| Friday, December 23, 2016 | |
| The Sunflower River Blues Association ‘s Christmas Blues Party in the former Henderson Drug Store Building, 270 Delta Ave., will feature four headliners from 8 p.m. – 11:45 p.m. Tax-deductible donations benefit the festival’s 30th anniversary festival, August 11-12-13, 2017. | |
| Thursday, August 11, 2016, Grits, Greens & Barbecue | |
| 6:00pm – 6:45pm | Richard “Daddy Rich” Crisman |
| 7:00pm – 7:45pm | Marshall Drew |
| 8:00pm – 8:45pm | Sean “Bad” Apple |
| Friday, August 12, 2016 Main Stage | |
| 5:00pm – 5:45pm | Delta Blues Museum Band |
| 6:00pm – 6:45pm | Heather Crosse: Heavy Suga & The Sweet Tones |
| 7:00pm – 7:45pm | Joshua “Razorblade” Stewart |
| 8:00pm – 9:00pm | James “Jimbo” Mathus |
| 9:15pm – 10:15pm | Toni Green |
| 10:30pm – 11:30pm | James “Super Chikan” Johnson |
| Saturday, August 13, 2016 Acoustic Stage #1 Under VIP Tent | |
| 10:00am – 10:45am | David Dunavent |
| 11:00am – 11:45am | Pat Thomas |
| 12:00noon – 12:45pm | Lil Willie Farmer |
| 1:00pm – 1:45pm | Lucious Spiller |
| 2:00pm – 2:45pm | Educational Program |
| 3:00pm – 3:45pm | Leo “Bud” Welch |
| 4:00pm – 4:45pm | Sharde Thomas: The Rising Star Fife & Drums Band |
| Saturday, August 13, 2016 Acoustic Stage #2 at Sunflower Avenue and Third Street | |
| 1:00pm – 1:45pm | Deak Harp & Lee Williams |
| 2:00pm – 2:45pm | Jimmy “Duck” Holmes |
| 3:00pm – 3:45pm | Kenny Brown |
| 4:00pm – 4:45pm | Terry “Harmonica” Bean |
| Saturday, August 13, 2016 Acoustic Stage #3 at Crossroads Cultural Arts Center – 332 Delta Ave | |
| 1:00pm – 1:45pm | Mississippi Marshall |
| 2:00pm – 2:45pm | Bill “Howl-N-Madd” Perry |
| 3:00pm – 3:45pm | Watermelon Slim |
| 4:00pm – 4:45pm | Anthony “Big A” Sherrod |
| Saturday, August 13, 2016 Main Stage | |
| 5:00pm – 5:45pm | Bill Abel Band |
| 6:00pm – 6:45pm | Christone “Kingfish” Ingram |
| 7:00pm – 7:45pm | Terry “Big T” Williams |
| 7:45pm – 8:00pm | Awards |
| 8:00pm – 9:00pm | Vasti Jackson |
| 9:15pm – 10:15pm | Sweet Angel |
| 10:30pm – 11:30pm | Lonnie Shields |
| Sunday, August 14, 2016 Gospel Stage | |
| 4:00pm – 4:15pm | The Clarksdale Mass Choir |
| 4:30pm – 4:45pm | The Singing Echoes |
| 5:00pm – 5:15pm | Ned Johnson & The Jonestown Crusaders |
| 5:30pm – 6:00pm | The Myles Family |
| 6:15pm – 7:45pm | Lee Williams and The Spiritual QC’s |
DYNAMITE LINEUP BOOKED FOR 2016 SUNFLOWER FEST
29th FREE celebration scheduled August 12-13-14 in downtown Clarksdale
CLARKSDALE – A dynamite lineup of musicians including Lonnie Shields, Super Chikan Johnson, Vasti Jackson, Toni Green, Jimbo Mathus, Sweet Angel, and gospel legend, Lee Williams and the Spiritual QCs will be headlining the free 29th annual Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival August 12-14, according to Melvita Tillis Presley and John Sherman, festival co-chairs.
“Approaching our third decade as one of America’s most distinctive music festivals, we are committed to remain FREE and to present only the best entertainers worthy of our blues and gospel heritage,” emphasize Presley and Sherman.
Opening at 5 p.m. Friday, August 12, on the main stage with the Delta Blues Museum Band, the festival continues through 11:30 p.m. that night with Heather Crosse, Razorblade Stewart, Jimbo Mathus, Toni Green, and Super Chikan Johnson.
To chill out steamy August afternoons, the festival is expanding its popular Saturday acoustic stage to three cool locations: beneath the air-cooled VIP Tent on John Lee Hooker Lane; inside Levon’s Bar and Grill at 232 Sunflower Ave; and inside the Crossroads Cultural Art Center, 332 Delta Ave.
Performing on these stages with lively interaction expected between artist and audience in the Sunflower’s distinctive laid-back style are 14 musical musicians /acts starting at 10 a.m. and continuing through 4:45 p.m. when the main stage reopens with the Bill Abel Band at 5 p.m.
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram picks up the pace at 6 p.m. followed by Terry Williams, Vasti Jackson, Sweet Angel, and Lonnie Shields.
On Sunday afternoon and evening, the air-conditioned Civic Auditorium will host the gospel celebration headlined by super star Lee Williams and the Spiritual QCs.
Inducted into the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame, guitar virtuoso Vasti Jackson, winner of the 2015 Albert King Lifetime Guitar Award, Is long overdue in Clarksdale following his early Sunflower performance years ago with Katie Webster on Soldier’s Field. He is followed by Stax Museum sensation Toni Green of Memphis and Paris with her nine-piece band, and Friday night headliner James “Super Chikan” Johnson.
Multi-talented James “Jimbo” Mathus, music phenom Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, the Bill Abel Band, and Terry “Big T” and the Family Band will dominate the main stage Saturday before last year’s unforgettable Sweet Angel in blue singing and playing her saxophone and headliner Lonnie Shields. A Helena native who performed at the very first Sunflower, Shields was nurtured by Sam and Doris Carr and is today’s top entertainer on the east coast.
Starring on Saturday’s acoustic stages will be Leo “Bud” Welch, Pat Thomas, Lil Willie Farmer, David Dunavant, Lucious Spiller, Marshall Drew, Terry “Harmonica” Bean and Anthony “Big A” Sherrod, Kenny Brown, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Mississippi Marshall, Watermelon Slim, Deak Harp and Lee Williams, Bill “Howlin’ Madd” Perry, and Sharde Turner and the Rising Star Fife and Drum.
Sunday’s gospel stage will feature The Clarksdale Mass Choir, The Singing Echoes, Ned Johnson and the Jonestown Crusaders, The Myles Family, and Lee Williams.
The Sunflower hosts a VIP Tent for supporters who purchase weekend tickets to enjoy seating at linen-covered tables beneath an air-cooled tent near the main stage with unlimited beverages from a full bar. For more information, telephone 662-627-5301.
VIPs also are special guests for Thursday night’s Grits, Greens, and Barbecue supper featuring live entertainment by Richard “Daddy Rich” Crisman, Marshal Drew, and Sean “Bad” Apple.” The event’s famous menu originally created to introduce Norwegian cousins from Notodden, Norway, to Southern Soul food includes Abe’s famous barbecue, turnip greens and cornbread from Chef Louise Campbell, and Charlie Musselwhite’s favorite baked cheese grits.
For updates and a complete lineup, view the festival’s website: www.sunflowerfest.org
The Sunflower Festival has been heralded by USA Weekend as one of America’s Top 10 places to hear authentic music. In 2012 it was honored with its own Mississippi Blues Heritage Marker, and Visit South has named it Mississippi’s Top Pick of blues festivals in 2016.
Expected among international journalists covering the celebration for websites in Europe is a 13-member contingent of Italian photographers associated with ViaggioFotografico.
Heading the group is Simona Ottolenghi who attended last year’s Sunflower, and writes “Last year’s experience in Clarksdale was really amazing, so we are organizing again….and this year we’ll stay in Clarksdale for the duration of the 3-day festival. Each person in the group (last year) shared his pictures everywhere on the web.”
