Mississippi, Days 4-5 The Afterparty

Day 4

Sunday, April 13, 2025

     It felt good to be packing up the room.  I definitely won't miss the drive to West Helena tonight.  With the main part of the festival over, and the crowds gone, lodging in Clarksdale returned to its previous costs.  So, a cheap room and no commute.

     Sunday breakfast as always was at Grandmother's Pancake House.  And as always, when it's crowded, they put random groups at a table together.  This morning, I was at a table with four visitors from Iowa.  They saw the high prices of motel rooms and decided to camp instead.

     At the Cat Head stage, Lucious Spiller was playing.  He had a stroke a few years ago and had to relearn to play the guitar.  His speech slurs a bit when he talks.  But, not when he sings.  You can see him perform "You Shook Me" from a few years ago here:

       Next on the Cat Head stage was an annual tradition, Rev. Payton and His Big Damn Band.  The band headlines somewhere Saturday night, but has been doing a free show at 11A on Sundays for years.  And as always, they do draw a crowd.  You can hear one of their newest songs, "Like a Treasure" here:

     Next on the stage, Sean "Bad" Apple.  Check out those shoes...

     You can hear him perform his song "Still on This Side of the Dirt" here.  There are newer, cleaner videos.  But, it's the venue that mattered.  Po' Monkey's Lounge used to be a sharecropper's shack until Willie Seaberry turned it into a proper juke joint.

    Located in the middle of nowhere in Marigold, Mississippi, it looked like a light breeze would blow it over.  Will Jacks wrote a tribute for Mississippi Folklife after Willie's passing in 2016.  You can read that here: 

     Years ago, I read a book written by a traveling salesman.  He visited many of the old juke joints and decided to write about it.  Not many were left.  The book made me want to see as many as possible before they were all gone.  One of them was Po' Monkey's.  It was a quiet night with no live music.  So, I had a beer with a few locals and Willie.  Sadly, he passed away in 2016.  With his passing, the lounge closed.

      Next on the stage was Layla Musslewhite, daughter of blues legend Charlie Musslewhite.  You can see them together performing "Baby-O" here"

     Next on the stage was Terry "Big T" Williams.  He was actually born here in Clarksdale.  He heard the blues as a kid and was hooked.  He was gifted his first guitar at nine years old and never looked back.  You can see him sing "Catfish Blues" here:   

   That's Miss Gladys with his.  He introduced her as the last of a famous group of singers.  I wish I had been fast enough to write it down.

     Earlier in the day, I asked about local what it's like on Mondays.  She told me it's practically a ghost town, "just us locals left to our devices."

      There are billboards advertising Live Blues Nightly all over the place.  She told me the four biggest clubs worked out a deal for the quiet seasons.  They worked up a rotation for live music.  This way they weren't all competing for the small crowds.

      Since the vast majority of people leave Sunday, motel rates drop.  That's why I had booked the night at the America's Best Inn.  No driving to Arkansas tonight!  

     At check-in, the owner wanted to know what I paid for the room, $79.  He told me, if I had simply walked in, it would be $3 cheaper.  He seemed adamant that I understood that.

     After dropping off my stuff, it was back to the festival.  The Bluesberry Cafe has a back porch which is their Sunday venue.  Watermelon Slim owns the place and from time to time sits in with the bands.  On Sunday afternoon, he does his own set, with guests.   You can see his video for "Little Bighorn" here:  It was shot in the street in front of his club.  

       Of course, a weekend of the blues wouldn't be the same without the after-party at Red's Tavern.  Red passed away two years ago.  His kids decided to keep it going.  Red had a few rules in his lounge.  They boiled down to respecting the place and the musicians.  And no rock-n-roll, just blues.  

     As always, the house band kicks things off.

      There's a signup sheet by the door.  Just add your name to the list and they rotate you in to play.  Generally, you get three songs.  The guys playing bass and drums rotated in and played close to an hour.  They were loving it.

     A young guitarist named Tito came all the way from Norway for the festival.  The crowd loved him.  He finished his three songs, packed up his guitar and stepped outside.

      I didn't recognize the next player, but many in the crowd did.  When he opened his harmonica case, they started cheering.  He was introduce as Doc William?  I think that's what I heard.  I'll call him Doc anyway.  

    Before he played, he said, he needed a guitar player.  People started shouting "Tito."  Someone went outside to get him.  Tito obviously recognized Doc.    

     

       During his set, he periodically would turn to the other musicians and say "your turn."  Loved the respect towards Doc, and by Doc.  

     When they finished, I woman on the other side of the floor stopped Tito, told him she had recorded the whole thing and would he like her to send it to him.  Just amazing.  

     A few other performers and after about three hours I called it a night.

Day 5

Monday, April 14, 2025

     I was up and out with the sun for a long, uneventful drive home.   Just a direct drive out and back is exhausting.  If I do this next year, I'll definitely have to make it into one of those roundabout trips instead.  But still, well worth it.   

Dave

4/2025

Mississippi, Days 1-2 ...Back to the Juke Joint Festival

Day 1

Thursday, April 10, 2025

     With four hundred miles to drive, I was up and out nice and early.  Knowing I had morning commuters to contend with, I took a few back roads and picked up I-20 well west of town.  From there, it was a matter of grinding out the miles.  

      To set the mood of the trip, I selected Rip Lee Pryor from the thumb drive.  I saw him at the Juke Joint Festival a few years ago.  

     Sunrise over Campbellton...

    Outside Oxford, Alabama, I started seeing signs for Combat Park, where you can drive a tank for $99.  Interesting, but I drove on.

      Passing through the town of Riverside, I noticed an old bridge in the distance.  Of course I went to check it out.

   Seen in the Mississippi Welcome Center south of Tupelo...

     The rest of the drive was simply grinding out the miles and trying to get to the motel before this hit...

     Once again, I had tried to book a room way too late.  My options in Clarksdale was a shared room in a hostel with seven other guys, or the Hampton Inn.  They were the only place on line that had a room left.  It would have run me $1,225 for the entire weekend.  

     So, I booked myself into the same place as the last three times, the Delta Inn in West Helena, Arkansas. Sure, it was a thirty minute drive from Clarksdale.  But, I did get to cross the Mississippi River.

     The Delta Inn is nothing special.  But, it's clean and quiet.  My three nights ran me less than $200 total.  Not too bad.

     I was just glad to be in before the rain.  

     

      The rain came and went, just in time for sunset.

Day 2

Friday, April 11, 2025

    The original plan was to be up early enough for sunrise over the Mississippi River.  With all that road time yesterday, I just wasn't feeling it.  

     Instead, I drove down to Riverside Park on my way out of town.  They have a nice walkway out to an overlook of the river.

     That's the bridge I crossed last night and will be taking back into Mississippi. Before 1961, the only way across was by ferry.

     From here it's a half hour drive to Clarksdale, Mississippi.  Friday is basically a soft open to the Juke Joint Festival.  Saturday, most of downtown gets blocked off.  Not a problem today.

     Cat Head is a blues themed store selling CDs and books.  Out front, Randy "19th Street Red" Cohen was warming up.  Decent way to open the weekend. You can see him perform "Mystery Train" here.

     Nice to see the old Marion Theater getting some much needed love.  It first opened in 1918.  On the back of the building, there's a stairway up to the balcony entrance.  At the time, only white patrons were allowed in the front door.  In 1931, a brightly lit marquis was added and it was rebranded the Paramount Theater.  On Saturday, musicians will set up underneath. Griot Arts, Inc bought the Theater.  The plan is to make it into a community based art facility.  Click the link to read more.

 

      The motel coffee was tepid at best.  The craving kicked in and I found myself walking into Meraki Roasting Company.

Delta By the Beach was on stage.  I only caught the last few songs.  Definitely worth checking out again. And the coffee...excellent.

     I've hit my share of coffee shops on the road.  This is a first, a communal printer.  Nice!

     Next stop was Deak Harp's Harmonica Shop.  I met a local woman who watches the store when Deak is out on vacation.  It's apparently well known among harmonica enthusiasts.  They come from all over the world to his shop.  

    Out front, Bill Abel was just starting his set.  With some performers, I'll stop for a few songs and move on.  I stayed for his entire set.  And yes, I even bought one of his CDs.  This is from the festival five years ago.  This is why I keep coming back.

      His drummer was wearing an Acid Hologram shirt.  Interesting choice for a blues festival.  Click the link, if you dare. It's definitely different.

     My next stop was a place called Hambone Art and Music.  They sell art work from local artists inside.  Outside. Alessandro Ponti & Da Bones Man were playing.  I hadn't seen them before, but enjoyed their whole set.

     Some days you just need your formal washboard...

 

     I wandered back to the car to drop off the CD to find this...

     You can clearly see where the faded white lines end.  I was effectivity parked in, as were three other cars.  It's not even like the lot was full.  Good thing I wasn't going anywhere.  I'd hate to have this guy towed.

     Back to Hambones for one of the musicians I was most looking forward to, Ray Cashman.  I saw him last year and immediately bought multiple CDs.  I bumped into him on Saturday and we had a brief chat.  

     Saturday, there will be stages and musicians everywhere.  Not as much today.  No complaints.  I just hung around Hambones.

      Next up was Guitar Frenchie.  I had never heard of him, but enjoyed his set.  You can see him performing his song "Bound for Mississippi" here.  Sign of the times, the Virtual Tip Jar.  

      He did a video tour of this year's festival.  You can see it here:

      Meanwhile, over at the Cat Head stage, Ghalia Volt was working through her set.  She does multiple shows throughout the festival at the various stages.  The first time I saw her play, she had a full band.  These days she's traveling and performing solo.  "Meet You Down the Road" is a personal favorite.  

 

     When she finished, I stopped in next door to a place called Against the Grain.  

     They specialize in portraits carved in wood.  

     On stage, Ramblin' Dan.  Excellent musician.  But yeah, he does ramble a bit. 

     Next stop was the Ground Zero Blues Club.  Cannonball Red was playing.  

      Next up on the stage, Cruz the Dame.   I caught part of her act last year and wanted to see more.  You can see part of last year's show here:

       

     The last one of the day was blues legend John Primer.  He recently celebrated his 80th birthday.  Through his career, he played in bands with Muddy Waters and Willy Dixon. He's definitely still got it.  You can watch an entire show from last year's Boca Blues Fest here:

     Primer played for an hour and a half with the crowd in the palm of his hand.  Knowing I still had the drive ahead of me, I decided to call it a day.

     Since some of you are probably curious, the parking saga continued.  The previous dufus had moved their car.  But, another equally dopey person has replaced him, parking about a foot from my rear bumper.  

      So, imagine the scenario.  There's a car in front and two on each side.  All perfectly legal.  There's also a guy illegally parked behind you.  

     So, I ditched my stuff in the car and found two Clarksdale police officers and asked for advice.  Since it's a private lot, there was nothing they could do.  I understood.  I asked if I could get the car behind me towed.  They said they couldn't even legally suggest that.  

      Enter Plan B.  The spot adjacent to the vehicle in front of me was empty.  With a little help from some random people, I was able to squeeze through a gap into that empty spot.  Barely.  

      Finally free, it was back to West Helena for the night.