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2023 Festival

2023 Festival Highlights

Thursday, August 10
7:00pm-7:45pmSean “Bad” Apple
8:00pm-8:45pmStan Street & Jacqueline Nassar
9:00pm-9:45pmDeak Harp & Guest
Friday, August 11, 2023 Main Stage-Delta Blues Museum Stage
7:00pm-7:30pmDelta Blues Museum Band
7:45pm-8:15pmHeather Crosse: Heavy Suga &The Sweet Tones
8:30pm-9:00pmLucious Spiller
9:15pm-9:45pmJames “Super Chikan” Johnson & The Fighting Cocks
10:00pm-11:00pmJaye Hammer
Saturday, August 12, 2023 Acoustic Stage-VIP Tent Near the Main Stage
10:00am-10:45amPat Thomas
11:00am-11:45amLibby Rae Watson
12:00pm-12:45pmKenny Brown
1:00pm-1:45pmJimmy “Duck” Home
2:00pm-2:45pmMs Australia “Honey Bee” Jones
3:00pm-3:45pmLibby Rae Watson
Off site Acoustic Stage @ Ground Zero Blues Club
11am-11:45amLittle Willie Farmer
12:00pm-12:45pmMississippi Marshall
1:00pm-1:45pmBill Abel
Saturday, August 12, 2023 Main Stage
5:00pm-5:30pmJohn B. & Queen Iretta Standers
5:45pm-6:30pmMark “Mule Man” Massive
6:45pm-7:30pmJimbo Mathus
7:30pm-7:45pmAwards
7:45pm-8:45pmTerry”Big T” Williams & The Family Band
8:45pm-9:00pmMs Glady
9:00pm-9:45pmAnthony “Big A” Sherrod
10:00pm-11:00pmCristone”Kingfish” Ingram
Sunday, August 13,2023 Gospel Stage-Civic Auditorium 506 E. 2nd
2:30pm-3:00pmUnion Grove Mass Chior
3:15pm-4:00pmGHope Mass Chior
4:30pm-5:00pmB. J.’S Generation
5:15pm-6:00pmThe Sons of God
6:15pm-7:00pmRicky Burton & 4 Ever Gratful
7:15pm-8:15pmJosh Myles
8:30pm-9:30pmRev. Andrew Cheairs & The Songbirds
Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram’s headlining performance before a hometown crowd at the 35th Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival were solid gold proof that his international reputation and multiple awards have been all well deserved and are only the beginning of an amazing distinguished musical career.
Anthony ‘Big A’ Sherrod’s performance into the crowd at the Sunflower Festival Saturday night was a awesome display of his energy as a student of Mr. Johnnie Billington and a guitar successor of Big Jack Johnson.
The families of the late Early Wright, spiritual leader of the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival and the late musician, Howlin’ Bill Perry were honored with the festival’s highest honor, the Early Wright Blues Heritage Award on the main stage Saturday night. 

Jimbo Mathus, a multi-talented hometown favorite musician now living in Oxford, never fails to surprise his fans with ever/versatile performances Saturday night at the Sunflower Festival’s 35th main stage.
Anchoring the Sunflower’s unique acoustic stage Saturday morning/afternoon is Terry Harmonica Bean, not only playing harp and guitar, but also spinning multiple tales about the importance of north/east Mississippi’s blues musicians including Howlin’ Wolf.
Blues fans make sure they get a good seat at Saturday’s acoustic stage not only to hear Jimmy “Duck” Holmes performing his Bentonia- style blues but also his storytelling.
Acoustic blues fans also were treated to the musical expertise of riverman John Ruskey as emcee. John is not only a musician but also former curator of the Delta Blues Museum.
Earless Anderson, left, a longtime member of the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel family, is honored Sunday in the City Auditorium with the Sunflower River Gospel Festival’s highest award, the Julius Guy Heritage Award for outstanding support of gospel music in the Mississippi Delta by Sunflower booking chairman, Maie Smith.
Members of B. J.’s Generation of Clarksdale present a lively gospel performance in the air-conditioned City Auditorium Sunday afternoon. 
Following her retirement from working in steel mills, Ms. Honey Bee Jones returned home to Flora where she once taught her late brother how to play guitar and picked up her own career as a guitarist/singer/songwriter performing at her second Sunflower acoustic blues stage in Clarksdale. Acoustic blues fans also were treated to the musical expertise of riverman John Ruskey as emcee. John is not only a musician but also former curator of the Delta Blues Museum.
Students and teachers of the Delta Blues Museum’s outstanding music education program take a bow following their performance on the Sunflower River Blues Festival’s Friday night stage.
Hometown favorite musician and folk artist James ‘Super Chikan’ Johnson showcases one of his extraordinary handmade guitars in a lively performance on the Sunflower’s Friday night stage.
The Sunflower’s Friday night headliner Jaye Hammer reintroduces party blues into the lineup before a large and  appreciative  vocal crowd of fans. 

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All Photos by Panny Mayfield