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MARCH 2022
CAT HEAD UPDATE NEWSLETTER
"All the blues that's fit to print."
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Spring is on its way, y'all! Here's what's happening and coming up soon in Clarksdale, Mississippi!
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Howdy, y'all! Hope this latest dispatch from the blues Delta fines you in good spirits. Crazy times, but remember, music (especially the blues) is always there to brighten your day. Please see it, hear it and support it whenever and wherever you can.
The big news here in Clarksdale is that "spring breaking" tourists have started flowing through again (thankfully)... and the biggest blues weekend of the year is coming next month: JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL & RELATED EVENTS. Much of the lineup plus a limited number of Pre-sale Sat-night JJF Wristbands can be found at www.jukejointfestival.com. More on all that below, but please remember, while the official Saturday daytime music (14 stages!) is FREE, an official wristband is required for the Saturday nighttime shows (22 nighttime venue stages) — and last year's wristbands sold out. We hated that some folks couldn't get them in 2021, but because the nighttime is indoors (or at least within walls), we can only sell so many. Please keep that in mind as you make your plans. And hope to see you there!
Visiting now? CAT HEAD store is open 7 days a week at 11am, and you can shop our expanded WEB STORE anytime at www.cathead.biz. We've got plenty of awesome blues shirts, logo hats, Mississippi books, new vinyl records, classic CDs, local artwork and more.
Here's to Spring springing soon... wherever you are! Come see us when you can.
THANKS AND BEST,
Cat Head Roger and Ayler The Blues Pug
(both of us apparently interested in something to your left)
 
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JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL music lineup online now! Limited quantities of Sat-night Pre-Sale Wristbands available...
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Clarksdale, Mississippi's epic JUKE JOINT FESTIVAL is Saturday, April 23, 2022 — with amazing Related Events from Thursday through Sunday, y'all.
14 SATURDAY DAYTIME STAGES (FREE day music!): View April 23rd lineup at jukejointfestival.com/stage_schedules.php.
22 SATURDAY NIGHTTIME VENUE STAGES (JJF Wristband Required, CLICK TO BUY (limited quantities; details online): View April 23rd lineup at jukejointfestival.com/nighttime_venues.php.
HOTEL ROOMS are hard to come by, but absolutely start calling today. Full list at visitclarksdale.com/stay-all. Please be sure to contact each place separately to ask about rooms, and then always get on a waiting list. Check AirBnB (here) and VRBO (here) as well. You might also book a back-up room in nearby Lula at isleofcaprilula.com. Also, you can bring an RV/camper/tent; info at jukejointfestival.com/rv_form.php. Trust me. You REALLY want to be here, so it's worth the effort to find a place to stay.
Don't miss the FREE Sunday CAT HEAD MINI BLUES FEST as well on April 24th... jukejointfestival.com/cathead_minifest.php.
More RELATED EVENTS for Thurs-Sun to be added to website after April 1st. Our music, arts and entrepreneurial communities really come together to offer a long weekend of truly special events, so please stay tuned, and we'll promote all of them we can via jukejointfestival.com.
       
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SOUNDS AROUND TOWN... in-person blues music in Clarksdale, Mississippi... 365 days a year!
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Spread the word, y'all. Clarksdale really does have at least one 'live' blues show every single day (even holidays) — and usually more than one. Here's this week's Sounds Around Town calendar. Keep up with every week's happenings at the world-famous CAT HEAD MUSIC CALENDAR online at https://www.cathead.biz/music-calendar.
PLUS, check out LiveFromClarksdale.org for Clarksdale's WEEKLY LIVE-STREAMS, supported by Visit Clarksdale Tourism, VisitClarksdale.com.
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Shop Clarksdale's CAT HEAD store during our 20th anniversary, in-person or online in our WEB STORE!
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Founded in 2002, CAT HEAD specializes in blues, Mississippi and Clarksdale T-shirts, hats, artwork, books, vinyl, CDs, DVDs, drinkware and much more. Check out our online selection now at www.cathead.biz or shop in-store 11am-4pm Mon-Fri, till 5pm Sat and till 3pm Sun. We'll have special hours for Juke Joint Festival in April, of course. Thanks, y'all.
     
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Plan now for all-new WOMEN IN BLUES FESTIVAL coming to Clarksdale and Helena in May 2022!
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Y'all know Colleen from Live From Clarksdale (Clarksdale's pandemic-inspired weekly blues live-streams)? Well, she is organizing an amazing new blues festival for this May. It will feature a fabulous spectrum of female blues and roots performers in Clarksdale and also across the mighty Mississippi River in Helena. Save the date, video and information at womeninblues.org. Full schedule and lineup coming soon. Book your hotel rooms now, while you still can, for May 13-14, 2022.
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While I'm at it... happy (belated) International Women's Day. Come celebrate in the Delta during the fest above!
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LATEST BLUES, MISSISSIPPI, CLARKSDALE, JAZZ AND RELATED NEWS. Check out the links below...
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- New article on Clarksdale's young gun of the blues, Christone "KINGFISH" Ingram in the ATL Constitution (courtesy of Cat Head customer David H.) at https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/young-bluesman-carries-on-his-hometowns-tradition/KNQYITFNIZABFBSMNTYFXRT7IM/.
- Clarksdale Press Register covers our recent blues trip to Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers at https://www.pressregister.com/local-content-entertainment-communities-top-stories/clarksdale-blues-florida-coast.
- RESTAURANT IMPOSSIBLE TV show visits Clarksdale, Mississippi... https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/restaurant-impossible/episodes/holding-on-to-the-past.
- Another tribute to Clarksdale supporter Mark Benson, who passed recently... https://deltabohemian.com/tribute-to-mark-benson-by-chilly-billy-video/.
- Latest blues news from our friends at the BLUES FOUNDATION in nearby Memphis at https://mailchi.mp/1512297794a8/february-2022-newsletter?e=c136b88de7.
- Hear the latest BLUES TRAIL REVISITED podcasts at https://bluestrailrevisited.podbean.com/. Then, buy the DVD and CD that inspired the podcast at https://www.cathead.biz/cds-dvds.
- New podcast highlights the new blues travel guidebook CHASING THE BLUES (available at https://www.cathead.biz/books-art), https://www.buzzsprout.com/771806/10035861.
- Recent ROLLING STONE MAG article on Buffalo Nichols and future of black blues at https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/blues-buffalo-nichols-1296676/.
- Read the latest BLUES FESTIVAL GUIDE newsletter at https://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1415705080.
- The latest Mississippi River and canoe news from John Ruskey at Clarksdale's Quapaw Canoe Co at https://quapaw.substack.com/p/a-community-that-canoes-together?r=rrr1z&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email.
- Buy the new "Up South" MUSIC ISSUE of Oxford American Magazine (w/CD included) now in-store at Cat Head or online at https://www.cathead.biz/product-page/oxford-american-magazine-up-south-music-issue-winter-2021-22 (note that I may not have both 'covers' available, but the mags are the same inside), and read articles like this: https://oxfordamerican.org/magazine/issue-115-winter-2021/can-t-you-see-that-i-m-lonely.
- Also from Oxford American... "Buddy Guy walks into a bar..." https://oxfordamerican.org/magazine/issue-115-winter-2021/buddy-guy-walks-into-a-bar.
- 50 years in the making, BLUES TRAIL REVISITED the film is available on DVD and CD soundtrack... plus the blue VINYL LP soundtrack just arrived at Cat Head, y'all, so buy now at https://www.cathead.biz/music-video.
- Delta blues and Delta hot tamales... article via John C. at https://www.axios.com/tamales-blues-latino-links-american-black-south-909c661f-ffdc-40f1-8feb-6eff74a1d3f4.html.
- A bit of blues history regarding Beale Street in Memphis (passed along by Charlie Musselwhite) at http://fourwallspublishing.com/BlogMChaney/.
- Bonnie Raitt announces new album and tour (w/the awesome Lucinda Willliams)... https://www.rockandbluesmuse.com/2021/12/14/bonnie-raitt-announces-just-like-that-tour-2022-and-new-album/.
- Updates from Clarksdale's CCHEC/Cutrer Mansion: https://mailchi.mp/5e06e8696fd7/cchec-weekly-newsletter-15325985?e=e1088cf7ba.
- Keep up with the latest THACKER MOUNTAIN RADIO shows from Oxford, MS, and vicinity (in-person, online and on the radio) at https://www.thackermountain.com/upcoming-shows/.
- Nice DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE piece on our friend Cam Kimbrough's new album at https://downbeat.com/news/detail/memphissippi-sounds-blues-at-a-21st-century-crossroads. Catch Memphissippi Sounds at Juke Joint Festival next month.
- Plan now for August's MISSISSIPPI BOOK FESTIVAL in Jackson, MS. As both a presenter and an attendee, I just think it is one of the best events all year. And yes, there are always blues music and culture books and authors represented. More at https://msbookfestival.com/.
- Latest from DSU's Delta Center for Culture & Learning in nearby Cleveland, MS at https://indd.adobe.com/view/482acf6e-1ba5-44bb-a571-9f14412a67de.
- History of my fav sports mascot of all time... THE FIGHTING OKRA... at DSU in Cleveland, MS (via Delta Magazine)... https://deltastatement.com/3805/features/the-unexpected-child/.
- BEALE STREET MUSIC FEST to return... https://www.memphisflyer.com/beale-street-music-fest-roars-back-to-life.
- Latest from MAKING THE SCENE indy music (including blues) publication at https://www.makingascene.org/?na=v&nk=5215-ee656caab9&id=458.
- Another blues-related GO FUND ME to consider... Intrepid Artists (artist booking agency) rep Kevin Hopkins tragically passed away recently leaving a young wife and family behind. Read more and consider donating at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-kevin-hopkins-family.
- Clarksdale, Mississippi, recognized at truly "Instagramable" at https://www.travelzoo.com/uk/blog/the-most-instagrammable-spots-in-north-america/.
- Remembering Mississippi-born blues/soul man Syl Johnson at https://www.memphisflyer.com/remembering-hi-records-star-syl-johnson.
- In case you missed it, last month's CAT HEAD UPDATE newsletter is at https://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1415674760.
- Memphis Flyer profiles "Hill Country Hero" KENNY BROWN at https://mailchi.mp/memphisflyer/new-issue-mqukkvo73m?e=1d913d04a7. Catch him 'live' at Juke Joint Festival (twice!) on April 23rd in Clarksdale, MS.
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Oh... Did we mention that our expanded CAT HEAD WEB STORE is always open? And we ship daily...
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I can't "THANKS, Y'ALL!" enough for helping to fuel the past 20 years of your friendly, neighborhood CAT HEAD DELTA BLUES & FOLK ART store in historic Clarksdale, Mississippi. But I'll say it again, anyway. "Thanks."
Now, as spring starts to spring, maybe it's time to freshen up that wardrobe and prepare for those upcoming blues festivals and outdoor parties? Maybe SHOP OUR WEB STORE now at https://www.cathead.biz.
      
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Keep up with upcoming festivals, book your hotel rooms, and get out and enjoy some LIVE BLUES MUSIC...
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Hop online or pick up the phone. Maybe even buy a new blues travel guidebook at https://www.cathead.biz/books-art. But absolutely start planning your next visit to CLARKSDALE AND THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA. We have live blues 365 nights per year in Clarksdale — plus over a dozen annual festivals. Because of all the music, we also have an incredibly diverse collection of places to stay, eat and enjoy the blues.
MUSIC CALENDAR (including festivals) at https://www.cathead.biz/music-calendar. There you will see "Sounds Around Town," but scroll down, and you'll see our entire year of festivals. Scroll some more, and you'll find my listing of daily blues events in Clarksdale for as far out as I know them.
HOTELS AND LODGING at https://www.visitclarksdale.com/stay-all. And while you're on the Visit Clarksdale Tourism website, be sure to check out the visitor app as well as the excellent (and free) Audio Walking Tour app. And more.
Oh, and hey... while you're planning your visit, be sure to check out our buddy Billy Howell's fantastic Delta Bohemian Tours at https://deltabohemiantours.com/.
Finally, to get psyched up for the trip, check out the FREE blues road-trip co-production... the Moonshine & Mojo Hands video series at http://moonshineandmojohands.com/episodes.html.
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And finally, just because I need a little sympathy! (It is what it is. That's why they call it the blues.)
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A true bummer of a "before and after" to post, but some young fool totaled the best car I've ever owned at 3am Monday morning while it was parked out front of my apartment. The guy hit my car so hard that it moved backwards two full parallel parking spaces. Ugh.
Special thanks goes to the quick response of my friends at the Clarksdale Police Department, though. They caught the guy trying to hit-and-run — albeit an attempted escape at O.J. Simpson speeds, since he was dragging my car's front end on the front of his.
Could've been worse. At least no one was hurt. And I did get to enjoy one final "Sunday drive" just 12 hours before. I know it's not right to love objects, but I truly loved this one. We'll see how it works out with my insurance company and such. Fingers crossed.............
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