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25,000 plus celebrate Sunflower River success
‘It was a tremendous festival,’ say chairmen
CLARKSDALE – With more than 25,000 packing four venues from acoustic master performances to the Blues Alley Main Stage and the gospel extravaganza in the City Auditorium, the 2008 Sunflower Festival was a tremendous success says co-chairman John Sherman.
"It was a wonderful celebration for Clarksdale; we want to thank everyone who took part in this success," says Melville Tillis, co-chairman.
Blessed with relatively cool temperatures following weeks of dangerous triple-digit heat, the festival continued its 21-year history of drawing music fans from international borders and the far corners of America.
Signing the visitor roster were travelers from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Portugal, Paris, Tours, Lyon, and Nimes France, Stuttgart and Munich, Germany, Detroit, San Francisco, New Orleans, Pittsburg, Boston, Providence, Rhode Island, Seattle, New York City, Nashville, Pensacola, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and more.
"We sold every t-shirt in the hospitality booth except for twenty 3-X sizes," he continued. "I even gave away my staff shirt."
Repeating his charismatic style and celebrity dynamics that transfixed audiences in earlier years, Latimore filled Blues Alley and John Lee Hooker Lane with 9,000 fans Friday night, according to an estimate by the two co-chairmen.
They agree other Friday night super crowd pleasers included Nathaniel Kimble, Nellie Tiger Travis with Guitar Mikey, and Ms.Jody.
"However, we had an even bigger crowd on Saturday to hear Super Chikan, Jimmy Burns, and Shemekia Copeland," says Sherman.
The Saturday morning scene at Clarksdale Station for acoustic blues was standing room only, and the large afternoon crowd on Sunflower for more acoustic music was a laid-back, "sitting on the grass" event circling musicians playing from a flat-bed truck.
Sprinkles of rain moved the gospel festival into the City Auditorium where enthusiastic crowds applauded church groups from Clarksdale and Jonestown to big name performers including the Myles Family, the Melodic Truth, and Darrell McFadden and the Disciples.
Educational programs explored historic and current music scenes with a "Remembering Early Wright" panel at Ground Zero Blues Club sponsored by the Rock River Foundation following Friday’s Walk of Fame plaque dedication honoring Wright outside the Alcazar Hotel.
"Meet Nellie Tiger Travis" introduced the Mound Bayou native who has become a well-known diva in Chicago talking about Delta childhood, her career, and collaboration with Guitar Mikey. The two gave a preview of their Friday night performance in their panel sponsored also by the Southern Arts Federation.
On Sunday the Delta Blues Museum and the Mississippi Arts Commission sponsored "Conversations with The Myles Family," and a look at the famous family’s dedication to gospel music at the Civic Auditorium.
Steve "Dude" Ladd Jr. accepted the Early Wright Blues Heritage Award for his late father, Steve Ladd, who died July 20, 2008. Members of the Sunflower River Blues Association had voted to present the award to Ladd, the festival’s master of ceremonies, weeks before his death.
Kelvin Towers, chairman of Coahoma Community College’s music department and director of the acclaimed CCC/CAHS Choir was honored with the Julius Guy Gospel Heritage Award.
Dates for the 2009 festival are August 7-9, 2009.
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