2010 Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival

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Story and photos by Ray Proetto
This article is dedicated to Big Jack Johnson and Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins, both of whom passed during its writing.  They were incredibly talented Blues musicians who will be missed by admirers throughout the world.  Descriptions of their performances during the week of the Sunflower Blues and Gospel Festival are included in this article.  Big Jack’s performance at Redd’s Juke Joint was exceptionally mesmerizing.  It was for me, the highlight of the Festival.

AUGUST IN MISSISSIPPI IS JUST PLAIN HOT

I was cruising through the flat Delta farmland just outside of Clarksdale Mississippi on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010.  It was 2:00pm and I had driven from Florida half the night and most of the day for twelve hours.  I noticed something odd about the outside digital temperature reading in my car.  It was fluctuating between 102 and 104 degrees.  My first thought was the car must be overheating.  Then I realized it was just that hot!  Hot is what it was and hot is what it stayed throughout the Sunflower River – Blues and Gospel Festival.

Why would I brave heat such as this to attend a Blues festival?  Read on to discover the answer and why I’ll be back next year for sure…

The actual festival did not begin until Friday, August 6th.  I chose to arrive two days early because I knew there would be great music on tap in Clarksdale for at least a couple of days before the festival.

My first stop upon arriving in Clarksdale was Stan Street’s Hambone Art Gallery.  I parked a little way down the block and placed a sunshade under my windshield.  Not that the shade would make much difference with the temperature hovering around 100 degrees.   During the short walk to his store, I couldn’t decide if I was experiencing bake or broil? It was good to see Stan and talk about the festival and where he was going to be playing that night.  Most weeks he has live music on Tuesday nights in his store where there is a permanent drum kit and some amps at the ready.  More important though was the welcome relief from the heat as I enjoyed his Art Gallery’s air conditioning.  I made one more stop before heading over to my hotel at The Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art store.  The store employs some talented local musicians who know the local Blues scene inside and out.
THE RIVERSIDE HOTEL

Later, when I arrived at the Riverside Hotel on Sunflower Avenue, RAT was there to greet me.  The first thing he said was,  “Doc (that’s his nickname for me) I have your pillow.”  He was holding the pillow I neglected to take home during my June visit to Clarksdale.  I moved my things into number eight and went back up front to RAT’s sitting room for some conversation.  There are many reasons to stay in the Riverside when you visit Clarksdale.  First, it is the site of just the third Blues Trail Marker dedicated by the State of Mississippi.  You can see the room where Bessie Smith died when the Hotel was a Hospital back in the 1930s.  Blues Legends lived and practiced here when it was more of a rooming house than a Hotel.  Throughout the lobby and halls are a large selection of photos and memorabilia.  In addition, the Riverside’s current patrons are an eclectic group from all over the world.  I’ve met Blues fans from Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, England, Ireland, Germany and all over the U.S. at the Riverside.  There have been many engaging conversations sitting out front sharing Blues information and adventures with the other customers.  RAT makes everyone who stays here feel at home.  In fact that’s his slogan,  “Come on home.”  That is exactly how I feel when I return to the Riverside.  Rat is always there to greet you and even if I don’t know the people in the other rooms, it won’t be long before I do.  It’s also a short walk from the Riverside to all of the downtown music venues, stores and art galleries.  But the real reason you must stay here at least once is RAT himself.  Frank Ratliff, aka RAT, is a living, breathing, encyclopedia of Clarksdale’s history and his memory continues to amaze all those who know him.  And RAT loves to talk about it all!  RAT often holds court in the front sitting room with his guests until two, three or maybe later in the morning.  About 70 years of age, RAT continues to work hard keeping up the place and refurbishing bungalows adjacent to the Hotel.

RAT’s mother, Z. L. Ratliff-Hill, opened the hotel as a rooming house and hotel on August 11, 1944 when RAT was four years of age.  At the time there were no other hotels in the town for black persons.  So naturally, black musicians stayed here whenever they did a show in Clarksdale or when passing through.  Some just stayed and lived in the Riverside for months or years at a time.

LET THE MUSIC BEGIN!

After getting caught up with RAT, I retired to number eight for a well needed thirty seven minute nap!  Once I was up again, I had to get ready for the first show on my agenda.  Ben Prestage, a Florida Bluesman, was performing at Maddidi’s Restaurant with Stan Street accompanying him on harmonica and washboard.  The music began about 7:00pm and Ben played guitar and sang with skill.  His songs and style had a very traditional feel which he delivered with a unique intensity.  Stan filled the breaks perfectly on his harmonica and added some strong solos of his own.  Then Stan switched to washboard for a few songs and spiced things up nicely.  After the show, Ben spoke of placing second in the solo category of the International Blues Competition.  Just as interesting as Ben’s music was his appearance.  He has dark, thick hair and a matching beard that seems out of control as it spills off his face.  Add his conductor’s hat and he truly looked the part of a traveling Blues troubadour.

After the show I met Harry and Rich, members of an Illinois band called Triple Threat. I was also fortunate to sit and chat with four Clarksdale residents including Bill Talbot, one of the owners of the Shack Up Inn, Shelley Ritter, Director of the Clarksdale Blues Museum, and two of their friends, Martha and Eva.  Shelley is a tireless promoter and defender of all things related to the Blues in Clarksdale.  When you visit Clarksdale you MUST go to the Clarksdale Blues Museum. It contains an impressive display of historical information, exhibits, photographs, vintage instruments, artwork, clothing, and antiques.  There is a special section dedicated to Muddy Waters which includes a twenty minute documentary video that was both very entertaining and educational.

Bill explained how the Shack Up Inn was started.  Many farms in the area were tearing down the old sharecropper shacks on their properties because they were being assessed extra taxes for the dwellings.  Bill began salvaging and rebuilding them on the property of the Hopson Plantation on the southern side of Clarksdale.  The shacks were rebuilt with the important new additions of plumbing and air conditioning which enabled Bill to rent them out as hotel rooms.  Some one in Europe wrote a story about the Shack Up Inn which resulted in a great deal of international attention.  This fueled business from beyond the U.S. which has been an important part of the Shack Up Inn’s success.  Each Shack on the property has it’s own name and particular style or theme and they are a fascinating slice of history.  Another good reason to stay at the Shack Up Inn is the music.  Two buildings, the old Hopson Commissary and a barn which is now called the “Juke Joint Chapel” have been converted into music venues.  During festival weekends, the Shack Up has its own lineup of Blues artists performing.  This means your hotel room, or rather your shack is just a stone’s throw from some great Blues.

REDD’S JUKE JOINT

Now it was time to stroll over to Redd’s Juke Joint.  Redd’s is just down the block from the Riverside Hotel and from the outside looks like an abandoned building with large barbecue smokers out front.  Once inside, it doesn’t look much better.  Plastic sheets hang from the ceiling (in case of rain?).  I’ve been told the roof no longer leaks.  There is no stage and the band area and dance floor are located on one large rug in front of a long bar.  The place is long and narrow and seems cluttered with a lot of unnecessary stuff.  The walls are also haphazardly covered.  The bar serves beer and water from coolers and the choices aren’t many.  Then there is Redd himself.  He’s a bearish man somewhere in his 50s who seems to wear shades 24/7.  You never know what to expect from Redd.  If you arrive early, he might sit down and tell you all about the local blues scene and play some of his favorites for you (as he did for me in June of this year).  Or he might insult you and tell you to get a clue.  You never know with Redd.

Despite his ornery side, Redd is one of a kind.  He’s one of the last real Juke Joint club owners and he knows a great deal about the Delta Blues scene from the past 30 years.  Redd also calls it like he sees it and you have to respect a man who speaks his mind.  Once, when I was having a beer with Redd in the middle of the afternoon, a Blues musician from overseas came into the place briefly to promote himself.  After he left, Redd told me the man “knows nothing about the Blues.”  As far as I know, Redd never saw him play.  Later that evening, I watched him perform at another club.   He had all the technical skills of a blues performer.  His guitar technique was strong and his voice was better than average.  But his show completely lacked that Blues feeling.  The emotion just wasn’t there.  Redd was dead on.  The man knew “nothing about the Blues.”

(Back to Redd’s-the place)… If I’ve scared you away from Redd’s so far, read on…

One reason not to miss Redd’s is because, upon closer examination, Redd’s is a historical landmark.  All the “stuff” in the place and on the walls will be part of the Blues Museum someday.  From the large Fan on the floor next to the stage to the vintage posters and pictures on the walls.  The place is just dripping with Blues history.  Much of it is like a scrapbook of Redd’s time with the Blues.  You can walk around looking at it all for hours.  Each time you walk in you notice something you didn’t see or appreciate before.  One item you are sure to notice right away is a guitar hanging from the wall just past the bar.  On it are the signatures of a long list of blues artists who have graced the stage, no make that…  the rug…  at Redd’s.  (below – Redd relaxing midday)

But most importantly, Redd’s is all about the music.  Redd gets all the true blue local performers and many others as they tour the country.  And Redd’s is the place musicians like to stop in late at night to jam.  You never know who will show up and tear the house down.  The musicians also jam later at Redd’s than anywhere else until one or two in the morning.  This allows you to catch an early show elsewhere and still enjoy the late night party at Redd’s.  And party they do!  You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve seen crammed onto the small dance floor bumping and grinding until late in the evening.   One of the other charms of this dive with fantastic music is the very fact that it is so small.  No matter where you are in the place, the band is never very far from you.  I’ve often found myself sitting right next to band members or dancing within a foot of them.  This place has real crowd interaction!  At times the crowd can be more entertaining than the musicians.  On a packed night It’s hard to tell where the gyrating crowd ends and the band begins.

The band at Redd’s that Wednesday night was the “All night Long Band” which included Dixie Street on drums, Sean Apple on guitar and vocals, Martin Grant on harmonica, and just for tonight, Terry Big T Williams on bass.  They played an electrified version of the traditional Hill Country Blues sound.  Sean Apple, a devoted performer and student of the various Hill Country and Delta guitar styles, delivered an authentic groove on guitar and inspired vocals while Dixie kept my feet tapping all night.  Martin Grant simply blue the Hell right out of his harmonica!

Later in the evening, the band changed gears with Mary Ann Action Jackson  joining on vocals to sing a number of  R & B covers.  If you’ve never seen Mary Ann perform, you are missing the campiest, most

over the top performer who frequents the stages of  Mississippi.  She takes it all to a level that will leave you grinning no matter who you are.  She closed out the set with “Walk the Dog” and boy can she walk it!  Her performance defied description.  You’ll just have to come to Clarksdale and see for yourself.

On one of the band’s breaks, I spoke to Antonio, a large brick wall of a man who works at Redd’s.  He told me he knows a thousand jokes.  So I told him the only really funny joke I knew, and of course, he beat me to the punch line.  When the music ended, I strolled down the block toward the Riverside Hotel.  It was my first night in Clarksdale and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.  Arriving at my room around midnight, I finally crashed for some well earned sleep.

THURSDAY AT THE GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB

Thursday I slept most of the day.  After waking up at 11:00am for breakfast, I snoozed again from 2 to 4:00pm.  When I finally left the hotel, I walked about three blocks through the heat to the Ground Zero Blues Club.  There was a special event called the Boogie Woogie Piano Extravaganza.  It was a benefit conert for the Pinetop Perkins Foundation.  The show was the culmination of a Blues workshop for young musicians who learned from successful recording artists including Eden Brent and Anna Rabson.

(Note:  While writing this article, it was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins.  He was 97 years old.  Not only was he an extremely talented musician but his contributions to the Blues and his place in Blues history is well known among his many fans.)

Upon my late arrival, Eden Brent, was on stage encouraging a young student playing piano.  After the Blues Workshop students performed, there was a set by the elder statesman of Blues piano himself – Pinetop Perkins. Mr. Perkins had recently celebrated his 97th birthday and sported a pair of piano key socks that caught my eye as soon as he sat down to play.  He was accompanied by Lee Williams, a talented drummer from Clarksdale, Cassie Taylor on bass, and Bob Margolin, a name that speaks for itself on guitar.  They provided smooth and stylish backing for Pinetop’s mellow Blues piano set.

Pinetop may have slowed some in recent years, however, he put on a show that demonstrated he hadn’t  lost his feel for the music nor the original styling and skill of his famous playing.  After Pinetop finished his set, Bob and Lee closed out the show with some rowdy blues numbers.  They seemed to gel together creating an intense but seamless sound despite never having played together on the same stage before.

BACK TO REDD’S

After the show, it was time to head over to Redd’s again.  Tonight’s performer was Terry Big T Williams.  He played guitar and sang vocals.  Backing him up was the ever-present Lee Williams on Drums, Jeremy Horton on bass, and two sax players – Dick Lurie and Alfonso Sanders.  Terry put on a riveting show of various Blues and R & B styles.  The pair of sax players added quite a bit of swing and extra flavor to the proceedings.

Johnny Bilington arrived late at Redd’s and played a few numbers with the band on

guitar and vocals.  Johnny commands reverence wherever he goes as the elder statesmen of Blues music teachers.  He runs a Blues Music Academy for children in Lambert MS.  His alumni include the drummer Lee Williams and Anthony Big A Sherrod, a guitar player/singer who arrived even later that night to jam at Redd’s.

After Johnny played, we talked for a while and he told a joke about a woman whose car drives her home.  Then I cracked him up with the one good joke I knew.   This is the essence of what makes Clarksdale such a special place to visit.  Everyone is approachable, friendly and happy to speak with you no matter who you are.   This includes the fans, musicians, and local residents.  You can never feel alone in Clarksdale for very long.

Next up on the rug was Anthony Big A Sherrod who stepped to the microphone to sing and play a couple songs on guitar. He put on quite a show in the  brief ten minutes he played and then left the stage.  Finally, Terry did a few more songs to round out the evening.  Just as the the music ended at 2:00am, I spoke to two women who had just met each other and become friends earlier in the day.  The three of us agreed to meet the next day in front of the Museum at the Main Festival Stage.

Looking back upon my first two days in Clarksdale, I attended four separate events and listened to at least twenty talented Blues musicians perform.  This included the legend, Pinetop Perkins.  All this and the Sunflower Festival had not yet begun!

THE SUNFLOWER BLUES AND GOSPEL FESTIVAL BEGINS

Sleeping late again on Friday, I eventually wandered downtown around noon and stumbled upon a dedication ceremony.  Clarksdale has dedicated a “Walk of Fame” for its more accomplished citizens.  Each site in the walk around downtown includes a plaque set in the sidewalk for each dignitary.  As I approached the Main Festival Stage directly in front of the Clarksdale Blues Museum, I stopped at the sidewalk ceremony.  Shelley Ritter (Delta Blues Museum Director) Panny Mayfield (Chief Sunflower Festival Planner) and some other local dignitaries whom I did not know were dedicating a new sidewalk plaque.  The Plaque was to honor Ike Turner and his major contributions to modern music.  I was relieved the ceremony was brief because I thought I might melt in the midday sun.  At this point the Main Stage lineup for the festival had not yet begun.  I set up my chair in front of the Main Stage and retreated into the Ground Zero Blues Club for some water, air conditioning, and Live Music!

The Ground Zero Blues Club hosted its own lineup of top quality musicians throughout the festival.  Many artists played on one of the festival stages and also in Ground Zero.  For example, Super Chikan burned up the Main Festival stage Friday night and played A nonstop dance marathon of music in Ground Zero on Saturday night.  In addition to the Main Festival stage, there were also two acoustic stages which featured a lineup of talent that would impress any Blues fan.  If names such as Robert Belfour, T-Model Ford, Big Jack Johnson, Jimmy Duck Holmes, Kenny Brown, and Sharde Thomas are not familiar to you, a trip to Clarksdale and other North Mississippi locations is definitely in order.  You don’t know what you are missing!

The Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art store also features a sidewalk lineup of performers throughout the festival.  Their shows include a few rows of chairs supplied by the store and a large canopy to block the sun.  And don’t miss an opportunity to go inside and check out an amazing selection of local and international Blues CDs, books, DVDs, T-shirts, art and other really cool stuff.  Then on Sunday, the store  has the “Cat Head Delta Mini Blues Festival” which features a full lineup of performers beginning in the morning and running most of the day.

THE GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB

The Ground Zero Blues Club is a short walk across a parking lot from the Delta Blues Museum where the Main Festival Stage is located.  As you enter the club, there are pool tables in the back and a long bar on the right side wall.  There are twenty or more large and medium sized tables throughout and a large dance floor in front of the stage.  The stage itself is raised and also quite large.   The club is owned by the actor Morgan Freeman, local businessman Bill Luckett and entertainment executive Howard Stovall. Ground Zero opened in May of 2001.  It attracts Blues fans from all over the world.  Sometimes tour buses even stop here and give their customers a chance to hear the Blues.  According to many locals, the club has helped Clarksdale by attracting international attention to its Blues history and has played a key role in the town’s efforts to attract tourists and revitalize the downtown area.  Ground Zero also serves food which includes a list of mostly southern specialties including catfish and fried tamales.  I went with the catfish sandwiches more than once and enjoyed them thoroughly.

I saw impressive young talent early Friday afternoon in the Ground Zero Blues Club.  Anthony Big A Sherrod  performed and featured Sherita Lynch  on vocals for quite a few songs.  Anthony played guitar and also sang while Marcus Williams (bass) and Willie Williams (drums) rounded out the band.  Anthony looks more like he just stepped off a Greyhound from Chicago than a typical Mississippi Bluesman.  He sported a

stylish hat with dark shades, a goatee and dress clothes.  His guitar playing also reminds one more of Chicago than the Delta.  Although still only in his twenties, he imparts the cool demeanor and confidence of an older performer.  When Ms. Lynch joins him on stage, you can feel the chemistry between them and see how much they enjoy performing together.

Sherita Lynch has a powerful voice and shines most when she uses that power to belt out a Blues number.  She could easily cover anything by Etta James and leave you begging for more.  The early afternoon crowd in Ground Zero was pretty thin as most fans were outside in front of the big Main Festival Stage.  Despite the limited audience, Anthony and his band kept the energy level high until the very end of the set.

On the break at Ground Zero I headed out to the Main Festival Stage and caught Richard “Daddy Rich” Crisman’s set.  He has a laid back singing voice for a Blues performer but he gradually let loose and let his guitar do the talking with some wild playing.  I bought his CD from some one selling them in the audience.  It combines some authentic Delta guitar styles with his own modern approach for a very unique sound.

I soon located my two new female friends from the night before and somehow they had met and added a third woman to the group.  We were standing around at the Main Festival Stage talking and waiting for the next act to begin.  Then a man who had briefly sung at Redd’s the night before joined the conversation.  Suddenly, Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On” came over the PA sound system.  I don’t know why but all of us began singing at once.  Here were five people who barely knew each other.  Most of us couldn’t hold a tune if our lives depended on it.  But we were singing every word, every note, every moan and every groan at the top of our lungs!
“There’s nothing wrong, with me, lovin you”…    Don’t you know how sweet and wonderful life can beeee-yeah…”     “I’m just askin you babee to get it on with me”…      “I ain’t gonna push, I won’t push you baby…”       “Come on, come on, come on, come on stop beating around the buuuuusshh…   aaaaoooohhhhhhh…                  Let’s get it on!”
As the song ended we were all laughing hysterically at each other.  Everyone was just caught up in one of those unforgettable moments.  We couldn’t have planned it if we had tried.

Later, I returned to Ground Zero to cool off and catch one of my favorite local performers.  Heather Crosse performed with her band “Heavy Suga’ & the SweeTones“.  Heather handles bass and vocals.  Her band consisted of her regular drummer, Lee Williams – again! and guitarist Walt Busby.  Heather played a mix of up-tempo and slow blues.  She plays and sings with an innocent enthusiasm which is just a pleasure to watch.  You can feel her energy and passion for the music pour out in every note.

Heather especially shines on the slow Blues of “Damn Your Eyes” as she gives it everything she’s got.  Lee did it all on drums without a hiccup no matter what beat or tempo was required.  I could really feel him driving the band forward on the up tempo songs.  And once you got past those bare feet of his, Walt revved things up with some really impressive guitar solos.

The next artist I watched at Ground Zero packed a truckload of talent into an acoustic set with just herself singing and playing guitar.  I only caught a few songs but

Jacqueline Marie Nassar sang passionately and played her acoustic guitar so aggressively I was left standing with my mouth wide open by the side of the stage.  I only wish she had played longer.
Watching all the young talent in Ground Zero, I missed many of the older more established Blues performers on the Main Stage and I never made it to the Acoustic Stage at all.  There is just too much going on at the Sunflower Festival to even think about seeing it all.  The Main Stage featured Bill “Howl-N-Mad” Perry, Robert “Bilbo” Walker, and Joshua “Razorblade” Stewart.

After a Catfish Sandwich at Ground Zero, it was now night time and the Main Festival Stage featured James “Super Chikan” Johnson and the Fighting Cocks. The name of the band alone lets you know James Johnson is the real deal!  He has the swagger, humor, and old time bravado of artists such as Muddy Waters and B.B. King and he backs it up with quite a show.  The band consists of Johnson on lead vocals and guitar with his daughter Jamiesa Turner on drums, LaLa, aka Laura Craig handles keyboards, and rounding out the band during the Festival on bass was Clarksdale resident Torey Tadora.

James Johnson makes homemade guitars and bass which are used by himself and Torey.  Each one is unique and a work of art unto itself.  As far as his playing is concerned, Super Chikan can do it all.  He plays the rhythm, picks the solos, and brings out the slide with a special homemade box guitar called the “Bad Dog.” He’s fun to watch and he keeps the audience engaged throughout the show.  Slow Blues, fast Blues, shuffle Blues… it’s all there in Super Chikan’s set.

His on stage interaction with LaLa is also one of the highlights of the band as they often trade licks between his guitars and her keys.  Although I like to describe her as the female Jerry Lee Lewis, LaLa plays with a style all her own.  Combining an endless assortment of unique facial expressions with an aggressive approach to the instrument,  LaLa often plays a loud barrel house style that always leaves me wanting to hear and see more.  She pounds the keys, smacks em with her elbows, jumps all over in her chair, leans in, leans back, leans left, leans right, leans over the keys, smiles, laughs, frowns and is just a pleasure to watch because you never know what she will do next.  You could spend the whole set just listening to and watching LaLa and never get bored.  Of course, none of this would be possible without the commanding presence of James Johnson’s daughter Jamiesa on drums.  She plays with authority and is not content to simply keep the beat unnoticed.  Johnson sometimes likes to turn the band’s shows into non-stop dance marathons with some songs lasting upwards of thirty to forty minutes.  Jamiesa is more than up to the challenge and seems to have unlimited energy as she drives the band forward.  Johnson didn’t have the luxury of extended songs tonight with time for only an hour set.  Nevertheless, the crowd was rockin throughout the show.

After Super Chikan it was time to catch Mark Massy in Ground Zero.  I watched only one blistering Blues song and I was thoroughly impressed.  I intended to stay and watch more but my new friends insisted we go to Redd’s for the Big Jack Johnson show.   They had to drag me out of Ground Zero but I was incapable of saying no to three beautiful women.

BIG JACK JOHNSON ROCKS REDD’S!
Once the four of us arrived at Redd’s, somehow we managed to get seats together on the low couch to the left of the stage.  This was quite an accomplishment considering how crowded it was in the place.

NOTE:  While writing this article, it was with great sadness that I learned of the death of Big Jack Johnson.  He was 70 years old and will be missed by Blues fans in Mississippi and throughout the world.

Big Jack Johnson made his first recordings with Frank Frost and Sam Carr as “The Jelly Roll Kings.” Terry Big T Williams was on bass and Dale Wise (of the PA band The Cornlickers) man-handled the drums.  Once again, Dick Lurie and Alfonso Sanders spiced it all up with a double sax attack. (Frost and Carr had already passed on before Jack).  The three musicians played together and recorded until the late 80s when Johnson began a solo career.  Big Jack has recorded a number of impressive albums.  He won a W.C. Handy award in 2003 for Acoustic Blues Album of the Year for “Memphis Bar-B-Que Sessions.”  Although his fans have certainly not been limited to those in Mississippi, he had been a local crowd favorite for over thirty years.  Tonight, Big Jack handled guitar and vocals.  He played a standard electric guitar, a homemade box guitar and an electric mandolin.

Although this was a Blues show, there were no tears tonight.  Big Jack played hard driving, in your face,  infectious Blues that picked you up out of your seat and forced you to move.   The rest of the band followed Jack’s lead and played their instruments with the same high powered raunchy groove all night.  Almost everyone in the joint responded by getting up and shaking what God gave them for all it was worth!  There were so many of us dancing I couldn’t move my feet and we became one packed mass of bumping and grinding to Dale’s infectious beat.  Big Jack’s slide playing (on a homemade box guitar) intensified the bawdy groove while Dick and Alfonso’s sax solos whipped the crowd into further frenzy.  When the first set finally ended, we were all soaked with sweat and collapsed on the couch for some well earned rest.  I noticed RAT had come into Redd’s and he tapped me to say hello.  He gave me a big smile when he noticed what good company I was keeping.

Somehow, Big Jack and the band managed to burn it up for two more full sets!  The music ended at 2:00am.   After walking my friends back to their hotels, I finally arrived home at the Riverside by 3:00am.  When I walked in, RAT was still in the front sitting room talking to a group of hotel patrons who had also been at Redd’s until the music ended.  There were five of us in addition RAT in the room.  Everyone was talking about what a great time they had and how Big Jack Johnson at was so amazing!  One man complained he hadn’t been able to meet any women while the rest of us shook our heads and agreed…  WE WERE ALL IN CLARKSDALE FOR THE MUSIC!

At 3:30am I excused myself and finally made it to number 8.  Somehow I had survived one full day and night of the Sunflower Festival and I had no idea how I was going to get up the next day and do it again?

SATURDAY AT THE MAIN STAGE:

It was well past one pm when I finally crawled out of bed.  After eating some breakfast, I mean lunch, I got myself together and arrived downtown at the Main Stage.  I had already missed quite a few acts and settled in to watch a young female performer named Venessia Young.  Her band was called Venessia Young and Pure Blues Express. Venessia was a perfect wake up call for me.  Her set was lively and plenty loud.  She snapped me right out of my energy slump and I was ready for another exciting day.  Somehow I lost track of my new friends from Redd’s but everyone at the festival was friendly and eager to talk about what a great time they were having.  I ran into a number of friends I’d met at a previous Mississippi festival and made new friends throughout the day.

I had already missed the Bill Abel Band, All Night Long, and the Philip Carter Band.  Never mind the Acoustic Stage #1 which had a lineup beginning at 9:00am consisting of Arthneice “Gas Man” Jones, Robert Belfour, Eddie Cusic, Pat Thomas, T-Model Ford, Big Jack Johnson, and Sharde Thomas of the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band.  I’ve seen many of these artists at other times and this lineup alone would have been worth a trip to Clarksdale.  Plus, there was an afternoon Acoustic Stage #2 with Charles Fowler, the late Foster “Tater” Wiley, Bill Abel and Cadillac John, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Kenny Brown, and Johnny Lowe Bow.

Next up on the Main Festival Stage was Terry Big T Williams and the Family Band.  I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to the other band members but I did notice the ever present Lee Williams playing drums for Terry.  Being on the Main Festival Stage inspired Terry to a rousing performance.  The entire set consisted of one intense Blues song after another.  Terry seemed to be in his own private zone playing the best I’ve heard from him.  Sweat poured off his face in sheets as he kept his guitar working with screams, moans, and endless bending strings![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image css_animation=”right-to-left” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”medium” image=”2215″][vc_single_image css_animation=”right-to-left” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”medium” image=”2214″][vc_single_image css_animation=”right-to-left” border_color=”grey” img_link_target=”_self” img_size=”medium” image=”2213″][vc_column_text]Above: Homemade Jamz’ Ryan, Kyle, and Taya Perry[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

BACK AND FORTH TO GROUND ZERO:

It was already late afternoon but there was no break in the heat when Terry finished his set on the Main Festival Stage.  For a well needed break from the heat, I went into Ground Zero for a meal and another set of Heather Crosse‘s band “Heavy Suga’ & the SweeTones.”  I was lucky enough to sit and chat with Johnny Billington again.  He told humorous stories about some of the children he taught who are now adult professional musicians.  After Heather finished her set, David Hanks Dunavent and his band played a loud set of Blues with a strong country flavor.  He worked his guitar hard with some smokin solos.

Night had arrived and I headed back out to the Main Festival Stage for what was for me, the surprise of the Festival – The Homemade Jamz Band.  The band consisted of two brothers, a sister and their father backing it all up on harmonica.  They were Ryan Perry (age 18) on guitar and lead vocals, Kyle Perry (age 16) on bass and vocals, and Taya Perry (age 11!) on drums.  Yes, you read that correctly, the drummer was their 11 year old sister![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Their Dad, Renaud Perry, was essentially a sideman letting the focus remain on the kids.  When he did contribute, he played a mean, soulful harmonica.  These kids put on one helluva show.  It was a powerful performance for a crew of any age and boy did they rock!   Ryan impressed me like a seasoned veteran as he held his own on guitar and vocals.  Kyle cranked up a heavy bass but had a slightly more laid back stage presence.  He seemed somewhat embarrassed by all the attention he was getting from the women in the audience.  Taya, sporting a Tweetie Bird T-shirt and an afro pony tail was every bit the cute eleven year old.  That is until she started pounding the drums.  This was an energy infused rockin Blues show and Taya never missed a beat.  Rockin Blues, slow Blues, it didn’t matter as she kept it all moving.

The boys played homemade guitar and bass which looked more like chrome plated mufflers than musical instruments.  Each instrument glowed in the center as if it was a nuclear reactor and each contained large exhaust pipes on the bottom.  Toward the end of their set, the guitar and bass shot out flames and then clouds of smoke causing the crowd to go totally nuts![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]

After Homemade Jamz I returned to Ground Zero for another set from James “Super Chikan” Johnson and the Fighting Cocks. Although I had seen them the night before, this band really cooks! and Ground Zero was a better venue for closeup photo opportunities.  In addition to the regular band members, tonight featured an additional treat.  Nathan Boehle, an Iowa guitar player joined the band for a second guitar and seemed to inspire Super Chikan to new heights.  The set consisted of four songs which lasted between ten and thirty minutes including John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom.”  The dance floor was mobbed throughout the set as Johnson, Boehle and LaLa took turns with extended solos while Jamiesa and Torey anchored it all on drums and bass.

Things really started to heat up when Johnson and Boehle began trading guitar licks.  Although most of the audience was shakin-it on the dance floor and having a ball, the band seemed to be enjoying themselves just as much.  It wasn’t easy getting through the throng of dancing fans but I managed to get to the stage for some good photos.  Later I found one of my dance partner friends from the night before at Redd’s and dragged her onto the dance floor mayhem.  I was having a great time but realized my legs couldn’t outlast the endless energy of this band.  My thighs were burning as the last song of the set ended.

When Super Chikan took a break I headed back over to the Main Festival Stage for the end of Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm‘s set.  I had heard this duo perform many times.  Their nickname was the “Two Man Wrecking Crew.”  Cedric is an extremely aggressive drummer who likes to play with heavy hands and plainly visible passion.  Watching him play drums is an entertainment event in itself.  Malcolm plays guitar and handles most of the vocals in a warm, friendly, and at times mugging manner.  These boys are loaded with talent and soul.  They played the traditional North Mississippi Hill Country Blues style.  This music is often described as a droning and repetitive Blues.  In practice, the sound is often repetitive because it was originally played at house parties and juke joints to keep people dancing.  This form of Blues can have a hypnotic effect and hits me similar to the way Reggae does.   Once your ears catch the groove, you are hooked and getting up to dance or move to the music is completely involuntary.

Note: As of the writing of this article, I learned Lightnin’ Malcolm has now teamed up with Cameron Kimbrough (drums) for a new project and tour.  Their new CD releases April 2011.

On my way back to the Riverside I stopped into Redd’s to listen to some late night Big Jack Johnson.  It was advertised on the door as his “Birthday Party.”  It was a much more subdued event than the night before with family and friends present to wish him a happy birthday.  Sadly, it would be his last.

THINGS WARM UP ALL OVER AGAIN ON SUNDAY

Rather than winding down on Sunday, the Festival featured a full lineup of Gospel performers from 4:00 to 9:00pm.  Don’t forget the Cat Head Delta store Mini Blues Fest featuring performances from 9:30am well into the afternoon.  In addition, the Shack Up Inn featured a long list of performers from Sunday afternoon until the early evening.

Despite all the great music on tap Sunday, I was finally worn out and needed to conserve what little energy I had left for a twelve hour drive home.  I did somehow manage to make it downtown briefly around 10:00am for one more set of Anthony Big A (below) in front of the Cat Head Delta store.  But this was the only performance I caught on Sunday.

Anthony played with an excellent drummer from St. Louis named Frank Weaver.  Anthony was in top form playing half a dozen Blues standards.  I especially enjoyed his version of Catfish Blues.  For the second half of the set, Sherita Lynch joined them to sing a few more songs.  Sherita closed out the set with her own version of the always fun “Walk the Dog.”  It was a fitting end to the Festival for me as Sherita (above and below) put a smile on everyone’s faces.

IT’S ALL OVER NOW

As I think back upon my five days in Clarksdale, I am truly amazed at the variety of music performed at so many stages and venues throughout the week.  I know those musicians described within this article represent just a fraction of those who performed during the Festival.  There were stages and locations I didn’t attend at all.  This included seven Gospel acts on the Sunday Gospel Stage and what appeared to be quite a lineup Sunday out at the Hopson Plantation.

Was the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival worth braving the incredible August heat of Mississippi?…  I’m sure you know the answer by now.  What an experience!

I’ve been to larger festivals with bigger names on the bill and I must say I enjoyed myself more in Clarksdale.  I appreciated the smaller scale of the event and the close-up and personal access to so many artists.  In fact, I’ll be in back in Clarksdale for the April, 2011 Juke Joint Festival.  The Juke Joint Festival promises to deliver an even more intimate experience of the Blues through a large number of smaller stages and venues.

IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU, I’LL BE SEEING YOU ALL IN CLARKSDALE!!!

This article and all photos copyright bluespowerphoto.com / Ray Proetto[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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