Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival
The Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival is a blues and gospel festival that has been held annually in Clarksdale , Mississippi since 1988 . Clarksdale and the surrounding area, Coahoma County , is often referred to as the birthplace of the blues .
history
The first festival was funded by downtown Clarksdale merchants in 1988 and sponsored by Jim O'Neal and Dr. Patricia Johnson organized. It took place on open air stages on the banks of the Sunflower River and brought dozens of musicians to the stage. The venue of the festival changed frequently in the following years, but the aim of the organizers remained to be able to hold the festival without admission and to maintain the relaxed atmosphere. One of the main venues became the Delta Blues Museum , but other locations also serve as concert stages. As in the beginning, the festival is still organized by volunteers today. The Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival is one of the largest musical events on the Mississippi. Around 25,000 visitors are expected annually. A special feature of the festival is a round trip by train to Hopson Plantation, while blues musicians play on the train for tips.
In addition to the music, the educational aspect is also important. Forum discussions and lectures are often held, which are funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council. One of the topics was "Eating in the Mississippi Delta". Here was z. B. prepared "Catfish" by Big John Broom, Boss Hogg and his family devoted themselves to the barbecue and Shirley Fair lectured on and cooked soul food. Every year the festival awards the “The Early Wright Blues Heritage Award” to non-musicians who spread and promote blues music through their work. It was named after Early Wright, the first African-American DJ in Mississippi. The winners include B. Jim O'Neal, founder and longtime editor of Living Blues magazine ; and Lillian McMurry, founder of Trumpet Records .
Clarksdale was twinned with Notodden in Norway in 1996 and the festival partnered with the Notodden Blues Festival, one of the largest in Europe. The blues festival has also entered into a partnership with the Maximum Blues Festival in the Canadian province of Québec .
Artists at the festival (selection)
Juke Joint Duo- Cedric Burnside & Lightnin 'Malcolm, James "Super Chikan" Johnson, Jelly Roll Kings, Jack Owens and Bud Spiers, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Boogaloo Ames , Othar Turner and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band, Johnnie Billington, Keith Sykes, Snooky Pryor , Katie Webster , Mose Allison , Latimore, Johnny Rawls, Homemade Jamz Blues Band
Remarks
- ↑ "Mississippi Delta" does not mean the mouth region of the Mississippi south of Baton Rouge , Louisiana , but the region on the lower Mississippi in the state of the same name, in which Clarksdale is also located, see also → Lower Mississippi Delta Region and → Yazoo River