Press release from the Sunflower River Blues and gospel Festival, May 2010, Panny Mayfield, publicist, pannywriter@yahoo.com
SISTER BLUES FESTIVALS TOAST THE SUMMER SEASON
Members of Norway’s International Notodden Blues Festival and Clarksdale’s Sunflower River Blues Festival share a sister-city toast to their 23-year-old celebrations taking place in August 6-7-8. Ten members of the Norwegian festival spent the weekend recently in Clarksdale and renewed friendships that began in 1996 when official sister city and sister festival relationships were established and numerous exchanges have taken place.Key figures of Norway’s International Notodden Blues Festival and Clarksdale’s Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival enjoy renewing friendships that began in 1996 on a recent weekend in Clarksdale. Pictured are (from left) Jostein Forsberg, leader of the Notodden Festival who was awarded a Blues Music Award for producing Super Chikan Johnson’s Blues Album of the Year in Norway; Melville Tillis, co-chairman of the Sunflower Festival; Bill Luckett, Sunflower sponsor; and Forsberg’s father enjoying his first trip to Clarksdale. Both festivals will be celebrating their 23rd years Aug. 6-7-8.
