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MAY 2021
CAT HEAD UPDATE NEWSLETTER
"All the blues that's fit to print."
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Juke Joint Festival rocked, and Clarksdale Caravan Music Fest rolled. BLUES LIVES! Here's the update.
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Hey y'all! Hope this month's newsletter finds you healthy, vaccinated and ready for some blues. We've been busy here at the proverbial "Crossroads," as you will see. Read on for what's up down South.
By the way, whether you're ready to road-trip now or want to plan for a visit later, here's where to go: Concert Calendar (w/festivals) at cathead.biz/music-calendar, Streaming Calendar at livefromclarksdale.org, and Visit Clarksdale info at visitclarksdale.com. Get a trip preview at https://youtu.be/I50ZeRBLS7U, and then please #VisitMSResponsibly.
Help keep Cat Head around! Shop www.cathead.biz today for T-shirts, hats, vinyl LPs, CDs, DVDs, books, artwork, glasses, mugs and much more. Also, shop us in-person 7 days a week: Mon-Fri 11am-4pm; Sat till 5pm; Sun 11-3. Questions? Email roger@cathead.biz.
Please continues to mask up when appropriate, get your shot when you can, and come see us for some blues.
Thanks and best,
Roger Stolle (and blues pug, Ayler).
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JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL returns to Clarksdale, Mississippi, with 13 daytime stages and more...
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After last year's cancellation and pivot to a 27-act, 9-hour live-stream event, the world-famous Juke Joint Festival & Related Events returned to Clarksdale, Mississippi, as a "pandemic-ly modified" in-person event — April 15-18, 2021 (jukejointfestival.com). And it was amazing — with attendees from 40 U.S. states plus Canada.
THANKS goes out to all of our volunteers, of course, and a BIG THANKS goes out to our many sponsors — including Visit Clarksdale Tourism, The Crossroads Economic Partnership, Visit Mississippi, Isle of Capri, Southern Bancorp, Clarksdale Public Utilities and The Walton Family Foundation.
Before I tell you about all of the great music and special events, let me stress that we put hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into planning and executing the safest, most thoughtful festival possible in these very challenging times. We wanted our musicians and businesses to make much needed money, but we also wanted to keep both our community and visitors healthy.
JJF A.K.A. THE HEALTH & SAFETY FESTIVAL
Instead of booking over 100 musical acts like in 2019, we booked around 70. Instead of presenting one act after another with little break, we left more time between each performance so bands didn't cross the stage at the same time and to allow for sanitization. We provided each of our 13 daytime stages with touchless hand sanitizers, crowd-control stanchions, "mask up" signage, alcohol wipes, Lysol spray, microphone covers, etc. We also suggested that singers bring their own microphones if possible. Instead of setting up audience tents and chairs in front of some daytime stages, we kept the sunshine and air circulation and suggested folks bring their own lawn chairs. We strongly recommended face masks in social settings (i.e. inside buildings between bites and sips, and outside when social distancing couldn't be maintained). In addition to special health and safety protocols for indoor shows (including masking, distancing, sanitizing, temperature checks, etc.), we provided many of the venues with clear virus shields to place in front of musicians. Our local hospital also provided free, on-site Covid-19 vaccinations at the festival.
WHAT WERE THE MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS?
THURSDAY - We normally hold our Thursday JJF Kick-off at the retro-cool New Roxy (purposely roofless) theater, but this pandemic year, we went totally outdoors — utilizing the large, permanent stage attached to the Delta Blues Museum (DeltaBluesMuseum.org). We started with blues musician and club owner Sean "Bad" Apple's blues revue featuring Peggy "Lady Trucker" Hemphill and (her husband) King Artemis. Then, we hosted a Sam Cook walk of fame marker dedication by a representative from Meridian, Mississippi's The Max museum. But, let's face it, most of the crowd came to see one young man: Christone "Kingfish" Ingram (this year's recipient of JJF's Miss Sarah Award, by the way). Yeah, his JJF performance was pretty mind-blowing.
FRIDAY - During the daytime, I featured live blues out front of my Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art store, plus we had a couple workshop/discussions nearby at Meraki Coffee Roasters (and plenty of other "related events" around town). The daytime highlight for me was hosting "Cadillac" John Nolden's 94th birthday performance on Cat Head's porch. To my knowledge, Cadillac is the oldest still-performing bluesman in the world. And he is real-deal, y'all. Belzoni-born Bill Abel backed up Cadillac's vocals and harp expertly on various alternatively-tuned guitars, and at the end, juke joint owner Red Paden wished Caddy a happy birthday. My other favorite Friday event was the Thacker Mountain Radio Hour's live show on the Delta Blues Museum outdoor stage (ThackerMountain.com). This year's theme was "Ladies of the Blues" and featured performers like Eden Brent, Miss Gladys and Lady Trucker as well as blues museum director Shelley Ritter saying a few words.
SATURDAY - Wow. The main day. A little smaller, a little more outdoors and with a few more rules. But it was still fabulous. 13 daytime stages of free blues 'n roots music acts spread throughout our historic downtown plus a mini car show, monkeys riding dogs (yes, literally), racing pigs, arts & crafts vendors, Southern food purveyors, a student art/writing exhibition and more. At night, most of the music moved inside — 13 indoor, 4 mostly outdoor venues — for those who were comfortable with indoor events. JJF acts included James "Super Chikan" Johnson, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, "Little" Willie Farmer, "Little" Joe Ayers, RL Boyce, Lightnin' Malcolm, Duwayne Burnside, Robert Kimbrough Sr., Kenny Brown, "Lady" Australia Jones (Paul "Wine" Jones' sister; a new discovery) and many more. Saturday really is the biggest of the JJF days/nights, so please check out the lineups at JukeJointFestival.com since I'm likely forgetting some things.
SUNDAY - While Bluesberry Cafe's Back Alley Bar rocked the blues all day, I hosted my annual Cat Head Mini Blues Fest in front of my store as blues fans took over the street. Cat Head acts included Lucious Spiller, Anthony "Big A" Sherrod, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band, Sean "Bad" Apple and others. As music filled the air, Juke Joint Festival volunteers sold event T-shirts and souvenirs across the street at our festival headquarters. See what's left for sale in the JJF web store at the website above.
PLAN NOW FOR NEXT YEAR: Many (most?) rooms are already booked up for April 21-24, 2022, so don't wait. Book now! Lodging options at VisitClarksdale.com.
          
     
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SOUNDS AROUND TOWN music calendar features 'live' in-person blues... EVERY DAY, y'all!
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Welcome to SOUNDS AROUND TOWN — some VIRTUAL, most PUBLIC. Help us put on more live music. For PUBLIC shows: Please mask up, social distance... and join the fun. Thanks, y'all! #VisitMSResponsibly.
Definitions for calendar below:
- "VIRTUAL" - Strictly live-streaming; closed to public; watch via LiveFromClarksdale.org (unless otherwise noted below).
- "PUBLIC" - Live, in-person music open to the public (but not live-streamed).
- "PUBLIC/VIRTUAL" - Watch online OR in-person.
Wednesday, 5/12- 3pm - PUBLIC - Sean "Bad" Apple at Bad Apple Blues Club (349 Issaquena Ave., downtown); masks between sips & social distancing.- 7pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Lucious Spiller Band plays Red's Lounge (and Lucci Spiller Facebook page); limited seating, social distancing, masking.- 8pm - PUBLIC - Deak Harp at Ground Zero Blues Club (0 Blues Alley).Thursday, 5/13- 2:30pm - VIRTUAL - Lucious Spiller (solo) streams matinee show from home (on Lucci Spiller FB page).- 7pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Jam Night w/Stan Street & Lala Craig at Hambone Gallery (111 E. 2nd St.) and online.- 8pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Big A & Allstars at Ground Zero Blues Club (0 Blues Alley).Friday, 5/14- 3pm - PUBLIC - Sean "Bad" Apple at Bad Apple Blues Club (349 Issaquena Ave.); masks between sips & social distancing.- 5pm/6pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Hopson Happy Hour: 5pm behind-the-scenes farm history tour & 6pm Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry performance at Hopson Commissary; watch in-person or online via LiveFromClarksdale.org.- 7pm - PUBLIC - Fridays at the Stage w/Lucious Spiller Band on Delta Blues Museum Stage.- 7pm - PUBLIC - Live blues TBA at Red's Lounge with limited seating, social distancing, masking.- 8pm - PUBLIC - Lala & Element 88 at Ground Zero Blues Club (0 Blues Alley).Saturday, 5/15- 3pm - PUBLIC - Sean "Bad" Apple at Bad Apple Blues Club (349 Issaquena Ave.); masks between sips & social distancing.- 7pm - PUBLIC - Frank "Guitar" Rimmer at Red's Lounge with limited seating, social distancing, masking.- 7pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - 19th Street Red (7pm), Black Lung Lucy (9pm) & Deak Harp w/Quicksand (10:30pm) at Harp Shack (next to Shorty's Shack) and Deak's FB page..- 8pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Diedre Ruff Pro Band at Ground Zero Blues Club (0 Blues Alley) and via LiveFromClarksdale.org.Sunday, 5/16- 10am - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Blues Breakfast w/Robin Hathaway in Bluesberry Cafe Back Alley Bar (weather permitting, or inside) and Bluesberry Cafe FB page; limited seating, social distancing, masks required.- 1pm - VIRTUAL - Mississippi Marshall live-streams blues on his FB page.- 1pm - VIRTUAL - Clarksdale Stuck in the House Party w/Gary Vincent & guest (on Gary's business FB page).- 7pm - PUBLIC - Mark "Mule Man" Massey at Red's Lounge with limited seating, social distancing, masking.Monday, 5/17- 7pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Blues Dinner w/Doug Brosseau River City All Stars & Lee Williams in Bluesberry Cafe Back Alley Bar (weather permitting, or inside) and Bluesberry Cafe FB page; limited seating, social distancing, masks required.Tuesday, 5/18- 7pm - PUBLIC/VIRTUAL - Watermelon Slim at Hambone Gallery (111 E. 2nd St.).
All Clarksdale times are Central.
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CAT HEAD DELTA BLUES & FOLK ART: Masked customers shop STORE Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat till 5 and Sun 11-3. WEB STORE at www.cathead.biz.
COMING SOON: Clarksdale's Memorial Day Weekend blues blowout w/Ground Zero Anniversary, Goat Fest & more.
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Fantastic new BLUES TRAIL REVISITED PODCAST series sponsored by Visit Clarksdale Tourism...
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Filmmaker Ted Reed launched his fascinating new podcast with coverage of Juke Joint Festival, Mississippi blues and Clarksdale revitalization efforts. It's FREE, courtesy of Visit Clarksdale.
Go to the BLUES TRAIL REVISITED Podcast HOME PAGE at https://bluestrailrevisited.podbean.com/ to listen to these episodes below.
Episode 1 - Bubba O'Keefe (Visit Clarksdale), Roger Stolle (Cat Head/JJF), Christone "Kingfish" Ingram.
Episode 2 - Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Libby Rae Watson, 94-yr-old Cadillac John, festival BBQ vendor.
Episode 3 - Hal Reed, Grace Askew, Robert Kimbrough Sr., Monkeys Riding Dogs (literally, y'all!).
Episode 4 - Jesse Cotton Stone, Shy & Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry, Reverend Peyton.
Episode 5 - Ghalia Volt, Meraki Coffee, Johnny Rawls.
Or, go to Amazon Music podcasts, and search for "Blues Trail." And watch for additional future episodes... coming soon.
Love the free podcasts, but want even more? ALSO, RENT TED REED'S "THE BLUES TRAIL REVISITED" full-length film at Bit.Ly/bluestrail
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CLARKSDALE CARAVAN MUSIC FEST enjoys a fabulous Saturday of weather and friends...
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After catching a few ZZZZZ's after Clarksdale, Mississippi's time-intensive Juke Joint Festival last month, we staged the return of our annual (14th in 15 years) Clarksdale Caravan Music Fest this past Saturday (clarksdalecaravan.com).
Theo "Rock & Blues Museum" Dasbach and I started CCMF 15 years ago, and after skipping a year, it returned with a big smile... behind a mask. We kept all of the music outside with health & safety protocols in place, and we drew visitors from around the region and the U.S. (One couple made a three-day drive from California specifically to enjoy the Caravan!) Caravan is named 'Caravan' because we start the music on one stage and then move it to another. As you can see from the poster below, we started at Cat Head, moved to Bluesberry and ended at the Bad Apple. (There was also the beginnings of a new Crossroads Blues, Brews & BBQ event in town... plus 'live' nighttime blues at places like Ground Zero and Red's... btw.)
    
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MEMPHIS FLYER cover story highlights Clarksdale's JUKE JOINT FEST and includes Kingfish pic!
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BAD APPLE BLUES CLUB adds daytime blues to Clarksdale, Mississippi's 7-night-a-week scene.
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Sean "Bad" Apple — probably the only person in the world to open a new blues club in the middle of a global pandemic last summer — has added much-needed daytime music to our (returned) "365" calendar of awesome in-person blues in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Sean is playing 3pm every Wed/Fri/Sat with occasional special guests like Little Willie Farmer and Miss Australia "Honeybee" Jones. (Live From Clarkdale's Colleen and David recently live-streamed Mr. Farmer.) For his weekly schedule, please see the Cat Head Music Calendar at https://www.cathead.biz/music-calendar.
  
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2021 Chicago Blues and Jazz Festivals on hiatus according the Downbeat magazine...
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Did I mention that THACKER MOUNTAIN RADIO returned for JJF? And it was "Ladies' Night"?!
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The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour recorded a live edition of its show – “Ladies of the Blues!” – on the Delta Blues Museum Stage, April 16th in Clarksdale, MS as part of this year’s pandemic-modified Juke Joint Festival! Guests included acclaimed Delta blues pianist, Eden Brent (top photo) longtime Delta performers, Miss Gladys (middle) and Peggy “Lady Trucker” Hemphill (bottom photo) plus special guests. Hosts of the show were Jim Dees and Thacker house band, the Yalobushwhackers (and Deak Harp played a pre-show show). A week later, it broadcast statewide in Mississippi, Alabama and (parts of) Tennessee. Thanks to Thacker for coming over from Oxford and our sponsors for making it happen.
LISTEN TO THE SHOW NOW at https://soundcloud.com/thackermountain/042421-shelley-ritter-miss-gladys-eden-brent-peggy-lady-trucker-hemphill.
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NEW YORK TIMES covers the challenges of remote learning by visiting Clarksdale, Mississippi...
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Journalist Rukmini Callimachi (a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist who's covered Al Qaeda and ISIS) and photographer Tamir Kalifa spent a most of a week in Clarksdale while researching this article — and stayed on for an extra night just to experience Terry "Harmonica" Bean at Red's juke joint. Not sure if you have to be subscriber to read this article, but it's worth the time if the link works for you:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/05/us/remote-learning-education-pandemic.html?smid=url-share.
 
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LATEST BLUES, MISSISSIPPI, JAZZ AND RELATED NEWS. Check out the links below...
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