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©copyright by The Bluesnet |
Once again the call of the Blues drew the faithful way
down South, to the Delta land of Helena, Ak. Anticipation of this event
kept this writer restless the night before, a feeling reminiscent of
Christmas as a child. An early departure on a beautiful fall day showcased
the natural beauty of Missouri, with the many shades of orange
and red emblazoned across the land. As the miles passed, and the
cotton began to turn the lanscape into a sea of white, the feel of the
Delta began to emerge. At a fuel stop in Memphis, I'm sure it was Elvis
I spotted working behind the counter. Continuing on for a short drive
down Hwy. 61 brings you to Clarksdale,
Ms., a town steeped in Blues history. It's here that you'll find
the site where WC
Handy lived, right next to the Delta
Blues museum, and so much more. Just next door to the Blues museum
you'll find Ground Zero, the Blues Club owned by actor Morgan
Freeman, who happened to be there all weekend. As you drive along
Sunflower on your way back from the Blues Musuem, on your right you'll
pass the Riverside hotel, where Bessie
Smith spent some of her last days. Back on Hwy. 61 heading north, you'll soon see the turnoff for Helena, and before you know it, you're over the Mississippi and in the land of "Da Biscuit". Things seem to stay unchanged in this sleepy little river town. The liquor store that burned several years ago is still standing, as is the architectural beauty of the Edwardian Inn just down the street. A few blocks down the road will bring you to the banks of the Mississippi levee that gracefully create the main stage ampitheater. Just a few years ago, as we sat on the railroad tracks that pass along these levee banks , David "Honeyboy " Edwards entertained me with stories of his early Helena days.
Friday began with blue skies, and the forecast of approaching
rain and winds. A quick trip to WalMart for some weather gear, and then
we were soon fest bound. Sure enough, blue skies turned to grey, and
the rain soon followed. By 3 pm the stages had to close, but not before
Guitar
Shorty did his patented guitar magic (ala Hendrix),
and sang "roll over baby, roll me like you used to do". The
dedicated fest staff of the KBBF weathered the first wave of storms,
and soon had the main stage back in business. The media party was in
full swing by 5 pm, so we ducked in for some warmth , food & fun,
with great music provided by Oreo
Blue. Emerging from that party around 7 pm, we found mother nature
hadn't quite finished! The Festgrounds had emptied in our absence, and
so we decided to call it a day. Unfortunately for us, we later found
that the Marcia Ball act hadn't
completely cancelled, she just moved her show to the Sonny
Boy hall, where we hear she played until the wee hours!
Once again a strong St. Louis showing was there in force.
Paul & Vicky, Lou & Julie, Ken & Pat, Rebecca & Paul,
and many more! Festival bro Dr. Fultzenstien even came up from New
Orleans to once again participate in one of the finest fests to be
found! Sadly, all Blues Fests must end, and the journey begin back
to our daily lives. As I headed back to St. Louis, news of the retalitory
attack on Afghanistan blanketed the airwaves. The very fact that we
are at war makes an event like the King Biscuit all the more special,
and a great way to celebrate America! |