| Sunflower
River Blues and Gospel festival |
By
Big Dave
 Just
1 hour south of Memphis lies a city so steeped in
blues history, it draws musicians and blues fans from
all over the world. This where you'll find the legendary
'Crossroads' of blues lore. Clarkdale,
Ms. is this musical mecca, where the
Sunflower
River Blues and Gospel festival, a free event,
recently celebrated it's 19th year with this lineup
-
Maximum Blues Band - From the
Sunflower's Sister Festival in Quebec, Canada •
Jimbo Mathus Knockdown South • Duwayne Burnside
& the Mississippi Mafia • Latimore •
Wesley Jefferson Southern Soul Band • David
Lee Durham & the True Blues Band • Big T
& the Family • Terry "Harmonica"
Bean & Bill Abel Blues Band • Big George
Brock & the Houserockers • Early Wright
& Julius Guy Award Presentations • Sam Carr
- Tribute and Award Presentation • Super Chikan
& the Fighting Cocks • Shardee Turner and
the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band • The North
Mississippi Allstars
Over 25,000 fans converged on this
city to soak up a weekend of outstanding
Blues and Gospel, making the Sunflower
River Blues and Gospel festival one
of the biggest annual events Clarksdale hosts. Big
George was a Saturday headliner, and it was nice to
see a St. Louis presence on the main stage. Over the
past few years his career has really skyrocketed,
thanks in part to the promotional efforts of Roger
Stolle of Cat
Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, Inc.
The
Crossroads Legend |
| At
the stroke of midnight, Robert Johnson
walked down to the windswept crossroads
at the junction of Highways 61 and
49 in Clarksdale, MS. Reciting an
ancient incantation, he called upon
Satan himself to rise from the fires
of Hell. In exchange for Johnson's
immortal soul, the devil tuned his
guitar, thereby giving him the abilities
which he so desired. From then on,
the young bluesman played his instrument
with an unearthly style, his fingers
dancing over the strings. His voice
moaned and wailed, expressing the
deepest sorrows of a condemned sinner.
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Cat Head is
a 6-day-a-week store that features a full selection
of blues CDs, videos, DVDs, books and collectibles
as well as an affordable mix of Southern self-taught,
folk and outsider art. "It's kind of like shopping
in a juke joint," Roger said, describing the
building's rustic interior, colorful artwork and down
home music. "It's the kind of store we always
dreamed of finding in our Delta travels but never
did." Stop on in, where you'll probably find
Roger and Jennifer Stolle at the counter - tell them
STLBlues sent you!
There's so much to see and do around Clarksdale, it's
hard to fit everything into one weekend! Other 'must-do'
places to add to your list - a stop at the Delta Amusement
cafe, touring the Delta Blues museum, Red's juke joint,
Ground Zero blues club, the Riverside motel, the Hopson
Plantation, and of course, the Crossroads! Make the
Sunflower
River Blues and Gospel festival a 'must-do' on your
fest travel schedule, you'll be glad you did!
Here's our photo gallery
for your enjoyment, see you at Fest!
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