounge has provided the Mississippi juke joint experience to the world. A pool table, Christmas lights and Delta blues memorabilia lining the walls, and Red Paden at the door make this the place for real deal Mississippi blues. Delta players like Big Jack Johnson, Frank Frost, Sam Carr, T-Model Ford, Super Chikan, Robert Belfour, Big George Brock, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, Mr. Johnnie Billington, Jimbo Mathus, Cedric Burnside, Jimmy Duck Holmes, and so many others have played Red’s. National acts like Johnny Rawls, Watermelon Slim, and Eric Sardinas have also taken Red’s stage. Don’t be surprised to be standing next to a Tom Waits or Robert Plant who include Red’s on their Delta agenda. In addition, Red is very involved in community activities, hosting fund-raisers for local musicians. (PHOTO of Red Paden with Dick Lourie, courtesy of LA Times.)
Journalism: Scott Barretta - Oxford, Mississippi
Few writers have given more to blues journalism than Scott Barretta. His  years of tireless writing, researching, and preserving this American art form have impacted enthusiasts around the world. For three years, 1996 to 1999, Scott was editor of Sweden's Jefferson blues magazine. From 1999 to 2003 he served as the editor of Living Blues magazine, where he remains a contributing writer. Today Scott writes a weekly column on blues for the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, is the host of Highway 61, a weekly blues program on Mississippi Public Radio and, together with Jim O'Neal, is a writer and researcher for the Mississippi Blues Trail, which has dedicated over 140 markers since 2006. He's written liner notes for many artists and articles for a wide range of magazines, and he continues to do so. In 2003, he co-founded the University of Mississippi's Blues Today Symposium. (PHOTO: A... uh... younger... Scott Barretta shown with Gatemouth Brown.) |
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SUPPORT THE MUSIC MAKER RELIEF FOUNDATION... |
"As always, your donation to Music Maker's Annual Fund will support forgotten musicians while strengthening our culture. You can enrich thousands by giving voice to one musician through Music Maker! " -- Tim Duffy.
MUSIC MAKER RELIEF OUTFITS CLARKSDALE BLUESMAN WITH BRAND-NEW ELECTRIC GUITAR! (Thanks Tim.)
 MMRF's Tim Duffy recently mailed juke joint favorite Anthony "Big A" Sherrod a new electric guitar which Big A immediately put to good use as it arrived mid-gig at Red's Lounge in Clarksdale (see cell phone photo). Big A sends a very bluesy THANKS y'all's way!
Read MMRF's fall newsletter and donate today at:
www.musicmakerstore.org
FUNDRAISING MUSIC MAKER RELIEF "BLUES CRUISE" CONTEST:
Enter to win passage on Blues Cruise #19 - Only 500 tickets will be sold!
Support Music Maker and enter to win this amazing cruise for 2 departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 27, 2012. The Blues Cruise # 19 will cruise to Barbados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica and return to San Juan on the Celebrity Summit on November 3, 2012. The ship will be packed with non-stop Blues talent! The prize package includes passage in a deluxe veranda cabin, meals and entrance to all musical performances (value of $4,400.*)
Tickets are $25, and the drawing will be held aboard Blues Cruise # 18 on January 28th, 2012! The Power Ticket option for $100 enters you five times into the raffle, and also includes a custom USB drive loaded with Tim's Top Picks for 2011! Don't wait- get your ticket today!
*Winners are responsible for transportation to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico, taxes, incidentals and gratuity.
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ALSO NOTE: Cat Head carries many of Music Maker's wonderful CDs -- old, new, men, women. All good stuff! Stop by and see. |
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COMING THIS JANUARY TO JACKSON, MS: MISSISSIPPI BLUES MARATHON... |
(CAT HEAD NOTE: Come visit Jeff Konkel of Broke & Hungry Records and yours truly, Roger Stolle of Cat Head, at the annual Mississippi Blues Marathon Expo inside the Jackson Convention Complex, Jackson, MS, on January 5th and 6th. You can check out our latest blues releases, hear about our new film project, etc... PLUS rock out to some great live blues from that stage inside the Convention Complex!)
 ANNUAL "MISSISSIPPI BLUES MARATHON" RETURNS TO JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, ON JANUARY 7, 2012...
The 2012 Mississippi Blues Marathon and Half-Marathon will take place on Saturday, January 7 in downtown Jackson. More information on the race, registration, the Blues Expo, etc. at www.msbluesmarathon.com
(2011 PHOTO courtesy of http://fle-pics.smugmug.com/Music/2011) |
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CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI'S WATERMELON SLIM INTERVIEWED IN BLUES BLAST |
CLARKSDALE TRANSPLANT WATERMELON SLIM FEATURED IN BLUES BLAST E-MAGAZINE... Subscribe to Blues Blast at http://www.thebluesblast.com
 EXCERPT...
Blues Blast: I take it you have settled into the life of a Mississippi Gentleman very nicely. How are you doing?
Watermelon Slim: I'm doing well, the first six months were very good and I'm enjoying kicking back and doing some other things. Three days of fishing at Lake Pontchartrain (one good, one fair and one really bad one) but I got the freezer full of Red Fish and boy are they good. Love to bake and stuff them up when, hoping the fall sets up good so I can get some bass and leave that head on to improve the flavor, not all fish mind you – but it also makes a great presentation.
BB: How's the garden coming ?
WS: Iffy season, the peppers and tomatoes wont fill the larder, cilantro didn't make it. Got a few Watermelons on the hill. Since I was traveling so much it didn't get the care I needed to give it. Come winter, after I turn it over and get it ready, it should be in great shape.
I do love it down here, been here since October 2009, and have been steadily been doing improvements, got the dog penned but he is an extremely intelligent escape artist, I need to either get him on a reality show, or take him to the army for the special forces !
BB: Okiesippi Blues is your current release with James 'Super Chikan' Johnson, that must have been fun to do.
READ THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW AT: http://www.thebluesblast.com/Archive/BluesBlasts/2011/BluesBlast11_25_11.htm |
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CLEVELAND, MISSISSIPPI'S
DR. LUTHER BROWN OF DSU'S DELTA CENTER IN DBJ BRIEF... |
Cradle of American Culture
Delta Center promotes the area's unique music, history, art and literature
By Becky Gillette
Photograph of Dr. Luther Brown by Matthew Wood
The Mississippi Delta has a rich cultural history that gave birth to blues music, one of the most unique and popular styles of music in the world. Given the current popularity of cultural heritage tourism, locally and nationally, the draws of music, history, art, and literature in the Delta are unrivalled, says Dr. Barbara Carpenter, executive director, Mississippi Humanities Council.
"Tourists and other travelers come from all over the state, all over the country, and all over the world to attend the Clarksdale Tennessee Williams Festival, the numerous blues and other music festivals, and to see the countryside and visit historic sites," Carpenter says. "They often document their travels in various ways for publication or broadcast in Germany, England, and Australia."
 There is also a big economic impact from the visitors who come to workshops and institutes at Delta State University's Delta Center in Cleveland. Carpenter says as they learn more about the Delta, they tell their friends and their students. They publish articles and books about the Delta, drawing even more researchers, artists, and simply tourists to the area.
"I know that the Mississippi Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities have supported such workshops and have worlds of documentation to support the ongoing interest—and return trips—that they generate, thanks to Dr. Luther Brown and his outstanding staff," Carpenter says. "The Delta Center is unique in its research/education/support of humanities and arts and in the breadth of scholarly interests and fields it supports. The kind of expertise and specialized knowledge of the Delta region, in all its aspects, from agriculture to high culture, Civil Rights to foodways, and Muddy Waters to Ellen Douglas, is not available anywhere else in the world."
Malcolm White, director of the Mississippi Arts Commission, is a strong believer in the creative economy and especially the tourism sector of heritage and cultural tourism.
"The Delta Center helps frame the scholarly framework for much of the story of the role of arts and culture in the Delta life," White says. "They bring important thinkers, writers and researchers to the source and support much of the foundation of documentation and authority behind the myths and legends that represent our role in the rich American story."
White says when the story is framed and told, it attracts visitors and builds civic pride in the process. This process supports the local small business community and builds new economic development from the inside out.
"This kind of cultural industry is evergreen and authentic," White says. "It can't be outsourced or mass produced. It makes complete and total sense to develop and capitalize on our greatest assets—our story, our history, and our culture. As Gov. Barbour says, it's time Mississippi stopped 'sitting on our assets' and began to tell our own story and create a new economy in the telling."
The Delta Center has promoted the heritage of the Delta in many different ways over the past eleven years including courses, heritage tours, workshops, support for the Mississippi Blues Trail and for establishment of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area, which is a link between the Delta and the National Park Service.
"That effort came to fruition in 2009, and the Heritage Area is now getting organized and will hopefully provide a whole new way of promoting the Delta's natural and cultural heritage to the public," Dr. Luther Brown says.
Brown says the Delta has played a much bigger role in the American story than most people recognize. The National Park Service says, "Much of what is profoundly American—what people love about America—has come from the Delta, which is often called 'the cradle of American culture.'"
"The Delta is the birthplace of not only the blues, but also rock 'n roll," Brown says. "It's the scene of plantations and sharecropping, and also a civil rights revolution that transformed America. It has birthed many great authors, political leaders, sports heroes, and artists. It is the homeland of many people, especially African Americans, who today live in big northern cities like Chicago. It's seen the immigration, and emigration of Chinese, Italians, Lebanese, Irish, Germans, and other ethnicities.
"And the Delta has interesting food, religious, and small town heritage stories to tell. Then, of course, there is the river and the land itself, and both its agricultural and its wildlife heritages. On top of that, we've got friendly people who like to talk."
The Mississippi Blues Trail now has 138 stops, its web site attracts visitors from over 140 countries, and the trail is now considered a model for heritage trials across America. It has also led to the creation of the Mississippi Country Music Trail and the Freedom Trail, which features civil rights history.
"And best of all, it's been funded largely through grants and donations, so it's a good example of promoting heritage without costing the tax payer too much," Brown says. |
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GENERAL BLUES & RELATED NEWS AND INFORMATION |
 (PHOTO of Clarksdale 'Crossroads' by Chuck Lamb; available as a post card at Cat Head store.)
UPDATE ON TOMMY JOHNSON BLUES HEADSTONE PLACEMENT... (Info via The Mount Zion Memorial Fund – T. DeWayne Moore, tmoriver@gmail.com, 615-663-7858.) "Crystal Springs, MS – On Friday morning, I traveled to Copiah County and found significant progress being made on the road to Warm Springs Cemetery. While much remains to be done before the relocation of Tommy Johnson's headstone can take place, everything seems to be moving along at a gradual pace. I have attached some photographs of the current state of the road. If all continues to go well, I anticipate completing the rehabilitation of the cemetery in Spring 2012, at which time the Tommy Johnson Foundation will hold a re-dedication ceremony for Johnson's headstone." -- T. DeWayne Moore (Ph.D. Candidate in History, University of Mississippi)
BLUES AUTHORITY JIM O'NEAL NEEDS YOUR HELP… (Info via Real Deep Blues Blogspot and other sources): "Jim O'Neal, the founder  of Living Blues Magazine and the late great Rooster Blues Records has been diagnosed with Lymph cancer and is currently undergoing treatment. Like so many in the music industry, and blues in particular, Mr. O'Neal does not have insurance. You can help Mr. O'Neal and his family by sending a donation and helping to spread the word." A fund has been set up at
Commerce Bank in Kansas City, and checks can be mailed to "Jim O'Neal Blues Fund," P.O. Box 10334, Kansas City, MO 64171. Donations can also be made via www.paypal.com to the account onealbluesfund@aol.com.
NEW HILL COUNTRY BLUES CD RELEASED BY EX-JUNIOR KIMBROUGH SIDEMAN LITTLE JOE AYERS (info below courtesy Scott Barretta; the CD is -- of course -- now available at Cat Head and is really cool)... "The 13-track CD features Ayers interpreting songs by Muddy Waters (Two Trains Running), Howlin' Wolf (I Asked For Water) and John Lee Hooker (Got My Eyes On You). Of most interest, though, are his versions of songs from Junior Kimbrough's repertoire, including Do The Romp and Keep Your Hands Off Her."
CLARKSDALE (AND CAT  HEAD) ARE INCLUDED IN NEW RAND MCNALLY 'BEST OF THE ROAD' WEB LIST... Go to http://www.bestoftheroad.com/roadTrip.do?roadTripId=646 for more info.
 CLARKSDALE (AND CAT HEAD) ALSO INCLUDED IN NEW "36 HOURS: 150 WEEKENDS" BOOK BY THE NEW YORK TIMES... Here's a link to the original article that the listing is based off of (note the big picture of Mr. Tater fronting Jimbo Mathus' band at GZBC!)... http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/06/16/travel/escapes/16hour.html
MR. TATER (FOSTER WILEY) "THE MUSIC MAKER" TO BE REMEMBERED 12/10:
Music Hall at Big Pink Guesthouse
Clarksdale, MS
(312 John Lee Hooker Lane, near Delta Blues Museum)
 12/10 (Sat) - 2nd annual “Music Maker Festival: A Tribute to Mr. Tater”
-- starring the Tater Tots w/Stan & Dixie Street, Bill Abel, John Ruskey and special guests. 3pm showtime. More details to come. (PHOTO of the late, beloved Foster "Mr. Tater" Wiley by Brandy Kayzakian Rowe -- taken out front of Cat Head.)
BROKE & HUNGRY RECORDS PRESSES RED VINYL FOR THE HOLIDAYS... AND OFFERS CHRISTMAS COMBO PACKS... Just visit Broke & Hungry Records' on-line store at http://brokeandhungryrecords.com/store.html for the entire B&H catalog... including the new red color 45 of Duck Holmes' saddest Christmas songs... and the double-CD of the year (in my book) "Mistakes Were Made"... plus some great Combo Pack options!
 MISS DEL'S GENERAL STORE ON DELTA AVENUE IS YOUR CLARKSDALE CHRISTMAS TREE HEADQUARTERS... Clarksdalians can pick up fresh Christmas trees now at Miss Del's. Also, visiting blues tourists can find espressos & lattes, microbrew beer & gourmet cheese and more... within a block or two of multiple restaurants, museums, stores and specialty overnight hotel accommodations... as well as Cat Head store (of course). Check it out. (662) 624-2381 - www.missdels.com
 THE MISSISSIPPI, ARKANSAS AND MEMPHIS DECLARE WINNERS IN REGIONAL BLUES CHALLENGES... which means some mighty fine blues musicians are headed to the big I.B.C. in Memphis in early in 2012, including these winners:
- Central MS Blues Society - D'Mar & Gill and Dexter Allen.
- MS Delta Blues Society of Indianola - Sean "Bad" Apple & Martin "Big Boy" Grant and Solar Porch
- Crossroads Blues Society of Rosedale, Mississippi - Daddy Mack Blues Band and Vinnie C.
- Memphis Blues Society - Vince Johnson and the Plantation Allstars
- Sonny Boy Blues Society - Young Guns and MS Spoonman & Bill Abel
- Vicksburg Blues Society - Leaf River Blues and The Delta Boys
- Arkansas River Blues Society - David Kimbrough Jr and Lucious Spiller.
- Also in the Youth Showcase: Crossroads Blues Society of Rosedale, Mississippi - Southern Halo; AND Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola - Reed Smith and Cody Sparkman.
AMERICAN BLUES SCENE ANNOUNCES NEW 'TOP 5' BLUES LIST... Via media release: "The news source you trust for all things  blues is now the place you can depend on to find the best in the latest blues albums! And you're invited to help out! Once per day, you can now head to the American Blues Scene and vote for your favorite blues album for a chance to help a blues artist reach the top of the weekly Blues Top 5 chart! The weekly chart-topper receives airplay and mentions on blues radio shows across the country, as well as announcements to the thousands of fans on our social networks and the American Blues Scene website! And as always, be sure to visit the American Blues Scene for the best in blues news."
 SPEAKING OF 'AMERICAN BLUES SCENE'... HERE'S INTERVIEW WITH CEDRIC BURNSIDE... Just go to this link http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2011/11/cedric-burnside-sits-in-on-the-back-porch/
 DAMIEN BLAYLOCK BLUES "TRAILER" VIDEOS POSTED ON SHARON MCCONNELL WEB SITE... Damien is the brilliant young man behind the camera in Hard Times, M for Mississippi, etc. Here is some of the other cool stuff he's been working on (in some cases with producer David Hughes... http://mcconnelldickersonart.com/videos
(ALSO, check out Sharon McConnell's wonderful "life casts" of various Mississippi blues figures. Nice!)
 GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB NEW YEAR'S EVE TIX ON SALE (CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI)...
Via media alert... "Come out and bring in the new year with Super Chikan and The Fighting Cocks at Ground Zero Blues Club. Tickets on sale now, $20.00 in advance. Call 662-621-9009. Limited amount of tickets get them while you can."
MISSISSIPPI BLUESMEN BILL ABEL AND BIG JOE SHELTON IN THE DISPATCH (COLUMBUS, MS PAPER)... Excerpt: "Bill Abel perched on  the edge of a tall chair, an acoustic guitar slung casually across his lap, his worn canvas shoe tapping out the rhythm of the words he had not yet spoken. He leaned forward with earnest sincerity and gazed at the small crowd, making eye contact with each listener. No one was quite sure what to expect of the fairly innocuous-sounding 'Delta Blues Today' seminar, part of the Smithsonian Institution's "New Harmonies: Celebrating America's Roots Music" traveling exhibit, Saturday afternoon at Rosenzweig Arts Center..." FULL ARTICLE AT http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=13766#ixzz1el8rCmSN
MISSISSIPPI'S JIMBO MATHUS BRINGING MUSICIAL MAYHEM YOUR WAY... Tour dates for Mr. Jimbo and the band:
 Atlanta, GA - Star Bar - 11/25/11
Birmingham, AL - Work Play Theater - 11/26/11
New Orleans, LA - Chickie Wah Wah - 12/09/11
Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's - 12/10/11
Tupelo, MS - Blue Canoe - 12/17/11
Jackson, MS - Hal & Mal's - 12/29/11
PS - Pick up copies of Jimbo's cool new CDs at Cat Head!
 CLARKSDALE, GALLERY SHOW... Annual Holiday Show featuring works by Bradley Gordon and His Students Thursday, December 1, 2011 from 6-9pm on Delta Ave., downtown.
CLARKSDALE'S JOHN RUSKEY ANNOUNCES NEW DVD FUNDRAISER FOR HIS MIGHTY QUAPAW APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM: Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of  Northwest Mississippi the DVD “Surfing a 300-Mile Long Wave” has been created and released and is now available for your enjoyment -- 46 minutes of photos, film clips, narration & original river music from the Great Flood of 2011. For trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxZihj5yF90&feature=channel_video_title . $20 total (includes s/h). Send check to: Quapaw Canoe Company, 291 Sunflower Avenue, Clarksdale, MS 38614. (PHOTO: Courtesy Barefoot Workshops.)
LOUISIANA'S "PONDEROSA STOMP" FUNDRAISING POSTER AUCTION ON EBAY, FRI-SUN: "Take home the official Tenth Annual Ponderosa Stomp Poster designed by Jon Langford and autographed by all of the 2011 Stomp artists!  For the first time ever, The Ponderosa Stomp Foundation is giving our fans and supporters the chance to purchase a Stomp poster autographed by the American music heroes who performed at the 10th Annual Ponderosa Stomp Concert. We will auction off the poster on eBay starting Friday, November 25th at 1:00 a.m. PST and ending on Sunday, December 4th with all proceeds benefitting The Ponderosa Stomp Foundation. The item number is: 114466961922."
A FEW RECENT BLUES-RELATED PASSINGS... RIP...
 - John-Alex Mason (Colorado Springs, Colorado); PHOTO courtesy of AboutBlues.com/Rev. Keith A. Gordon
- Doyle Bramhall of Stevie Ray Vaughan band (Alpine, Texas)
- Earl Gilliam (Houston, Texas)
- Willard Tyler Sr. of Red Tops band (Mississippi)
(CAT HEAD NOTE: John-Alex's passing was particularly stunning and unfortunate as he was just 35 years young and had just played in Clarksdale back in April. He was not only a talented musician, he was a heckofa nice guy. He often visited or played in the Delta and even brought through small tour groups to Red's and other hot spots. RIP John-Alex.)
OTHER BLUES/TOURISM WEB SITES TO CHECK OUT:
www.bluesfestivalguide.com
www.highway61radio.com
www.msbluestrail.org
www.visitclarksdale.com
www.clarksdalenow.org
www.clarksdaleinfo.com
www.clarksdale.com
www.cathead.biz
www.bluessource.com
www.indianolablues.org
www.highway61blues.com
www.jukejointfestival.com
www.mformississippi.com
www.sunflowerfest.org
www.groundzerobluesclub.com |
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CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI'S MUSIC EVENTS STARTING THANKSGIVING NIGHT... |
FOR MORE UPDATES ON LIVE MUSIC, GO TO:
http://www.cathead.biz/CatHead/Music_Calendar.html
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LIVE BLUES EVENTS COMING UP DOWN IN THE DELTA & BEYOND... FULL LISTING AT WWW.CATHEAD.BIZ............ |
THANKSGIVING blues at Red's in Clarksdale... Then... POST-THANKSGIVING R&B at Senator's Place in Cleveland!
Red’s Lounge
downtown Clarksdale, MS (395 Sunflower Ave. @ MLK Dr.)
 11/24 - THANKSGIVING NIGHT BLUES w/Bilbo Walker, 8pm
11/25 - Anthony “Big A” & the Blues Allstars, 9pm
11/26 - Robert “Bilbo” Walker, 9pm
11/27 - Live blues tba, 7pm
(PHOTO of Red Paden by Lou Bopp.)
Ground Zero Blues Club
Clarksdale, MS www.groundzerobluesclub.com
Fri 25.11.2011 Rock Night w/Dirty Cherry
Sat 26.11.2011 Phillip Carter & The Blues Underground
Wed 30.11.2011 Ricky Burton & The Basic Soul Band
Bluesberry Cafe
Clarksdale, MS (662-627-7008)
Mondays, 7pm - Spaghetti Night w/blues usually by La La & Dino... and often special guests!
11/28 (Mon) - Watermelon Slim
Hambone Gallery
Clarksdale, MS www.stanstreet.com
Tuesdays blues music in gallery/bar, 8pm
Madidi Restaurantlivepage.apple.com
Clarksdale, MS www.madidres.com
Wednesdays blues music in bar, 7pm -- Alphonso Sanders
Rust Restaurant
Clarksdale, MS (662-624-4784)
Fri, 11/25 -- Justin Zamm, 7:00pm
Thur, 12/1 -- Cecil Abels, 7:00pm
Stone Pony Pizza
Clarksdale, MS
(226 Delta Ave.)
Live music on Thursdays and some weekends, including:
11/25: 7:00 Alphonso Sanders - Saxophonist
Club 2000
Clarksdale, MS (Issaquena Ave, downtown)
Sun., 11/27 - 10th Anniversary Party w/food & BLUES JAM hosted by Robin Lane, 6pm
Lady at the Levee
Clarksdale, MS (Sunflower Ave., near 3rd St.)
Wednesdays - La La & Dino, 6pm
Music Hall at Big Pink Guesthouse
Clarksdale, MS
(312 John Lee Hooker Lane, near Delta Blues Museum)
12/10 (Sat) - 2nd annual “Music Maker Festival: A Tribute to Mr. Tater” -- starring the Tater Tots w/Stan & Dixie Street, Bill Abel, John Ruskey and special guests. 3pm showtime. More details to come. (PHOTO of the late, beloved Foster "Mr. Tater" Wiley by Brandy Kayzakian Rowe -- taken out front of Cat Head.)
Hopson Commissary
Clarksdale, MS www.hopsonplantation.com
Mondays - Jam with Ronnie Drew, 6pm.
11/25 - Pulse Band (Party Band), 9pm
11/26 - Shakerz (Rock), 9pm
The Senator's Place
Cleveland, MS (1028 S. Davis, Hwy 61)
11/25 (Fri) - (Post) Thanksgiving Blues Bash presented by Sen. W Simmons & Delta Center for Culture & Learning -- FREE (doors 7pm, music 8pm) -- with Nathaniel Kimble, Billy Smiley and DSU Ol’ Skool Revue! 662-846-7434.
Rooster's Blues House
Oxford, MS
Music 9:30pm; Tues open mic w/Jay Lang.
11/24 - Kenny Brown
11/25 - Blind MS Morris
BB King Museum
Indianola, MS www.bbkingmuseum.org
Live blues in “Lucille’s” most Saturdays, noon-2pm, including:
11/26 - Casey Roberts
F Jones Corner
Farish Street in Jackson, MS www.fjonescorner.com
11/24 The Amazin' Lazy Boi Band (midnight)
11/25 Jesse "Guitar" Smith (dinner); The Ceasar Brothers' Funk Box (midnight)
11/26 Anna Kline; The Ceasar Brothers' Funk Box (midnight)
11/29 Norman Clark (lunch)
11/30 Jesse Guitar Smith (lunch)
Underground 119
Jackson, MS www.underground119.com
11/25 - MS Cadillac Blues Band
Center for Southern Folklore
Memphis, Tennessee www.southernfolklore.com
11/26 - Blind Mississippi Morris & Brad Webb at the Folklore Store, 8pm
12/10 - annual “Christmas in Como” event
downtown Main St., Como, MS
Como, Mississippi, celebrates the holidays with this annual daytime event! Great gift ideas, holiday shopping, tasty treats and live blues & roots music by Ekpe, Valerie June, Anna Kline and the Grits and Soul band during the day (and more.) Meanwhile, Olga and Cody Dickinson are performing that evening at 211 Main. $10 in advance, $15 at door.
12/14 - annual Christmas Open House at MS Welcome Center
Delma Furniss
8600 Highway 61 & 49 Intersection
Lula, MS 38644
Celebrate NEW YEAR'S WEEKEND
in historic Clarksdale, Mississippi!
(stay tuned to www.cathead.biz MUSIC CALENDAR web page for who's playing where, when...)
12/30-1/1 - Ring in the New Year right, and make it an annual tradition to make the New Year's pilgrimage to Clarksdale, Mississippi! Special music and events at venues like Red's Lounge, Ground Zero Blues Club (with SUPER CHIKAN!), Hopson Commissary, Bluesberry Cafe and more! Also, be sure to visit the Delta Blues Museum, Rock & Blues Museum, Hambone Gallery and, of course, CAT HEAD blues store! More info coming soon... but book your rooms for NY weekend now. |
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GET CREATIVE IN MISSISSIPPI! |
Mississippi is bursting with creativity. From the state's rich cultural heritage, to its skilled artists, artisans, writers, architects and designers, to its host of museums, art galleries, bookstores, advertising agencies and catering companies, Mississippi's creative citizens, companies and institutions make the communities in which they reside unique and vibrant places. While these creative people and institutions help define an area, giving it a distinctive, local appeal, many don't realize they collectively contribute significant wealth to the state's overall economy. The Mississippi Development Authority and the Mississippi Arts Commission are hosting five Creative Economy Road Shows in regions around the state. These events will provide attendees with a better understanding of Mississippi's creative economy, as well as ideas on how they can support and grow the creative economy at the local level.
Register now for the Creative Economy Road show in your community!
November 29 - Perkinston, Gulf Coast Community College
(Registration deadline November 22)
November 30 - Brookhaven, Mississippi School of the Arts
(Registrations deadline November 22)
December 1 - Meridian, Meridian Community College
(Registration deadline November 22)
December 7 - Cleveland, Delta State University
(Registration deadline December 2)
December 8 - Belden, Itawamba Community College
(Registration deadline December 2)
Each event begins at 8:30 am and concludes at noon. the Creative Economy road Show events are offered at no cost to participants, but you must register to attend and seating is limited. Please note the registration deadlines for each event.
Mississippi Municipal League is offering 2 CMO elective credits for event attendance.
Click here to respond
Having trouble with the link? Simply copy and
paste the entire address listed below into your
web browser:
http://mississippi.cvent.com/d/wGoWHEkNO0--InRYV2vc2w/27f9/P1/1Q
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KING BISCUIT'S FIRST "CALL & RESPONSE BLUES FORUM" JUDGED A SUCCESS... |
THANKS to Munnie, Heidi and Don for making it happen... as well as all the great blues interviewees and co-moderator Marc. See you again in 2012! The event was well-attended and reviewed, so it will now become an annual event during the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena each October. (PHOTO below by Charles E. Sullivan II via Facebook; I'm near far left beside Blind MS Morris in the teal suit! PRE-EVENT ARTICLE from recent Blues Revue magazine.)
 
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RESTAURANT UPDATE FROM CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI... |
THE DELTA LUNCH REPORT: For those who don't know, I'm a big fan of Oxbow's lunch. (The fact that they're just around the corner from Cat Head doesn't hurt.) The only "complaint" I've heard since they opened back around Juke Fest time period is that they don't have enough seating to keep up with their growing lunch clientele. Well, this week, they fixed all that! They doubled their stylish space with a vacant space next door, a sledge hammer and a bunch o' found furnishings (see photo 1). 
Check 'em out next time you're hungry in Clarksdale... and maybe pick me up something while you're at it. Till then, see 'em on Facebook (that's owners Hayden and Eric Hall from FB in photo 2) -- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oxbow-Restaurant-and-Catering/139314899463353?ref=ts
THE DELTA DINNER REPORT:
Recently, I've eaten at RUST Restaurant (conveniently just down the street from Cat Head) twice recently (thanks to some travel writing and  local business-owning friends). One of the meals in particular made it into my top list of restaurant dinners this year; I had the scallop pasta; yum. RUST also features live music on Thursdays and some weekend nights -- as an added bonus. Here's a sampling of what you'll find on the menu this week: Fried Oysters Served With House Remoulade Sauce... Pan-Seared Mahi Served With Mushroom Risotto & Asparagus in a Ponzu Sauce... Open-Faced Chicken-Fried Chicken Sandwich Served With Mashed Potatoes & Bacon Gravy... Dark Chocolate Crème Brulée. (218 Delta Avenue, 662.624.4784.)
THE DELTA BURGER REPORT:
Ok. So the South is known for BBQ. I recognize and, whenever possible, intensely support that fact. However, that said... Clarksdale  itself has increasingly become famously known in the burger underground for its tasty beef patties between buns. It's a poorly kept secret that WOPS (my favorite late night burger joint out on State Street, attached to Anniebelle's juke -- open Fri/Sat 7pm-7am!!) almost singlehandedly fueled the making of "M for Mississippi." But in addition to WOPS, there are some other beautiful burgers to be found in Clarksdale.
Here's my "Top Clarksdale Burger List":- WOPS - best late night burger
- Oxbow - best gourmet burger
- Delta Amusement Cafe - best chili cheese burger
- Kenoy's - best gas station burger
- Owen's Soul Food - best ?? -- see the photo and YOU describe it!
- Ramon's - honorable mention(Thanks to Robin Colonas for the Owen's burger shot. Yum.)
THE NEW RESTAURANT REPORT:
 Joining the other 8 or more restaurants on the growing culinary scene in downtown Clarksdale... comes YAZOO PASS (Yazoo Ave. & E. 2nd St., below the Lofts At The Five & Dime)! The brand new biz opened this morning with limited hours and mostly coffee type stuff, but soon, Yazoo Pass will feature (as far as I know) 7am-9pm hours from Mon-Sat. In addition to a tasty menu, it will also have a full salad bar and self-serve frozen yogurt... as well as the high tech espresso machine. (Photo courtesy of MS Design Maven on the web.)
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M FOR MISSISSIPPI ON SALE FOR LIMITED TIME... ONLY ON THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE... |
Starting on so-called "Black Friday" (Nov. 25, 2011) ... Find exclusive, limited-time sale offers on our official M for Mississippi: A Road Trip through the Birthplace of the Blues web site at http://www.mformississippi.com/preorder.html ... And buy some stocking stuffers for the blues, music and/or Mississippi lovers on your list. As they might say on TV, "This offer is NOT available in stores and is for a limited time only. Web operators are standing by."
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BLUES MATTERS INTERVIEWS OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI BLUES AUTHORITY SCOTT BARRETTA |
THANKS TO BILLY HUTCHINSON FOR FORWARDING SCANS... Blues Matters is a popular UK blues mag, www.bluesmatters.com
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COUNTRY MUSIC'S EARLY MISSISSIPPI ROOTS FEATURED IN V.O.A. ARTICLE... |
CAT HEAD NOTE: Funny how when you really look at it, so many genres have early roots to Mississippi. Obviously blues music (Charley Patton, Son House, etc.) and rock 'n roll (Elvis Presley, Ike Turner, etc.)... but also country music as well. If you've never been to the Jimmie Rodgers Museum in Meridian, Mississippi, it's pretty cool. (My friend Joe got me to go back in the late 90s; my favorite part was Rodgers guitar; when you flip it over, it says "THANKS!" really big; awfully convenient to quiet down an appreciative, clapping crowd.
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 Courtesy of VOICE OF AMERICA
November 23, 2011
Yodeling’s Still Big in Mississippi
‘Singing Brakeman’ called town of Meridian, Mississippi home
Ted Landphair (Washington, D.C.)
In the hot and humid piney woods of the Deep South, you’ll find a small industrial city that has become a hub for trucks that crisscross the nation. But Meridian, Mississippi - population 40,000 - was once an important railroad center.
It was there, more than 80 years ago, that the man known as the “Father of Country Music” lived and wrote lonesome tunes, including several mournful train songs.
As the nation’s first known professional country singer, Jimmie Rodgers recorded hit after hit. They featured his distinctive yodeling sound that inspired cowboy singers such as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry.
On “Blue Yodel No. 8,” for instance, Jimmie Rodgers sang:
“Good morning, captain, good morning, shine.
“Do you need another muleskinner out on your new mud line?
“Yodel-ay-ee-ee, yodel-ay-ee-ee-ooh.”
Jimmie Rodgers learned music from black Mississippi cotton workers. He took their blues sound and embellished it with a backwoods twang that suggested deep mountain hollows far from big-city life. Rodgers worked as a railroad brakeman in Meridian, and he contracted tuberculosis on the job.
But as the disease slowly took his breath - and his life - away, “The Singing Brakeman” got a recording contract and became famous throughout the land.
As Rodgers’ tuberculosis worsened, he recorded a song about the disease before he died at the age of 32 in 1933. He called it “The T.B. Blues.”
Rodgers is still a hero in his hometown. In fact, there’s a Jimmie Rodgers Museum in Meridian in a building designed to look like a railroad depot. Inside are some of his outfits, his sheet music and records, lots of photographs, and his old guitar.
Country music has become slick and enormously popular, of course. The economies of cities such as Nashville, Tennessee, are built around the country-music phenomenon. And many a night at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, the biggest country stars of the day take a moment to thank the man who started it all.
In 1961, Jimmie Rodgers - the “Singing Brakeman” - was the first person to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
READ ON-LINE: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/music/Yodelings-Still-Big-in-Mississippi-134388933.html |
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CHURCH BUYS BUILDING WHERE ROBERT "CROSSROADS" JOHNSON ONCE RECORDED... |
Texas Monthly - www.texasmonthly.com
The Devil Is in the Details of a Bluesman’s Legacy
By THOR CHRISTENSEN
Published: November 19, 2011
DALLAS — Few figures in pop culture are more closely linked to the devil than Robert Johnson. Not only did the blues hero write “Me and the Devil Blues” and “Hellhound on My Trail,” but legend has it that he sold his soul in exchange for his guitar skills.
(PHOTO courtesy of DallasObserver.com)
In a twist, a Dallas church is now preserving the legacy of the bluesman who sang about walking alongside Satan.
In June, the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas bought 508 Park Avenue, the downtown building where, in 1937, Johnson recorded almost half of the 29 songs that make up his entire discography. The church purchased the dilapidated three-story Art Deco building after its previous owner tried to have it demolished because it was unmarketable, due in part to its proximity to the Stewpot, a community center run by First Presbyterian that provides medical services and counseling for Dallas’s homeless.
“Robert Johnson’s signature song is ‘Cross Road Blues,’ and a lot of people we serve are at the crossroads, too, brushing shoulders with the negative side of life,” said the Rev. Bruce Buchanan, executive director of the Stewpot and an associate pastor at First Presbyterian. “Johnson’s story isn’t foreign to us at all.”
In the 1930s, Johnson — who would have turned 100 this year — was an unknown vagabond musician who primarily worked the Delta blues circuits in Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, his home state. It was his dream to cut a record, and in late 1936 a music producer took him to the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, where, in a small room, he recorded “Cross Road Blues, “Sweet Home Chicago” and 14 other songs.
Seven months later, Johnson was called back to Texas, this time to Dallas. He worked with Don Law, a producer at Brunswick Records, and recorded the final 13 songs of his career, including “Me and the Devil Blues,” “Love in Vain” (which the Rolling Stones covered) and “Traveling Riverside Blues” (covered by Led Zeppelin).
Fourteen months later, at age 27, he died mysteriously. (Johnson is widely credited as the first member of the 27 Club, a group of musicians, including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain, who died at that young age.) Some say a lover’s jealous husband poisoned Johnson with strychnine; others say he died of syphilis — his death certificate simply states “No Doctor.”
The location of his grave is also unknown, although several Mississippi cemeteries lay claim to the site.
But the puzzle confounding historians was figuring out where exactly Johnson had recorded the last of his famous songs. Experts assumed the recording took place at 508 Park — the branch office of Brunswick Records at the time — and in 2004, Eric Clapton even filmed part of his “Sessions for Robert J” DVD inside the decrepit, boarded-up building. Then, in 2005, a letter surfaced in which Mr. Law named 508 Park as the site.
The official proof of the structure’s storied history was not enough to keep the building safe in a city with a bad reputation for bulldozing first and asking questions later.
The previous owner, Glazer’s, a wholesale distribution company, had tried to sell it for decades, but no one bought the property, partly because of the constant presence of homeless people in the area. In 2009, the company asked the city’s permission to demolish the building but was denied the permit. When Glazer’s finally sold the property to First Presbyterian in June, the church’s promise to renovate the property had blues lovers and historians rejoicing.
“It’s a best-case scenario,” said Katherine Seale, executive director of Preservation Dallas. “The building is important — not only does it help tell the story of our country’s musical history, but there are very few examples of Art Deco architecture in Dallas, and even fewer ZigZag Moderne buildings, a style that exemplifies the spirit of the 1930s.”
Peter Guralnick, author of “Searching for Robert Johnson” (1989), said buildings like 508 Park were too often leveled.
“Everybody said, ‘You can’t tear down Stax Records,’ but they did,” Mr. Guralnick said of the Memphis recording studio that was demolished in 1989. (A partial reproduction was later built for the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.)
“It’s great that the efforts have borne fruit” at 508 Park, he said. “Robert Johnson’s influence is extraordinary.”
First Presbyterian plans to start renovating the 23,000-square-foot building next year, creating a cultural center complete with a museum, a performance space, an art studio and a music education center called “The Spirit of the Blues.” A recording studio will be built in the same area where Johnson and others cut records — including Bob Wills, the Western swing musician — and the vacant building next door will be torn down and replaced by a band shell-style outdoor amphitheater.
Even with the renovations, First Presbyterian does not plan to turn its back on the homeless community. Their artwork will hang in the new gallery, and shows for them will be performed in the new amphitheater.
And that is perfectly fitting. After all, Johnson spent most of his life essentially homeless, drifting from town to town.
“There’s a natural connection,” Mr. Buchanan said. “Robert Johnson could definitely relate to these people and the work we do.”
Thor Christensen is a former pop music critic for The Dallas Morning News.
(THANKS to Billy Hutchinson for forwarding this article to me.) |
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BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE -- A MAG, A WEB SITE AND A REGULAR E-NEWSLETTER... |
 CHECK OUT BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE ON-LINE AT bluesfestivalguide.com
Where you can find fests, read articles, list your fest (for FREE) or buy an ad! ALSO, subscribe to their e-newsletter. It is weekly and very informative.
SAMPLE STORY FROM RECENT EDITION OF BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE'S E-NEWSLETTER:
ST. LOUIS WANTS ON THE BLUES BAND WAGON
 Pictured: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the International Blues Foundation's new offices in Memphis. Also the location for a future National Blues/Hall of Fame Museum.
from the Commerical Appeal (Memphis)
High-rollers partied at the Peabody two weeks ago in a fund-raiser for a world-class blues museum in a historic downtown building.
It happened in St. Louis, where downtown boosters donated profits from an annual gala to a planned National Blues Museum. The venue: a newly restored Peabody Opera House, the former Kiel Opera House, repurposed in a naming rights partnership with Peabody Energy.
While Memphis bemoans the Folk Alliance International's announced move to Kansas City, St. Louis appears to be gaining ground on another music-related front: creating a blues museum to celebrate the Delta-born art form and pull in visitors.
The Show Me State's blues museum development parallels the Memphis-based Blues Foundation's effort to create a Blues Music Hall of Fame at 421 S. Main.
Both groups have been laying behind-the-scenes groundwork for capital campaigns, shooting for about $3 million in Memphis and $13 million in St. Louis. Neither has gone public with fund-raising, although St. Louis is touting a 2013 opening.
A St. Louis blues museum was proposed in 2003, went dormant and was revived by the 2010 advent of Blues Week. The series of concerts and workshops leads into Labor Day weekend's annual Big Muddy Blues Festival.
The Blues Foundation Hall of Fame has been operating in Memphis 30 years, but has never had a bricks-and-mortar museum to display the honors accorded to artists, songs and industry figures.
Organizers in Memphis and St. Louis see their attractions coexisting peacefully, even feeding off each other.
"I certainly think there's room for both," said Kevin Kane, Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau president and longtime Blues Foundation backer. "I think what we're doing is apples and oranges. We are the living, breathing Blues Hall of Fame that is recognized by musicians all the way to their obituaries."
"Theirs is a community effort to capitalize on their blues heritage, which I think is smart, and I think the timing of it is a little coincidental. We're moving forward with something we've basically been doing for 30 years."
A Blues Music Hall of Fame would fit in with Memphis Mayor A C Wharton's City of Choice initiative.
"As part of the City of Choice, we are focusing on those areas where we are first, best or only. Memphis is the Home of the Blues. While we haven't seen a concrete proposal yet, we are strongly supportive of the Blues Foundation's efforts," said Wharton, who is scheduled to be in St. Louis Friday wooing the Church of God in Christ to return its annual convocation to Memphis.
Memphis firm Design 500 and the architectural firm archimania presented preliminary plans for the Blues Music Hall of Fame in September. The exhibit would occupy about 10,000 square feet on street and basement levels of the Hotline Records Building on South Main.
Dawne Massey, project director, said the National Blues Museum's focus would be broad. "We want to tell the whole story of the blues: St. Louis, Memphis, Delta, Chicago, West Coast."
Massey said the museum gained traction after Mike Kociela of Entertainment St. Louis got behind it. "St. Louis has a really rich blues heritage, as well as Memphis. We're on the Blues Highway too."
Massey worked at the Memphis CVB before leaving for St. Louis 17 years ago. "We totally know that a lot of great music in this part of the country goes all up and down the river."
The St. Louis museum got a boost when Spinnaker St. Louis asked the museum to occupy 23,000 square feet of a former Dillard's Department Store at 601 Washington. Spinnaker's Mercantile Exchange project has converted upper floors into an Embassy Suites Hotel and apartments.
Noted music museum consultant Bob Santelli, whose credits include the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Seattle's Experience Music Project, is a volunteer, Massey said.
Museum designer is Gallagher & Associates, which created designs or master plans for museums including the Grammy Museum, the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, Miss., and the Bethel Woods (N.Y.) Center for the Arts, also known as the Woodstock museum.
Massey said National Blues Museum fund-raising is "on the edge" of going public.
Kane said the Blues Music Hall of Fame is focusing on insiders before taking its appeal public. "The train has left the station, so to speak. We're going to take probably a year to raise the money."
-- Wayne Risher: (901) 529-2874 |
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UK'S DAILY MAIL ARTICLE BY BLUES FAN/CHEF RICK STEIN WHO RECENTLY VISITED MS |
Hooked on the blues: He’s famous for fish, but Rick Stein has another passion – the music of America’s Deep South
By Rick Stein
Last updated at 10:30 PM on 18th November 2011
The day the blues hit me is one I’ll never forget. At my boarding school, Uppingham, near Leicester, we each had a study and my friend Christopher Arnott’s was just across from mine. It was 1962.
 One night he said, ‘Come and listen to this.’ It was a blue and cream 45 with the words Chess Records on it. It was the single playing on his Dansette automatic record player – we all craved that player, an automatic! The song was Howlin’ Wolf’s Smokestack Lightning.
‘Ah, oh, smokestack lightning/Shinin’, just like gold.’ He sang with such swagger in his voice; coming out of the darkness, so assured, gravelly, so lived-in, and the harmonica playing was like the wail of a train.
At the time the records in the British charts were things like Acker Bilk’s Stranger On The Shore, which had been number one for what seemed like 100 years. Elvis, my absolute hero, had gone soft with songs from a succession of his travel films like GI Blues and Blue Hawaii and was in the charts with Rock-A-Hula Baby.
I was no purist. I liked Rock-A-Hula Baby, but even I could see that his early songs like Hound Dog and Heartbreak Hotel had more guts. Howlin’ Wolf was in a different league. There was something hypnotic in that simple monotonous chant that hit straight home. It was dangerous black music and very exciting.
I was always irritating my parents, lying on my bed all day listening to Elvis and BB King. I wanted to be anything but a nice boy from the shires...
I was not alone; there was big change happening at the time. I was a privileged, middle-class boy from Oxfordshire, but out there were much more gritty guys like Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Eric Clapton. They were using this black, country music to say something about their own frustrating urban lives and make a name for themselves.
In 1964 the Rolling Stones had a number one with another Howlin’ Wolf song, Little Red Rooster. I felt the strength of it immediately, but it took me a while to understand why a song about a farmyard animal could be so satisfying. A little red rooster ‘too lazy to crow the day/keep everything in the barnyard upset in every way’.
Well, looking back, I was that little red rooster, always irritating my parents, lying on my bed all day listening to Elvis and BB King. I wanted to be anything but a nice boy from the shires. One of my mother’s friends asked her where I got the dreadful transatlantic accent from. It was music that spoke to me as a rebellious teenager. The blues has always been a great source of emotional resonance to me.
I’ve been told that my glass is always half empty rather than half full, so the blues is where I belong. When my first love affair came apart in my twenties, it was only natural that BB King came to my assistance with The Thrill Is Gone. I wallowed in the blues. I can always remember the limpid guitar solo and the wailing sax and then the funky but desperate end.
Cool blues are the best way to get over a lost love. And it’s always been like that, whenever distressing things have happened to me there’s always been a blues song to remember them by. Bell Bottom Blues, my favourite Eric Clapton song, reminds me of the time in the Seventies when my nightclub in Padstow was closed down by the police and I was facing bankruptcy. The song is about losing love, but to me it was about losing the club.
It’s not just the bad times though. Working every hour in my Padstow restaurant, blues songs would keep me going in the heat of a busy lunch or dinner. BB King’s You Upset Me Baby over and over again with the line, ‘Like being hit by a falling tree, woman, woman what do you do to me.’ A bit like being hit by 24 orders! The blues to me are like poems, a way of distancing yourself from difficult times by singing great songs about them.
It doesn’t matter if the song’s about trains leaving the Mississippi Delta, levees breaking, or unfaithful women, they’re good if they’re filled with energy and life. This summer I was lucky enough to go to Mississippi to make a film about the blues and food called Rick Stein Tastes The Blues, which is being shown on BBC4. The thing that hit me like a falling tree was the sheer energy of the musicians I met.
My favourite Eric Clapton song, reminds me of the time in the Seventies when my nightclub in Padstow was closed down by the police and I was facing bankruptcy
One of the highlights was the day BB King came to his home town of Indianola to play at a blues festival in his honour. I was lucky enough to interview him as he stepped off his tour bus after I’d waited an hour in 100-degree heat. Gosh, I was nervous. He was in his eighties and still performing, but he was gracious enough to acknowledge he loved coming back for the home cooking of his childhood.
Later we went to listen to some blues in a nearby bar, the Blue Biscuit. There was a blues musician, Terry ‘Harmonica’ Bean, singing a song called I’m A Bluesman, full of raw energy. The bar was jumping, the smoky barbecue pork and Lazy Magnolia beer were all I needed and the music made you just want to get on your feet. I asked Terry why he sang the blues. ‘When I first heard it, it grabbed me,’ he said. ‘Grabbed me.’ It grabbed me too, being there.
Chatting to a singer in his eighties called Cadillac John, who could recall the day his baby left him like it was yesterday, or talking food and the blues to a bunch of black guys at a restaurant called The Senator’s Place, I was just thrilled by the language and the love of the local cooking. I make programmes all over the world about local food but to hear people talk about the importance of turnip greens and southern-fried catfish with coleslaw was to me as much a part of living the blues as the music itself.
That and driving through Mississippi. It’s the most beautiful country, a vast, flat, fertile land, and it’s a heady experience, especially if you’re listening to John Lee Hooker or Muddy Waters. In the summer, it’s always 100 degrees and thunderously humid. It’s the reality of the blues I’ve been listening to all my life. But it’s also still a place of hardship.
Most early blues singers couldn’t wait to get out of the Delta to places like Chicago or Detroit to find a wider audience for their music and make some money. These days there are not even jobs in the cotton fields thanks to mechanisation. It’s tough, but it’s still a place for the blues. As Terry ‘Harmonica’ Bean says, ‘Music is the blues and the blues is music. If you ain’t got no blues you ain’t got no music.’
READ ON-LINE AT http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2062648/Hooked-blues-He-s-famous-fish-Rick-Stein-passion--music-America-s-Deep-South.html |
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XM / SIRIUS RADIO LISTENERS... "CATCH WEEKLY DELTA BLUES REPORT!" |
 BILL WAX OF BB KING'S BLUESVILLE ON XM/SIRIUS RADIO CALLS CAT HEAD ON  THURSDAYS TO TALK BLUES
Have XM or Sirius Radio (or know a friend with it)? Then, please tune in most Thursday afternoons (4pm Central/5pm Eastern) for the Cat Head Delta Blues report with Roger Stolle and Bill Wax. Bill basically calls me at Cat Head most Thursdays, and we chat about blues shows, characters and related activities coming up... down in the Delta. Mississippi blues news you can use! Keep up to date on your favorite Mississippi blues players, juke joints, music festivals and so much more. Don't have satellite radio yet? Check it out at the link below:
Sirius / XM Radio (click) |
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OXFORD AMERICAN MAG'S MISSISSIPPI MUSIC ISSUE IS COMING SOON!!! |
The Oxford American's 13th annual Southern Music Issue is coming soon! (December 1, to be exact.)
This will be the third issue in our Southern State Series, and this time it will put the spotlight on the music of Mississippi.
As always, it will come with a CD with great tunes that will make you happy for years to come.
http://www.oxfordamerican.org/
(CAT HEAD NOTE: As with all OA issues, we'll have it at Cat Head. Otherwise, visit their web site to pre-order it today!) |
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THE DELTA BLUES MUSEUM EXPANSION IS UNDERWAY! But the museum is still open, so come check out both the permanent and temporary exhibits... while you also check out the expansion progress.
