Legends Magazine - June/July 2015 by Legends Magazine

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PICK’N IN THE SQUARE

SHOP. DINE. PLAY. STAY! Soak up the Summer in Historic Corinth.

Summer in historic Corinth, Mississippi brings festivals, green markets music, arts, outdoor

EVERY THURSDAY EVENING AT THE HISTORIC ALCORN COUNTY COURTHOUSE

adventures, and superb dining and shopping. One of the highlights is our annual SLUGBURGER FESTIVAL, hosted by Main Street Corinth JULY 9TH thru 11TH. Named by TripAdviser as one of America’s Wackiest Summer Events, this three-day festival includes live entertainment, a captivating carnival and unique Slug-Idol competition. The event will also host its fourth Major League Eating Contest on July 11TH .

JUNE 5-6 13

Verandah-Curlee House Tours Green Market at the Corinth Depot

JULY 04 9-11 11

Fourth of July at Jacinto Courthouse 28th Annual Sugburger Festival Featuring COREY HART Green Market at the Corinth Depot

VISIT Pick’n in the Square every Thursday

HISTORIC CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI (662) 287-8300 | www.corinth.net CO R I N T H A R E A CO N V E N T I O N A N D V I S I TO R S B U R E AU

# V I S I TCO R I N T H

FIND US. FOLLOW US. SHARE US.

PUBLISHER AND PRESIDENT ��Marianne Todd CREATIVE DIRECTOR / LEAD DESIGNER �� Shawn T. King DIRECTOR OF MARKETING ��Ken Flynt WEBSITE DESIGNER ��Scott Mire ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER ��Chris Banks Contact LEGENDS 601-604-2963

CONTENTS JUNE / JULY 2015

Marketing - 601-479-3351 | Ken@ReadLegends.com

MUSIC

Editorial - 601-604-2963 | Editor@MississippiLegends.com Contributing writers: Tom Speed, Riley Manning, Meghan Holmes, Julian Rankin, Stephen Corbett Contributing photographers: Reggie Thomas, Michael Barrett, Rusty Costanza LEGENDS welcomes your calendar submissions. Submissions are posted free of charge on our website at www.ReadLegends.com. Calendar submissions for consideration in LEGENDS’ print calendar may be sent to

Chris@ReadLegends.com. Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without express permission from the publisher. The opinions and views expressed by our contributors, writers and editors are their own. Various views from other professionals may also be expressed. Neither LEGENDS nor Blue South Publishing Corporation is endorsing or guaranteeing the products or quality of services expressed in advertisements. All advertisers assume liability for all content (including text representation and illustration) of advertisements printed and assume responsibility for any resulting claims against LEGENDS or its affiliates. Materials, photographs and written pieces to be considered for inclusion in LEGENDS may be sent to P.O. Box 3663, Meridian, MS 39303. Unsolicited materials will not be returned. LEGENDS is sold on bookstore shelves in 38 states. Additionally, Blue South Publishing Corporation provides more than 20,000 free copies in its coverage area to tourism offices, welcome centers, hotels, restaurants, theaters, museums, galleries, coffee shops, casinos and institutions of higher learning. If your business, agency or industry would like to be considered as a LEGENDS distribution point, or for a list of retailers, please contact us at Editor@MississippiLegends.com. For more information, write to Editor@MississippiLegends.com. More information, including a comprehensive, up-to-date calendar, may be found at

www.ReadLegends.com

The Jackson Rhythm & Blues Festival

Cover Story: Soul Sisters

The Incredible Journey of American Music

The Sounds of the City of Soul

Jammin’ in the Windy City

A user’s guide to the most soulful fest in the state Jackson’s legendary R&B women

Following Jackson’s blues trail markers

From hardcore blues to easy contemporary

Jackson’s artists head to the Chicago Blues Fest

CULTURE 6

No Bad Balls in Paradise

A tennis tradition at Destin’s TOPS’L

Visiting Jackson?

George Wardlow

Bloodlines

Find your way to the City of Soul A life in art: works from 1954 to 2014 The art of Matt Stebly

CULINARY ABOUT OUR COVER Tawanna Shaunte, JJ Thames, Dorothy Moore and Pat Brown are soul sisters separated by time but not place. Each with their own particular spin on the beloved rhythm and blues tradition of Mississippi, the women are celebrated as Jackson’s distinguished female artists. (Photograph by Marianne Todd)

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Waterfront Dining

Feel Good Soul Food

The Great Corinth Slugburger Festival

Reserve your spot on Louisiana’s North Shore Nourish your body and mind in a soulful Southern city

Beachfront is Our Specialty DESTIN BEACH CLUB 1150 Scenic Highway 98 Destin, FL 32541 • 47 units at water’s edge • 1 bedroom fully equipped units accommodate up to 6

DESTIN SEAFARER 1700 Scenic Highway 98 Destin, FL 32541 • 29 units at water’s edge • 1, 2 & 3 bedroom, fully equipped units available

Blue water and private beaches – footsteps from your door

www.destinbeachclub.com

1-800-633-7846

www.destinseafarer.com

1-800-476-1523

CORAL REEF CLUB 2708 Scenic Highway 98 Destin, FL 32541 • 49 units at water’s edge • Fully equipped condos sleep 2 to 10 with everyone beachfront

www.coralreefclubdestin.com

1-877-982-6725

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STORY FROM SANDESTIN, FLA.

• NO BAD BALLS IN •

PARADISE BY MEGHAN HOLMES

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIANNE TODD AND REGGIE THOMAS

TOPS’L Beach and Racquet Resort’s natural scenery and impressive list of amenities make for a great experience for beach lovers and tennis aficionados alike.

am Williams comes for the views, but mostly for the tennis. “Well, we always say there’s no bad ball in paradise. It’s beautiful here,” she says of TOPS’L Beach and Racquet Resort, nestled between lush live oaks and where the Gulf of Mexico’s waves hit the Sandestin, Florida, shoreline. Williams travels with four other women from Columbus, Georgia, all part of the same tennis club back home. “We come here twice a year, usually in April and October, before it gets too hot” she says. “We originally heard about the resort in a magazine, when it was named one of the Top 10 tennis resorts in the country. After visiting and working with the pros we started coming back and have continued to for the last ten years.”

“

Fully-equipped kitchens, lavish living and dining areas, multiple bed and bath rooms, laundry facilities and

“

comfortable balconies keep vacationers lazily on the resort. If tennis isn’t your game, try shuffleboard, putt putt golf or basketball, relax on the beach, swim in a number of pools or enjoy a walk aside manicured lawns.

 Top: From left, Gail Burgos, Monica Osam, Sam Vickroy and Pam Williams during a practice session. Below, Vickroy gives Osam instruction on one of the resort’s 14 clay courts.

Williams and her two friends, Monica Osam and Gail Burgos, have trained with all of the pros on staff (overseen by Tennis Director Joe D’Aleo), including Sam Vickroy who is working with the women on a clay court during the mid-day sun. “You got to do better than that little mama,” Burgos says, preparing to return one of the balls Vickroy methodically hits in her direction. “Everyone prepare for the wrath of Just Gail,” she says as everyone laughs. The mood is a mixture of relaxation and genuine desire on the part of the trainee to improve her game. Everyone may have a margarita or two, but they also want to take advantage of the resort’s amenities. “We’re feeling the spirit now that we have the sun,” Williams says. Scattered storms filled the early part of the day, providing “the perfect time for a massage or a workout in the clubhouse. There’s always something to do.” Head trainer Kyle Higginbotham oversees the gym. A Destin native, he’s been in this position at TOPS’L for the last two years. “This is the best place to train,” he says. “I love helping both the members and visitors, whether their

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goals are short or long term. That’s the best part of my job – helping people succeed.” The gym is large, and floor to ceiling windows along the south-facing wall overlook rows of clay tennis courts and greenery. For those not interested in personal training – group classes are available daily. The TOPS’L club also is also home to the resort’s gift shop as well as racquetball courts and an indoor/outdoor pool, sauna, yoga studio – even movie rentals. The resort offers both casual and fine dining options. The Blue Dunes Grille & Tiki Bar provides casual options next to the pool at The Tides. “I love working under the tiki; it’s so exclusive,” says Hannah Rosenstock, server and bartender. “The members and visitors are both great. We have a lot of fun.” The menu pays homage to the fresh seafood nearby, offering fresh grouper on a salad or in a sandwich as well as a mahi mahi wrap. Near the entrance to the resort The Ocean Club provides more upscale alternatives. The privately-owned restaurant features a new American menu with a focus on local ingredients as well as a pond out back with large turtles and fish that add to the ambiance. Young diners take table bread outside to feed the fish while adults dine on red snapper, grouper and other fresh catches from the nearby Gulf. The resort’s unique combination of views and amenities make the resort an ideal spot for relaxing families or serious tennis players. There’s something for everyone year round. TOPS’L Resort encompasses 52 acres of Miramar Beach. Little of the property is visible from U.S. Highway 98 other than the entrance sign, as foliage surrounds its northern border and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park bounds the resort to the east. To the south opens the expanse of the Gulf of Mexico, and to the west stretches the white sands of Destin. Within these boundaries the resort continuously evolves, providing recreation opportunities and beautiful views to both tourists and resident members. “The history of TOPS’L goes back to the history of Four Mile Village,” says Travis Lang, guest services manager. “The land was originally part of a commission on the sale of a Sandestin property that was part of the village. Early plans had the area developed into a racetrack until it was sold in the 1980s,” he says. TOPS’L’s construction began in the 1990s next to the remainder of Four Mile Village, now largely prohibited from further development following land use restrictions to conserve and protect the natural resources in the area. In addition to these restrictions, additional acreage adjacent to Four Mile Village became Topsail Hill State Park, preserving hundreds of acres of wildlife near the resort. The dunes and trees within these acres comprise a significant part of TOPS’L’s views.

Serving Beach Memories Daily.

Experience TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort on your next Destin, Florida getaway... Spanning 52 private acres Luxurious, Gulf-front accommodations, plus tennis villas and studios Award-winning tennis facilities Fun for the whole family

844-253-7848 | VisitTOPSL.com

Best Property Management Company

Best Vacation Rental Firm

#FollowUsToTheBeach 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014

2013, 2014 & 2015

©2015 Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America, LLC. 14 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Wyndham Vacation Rentals and related marks are registered trademarks and/or service marks in the United States and internationally. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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From the preserve great blue herons, egrets, and pelicans fly along the coastline. Live oaks, myrtle oaks, and magnolias grow amidst gently rising and falling dunes while white-tailed deer, raccoon, fox, opossum, bobcat, armadillos and alligator roam the preserve and the property surrounding it. Topsail State Park is also home to the endangered Choctawhatchee dune mouse and gopher tortoise. Two of the resort’s buildings: The Summit and The Beach Manor, offer vistas overlooking the nature preserve. The Beach Manor also affords some waterfront viewing. Next to this building is The Tides, with waterfront views. All of the properties contain individually-owned units and are decorated to their owners’ tastes. Fully-equipped kitchens, lavish living and dining areas, multiple bed and bath rooms, laundry facilities and comfortable balconies keep vacationers lazily on the resort. If tennis isn’t your game, try shuffleboard, putt putt golf or basketball, relax on the beach, swim in a number of pools or enjoy a walk aside manicured lawns. The resort offers a number of pools and hot tubs and umbrellas and chairs for beach-goers. L

STAYING AT TOPS’L The Tides and The Beach Manor offer two and three bedroom units with Gulf front or coastline views. The Summit holds two and three bedroom units with nature preserve views. Prices vary depending on room size and view. Rates range from $100 (studio unit) to $810 per night (3 bedroom). For a beach view during summer months, an average family of four could expect to pay about $2500 per week. Not on the water, $2,000. Prices vary with season. For more information visit wyndhamvacationrental.com.

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The Summit and The Beach Manor offer stunning views of Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. It’s sister condominium, The Tides, offers beach front views. Bottom: The ample gym at TOPS’L offers a full view of four clay courts. TOPS’L is regarded as one of the Top 10 tennis resorts in the country.

Folk Art & Antique Museum

“The House is Blue, But the Old Lady Ain’t” Located on the second floor of the Historic Train Depot (from I-10, exit 13 South to Highway 90) • 228-467-9223 Free Admission, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn more about Alice and her museum at www.alicemoseley.com

There’s always something to celebrate on Mississippi’s West Coast - Hancock County! To check out all the festivals, events and activities in Hancock County, stop by the Visitor Center at the Historic Train Depot! Also visit the Mardi Gras Museum, located inside! 1-800-466-9048 • www.mswestcoast.org

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www.bcbsms.com Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, A Mutual Insurance Company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

Festivals and fun. Grand historic homes. Birthplace of America’s greatest playwright, Tennessee Williams. Run or bike along the scenic Riverwalk, winding around and over the Tombigbee River. Shop, dine, and savor in the ultimate Southern experience.

The city that has it all... Tennessee Williams Home & Welcome Center 300 Main Street • 800-920-3533 www.visitcolumbusms.org

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Year-round Daily Historic Home Tours JuLY Fireworks on the Water • Southside/ Townsend Park Blues Festival • Crawford Cotton Boll Festival | auguSt Artesia Days • Possum Town Triathlon SepTember Tennessee Williams Tribute | october 22-24 Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium aLSo in october Caledonia Days • 7th Avenue Heritage Festival noveMber Decorative Arts & Preservation Forum / Antiques Show & Sale • Ghosts & Legends MarcH 28-aPriL 9, 2016 76TH ANNUAL SPRING PILGRIMAGE

Go to www.visitcolumbusms.org for complete attraction and event listings.

SATURDAY, JUNE 13 • 1-4PM

GENERAL ADMISSION $35 • VIP TICKETS $70 HISTORIC HATTIESBURG TRAIN DEPOT Presented by HISTORIC HATTIESBURG DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION

SANCTIONED EVENT

This project is partially funded by Visit Mississippi.

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ER M M U /S

pe rf or mi ng

ts ar

UPCOMING SHOWS

Pre-Show 6:00 p.m.

Thurs. 6/18/15 | 7:30 p.m.

rie

Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins’ trademark baritone has powered a fistful of hits to the top of the charts and sold more than 10 million albums. The Grammy-nominated member of the Grand Ole Opry is also a TV personality, actor, author, and spokesman for the American Red Cross and the Wounded Warrior Project. The former oil rigger swaggers through such rousing blockbusters as “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing,” “Ladies Love Country Boys,” and “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk.”

Peabo Bryson Fri. 7/17/15 | 7:30 p.m. If you’re in the audience when Peabo Bryson starts to croon one of his trademark ballads, everyone else disappears. His sumptuous voice knows exactly how to caress a lyric. It also has blended beautifully with the voices of Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Melissa Manchester, and many other female duet partners. In fact, Bryson won his two Grammy Awards for Disney movie duets on “Beauty and the Beast” with Celine Dion and “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme)” with Regina Belle.

Christopher Cross Sat. 8/8/15 | 7:30 p.m. Pre-Show 6:00 p.m.

Christopher Cross debuted spectacularly. His first album, 1979’s Christopher Cross, won five Grammy Awards, including the big four: Album, Song, and Record of the Year, and Best New Artist. The album spawned the number one hit “Sailing” as well as “Never Be the Same,” “Say You’ll Be Mine,” and “Ride Like the Wind.” In 1981, “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” from the movie Arthur won an Academy Award for Best Song. In the decades since, Cross has continued touring and releasing albums, most recently 2014’s Secret Ladder. He still makes easy-on-the-ears, lightly jazzy music.

MSU Riley Center Box Office | 2200 Fifth Street | Meridian, MS 39301 601.696.2200 | www.msurileycenter.com

Facebook.com/RileyCenter

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STORY FROM ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA.

D INNER with a VIEW Waterfront dining in Louisianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Tammany Parish

Besides impeccable cuisine, The Chimes in Covington, La., features a series of decks that run through a lush landscape with access to the Bogue Falaya River.

BY MEGHAN HOLMES PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSTY COSTANZA

Top: Almond Crusted Shrimp with romesco, chili oil and pickled green onions. Bottom: Ahi Titaki with mandarin and granny smith apple slaw and Sambal Vinaigrette. Right: Diners will find a setting similar to that found by gamblers arriving by steamboat in the late 19th century. Blooming wisteria covers a trellis at the entrance to the grounds, used to tie up visitors’ horses more than 100 hundred years ago.

here’s a calmness that comes with being by the water. From the repetitive motion of waves along the lake to the stillness of the bayou, it is all one river, representative of the passage of time and a deeper connection to the nature people sometimes forget. Residents and visitors to St. Tammany parish enjoy outdoor dining nearly year-round, but spring and early summer provide the best opportunity to see the verdant region in full bloom. The Lakehouse and Rip’s on the Lake in Mandeville sit along the lakefront, offering beautiful sunsets and cooling winds rising from Lake Pontchartrain. In nearby Covington, The Chimes rises high alongside the Bogue Falaya, where a series of decks provide access to the river. A short distance away, in East Slidell, Palmetto’s offers dining on the banks of Bayou Bonfouca. Both the Bogue Falaya and Bayou Bonfouca eventually empty into the lake, two of the many waterways traversing the parish and eventually filling Pontchartrain. THE LAKEHOUSE In the early 1800s Bernard de Mandeville de Marigny constructed the building The Lakehouse now occupies. During the turn of the century the Bechac family ran a restaurant downstairs and Paul Arceneaux ran a casino on the second story. The Bechac’s restaurant remained open for four generations, leading many to continue to refer to the home as the Bechac house despite its current occupants. Current owner Cayman Sinclair opened The Lakehouse in 2009

and offers event and film catering offsite as well a lunch and dinner menus and a weekend buffet. Diners will find a setting similar to that found by gamblers arriving by steamboat in the late 19th century. Blooming wisteria covers a trellis at the entrance to the grounds, used to tie up visitors’ horses more than 100 hundred years ago. On the weekends, patrons enjoy bloody marys and mimosas while watching pelicans and egrets fly along the lakefront. The extensive menu offers something for everyone. Brunch begins with a variety of appetizers ranging from quinoa salad to a savory shrimp cheesecake. Waffles and omelets are cooked to order while the rest of the food options are self-serve. Guests enjoy scalloped potatoes, eggs Benedict, cream spinach and gumbo while servers provide a steady stream of cocktails or coffee. Lunch and dinner offer a casual fine dining experience. The cuisine reflects a traditional focus on Louisiana seafood along with some Italian elements like osso bucco, caprese and risotto. Expect plenty of fresh fish and spectacular sunsets. RIP’S ON THE LAKE According to longtime server, Elizabeth Doherty, Rip’s began as, “the best, darkest, hole in the wall.” It has come a long way from these humble beginnings. New owners rebuilt the nearly 80-year-old space on 17 foot pilings following its destruction during Hurricane Katrina. Today Rip’s continues to specialize in old-school Louisiana cookery.

Appetizers include crab cakes with remoulade and mesclun greens, turtle soup and raw oysters. The main courses put local seafood front and center. There are several trout dishes, including a classic amandine, trout Audrey topped with lump crab and a white wine caper sauce and ruby red trout, stuffed with crab meat and topped with a seafood béchamel. Server Eric Breland recommends the blackened grouper and the oysters Bayou Teche. “The oysters are flash fried and topped with sautéed lump crabmeat then finished with herb butter. Our blackened grouper is topped with local shrimp and a basil béchamel sauce,” he says. Rip’s portions are large, probably designed to feed its original blue collar crowd. Expect to leave full of seafood, cream sauce and bread pudding, if you dare.

Left: Rip’s Seafood Platter; fried green tomatoes with Roslyn’s Remoulade Sauce and shrimp. Right: Late evening almost always sees a crowd on the porch. Bottom left: Visitors dine on the outside deck at The Chimes. Overlooking a lush green landscape and a series of decks leading to the Bogue Falaya River, The Chimes is the place for Southern comfort food.

THE CHIMES The 29-mile Bogue Falaya River flows through Covington before its confluence with the Tchefuncte River, about ten miles north of Lake Pontchartrain. Along the way its dark water meanders past The Chimes, a local spot serving what the staff calls “Louisiana comfort food,” with an extensive beer list and access to the edges of the Bogue Falaya. A series of decks and stairs leading from the restaurant to the river offer outdoor dining as well as an opportunity for watching the goats, cats and other animals roaming the property. “The goats trim the grass. The cats are here because our groundskeeper loves cats. We have kittens for sale if you want one,” says server Carolina Ramirez. The atmosphere is casual and Ramirez recommends

BEST PLATE LUNCH BEST FOOD FOR THE MONEY

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT BEST STEAK

BEST SEAFOOD

333

Full Service Restaurant with river view, serving Mississippi and its visitors since 1951. Large Groups Welcome! Open Thurs. 5–9 p.m. | Fri. 5–9:30 p.m. Sat. 4–10 p.m. | Sun. 11:30 a.m.–8 p.m.

13221 Hwy 80 W, Chunky, MS Call 601-655-8311

Home of the “BIG CATFISH” and the CHUNKY RIVER RAFT RACE - June 6, 2015 -

TAKE-OUT & CATERING

515 SCENIC LOOP 333 • GRENADA, MISSISSIPPI

the specials for the freshest seafood. “Right now we have crawfish tamales. The crawfish are large and the tamales are served with a spicy salsa. We’re also doing fried catfish served over shrimp étouffée,” she says. Entrees also include barbecue shrimp, red beans and rice and seafood lasagna. The cuisine is casual new American with local influences and this translates to the beer list as well. The Chimes highlights parish offerings from Abita, Covington Brewhouse and Chafunkta Brewing Co. as well as options from around the world. A dozen raw oysters and a cold beer beside the river make for a great afternoon. PALMETTO’S ON THE BAYOU On the other side of the parish in Slidell, Palmetto’s on the Bayou offers outdoor dining along Bayou Bonfouca with entrance by boat or car. “We’re upscale but still Louisiana. Historically this bayou was an important center for trade and commerce, and we love being located here,” says Duffy Ramirez, who owns the building along with Kirk Dunbar. Daniel Bourgault, head chef at Palmetto’s, trained under renown Chef John Besh and lets Louisiana ingredients shine with refined

www.kitchentablenow.com MIDTOWN MARKET 3720 Hardy Street Hattiesburg, MS 601.261.2224

plating and clean yet intricate flavor profiles. Many menu options appear typical to the region on first glance, like fried green tomatoes topped with shrimp remoulade, but the combination of presentation and flavor makes them unique, and simply, better. Foliage surrounds the back of the building between its large deck and the bayou’s water. Hibiscus grows from hanging pots surrounding the area and the combination of these blooms and the trees and water transports diners to a place seemingly more isolated than the reality of Palmetto’s – only a couple of miles off the interstate. L

The Lakehouse 2025 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville, LA, (985) 626-3006, lakehousecuisine.com ($15-$30, $30 brunch buffet) Rip’s on the Lake 1917 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville, La., (985) 757-2829, ripsonthelake.com ($15-$25) The Chimes 19130 Rogers Lane, Covington, La., (985) 892-5396, thechimes.com/the-chimes-covington ($10-$20) Palmetto’s on the Bayou 1901 Bayou Lane, Slidell, La., (985) 643-0050, palmettosrestaurant.com ($15-$25 entrees, $20 brunch buffet)

Top to bottom: Shrimp remoulade with green tomatoes; trout amandine with new potatoes and green beans; crawfish biegnets with sirrachi sesame mayo (left); Catch Pontchartrain with vegetable medley and beurre blanc. Right: Palmetto’s on the Bayou offers outdoor dining along Bayou Bonfouca with entrance by boat or car.

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STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

Chaka Khan

By Stephen Corbett The lineup for the Third Annual Jackson Rhythm & Blues Festival, set for August 14 and 15, features as its headliners the legendary Chaka Khan and The Isley Brothers, a veritable encyclopedia of the evolution of popular African-American music from the 1950s to modern day. “We were just establishing our identity in the first two years,” said Alex Thomas, coordinator. “The first year was more moderate and blues-oriented. The second year, we expanded

The Isley Brothers

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and added some more contemporary R&B based artists and jazz and reggae to the mix.” Jackson is the perfect city for a genre-bending festival so rooted in the blues, although the Jackson version of blues differs significantly from Hill Country and Delta blues in the way it has contemporized itself. While blues from those regions are oftentimes more aligned with folk and rock, Jackson’s brand of blues is a bit funkier, occasionally incorporating elements of modern R&B and hip-hop. It is commonly known as soul blues and is typified by many of the artists who have recorded for the Jackson-based Malaco Records. In fact, two alumni from Malaco will make their third appearance at this year’s festival - Dorothy Moore and Bobby Rush. Bobby Rush was particularly busy in 2014. His latest album, “Decisions,” featuring Blinddog Smokin’ and Dr. John, was nominated for a Grammy as well as four Blues Music Foundation awards. He appeared on The Tonight Show, performing with Dan Akroyd and in the documentary, “Take Me to the River.” His 2014 set at the Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival was an example of the melting pot that is the Jackson music scene, blending blistering and soulful guitar and harmonica solos with a hefty dose of funk from the bass, drums and keyboards. He showed why he is considered by many to be the ambassador of Jackson’s music scene when he demonstrated for the crowd how the King of Pop and the King of Rock had “borrowed” from his stage performance and musical style. He even went so far as to do impressions of both Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. He isn’t a native of Jackson, but he has called it home for more than 20 years. He has also called it, “the center of the South.” “To the east, you have Atlanta. To the south, you have New Orleans. Memphis is to the north, and Dallas to the west. Jackson is in the middle of it all,” Rush said. “All these places - Chicago, Memphis, the Delta, Philadelphia, New Orleans - they all got a scene. Jackson has ‘em all in one place. A little this, a little that, and a little other.” Jackson native Eddie Cotton Jr. is one such “little this” and “little that.” Much like Rush, Cotton has a diversified take on the blues. He is a powerhouse guitarist and vocalist. His latest release, 2014’s “Here I Come,” highlights his soaring vocal style, his stinging guitar solos and

24 • JUNE // JULY 2015

the funky back beat which has become synonymous with Jackson. This is hardly surprising considering that his first job was at the legendary Subway Lounge at Jackson’s famed Summer’s Hotel. “This is my first year playing this festival,” Cotton said. “I love playing everywhere, but there ain’t no place like playing at home.” Cotton said blues music is timeless and relevant because it can incorporate and be incorporated into other genres – and because it can break down racial and social barriers. “My audience has always been diverse. You play it like you feel it – it isn’t just the chords, it’s the feel,” he said. “And when the blues get to going right, all people of all colors and all backgrounds just get together and feel it together and move together.” Another local favorite, Eden Brent, will make a return. Brent, who studied under legendary Mississippi pianist Abie “Boogaloo” Ames, has also used the blues as the base for her music. Her most recent release, 2014’s “Jigsaw Heart,” found her taking her music into more of a country/Americana style. “I wanted to stretch a little,” Brent said. “The beautiful thing is that blues fans are extremely loyal. Once they like you, and are receptive to your sound, they tend to travel with you as you go. There is also a lot of overlapping in American music genres, especially American music from the South. So, maybe I didn’t stretch as much as I thought I was.” Brent’s fans certainly followed her down this path, as this stunning album Eden Brent was nominated for the Blues Music Foundation’s award for Acoustic Album of the Year, while not being strictly blues or being strictly acoustic. Her next album will likely move in a Southern soul direction, similar to Dorothy Moore, Denise LaSalle and Irma Thomas, she said, further illustrating the overlapping genres of the music of the American South. LaSalle is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame but also is the author of the Barbara Mandrell country hit, “Married, But Not to Each Other.” Moore’s two biggest hits were both covers of country standards: “Misty Blue” and “Funny How Time Slips Away.” The festival takes place at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum and of the five stages, four are indoors, air conditioned (a welcome relief during a Mississippi August) and have been transformed to

Macy Gray

look like urban juke joints. “Yeah, it gets damn hot,” Brent laughs, “but getting funky and sweating brings it all together in a visceral way. Blues isn’t music that gets in a hurry. Hell, Mississippi is not in a hurry. We slow cook our food and we slow cook our music because it’s so hot outside. It just feels right.” Expect catfish and barbecue among the added vendors. Attendance, Thomas said, is expected to double again this year. “Which means we will have tripled from year one,” he said, adding that if the festival continues to grow at its current rate, the adjacent Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum as well as Smith-Wills Stadium, might be brought into the picture. The vision, he said, is to create a complex of various venues like the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. “I want to wow people every year. I want people to leave wondering how we’re going to top this but knowing that we will,” he said. L WANT TO GO? The complete line-up, as well as information about parking, partnering hotels and shuttles can be found at www.jacksonrhythmandbluesfestival.com.

ON THE LINEUP: • Chaka Khan is often described as the “Queen of Funk.” Khan is a legendary singer who has sold more than 70 million albums and has won 10 Grammys. • The self-described “R&B hippie neo-soul rock star,” Raheem DeVaughn was nominated for three Grammy Awards and named BET’s Male Artist of the Year in 2008. He has been compared to artists like D’Angelo, Van Hunt and Donny Hathaway and is currently promoting his February 2015 release “Love Sex Passion.” • R&B singer Macy Gray won a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2000 for her breakthrough single “I Try.” Gray’s raspy vocals have often been described as a mixture of Bob Dylan and Billie Holliday. Her debut album, “On How Life Is,” has sold more than seven million copies to date. Her latest release, “The Way,” finds her mixing blues, rock, disco and northern soul. • Leela James has done an amazing job of bringing old school soul to a new school audience. Since her 2005 debut album, which was named after Sam Cooke and featured the classic “A Change is Gonna Come,” James has done a tribute album to Etta James, recorded for Stax Records READLEGENDS.COM •

and worked with Macy Gray, Ray Charles, Robert Randolph and Moby. • Kentucky based hip-hop group, Nappy Roots, whose 2002 release “Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz” made Nappy Roots one of the biggest selling hip-hop acts of that year. Three of its songs were featured on the soundtrack to Tom Hanks’ “The Ladykillers.” Over the years they have worked with Anthony Hamilton, Lil Jon, Kanye West and Mark Ronson. • Soon to be blues legend John Nemeth has been nominated for nine Blues Music Awards – five of them in 2013 alone. He is an unparalleled harmonicist, having played for both Junior Watson and Elvin Bishop. His work with Elvin Bishop was rewarded with a Grammy nomination, while his 2007 release “Magic Touch” saw him receiving the Blues Music Award for Best New Artist. • Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame members, The Isley Brothers are in their sixth decade and have not only weathered every shift in popular music, they have remained relevant and popular, adding elements of current trends without compromising their artistic integrity. They began as a doo-wop group and scored their first big hit in the 1950s with “Shout” – the same one that was covered in the movie “Animal House.” In 1962, they hit big again with “Twist and Shout” – the same “Twist and Shout” that became one of the Beatles first hits and signature songs. In the mid-’60s, Jimi Hendrix served as their lead guitarist and a few years after Hendrix left the group, Ernie Isley took over the lead guitar position, playing on hits such as “It’s Your Thing,” “Summer Breeze,” “Fight the Power,” “That Lady” and “Voyage to Atlantis.” In 2001, the Isleys became the only act to reach Billboard’s Top 40 charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s with their single “Contagious.”

Joe Nemeth

For a complete festival lineup, and for other information, visit jacksonrhythmandbluesfestival.com

Leela James

26 • JUNE // JULY 2015

Eddie Cotton

STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

CITYOF SOUL FINDING YOUR GROOVE IN THE

If you’re headed to the City of Soul for the 3rd Annual Jackson Rhythm & Blues Festival, here’s what you’ll need to know:

HOW TO GET THERE Jackson is located at the crossroads of Interstates 55 and 20 in west central Mississippi and is easily accessible by air, train, bus or drive. The Medgar Wiley Evers Jackson International Airport is served by 7 airlines: American Eagle, Continental, Delta and US Airways Express. These airlines offer daily direct flights from Atlanta, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Memphis and Orlando. Downtown Jackson is a 15-minute cab ride from the airport. Amtrak, operated out of Union Station in downtown Jackson, offers daily service from Chicago and New Orleans. Union Station is also home to the Greyhound/Trailways bus lines, providing eight inbound and outbound buses daily.

WHERE TO STAY Jackson has 47 hotel properties with more than 4,800 rooms located throughout the city, offering travelers accommodation alternatives from small, intimate southern bed and breakfast inns to large, corporate hotel brands. Several hotels offer festival packages and special discount rates, along with shuttles to and from festival grounds for a nominal fee. Check jacksonrhythmandbluesfestival.com for the most current list of participating hotels.

WHERE TO EAT Although a variety of food and alcohol will be served on festival grounds (expect barbecue, catfish and Southern cuisine), there are a number of notable Jackson restaurants to lure you in before and af-

ter festival hours. Want upscale dining? Southern cuisine in a hole in the wall? Feel good soul food? Italian? Indian? Irish? Mediterranean? Seafood? Jackson has just about every dining option available. Check visitjackson. com/Dining for a comprehensive list of dining alternatives.

WHERE TO GO Jackson offers a wide variety of attractions and museums to entertain and educate. Are you a history buff? Stop by The Old Capitol Museum, a National Historic Landmark and one of America’s finest examples of Greek revival public architecture that served as the state capitol from 1839 to 1903. It housed such notable events as the passage of the Ordinance of Secession. For the opposite of the spectrum, visit Smith Robertson Museum & Cultural Center, named by CNN among its list of “50 States, 50 Spots to see in America.” Visitors here will find a comprehensive depository of artifacts portraying African-American experiences of Mississippians. Discover Jackson’s art at the Mississippi Museum of Art, and explore literature at the Eudora Welty House and Garden.

WHO TO CALL The staff of the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau assists travelers with everything from ticket purchases to hotel selection. The office is located in the heart of downtown at 111 E. Capitol Street Suite 102. For staffing assistance, call (800) 354-7695, or visit visitjackson.com. L Above: The A Team at the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau assists travelers with everything from making plans to booking rooms. READLEGENDS.COM •

STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

FEEL GOOD

SOUL FOOD Nourishing the body and mind in the most soulful city in the South BY RILEY MANNING

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BARRETT

SOUL FOOD LIGHT Two Sister’s Kitchen still operates out of the Big House – literally. The two-story house, dating to 1903, is nestled beside a patio near the Mississippi Capitol on Congress Street and features jazz music three days a week. “And we serve food like you get at grandmamma’s house,” said owner and manager Diann Alford. Two Sister’s serves what Alford calls “soul food light,” that is, down home Southern cooking – fried chicken, country-fried steak, red beans with Cajun beef sausage, and all kinds of greens and grits – but not the true soul food classics like oxtail and neck bones. “People come from up north and don’t really know the distinction,” Alford said, “But as far as style and atmosphere, we’ve got plenty of soul.” Alford worked as a legal secretary before opening Two Sister’s in June of 1989. She and her two sisters started learning their way around the kitchen in third grade under their mother and great grandmother. Alford’s siblings live in Kosciusko, but the three still share and collaborate on recipes.

“The thing about this kind of food is that just because you follow the recipe doesn’t mean you’ll get the result, because a lot of the recipe and seasoning is improvised, so you have to play with it to get just right,” Alford said. The real uniqueness to soul food lies in the family, she said. People leave feeling like they’ve been to eat at a friend’s house, not a restaurant. Yankees go wild over the delectables because of their warmth. Even if you didn’t grow up eating it, Alford said, you can feel the love in the dishes. “I just think mothers don’t cook like that anymore,” she said. “When we get up in the morning, we don’t get ready for work, we get ready for company.” The kitchen has won its share of awards and has been featured on “Man vs. Food,” but the highest praise of all comes from the woman who taught Alford everything she knows. “My mother will only eat my fried chicken. She says, ‘If I can’t have yours, I don’t want it.’ That’s more than I could ask for,” Alford said. “It really is.”

Top to bottom: Charlotte May, 2, gets an early lesson in Southern cooking from her father, Kevin May, during a day together which included lunch Two Sister’s Kitchen in Jackson; Two Sister’s staples are fried chicken, country-fried steak, red beans with Cajun beef sausage, and all kinds of greens and grits; customers to Two Sister’s say they feel more like they’ve eaten a family dinner than dinner at a restaurant.

CHITLIN’S AND PORK CHOPS On a Saturday evening around 5 o’clock, the sun is sinking slowly into the asphalt of Medgar Evers Boulevard as Serderick Lawson and Val Lee pull up to an orange-painted brick building. The parking lot is a meager patch of gravel. A banner advertising chitterlings rustles in the breeze. Lawson unlocks the iron screen door and the two step into the dim dining room of Sylvia’s Restaurant and Lounge. Lawson eases into a seat at one of the round tables next to the old-school jukebox, opens a takeout container of macaroni and takes a moment to enjoy the stillness. “This is the calm before the storm,” he said. Sylvia’s is one of the only soul food restaurants in town open for dinner. Lawson isn’t exaggerating. The doors open at 6 and stay open until the last person is fed. “Yes sir,” he said. “It’ll wear you out.” But the soul food – the fried catfish, the chicken wings – that Lee helps

churn out of the kitchen hits the spot for the after-hours crowd. And of

Lee also has some serious kitchen time under her belt. The Jack-

course the chitterlings (Southerners call them “chitlins.”) “What’s a chitlin? Hog guts. Intestines,” Lawson said. “You ate porkchop? Pig ear? Chitlin beats all of ‘em. We can’t keep enough in here.” Soul food, he said, is food like you get at big mamma’s house on a Sunday after church or at a family gathering. Lawson learned to cook from his mother, the restaurant’s namesake, who has been in the business more than 50 years. She started over on Mobile Street and had a grocery over on Livingston. “Of all my siblings, I was the only one who took an interest in cooking,” he said. “Mrs. Silvia is 76 and still kicking. She still comes up to the restaurant from time to time. I run it, and someday it’s going to be mine.”

son native started cooking at 15 under the tutelage of her mother and grandmother and has been with Sylvia’s for the past 20. She, too, said seasoning is crucial, but freshness is a must. “Ain’t no half-done food in here,” she said. “My life story is cooking. To cook a meal, it’s just like a painting, you know? I still think about my mamma and grandmamma when I cook. Especially when I mess up.”

NECKBONES AND OXTAILS Nearby on Livingston Road, Bully’s Restaurant works the same small-kitchen magic to whip up neck bones, pigs feet, ham hocks, smothered oxtails and succulent fried chicken. Brought to customers on a cafeteria tray, the main meat is accompanied by a choice of yams,

Clockwise: Dee Warden of Jackson listens to Dr. Robert Tatum of Madison and Deputy Sheriff R. Robinson of Bolton at Bully’s Restaurant; Greta Brown-Bully and her daughter, Tyrea Bully, share a tender moment between serving customers; fried chicken and barbecue are staples at the popular soul food restaurant; Customers wait for their pickup orders. Left to right are Megan, Justin and Jeffery Wilmoth of Star, Mississippi. Nick Spann of Brandon, Mississippi, and Roy Thompson of Jackson also wait but not for long.

We love hosting events. THE REST IS HISTORY.

Formerly the King Edward Hotel, this landmark building was once the center of Mississippi society and politics. Now beautifully restored, this stylish retreat warmly welcomes meeting groups to make their own history. We offer 7,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a Premier Ballroom for up to 300 guests, all overlooking a grand white marble lobby. The 186 luxurious rooms and suites are fit for royalty with sumptuous king and queen Garden Sleep System beds.Amenities include a fitness center, indoor heated swimming pool, 24-hour business center and complimentary wireless high-speed Internet throughout the hotel. Enjoy creative Southern cuisine in the King Edward Grill and sip fine wine and spirits in the Kind Edward Bar. Our ideal location is within walking distance to all the most popular sites, including the State Capitol, the Governor’s Mansion, the Jackson Convention Complex all also easily acessible with our complimentary

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black-eyed peas, rutabagas, okra and tea as sweet as candy. Bully’s moves as much out the door in carryout orders as they do for the dine-in crowd, a truly amazing output for a staff of eight. They call the kitchen “the matchbox.” Owner Tyrone Bully arrives around 6:30 each morning to organize the groceries, wash and peel the greens. “Soul food is cooking from the heart,” Bully said. “It started in slavery, cooking the scraps that the big house didn’t want - the ham hocks, the pig feet, the chitterlings - and they made what best they could out of it.” “And now it’s the food of the South,” said his wife, Greta Brown-Bully, Bully’s crucial other half who helps keep the restaurant running like a well-oiled machine. “Soul food is unique because there’s no particular recipe. Everyone kind of figures out their own way,” Brown-Bully said. “Soul food came along by adding a little of this here and a little of that there.” Bully’s sits at an odd intersection of railroad tracks and non-perpendicular roads. Across the street sits the old manufacturing district.

“We’re all about a good time. But we’re perfectionists. I couldn’t tell you what my favorite dish is, because if each of them weren’t great, they wouldn’t be on the menu. I tell people this is a place where your family and ours meet. And I really feel that’s true.” —Greta Brown-Bully Weeds grow among the concrete foundations of former factories, wiped clean as a dinner plate except for the lone cylinder of a brick smoke stack. For Tyrone, it’s a reminder of the future he could have had, as well as of the importance of family. “My dad never worked in the restaurant business,” Tyrone said. “He laid brick by hand, and I did, too, until I was 26. But he wanted better for me.”

Before the market fell, manufacturing plants ruled the land, Bully said. His father didn’t want his son laying brick as a career, so he started Bully’s as a sandwich shop, serving cold-cuts to workers on their lunch break. Soon it became apparent that sandwiches weren’t enough and that laborers needed a full meal. “These two ladies who stayed behind the restaurant asked if they could come work, and they taught me how to cook,” Tyrone said. “Maw Pearl could cook anything, wild game, you name it.” Brown-Bully said the dishes that make the menu, and the food that comes out of the kitchen, represent nothing less than the restaurant’s best effort. It shows, too. Bully’s has collected numerous awards on the local and national stage. Their daughter, Tyrea Bully, helms the register like a champ. “We’re all about a good time,” BrownBully said. “But we’re perfectionists. I couldn’t tell you what my favorite dish is, because if each of them weren’t great, they wouldn’t be on the menu. I tell people this is a place where your family and ours meet. And I really feel that’s true.” L CHECK OUT THESE OTHER SOULFUL SPOTS: Mom’s Dream Kitchen 1493 Terry Road, Jackson (601) 353 – 3845 Sugar’s Place 168 East Griffith Street in Jackson Open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (601) 352 - 2364 Pearl’s Southern Cooking 3505 Terry Road #205 in Jackson Open Sunday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (601) 372 - 2100

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Clockwise: Customers finish lunch at Sugar’s Place, a popular soul food restaurant on East Griffith Street in Jackson; (left to right) Janet Benford, Tawana Hawkins and Ana Crossley eat lunch at Sugar’s while on a break from Jackson Public Schools; Fried chicken and greens are served by Virginia Carter, owner of Pearl’s, who named the restaurant for her mother; Serderick Lawson, Sylvia’s son, now runs his mother’s restaurant while she enjoys retirement.

W E LO V E H A V ING T H E NEIGH BO RS O V ER. T A ST E OF NEW ORLEA NS GET A W A Y Enjoy deluxe accommodations for two, $10 0 gift voucher for Drago's Seafood Restaurant, and breakfast for two in W ellingtons the following morning. For room reservations please visit hilton.com or call 60 1-957-280 0

READLEGENDS.COM •

STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

COVER STORY

Music is the soul of Mississippi. Whether it’s the old-school R&B tunes of Jacksonian Dorothy Moore, the soul-blues sounds of Meridian native Pat Brown or the neosoul of Tawanna Shaunte and JJ Thames, Mississippi artists tell the tale of the evolution of American music and of R&B in particular. These are sisters separated by time but not place, each with their own particular spin on the beloved rhythm and blues tradition of Mississippi. MISTY BLUE Dorothy Moore grew up in the shadows of Farish Street, which at the time was a booming music mecca. Music venues like the Alamo Theater hosted musicians like Nat “King” Cole and Louis Jordan. “I went to see Jackie Wilson,” Moore recalls. “He came to Jackson, and my mother went to see him, and she took me along with her. That was a great thing to see him perform.”

34 • JUNE // JULY 2015

She was blessed with musical talent that shone from an early age. She was soloing in her church choir at age 5. By age 12, she was competing with adults at the local talent show at the Alamo. But despite the music in her own backyard, she was a child of the television age, too, where she was exposed to an even wider range of music. The sounds of Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight and Wilson Pickett came through on Sunday evenings. “Every Sunday night at seven o’clock I would watch the Ed Sullivan show,” she says. “I would see country and western singers, gospel singers, rhythm and blues singers. All that stayed in me. That’s what I saw and

 From left to right, Tawanna Shaunte, JJ Thames, Dorothy Moore and Pat Brown are the female voices behind Jackson’s soulful blues and R&B sound. Moore, who soloed in her church choir at age 5, became famous for her 1975 hit “Misty Blue.” Brown established herself at an early age as well, recording the hit “Equal Opportunity” with Wille Clayton. Shaunte and Thames have emerged with their own mixes of neo-soul and blues and perform on stages throughout the United States and abroad.

READLEGENDS.COM •

heard. I thought, ‘That’s something I want to do.’” She landed local gigs singing backup for other musicians recording in town. At 18, she was signed to her first recording contract with Epic records, traveling to Nashville to cut her debut record with an all-girl trio called The Poppies. They had a regional hit with the Billy Sherrillproduced “Lullaby of Love.” But her big hit came almost a decade later when she was recording for the Jackson-based Malaco Records. “Misty Blue,” from the album of the same name, was a simmering ballad that became a worldwide hit, garnering two Grammy nominations and by some accounts, saving Malaco Records from the brink of bankruptcy. “‘Misty Blue’ was released November, 1975,” says Moore. “Three months later in February, 1976, I was at the Grammy awards sitting next to Ringo Starr, behind Natalie Cole. I was like a little girl going to a fair.” Moore had a string of successful albums throughout the 1970s and

36 • JUNE // JULY 2015

‘80s for Malaco, all the while maintaining a considerable touring schedule. By 2002, she’d decided to start her own record label, Farish Street Records. She struck out on her own when the music industry experienced a dynamic shift. “‘Misty Blue’ was R&B when I first released it,” she says. “But you find it now in the blues section. I’ve performed with country artists and blues and R&B and gospel. They don’t know what to do with me. That’s why I went ahead and got my own label.” And then there was her experience and industry contacts. “I have my own label because I have creative control,” Moore says. “I can pick up a phone and call an arranger now. I can pick songs that my fans like. I’ve been in the business 40-plus years now.” She has released four albums on the Farish Street label, with no signs of stopping. She continues to tour worldwide, often performing on showcases with the likes of the Temptations and Martha Reeves and

the Vandellas. She recently sang at the funeral of friend Percy Sledge. To this day, her music defies easy categorization, the sign of any artist with true creative control. “At my show, you’re going to hear blues, rhythm and blues, gospel,” she says. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I just might yodel one time.” EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Like Moore, Pat Brown grew up singing in talent shows, a natural talent from a young age. She, too, idolized Aretha Franklin, often covering her songs. Throughout junior high and high school in Meridian she maintained her singing though she never had formal music instruction. “I guess it’s just a God-given gift,” Brown says. While at Meridian Junior College she joined the vocal ensemble, The Dynamics. The group performed for a year and a half until graduation time came. “They left after we graduated,” Brown says. “They told me they were going to California to make music. They asked me if I wanted to go but my mother said, ‘No.’ I was to finish school.” That group later found success in the music world under a different name—The Commodores. Meanwhile, Brown finished college at Mississippi Valley State. She became a schoolteacher back home in Meridian, then married and moved to Jackson. The first time she set foot in a recording studio, it was to sing on what would be a hit record. On “Equal Opportunity,” she sang a duet with Willie Clayton that became an instant hit for Clayton and served as a springboard for her career. She later re-released the song on her own debut album, also called “Equal Opportunity.” She has released five albums since and has another, “Like Fine Wine,” set for release this year. Though she sometimes collaborates with songwriters or writes her own songs, Brown says the key to good material is finding songs that relate to the human experience. “Life experiences are real important,” she says. “People can usually relate to something that has happened to them as opposed to something that’s fictional. Life experiences are easier to deal with.” Her sound is a distinct Mississippi mix of soul and blues. “I call it soul blues,” says Brown. “Anytime you can feel what you’re singing ... and someone else can feel what you’re feeling … it makes a world of difference.”

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ECLECTIC SOUL Tawanna Shaunte doesn’t like to use the phrase “neo-soul” when talking about her music. “There’s nothing new about it,” the Florence

1855 LAKELAND DR. • JACKSON, MS • 601.366.6644 READLEGENDS.COM •

“‘Misty Blue’ was released November 1975. Three months later in February, 1976, I was at the Grammy awards sitting next to Ringo Starr, behind Natalie Cole. I was like a little girl going to a fair.” —Dorothy Moore

native insists. “But everything evolves.” Shaunte’s music has been evolving since she was a little girl, learning music from her parents. Both of them were self-taught musicians, her mother a piano player, her father a guitarist. They imbued young Tawanna with a passion for music from a young age. “They used their music to fuel them. That was my first love of really appreciating music and what music can do for you,” she says. Shaunte listened to her parent’s gospel and soul records. As a teenager, she discovered jazz and developed an eclectic taste that would include equal parts of Muddy Waters, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell. She sang as a sideline. It wasn’t until her mid-20s that she had an epiphany that led her to a life on stage. She was visiting South Africa with her husband and two young sons. She got a chance to visit the studio of famed South African songstress Miriam Makeba. There, she was hit with a jolt of inspiration. “I was immersed in her sound,” Shaunte says. “I had a chance to go to her studio, and when I went it was something that hit me. I said, ‘You know what? This is something you should be doing.’ For me that was

my wake up call. I think that experience pushed me into realizing the importance of music and how music can be effective in social change. I knew that I wanted to sing.” It was 2006. As soon as she returned to Jackson, she called her friend Greg Stewart. They immediately formed a band. “We just had an idea that we wanted to create something we were passionate about,” says Shaunte. “I was always interested in artists like D’Angelo, who was neo-soul, and Erykah Badu. They were artists that merged blues, soul and jazz together. But I was still listening to Muddy Waters and Nina Simone. For me it was Nina Simone. For Greg it was more neo-soul artists. That’s how we merged it together, and it became an eclectic feel where we wanted to put these genres together.” With this mash-up of eclecticism, the band name came easily: Eclectik Soul. The group went on to release two albums—2008’s self-titled debut and 2010’s “Rising.” After the two releases, Shaunte decided to strike out on her own. “We decided it was time for us to do something different. I really wanted to tap into some of the styles of music that I had been hearing in my head for so long.” Her career took a considerable leap when she signed with Cassandra Wilson’s Ojah Media Group. In this partnership, she has released her first solo album, “Freedom Agent.” The record was recorded in Pela-

hatchie with a host of Mississippi musicians. “Mississippi has such rich soil,” Shaunte says. “Even with the struggles of this state, there is still this beauty that comes out of her that I love. That purity in the way I want to approach music, it has no boundaries. I love being able to be a storyteller. That’s how I approach it. It’s one of the reasons I named the album “Freedom Agent.” When people hear this album, there’s a sense of freedom. So it’s just kind of like being able to break down barriers with music. That’s where that came from.” A BLUES JOURNEY JJ Thames learned the blues the hard way—by living them. Thames grew up in Detroit, studying classical music from the age of nine. At Montessori school she was encouraged. At home, gospel music came by way of her pastor father. She traveled for choir competitions with her school. At age 16, she discovered jazz and began sneaking into local jazz clubs to hear spoken word performances. Under the tutelage of a sympathetic club owner, she was soon on the stage herself. It was the late 1990s, and the worlds of hip-hop and jazz were intersecting in some places, and Thames stood right at that nexus, providing vocal tracks to local hip-hop artists. Three months before high school graduation, she gave birth to a son. Her father had accepted a preaching job in Mississippi, and she and her newborn moved with the family. “I was supposed to be going to college in New York, but there was another plan,” she says. It wasn’t long before she was singing with a local band called Mo’ Money, with whom she performed for six years. With a regular Wednesday night gig at Hamp’s Place in Jackson, she fell into the music scene in Mississippi and met soon-to-be mentor vocalist Patrice Moncell. “She taught me a lot,” Thames says. “She took me under her wing and had me fill in for her for shows she wasn’t able to make. She taught me a lot about stage presence.” When she moved to Mississippi Thames had been mostly unfamiliar with blues music. In Jackson, her real-world music education took the form of a hands-on master class. In addition to Mo’ Money, she collaborated with local musician Andy Hardwick, who encouraged her to learn standards such as “Dust My Broom,” “Sweet Home Chicago” and “Boom Boom Boom.” They performed as a duo four nights a week for three years. “I learned a lot about blues,” Thames says. “Andy was very instrumental in that. He wanted me to focus on Motown. It was strange that I was from Detroit but didn’t know a lot of Motown. Then I learned a lot of blues songs.” Hardwick proved to be an apt instructor. “He really fostered that and pushed me to learn those things,”

Thames says. “He was very adamant about me getting the timing correct.” After her second son died from a rare form of cancer, Thames looked for a fresh start back in Detroit. “I had built a fan base in Mississippi, but I felt like there wasn’t much further I could go. That was probably naïve at the time. I just felt stagnated. I wanted to go home. I felt like with the tools I’d developed in Mississippi, I could bring something to Detroit that they didn’t have, which was blues.” Her time in Detroit was successful. She got a standing gig at a local club called Lola’s. Her blues-based shows set her apart from other competing acts. But eventually she yearned for more. “I went to New York,” she says. “[I was] thinking I made it in Detroit and made it in Mississippi. I should go to the big city and make this happen.” But it didn’t happen, at least not at first. A series of setbacks happened instead. Thames found herself homeless, living in shelters and singing in the subway terminals for spare change. Discouraged, she relied on her music to pull her through the hard times. “I always knew that music would keep me going,” she says. “Whenever I looked at my circumstances and saw that they weren’t what I wanted them to be, I would kind of sing myself out of it. I used singing as my therapy. I had an opportunity to see people touched by that. So I felt like it was my calling, and something I needed to stick to.” All the while, she was writing. “A lot of my songs came out of those journals,” she says. “Ninety percent of my music is about my personal experiences. I feel like the best stories are your own.” Those songs came to form the repertoire for her self-released neosoul album under the name “Jenesis” in 2008. Thames went to work touring the country as a back up singer for the reggae rock outfit Outlaw Nation, and in 2012 returned to Jackson. Within a year she had signed with Grady Champion’s DeChamp Records and headed for the studio to cut her newly released “Tell You What I Know,” a stirring blend of autobiographical songs that simmer in the stew of soul and blues. During a performance on the B.B. King Blues Club cruise she heard the news that the album had made the Billboard charts. It remains there today. L

STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

by Johnny Vincent (1925-2000) and was the most successful Mississippi-based label of the 1950s and 1960s. Ace’s extensive catalog of blues, rhythm and blues, pop, rock and soul included records by Mississippi blues artists Arthur Crudup, Sam Myers, King Edward, Pat Brown and Willie Clayton, as well as hit singles by Louisiana singers Jimmy Clanton, Frankie Ford, Huey “Piano” Smith and Earl King.

Just down Mississippi’s Blues Trail are the stories of the famed men and women whose artistic expression birthed what we know today as American Music. In 2015, there is hardly a musical genre that hasn’t been touched by the Birthplace of the Blues. Mississippi’s artists were constant contributors to the early forms of blues, rhythm and blues, pop, rock, soul … the list goes on. And in Jackson, American music got an especially eclectic start. Some of these artists are long gone. Others still carry the torch. But visitors to the Capital City can learn of their surprising stories – in the places where history was made – just by following the trail. ACE RECORDS Ace Records, just a block west of Capitol Street, was founded in 1955

BOBBY RUSH Bobby Rush, a Louisiana native who lived for decades in Chicago, earned the title “King of the Chitlin’ Circuit” after relocating to Jackson in the early 1980s. Rush’s distinctive “folk funk” style, featured on his recordings for the Jackson-based LaJam label and others, bridged the blues he heard as a youth with modern soul music. His upbeat and often provocative live shows established him as a favorite among Southern soul and blues audiences and later brought him international acclaim. CASSANDRA WILSON Grammy award-winning jazz vocalist Cassandra Wilson, a native of Jackson, is known for her broad explorations of various forms of music, including the blues. Her recordings include versions of songs by Delta blues artists Robert Johnson, Son House and Muddy Waters. The

marker is placed where Wilson grew up, on Albemarle Road. Wilson was declared “America’s Best Singer” by Time magazine in 2001, in recognition of her great accomplishments in jazz and her creative approaches to a broad range of music, including the blues. DOROTHY MOORE /ALAMO THEATRE Prior to 1949, the Alamo Theatre occupied two other spots in the area. The theatre showed movies, hosted music competitions and presented blues and jazz concerts by artists such as Nat “King” Cole, Elmore James, Louis Jordan and Cab Calloway during the 1940s and ‘50s. Gospel groups and vocal ensembles also performed. Local resident Dorothy Moore’s many victories at Alamo talent contests ultimately led to a successful recording career. In 1976 her record “Misty Blue” was a huge hit and established its label, Malaco, as a major player in the soul and blues field. Her other hits included “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “I Believe You,” and “With Pen In Hand.” She later formed her own label, Farish Street Records. EDWARDS HOTEL Constructed in 1923 and renamed the King Edward Hotel in 1954, the Edwards Hotel was the site of temporary studios set up by OKeh Records in 1930 and the American Record Corporation in 1935 to record blues artists Bo Carter, Robert Wilkins, Joe McCoy, Isaiah Nettles, the Mississippi Sheiks and others. The Mississippi Sheiks also performed at the hotel, and Houston Stackhouse recalled that he played here together with fellow bluesman Robert Nighthawk and country music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers.

GOLD COAST This area of Rankin County, formerly called East Jackson and later the Gold Coast, was a hotbed for gambling, bootleg liquor and live music for several decades up through the 1960s. Blues, jazz and soul performers, including touring national acts and locally based artists Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2 (Rice Miller), Sam Myers, Cadillac George Harris and Sam Baker Jr., worked at a strip of clubs along Fannin Road known to African-Americans as “’cross the river.” ISHMON BRACEY One of the earliest blues musicians from Mississippi to make recordings, Ishmon Bracey (1899-1970), is buried in the nearby Willow Park Cemetery. In the 1920s and ‘30s Bracey was a leading bluesman in the Jackson area and performed with prominent artists including Tommy Johnson, Rube Lacy and Charlie McCoy. In the early ‘50s Bracey became an ordained minister and left the blues behind. MALACO RECORDS Malaco Records, one of America’s foremost labels in the fields of Southern soul, blues and gospel, was founded at this site in 1967. Malaco’s studio was the first state-of-the-art recording facility in Mississippi. The label attained national stature with the success of Dorothy Moore’s “Misty Blue” (1976), Z.Z. Hill’s “Down Home Blues” (1982) and other records by the Jackson Southernaires, Denise LaSalle, Bobby Bland, Little Milton, Latimore and Johnnie Taylor.

OTIS SPANN Otis Spann and Little Johnnie Jones, two of the acknowledged masters of Chicago blues piano, were cousins who lived in Jackson in the 1930s and ‘40s. On the vibrant post-World War II Chicago scene they both played with blues king Muddy Waters and other luminaries and were hailed for their stellar work both as accompanists and as featured recording artists. QUEEN OF HEARTS The Queen of Hearts, a primary venue for down-home blues in Jackson, opened at this location in the 1970s. During the following decades, owner-operator Chellie B. Lewis presented the blues bands of King Edward, Sam Myers, Big Bad Smitty and many others. The house behind the club at 905 Ann Banks St. was owned and occupied in the 1960s by blues singer-guitarist Johnnie Temple, who had been a popular recording artist in Chicago in the 1930s and ‘40s. SCOTT RADIO SERVICE Scott Radio Service Company, located at 128 North Gallatin St., just north of this site, was one of the first businesses in Mississippi to offer professional recording technology. The Jackson-based Trumpet record label used the Scott studio for sessions with blues legends Sonny Boy

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Williamson (Rice Miller) and Elmore (Elmo) James, along with many other blues, gospel and country performers from 1950 to 1952. SUBWAY LOUNGE During the era of segregation, traveling African-Americans had few options for lodging. In Jackson, many black musicians stayed at the Summers Hotel, established in 1944 by W.J. Summers. In 1966 Summers opened a club in the hotel basement that he called the Subway Lounge. The Subway was a regular jazz venue and offered popular late night blues shows from the mid-1980s until the hotel’s demolition in 2004. TRUMPET RECORDS Trumpet Records was the first record company in Mississippi to achieve national stature through its distribution, sales, radio airplay and promotion. Willard and Lillian McMurry launched the label from their retail store, the Record Mart, at 309 North Farish St. in 1950 and later converted the back room into a recording studio. The first releases by Mississippi blues legends Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2, Elmore James and Willie Love appeared on Trumpet in 1951. L Information courtesy msbluestrail.org.

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VISIT

VICKSBURG The Key to the South “The Mississippi Delta begins in the lobby of The Peabody Hotel in Memphis and ends on Catfish Row in Vicksburg…” David Cohn, “God Shakes Creation”

LANDMARKS.

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LYRICS.

Explore Vicksburg’s historical attractions, live entertainment venues and delicious restaurants for a true Southern experience! Relive where American history was made and immerse yourself in the arts, antiques and architecture of Vicksburg. Vicksburg’s downtown area is the proud home of Catfish Row which is full of museums, restaurants, the Levee Street Marketplace and an art park with riverfront murals and a splash fountain.

Scan this QR to visit our mobile site and get your keys to Vicksburg.

VisitVicksburg.com /VisitVicksburg

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STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

FROM SLOW NEO-SOUL TO BOOGIE ALL NIGHT LONG

’ JACKSON S UNMATCHABLE MUSIC SCENE Story and photographs by Marianne Todd

t’s a city which has aptly earned its nickname. In the City of Soul, live music lovers have a wide choice of entertainment most any night of the week. Steeped heavily in blues and rhythm and blues, Jackson’s music scene thrives like no other city in Mississippi. Whether it’s to unwind with a cocktail to some cool jazz or boogie until the early morning hours to authentic jump blues, Jackson’s eclectic mix of music and musicians will fill any bill. Here are a few of our favorites:

THE YELLOW SCARF This “Listening Room” was created after owner Cassandra Wilson needed a place to store her grand piano. The story goes, Wilson moved her piano into storage in a non-descriptive building off High Street when her friends mentioned the great acoustics of the building, which formerly housed a photographer’s business. With high ceilings, ample space, additional rooms, offices and even an upstairs area, the women went to work transforming the building into a music venue. It was a fitting move for the Grammy award-winning singer once declared by Time magazine as “America’s Best Singer.” Now in its fifth year, The Yellow Scarf gives off a vibe much like its sultry name. Accommodating about 125 people, the club invites its patrons to relax, to listen, even to participate. “It’s not a bar. It’s not a club. It’s a listening room,” says general manager Rhonda Richmond, who also performs there. “Our mantra is ‘Where real musicians make real music in real time.’ We’re trying to encourage creativity and so we want people to come in and do their own compositions.” Serving beer and light wines, the club also encourages BYOB for anyone who

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Tonya Boyd Cannon, recently featured on The Voice, entertains guests at Jackson’s listening room, The Yellow Scarf.

wants something heavier. Set ups are available. “Sometimes caterers come in and sell their food, but you’re welcome to bring your own food,” Richmond says. VIPs can pay a little extra for seating upstairs, where there is a broad view of the stage and comfortable living room seating. An Ancestor’s Room pays homage to those musicians who left their mark on the world and who are no longer living. Sometimes the club serves as space for private parties; other times it acts as a recording studio, Richmond says. Music lovers should check the club’s website for a music lineup and hours of operation as they vary from month to month.

JJ Thames rocks the house at 2 a.m at Frank Jones Corner. The Jackson blues juke is known for its late night/early morning dance-until-you-drop blues grooves.

“We used to have several performances a night, but we’re experimenting with special performances now and trying different formats for scheduling,” Richmond says. The weekend of Juneteenth – June 19 and 20 – expect see the likes of Wilson, Lili Añel and Richmond performing. What you get: Calming yellow tones and unparalleled musical performances with original compositions in an intimate setting Where: 741 Harris St. When: Hours vary so check website for lineup and hours Cost: Varies with performance, but expect cover at door, more for VIP seating Website: yellowscarf-jackson.net Phone: (347) 754-0668 FRANK JONES CORNER If The Yellow Scarf has an antithesis, it’s Frank Jones Corner. Not far from the yellow hues of the ‘listening room,’ is a boogie-all-nightif-you-dare blues juke described by owner Daniel Dillon as “the most authentic Mississippi experience in Jackson.” He and co-owner, Adam Hayes, opened the club in 2009 in Jackson’s Farish Street area because of its promise as an entertainment district. While the renovation of the area has come at a slow pace, Frank Jones Corner patrons are able to enjoy a full service bar and food until 4

a.m. – or until the music stops – which is never before that hour. Since receiving a resort designation from the city, it is able to run a full-service bar after hours. The “underground juke” is reminiscent of a bygone era, and lends itself to the spirit of the man for which it was named. “Frank Jones was an entrepreneur on Farish Street in the ‘40s and ‘50s,” Dillon says. “He was a rough guy with a large frame, a real shrewd businessman.” Music begins at midnight and gets into full swing by 2 a.m. Dancers pack out the dance floor while groups of people fill the bar and spill into areas with couches and chairs. The music is as authentic as is the club’s fried catfish. “It’s always going to be blues,” Dillon says. “You might get a little R&B, but we pride ourselves on offering the blues – The House Rockers, Dexter Allen, Pat Brown and the Millennium Band, Sherman Lee Dillon and the Mississippi Sound. There’s really nothing but the blues up in there. It’s the spirit of the old Subway.” “The old Subway” was a dimly-lit lounge in the basement of Jackson’s Summers Hotel. Back in Mississippi’s darker days, it had been a hotel and lounge for blacks only. Once blues musicians of both races took hold of it, though, its audience expanded to people of other backgrounds and its waiting line was sometimes a block long before the music started at midnight. Thus at Frank Jones, patrons will see the proudly READLEGENDS.COM •

Vasti Jackson performs at The Undgeround 119, a cool speak-easy styled club featuring blues and jazz, slick leather couches and impeccable food and drink.

displayed words, “No black. No white. Just the blues.” And in keeping with the Subway spirit, Frank Jones also serves up its share of food. “We have raised the bar on our food,” Dillon says. “We’re cutting and breading our own catfish, frying wings, pickles, fries – food that goes good with the blues. Our employees are all real helpful and accommodating, and everything we cook and serve is made here.” What you get: Authentic juke experience, boogie-type blues until the wee hours of the morning Where: 303 N. Farish St. When: Live music Fridays and Saturdays, 10 p.m. until Cost: Expect a cover at the door; food, beer, wine and liquor is served all night Website: fjonescorner.com Phone: (601) 983-1148 THE UNDERGROUND 119 Just a short drive from F. Jones Corner to the center of downtown Jackson and nestled under Gallery 119 is the cool speak-easy styled

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Underground 119. With is long, black leather couches and comfortable tables, there’s not a bad seat in the house to unwind after a hard day’s work or to get lost in some soul-searching blues or jazz. The art is pretty impressive, too. “The atmosphere – well, it’s one of the strangest clubs I’ve ever worked at,” says bartender Frank Pinkerton. “Everybody comes in here – younger, older, gay, straight, white, black. There’s not a set crowd in here. It changes according to what night it is, who is playing and who is in town that night.” The music is just as eclectic: Mostly blues, some rock ‘n’ roll, jazz on Wednesdays, full bands on Fridays and Saturdays. “Last night we had a guy in here with a steel guitar. He was amazing,” Pinkerton said. On Tuesdays, Jackson artist Jesse Robinson hosts a camaraderie of musician friends, starting at 6 p.m. Wednesdays are more reserved for jazz; Thursdays are dedicated – mostly – to female singer/songwriters “but not always.” Fridays and Saturdays “are always for someone big. For recording artists and nationally touring artists – Jarekus Singleton, Ghost Town Blues Band, Southern Komfort Brass Band.” Check out the impressive music calendar on the club’s website – everyone from Lisa Mills and Eden Brent to Spectrum Jazz – Mississippi Stomp and JJ Thames to Eddie Cotton and Vasti Jackson. And then you never know who will stop by for an impromptu performance. The club offers its guests an impressive tappas menu and specialty cocktails, whiskeys and house, white and red wines from a full-service bar. Expect food menu items such as shrimp and grits, Mississipi catfish, crawfish and shrimp penne, red beans and rice and roast beef platter. Not so hungry? Go for some butter bean hummus, fried okra, mac and cheese or a dessert such as a chocolate pretzel brownie.

Reservations are for dinner only, and a full menu is posted on the club’s website. And while the food is great, it’s the unassuming and relaxed vibe of this club that keeps its patrons returning. What you get: A cool, relaxed vibe in a speak-easy styled club, plenty of blues and jazz by touring musicians and bands Where: 119 South President St. When: Tuesdays from 5 to 11 p.m.; Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight; Fridays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Cost: Expect a cover at the door; food, beer, wine and liquor is served Website: underground119.com Phone: (601) 352-2322 THE IRON HORSE GRILL The Iron Horse Grill distinguishes itself among Jackson’s music venues in that it always offers a free show – that’s both for the music and the Mississippi Music Experience Museum upstairs. “There’s never a cover charge,” says bartender and music scheduler Justin Cook. “We offer live entertainment four days a week.” Thursdays are reserved for unwinding, and that is when The Iron Horse usually brings in a smaller band or a single or duo act – but not always. Fridays and Saturdays “is for our battle cry – Charcoal and Music,” Cook says. “We don’t want to be pigeonholed with any particular kind of music – as long as it’s from Mississippi, it’s good.” On weekends, prepare for a good meal from a diverse menu, specialty cocktails from a full-service bar, a stroll through the impressive museum while you wait and rocking the night away to local, regional and national acts. “Seth Libby, Scott Albert Johnson, Cedric Burnside and Big Bill Morganfield, we have a reverence for cats like that,” Cook says. “It’s a good sprinkling of blues, and seeing as we have a music museum upstairs, we like to showcase talent from our state. We have Tiger (Tomas “Tiger” Rogers) on Sundays, and just recently we had a calypso band from USM. That band was awesome.” Cook said he invites school bands to send in their music for booking consideration. “Good music is good music,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where it comes from.” Aside from great musical acts, a creative menu and museum, The Iron Horse is spacious with well though-out art schemes and furnishings. Want to talk more than listen? A number of comfortable, semiprivate rooms are available. On Sundays, relax to live jazz while the brunch chef fixes up your faves from the omelette and waffle bar, or choose from a number of menu offerings - everything from Angus filets and heartland catfish to shrimp over Delta Grind Grits and black bean enchiladas. Do yourself a favor and order the cheesy roasted poblano macaroni and cheese as a side dish and top the dining experience off with an apple empanada topped with ice cream. You’ll leave with a smile.

What you get: A spacious view of the stage from upstairs or downstairs, fantastic food, rocking music and the Mississippi Music Experience Museum. Where: 320 West Pearl St. When: Mondays through Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to midnight; and Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: Never a cover charge; food, wine and liquor is served Website: theironhorsegrill.com Phone: (601) 398-0151 L

A rendition of Pinetop Perkins found in the Iron Horse’s Mississippi Music Experience Museum. The restaurant/club offers live music five days a week.

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ON VIEW MAY 29 – AUGUST 30, 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MSMUSEUMART.ORG 380 SOUTH LAMAR STREET JACKSON,MISSISSIPPI 39201 601.960.1515 1.866.VIEWART @MSMUSEUMART

GEORGE WARDLAW: RECENT WORKS Also on view at Fischer Galleries 736 President Street Downtown Jackson

Support for George Wardlaw, A Life in Art: Works from 1954 to 2014 is provided by The Bernice Flowers Hederman Fund and through the Meyer and Genevieve Falk Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts of the

TOP LEFT George Wardlaw (born 1927), Hudson: Place of the Meeting Waters, (detail), 1959. oil on canvas. 68 x 54 1/2 in. Copyright © the artist. ABOVE George Wardlaw (born 1927), Seeding (detial), 1969. acrylic on canvas. 96 x 48 in. Copyright © the artist. LEFT George Wardlaw (born 1927), JT-Camel Who Took A Walk, (detail), 2013. acrylic, charcoal, pencil, on canvas. 78 x 54 in. Copyright © the artist.

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STORY FROM CHICAGO, ILL.

The House Rockers

By Stephen Corbett In the early 20th century, the eastern half of the United States experienced The Great Migration. Seeking a better quality of life, millions of black families left the rural South for the more industrial cities of the North. They brought with them their possessions and their rich culture. The transplants from Mississippi headed to St. Louis and Chicago. Many were musicians and although part-time, they played on the streets and at house parties, leading to an inevitable increase in blues clubs. The sights and the sounds of life in Chicago began to seep its way into this music, creating a fusion that became known as Chicago blues. By adding drums and electric guitars, they created a harder sound than they had previously played back home, a sound that eventually led to rock ‘n’ roll. This music, inarguably one of Mississippi’s greatest contributions to the arts, is celebrated each year at the Chicago Blues Festival, slated in 2015 for June 12-14 in Chicago’s Grant Park. It is the

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largest free blues festival in the world with an estimated 500,000 in attendance each year. Since the inception of Chicago blues, the majority of its biggest stars have been from the Mississippi Delta, and that will no doubt be on full display. For the second consecutive year, however, the Chicago Blues Festival will honor the music of Mississippi’s state capital with its own stage, the Jackson Mississippi Rhythm & Blues Stage. Alex Thomas, coordinator, said the event will kick off with panel discussions about the blues – and one in particular with Johnny Rawls is sure to please. “What makes Jackson so special is the way different groups of music became one music,” says Rawls. “It is a little bit slicker. It has more of a soul and R&B feel to it than other kinds of blues. Soul-blues is what I call it.” The House Rockers, legends of the Jackson music scene, will do two sets on Saturday. Led by drummer Dudley Tardo, they’ll play an hour long set earlier in the day, and then close the stage down by leading that evening’s jam session. The House Rockers, who got their start in 1987, have been a mainstay in Jackson and were featured in Robert Mugge’s documentary “The Last of the Mississippi Jukes.” “I remember back when I first started playing out, and we played in Jackson. You should have seen the looks on their faces,” Tardo laughs. “I mean this was the chitlin’ circuit. Real juke joints. And in walks these white guys with long hair. Everyone was telling us, ‘You guys are in the wrong place. We don’t allow no Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin songs in here. This place is for blues.’ But we studied it, and we played it authentically. We were real blue-eyed soul brothers.” He illustrates Jackson’s diverse brand of blues … “A lot of the guys playing blues gigs in Jackson were also jazz players, so the structures are sometimes more jazz oriented, and there is a little bit more swing in the rhythm,” he said. “There are a lot of songs that follow that 12-bar blues formula on the surface, but there is a different phrasing going on within those 12 bars. The untrained ear might not hear it, but a musician will know. “The Delta and the Hill Country styles of blues are a result of those areas being very rural,” he continued. “Jackson is much more urban, and that is reflected in the music. The Jackson blues artist isn’t the stereotype of the Mississippi blues man as sitting on a front porch in the backwoods. Jackson being represented with its own stage will help give our scene more credibility - recognition along the likes of the Delta and Hill Country.” Before hitting it out on his own, Rawls did his time playing in the bands of other legends of the genre, including ZZ Hill, Joe Tex, Bobby Bland and O.V. Wright. These legends are no longer with us, making Rawls’ role as the authority on the subject all the more important. He was there and is still here.

“ZZ and Joe definitely left a lasting influence. And man, O.V. - I played with him for ten years. It was like the greatest experience in my life,” he said. In addition to being an accomplished and in demand guitarist, Rawls is a prolific songwriter who has had more than 100 of his original compositions recorded.

“I remember back when I first started playing out, and we played in Jackson. You should have seen the looks on their faces. I mean this was the chitlin’ circuit. Real juke joints. And in walks these white guys with long hair. Everyone was telling us, ‘You guys are in the wrong place. We don’t allow no Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin songs in here. This place is for blues.’ But we studied it, and we played it authentically. We were real blue-eyed soul brothers.” —DUDLEY TARDO, THE HOUSE ROCKERS “My emphasis has always been on the song - not the guitar,” Rawls said. “I mean, when I want to, I can get down and play, but I take more pride in my songwriting. I want to be known as a great songwriter, and not just an idiot who plays a guitar solo for two hours with lightning speed.” Having the House Rockers leading Saturday night’s jam session was a no-brainer. Not only did they hone their craft on the chitlin’ circuit, over the years they’ve shared stages with B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Tyrone Davis, Taj Mahal, Bobby Rush, Clarence Gatemouth Brown READLEGENDS.COM •

Patrice Moncell, left, and JJ Thames, both powerhouse vocalists, are on the lineup of the Jackson R&B State at the Chicago Blues Fest, June 12 and 13.

and Kris Kristofferson. “Yeah, man,” Tardo laughed. “We had some pretty great tutelage, but that’s how high the bar is set in Jackson. On any given night, we could be playing in some juke joint and see someone like Bobby Rush or Little Milton walk in. The high level of talent surrounding you creates a high level of influence that is inescapable. We learned early on to be able to jam with anyone cause you never knew who was going to show up.” Along with bringing recognition to the music, Thomas is hopeful that it will bring recognition to the city of Jackson itself. “We’re going to have a booth set up to pass out information on Jackson. It would be great if one of the benefits of being there is an increase in interest in Jackson leading to an increase in tourism,” Thomas said. “Because of the people from this area that migrated to Chicago, there are a lot of people in Chicago with family in Jackson. And there is an Amtrak line that runs directly from Chicago to Jackson. Hopefully this opens the door for the people who moved up there years ago to come back and visit. And maybe it will encourage the younger people who have never been here to come down and learn about their roots.” L WANT TO GO? Acts on other stages include Clarence Carter, Buddy Guy and Taj Mahal. For a complete schedule and other festival details, visit chicagobluesfestival.us.

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Other artists on the Chicago Jackson Rhythm & Blues Stage include: • Harmonica virtuoso Scott Albert Johnson, who was born in St. Louis and raised in Jackson. His music is a blending of blues with pop, rock, jazz and folk. His unique style of playing harmonica has been compared to John Popper and Stevie Wonder. He has been name as one of the “Hot 100 Harmonica Players Worldwide” by The Harmonica Company (U.K.). His latest album, the aptly titled “Going Somewhere,” has a release date of June 9. • Camden, Mississippi’s own John Primer, who now calls Chicago home, played with Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters and Magic Slim (all fellow Mississippians who found fame in Chicago) before starting a solo career. Primer is an electrifying guitarist who puts on one of the most high-energy shows in blues today. His first two releases on his own Blues House Productions record label received nominations from the Blues Music Awards. • Tawanna Shaunte, who brings a captivating mixture of neosoul and jazz. She possesses a powerful voice that harkens back to legends like Cassandra Wilson and a songwriting maturity that is reminiscent of the great folk artists of the 1960s. Her latest project is her 2015 EP “Freedom Agent.” • Meridian’s own vocal powerhouse, Patrice Moncell. Her vocals, which often find her belting out the lyrics at full force, are reminiscent of Etta James and Mahalia Jackson. Much like Millie Jackson, she is equally adept at wringing the pure heartbreak out of every line and being brash enough to make the boldest man blush. Her latest release, “Woman Enough,” was produced by former Alligator Records (Chicago-based) and Malaco Records (Jackson-based) session guitarist Vasti Jackson.

Every picture tells a story, especially when you have two masterful storytellers.

This summer, Jackson is hosting two one-of-a-kind exhibitions. On April 10, the Eudora Welty Biennial opened, a showcase of the author’s visionary photography and fiction—as well as sculpture, architecture and video. From April 24 through the summer, a Black Arts Movement photography exhibit will be open in the Johnson Hall Art Gallery of Jackson State University. This exhibition commemorates what would have been Walker’s 100th birthday, and the tribute culminates with the Margaret Walker Centennial Gala Celebration on July 10. Learn more at jacksonstorytellers.com, and don’t miss these rare, up-close glimpses of two incredible storytellers. TM

Photograph of Margaret Walker: Carl Van Vechten by permission of the Van Vechten Trust

JCV8552-6 Jackson Storytellers- Legends Mag June/July.indd 1

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601-978-1700 OR 1-800-839-7857 READLEGENDS.COM •

STORY FROM JACKSON, MISS.

MAY 29 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART

aised on a farm in northeastern Mississippi during the years of the Great Depression, George Wardlaw emerged from humble beginnings to become an artist—at Ole Miss—and a member of the avant-garde scene in New York City during the 1950s and ‘60s. He flourished as an important figure in American art and as an influential teacher at Yale University and University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he continues to live and work. This exhibition at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson features 34 quintessential works, many large in scale, from among the hundreds created by Wardlaw over the course of more than six decades. They were selected by Dr. Roger Ward, the MMA’s deputy director and chief curator, to illustrate the trajectory of Wardlaw’s artistic development from his roots in Abstract Expressionism through the era of Color Field painting, Pop Art and Minimalism to the individualis-

tic and personally expressive character of his contemporary work. The exhibition includes Wardlaw’s drawings, paintings and sculptures from the collections of other museums such as the de Cordova Museum and Sculpture Park, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and the Wichita Art Museum in addition to works from the MMA’s own collection. Support for George Wardlaw, A Life in Art: Works from 1954 to 2014 is provided by The Bernice Flowers Hederman Fund and through the Meyer and Genevieve Falk Endowment Fund for Culture and Arts of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson. A second George Wardlaw exhibition, George Wardlaw: Recent Works, opens in tandem with the Museum’s showing at nearby Fischer Galleries in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. For more information visit msmuseumart.org.

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George Wardlaw emerged from humble beginnings to become an artist—at Ole Miss—and a member of the avantgarde scene in New York City during the 1950s and ‘60s. The exhibition of his work at the Mississippi Art Museum features 34 of his works, many large in scale, from hundreds Wardlaw created over six decades. READLEGENDS.COM •

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Home to blues legends like Kenny Brown, Joe Callicott, Memphis Minnie, Don McMinn and more, the blues have deep roots here in DeSoto County. Come catch a live show or travel back in time along our historic Blues Trail. While you’re visiting, walk, stretch, picnic or enjoy a peaceful rest on our miles of greenways and trails. For a free vacation guide, call 662-393-8770 or visit SoDeSoto.com.

Blues Trail

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Great Venues

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In Northwest Mississippi, minutes from Memphis and Tunica. With 37 hotels, 7 B+B’s, 250+ restaurants and lots of fun activities, a great time is just a phone call away.

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Festival of Music Events throughout the month of May National Travel & Tourism Week May 2-10 Great Big Yam Potatoes Old-Time Music and Fiddle Contest May 16 Food & Wine Festival July 24-26 For a full calendar of events or a free visitor guide, go to visitnatchez.org. Plus, ask us your travel questions and share photos of your trip using #visitnatchez.

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Find America’s soul laid bare on Money Road.

Blues in

the night. Robert Johnson 1911-1938

THE CRYSTAL GRILL

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Emmett Till 1941-1955

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Two lanes. Ten miles. A sound that rocked the world. And a night that changed the nation.

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STORY FROM CORINTH, MISS.

THE GREAT CORINTH

SLUGBURGER-EATING FESTIVAL Prepare for entertainment, music—and a whole lotta slugburgers BY RILEY MANNING

Don’t let the name fool you. Corinth native Taylor Coombs promised the town’s famous Slugburger is much tastier than it sounds. “They’re delicious,” she said. “It’s a deep-fried soy patty with a little bit of beef. It was invented during the Great Depression, when soy was added to make the meat go further.” And the slug part? These burgers used to cost a nickel, often referred to as a “slug” because bullets at the time were made using nickel. Different vendors, like Borroum’s Drug Store in downtown Corinth, use their own recipes of spices in their breading, but a traditional Slugburger comes dressed with pickle, onion and mustard. The event goes beyond a soy-based snack. Beginning on July 9, the Slugburger festival features an even blend of the local and larger-known talent. Thursday night, it will hold its own version of American Idol – Slug Idol – topped off by a performance by Amory musician Trent Harmon. On Friday, the jams start at 6 p.m. with Evan Adams, followed by Stonecoats, Bonfire Orchestra and the Spunk Monkees. “Saturday is really kind of the big deal,” Coombs said.

The day begins with a craft market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., lasting through the Miss Slugburger pageant at 10 a.m., then at 4 p.m. the headline event takes the Slugburger stage. For the past three years, the festival’s Slugburger-eating contest has been endorsed as an official event by Major League Eating – the governing body of professional gustatory games. “We always have a huge crowd, I think 1,500 came out for it last year, and it’s free to the public,” Coombs said. “The winner ate 43 Slugburgers in 10 minutes. It’s disgusting but awesome.” That winner was Matt Stonie, ranked No. 2 in the MLE’s ranking, who edged out No. 1 eater Joey Chestnut by a single burger. Stonie has won the contest since its first professional year in 2012. Not bad for a 120-pound 19-year-old. Stonie and Chestnut, both from San Jose, California, are somewhat famous for their faceoffs at other MLE events. Perhaps the most notable showdown is the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest held on Coney Island each July 4th. Competition is sure to be fierce. Already this year, Chestnut has set records for Boysenberry pie (14 pounds in eight minutes) and

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chili (almost 2.19 gallons in six minutes). Meanwhile Stonie has set the bar high for bacon (182 strips in five minutes) and birthday cake (14.5 pounds in 8 minutes). “It’s really helpful for us because the hot dog eating contest is shown on ESPN, and the Slugburger Festival is their next event every year,” Coombs said. “So it’s great to generate interest. It’s always neat to see who it brings to Corinth.” The music picks back up after the contest with Kirk Chism, Exit 94, Dylan Scott and Corey Smith. Food booths are up and running the entire time, as is a carnival segment with rides and games. “The Slugburger Festival has been local long enough. One thing I’ve really tried to work on is pushing for regional and statewide exposure, without alienating the people who live in Corinth,” Coombs said. “And I think we’ve done that. We’ve got a large level of local support. Even people who don’t usually eat Slugburgers make an exception for the festival.” L WANT TO GO? Corinth’s Slugburger Festival is scheduled for July 9-11. For more information, visit mainstreetcorinth.com/slugburger-festival-2

STORY FROM OCEAN SPRINGS, MISS.

Bloodlines THE ART OF MATT STEBLY Story and photographs by JU LIA N R AN KIN

he first thing to say about Matt Stebly is that he’s the great grandson of Walter Anderson, iconic Mississippi painter and illustrator (1903-1965). For most who live in Stebly’s hometown of Ocean Springs, blood ties to this family of coastal creatives is his salient characteristic. But there are others who know him not because of who his forebears are, but because of the tattooed artwork that he inks into bare skin. Stebly is in his late 20s, heavily tattooed and athletic (although leaner than he was some years back when he briefly played college football at Millsaps College). He has a dark, full, wiry beard reminiscent of seaweed washed ashore; sharp, intentional eyes colored somewhere between green and brown like ocean water. “I was raised in art,” he says of his childhood. “I don’t know when it exactly started or who introduced me to it first, but it was something we were brought up into.” The ethnography of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is awash in the

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Matt Stebly is the great grandson of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, artist Walter Anderson. People often confuse his work with being reminiscent of his grandfather’s, but in reality, it is his uncle with whom he shares his artistic expression.

influences of the Anderson family, of which Anderson is most widely known. Shearwater Pottery was founded by Anderson’s older brother, Peter Anderson, and continues to be a prodigious studio; there’s the Peter Anderson Arts Festival in Ocean Springs, one of the region’s largest. The Walter Anderson Museum of Art showcases not only Anderson’s work, but that of his brother, the late James McConnell “Mac” Anderson, and dozens of others (it sits comfortably nestled a few blocks from the beach). This isn’t to mention the trio’s own mother, who instilled in them a love for art-making, and the current, living generations like Mary Anderson Pickard (Matt Stebly’s grandmother and Walter’s daughter) and Chris Stebly (Matt’s uncle) who likewise carry forth the torch. (The branches of that tree spread even further out than this cursory overview, encompassing more

creative output than can be readily quantified.) Stebly wears, on this day, a black and gold USM hat from the The University of Southern Mississippi. If you engage him in the topic of the Green Bay Packers, as his former third grade teacher did when she dropped in without warning on a visit from her native Wisconsin, he’ll reminisce about the greatness of another Mississippi legend, Brett Favre. He teased the retired schoolmarm when she said that if she were to have a portrait festooned on her body, she’d prefer the current Green Bay signal-caller Aaron Rodgers over the gunslinger from Kiln. Stebly opened his tattoo shop and gallery, Twisted Anchor Tattoo, a little more than three years ago. It sits in a strip mall called Eagle Plaza on the highway a few miles from the heart of Ocean Springs. If one wasn’t looking for it, he or she might speed right past; there’s a drive-through auto lube place that blocks line of sight. But many do seek it out, some coming from far beyond the salt marshes of the coast and the beating sun of the state. These audiences, who journey from outside of Mississippi to Stebly’s shop, who see him when he travels up and down the California coastline tattooing, or who follow him through his far-reaching Instagram feed, experience his art free of the context that many locals understandably imbue it with. To Stebly, there is a purity in engaging this group that knows not the nature of his name. “There are a few tattoo artists who know who my family is, but for the most part, they don’t care, and I wanted to be in an industry that didn’t care, where it wasn’t going to help or hinder me. I love my heritage and my family and everything they’ve done but at a certain point, you want to see if you can do it without anybody’s help.” It is tempting to draw lines of derivation from the paintings and tattoos that Stebly produces back to the watercolors and murals and designs of Walter Anderson. And there are certainly similarities in theme and subject. Stebly, too, conjures curved bird beaks and flowing lines of nature that are at once realistic, of this worldly plane, and fantastically dreamlike. “In art, you’re going to create what you see,” Stebly says. “And that’s what I grew up with.” But as Stebly’s grandmother once observed, his work doesn’t really look all that much like Walter Anderson after all. He depicts some of the same wildlife – pelicans and herons and turtles and deep-sea dwellers – but with a measured, modernized aesthetic. If there was a point of origin, she would say, it was more like Mac, Walter’s brother, who was alive long enough to impart his method on a teenage Matt Stebly. “Most people don’t know it, but he’s more influential on my style than Walter was,” Stebly says. “I was drawn to it more. It’s a little more stylized and vibrant, more rigid with cool shapes.” What cannot be disputed is that the seaside muse that Stebly gets inspired by is of the same sort that Walter Anderson and the READLEGENDS.COM •

Stebly’s works, like his above Heron and bird, are inked on clients who walk through the world like nomadic art galleries of their own. It is a symbolic bridge, connecting the work he does now to the footpaths of his own ancestral origin.

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others communed with. Before opening Twisted Anchor Tattoo, Stebly worked with his father on the family’s charter boat, and in the slow season, found himself sitting on island outcrops, as Walter had done, drawing and painting the world around him. When Stebly paints now, he does it not in acrylic or oils, but in tattoo ink. This is pragmatic, as it allows him to translate color palettes from paper to skin, but it also subliminally legitimatizes his profession, putting the stretched canvas and the tattoo on equal footing. Stebly has won the poster contest for the nearby Biloxi Seafood Festival for four years running (“They’re going to get tired of seeing my stuff,” he comments), and his grander goal is to move his tattoo shop and gallery from the fringes of town to the epicenter, where he already has a quaint lot with a white picket fence under renovation. His artistic influences and aspirations are bound up together here on the coast like knotted rigging. “I’ve lived in Ocean Springs for my entire life,” he says, “and it’s always been a really big art community. Now that it’s getting larger, it’s becoming more of a destination. Bars and restaurants are really good, but we need to keep to what Ocean Springs is known for – art. If we’re to be known for being an art community, we should have a tattoo shop downtown of the caliber that I want to have.” Stebly envisions visiting clients and guest artists walking beneath the live oaks on Washington Avenue, patronizing the area establishments and touring the museum of art that houses so much of the region’s artistic heritage. This geographical shift, from the strip mall to downtown, is part of his mission to dismantle the walls between tattooing and established fine art. But there has been opposition to his plans, most notably in current Ocean Springs zoning laws that prohibit tattoo shops on Stebly’s lot, a relic of the stigma that continues to cling to the business. “People of all walks of life get tattooed,” Stebly counters. “I’ve tattooed lawyers, doctors, teachers, nurses, and priests. I’m trying to make it a little more acceptable, and obviously I’m not going to do it all in one night – or one year. It might take me forever. But that is the overall goal. It’s about giving back not only to the tattoo community, but the art community as a whole.” Putting energy back into Ocean Springs is Stebly’s way of reimbursing the area here for what he has gained and gleaned from it. A give and take. Tide in, tide out. As natural an impulse as the childlike urge to create. “In third grade, he drew a lot,” Stebly’s teacher remembered as she stood just inside of the door at Twisted Anchor. “He drew pictures on many of his papers. He wasn’t very wild then. Sat right up in front. He was just interested in his drawing.” When the tattoo shop does finally make it downtown, it will be a symbolic bridge, connecting the work Stebly does now to the footpaths of his own ancestral origins. In the meantime, his clients, inked up, walk through the world like nomadic, borderless art galleries of their own; the skin on their arms and calves and backs shift back and forth, actively anthropomorphizing the littoral, illustrative fauna. “People say I work too much,” Stebly says. “But you only get a limited amount of time on earth, and I want to do as much as I can. I tell my guys here, it’s not about how much money you’re going to make doing it, it’s what people are going to remember you for. Hopefully when I’m gone, people will say, ‘You know, he did something.’ Whether they remember me for what my last name was or what I did while I was here, that’s to be seen.” L

•

WHAT’S SHAKIN’ IN THE CRADLE? •

•

BAY ST. LOUIS, MISS.

• July 17-19.................... Bay Harbor Fest, The Summer’ Coolest Beach Party. Gregg Allman & Jaimoe’s Jazz Band, Saturday, July 18th. For more information visit www.BayHarborFest.com. CANTON, MISS.

• June 13......................... Madison County Barbecue Cook-off Contest, downtown Canton Square, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (601) 859-1900 or visit greaterrefugetemplecanton.com. CHUNKY, MISS.

• June 6........................... Chunky River Raft Race & Festival and Chunky River 5K Float for Charity. Arts & crafts, food, kids zone, music, canoe/kayak/ raft races. For more information, contact Chunky Shoals Fish Camp, (601) 655-8311. Charity launch scheduled for 9 a.m. For more information, contact Chunky Shoals Fish Camp (601) 655-8311. CLARKSDALE, MISS.

• June 13-14.................. The Delta Jubilee, Coahoma County Fairgrounds and Expo Center, featuring music, crafts, 5K run, fishing rodeo, carnival, backyard BBQ cooking contest. For more information, vista visitclarksdale.com. CORINTH, MISS.

• July 9-11...................... 28th Annual Slugburger Festival featuring Corey Hart. Live entertainment, carnival and unique Slug-Idol competition. Major League Eating Contest July 11th. For more information, visit corinth.net or call (662) 287-8300. DESTIN, FLA.

• July 4............................. 4th of July Extravaganza, HarborWalk Village, featuring live music on the main stage, fireworks over the Destin Harbor and one big American celebration on Florida’s Emerald Coast. For more information, visit emeraldgrande.com. FT. WALTON BEACH, FLA.

• June 5-6....................... The 60th Annual Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival at The Landing, featuring everything pirate from 3 to 10 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. More than 100 booths and vendors, fireworks. The Torch Light Parade closes the festival Monday at 6 p.m. with floats, bands and beads. For more information, visit billybowlegsfestival.com. GREENVILLE, MISS.

• July 31-Aug 1............. 2nd Annual Mississippi Delta Dragon Boat Festival. For more information, visit visitgreenville.org or call (800) 467-3582. GREENWOOD, MISS.

• Aug 1............................. Bikes, Blues & Bayous 2015 – Mississippi’s largest ride. Tour de Grand 2015, Cruising Down the Boulevard, 11/20/46/62 mile distances. After the ride, join Main Street Greenwood for Ramcat Rhythm & Brews, 6 to 10 p.m., featuring live music, homebrew competition, beer garden games and Mississippi craft beers. For more information, call Greenwood-LeFlore County Chamber of Commerce (662) 453-4152. HATTIESBURG, MISS.

• June 13......................... Hattiesburg Craft Beer Festival at the historic Hattiesburg Train Depot, 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets available at hattiesburgcraftbeerfest.com. READLEGENDS.COM •

• June 6-20..................... FestivalSouth, Mississippi’s only multi-week, multi-genre arts festival. This year’s festival offers events from across the spectrum of the arts – music, dance, art and theatre. For more information, visit festivalsouth.org. JACKSON, MISS.

• Aug 14-15.................... 2015 Jackson Rhythm and Blues Festival. More than 30 performances on 5 stages, including Chaka Khan, The Isley Brothers, Macy Gray and Sebastian Mikael. For more information visit jacksonrhythmandbluesfestival.com. MEMPHIS, TENN.

• June 19-21.................. The Juneteenth Urban Music Festival at Robert R. Church Park, Beale Street. Free three-day festival featuring majorettes, drummers, cheerleaders and steppers, along with Kids Zone, health and wellness stations, and rap, R&B, pop, hip-hop and gospel music entertainment. Food and retail vendors on site. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit memphisjuneteenth.com or call (901) 281-6337. MERIDIAN, MISS.

• June 18......................... Trace Adkins at the MSU Riley Center, 7:30 p.m. Pre-Show 6 p.m. For more information or tickets call (601) 696-2200 or visit msurileycenter.com. • July 17.......................... Peabo Bryson at the MSU Riley Center, 7:30 p.m. For more information or tickets call (601) 696-2200 or visit msurileycenter.com. • Aug 8............................. Christopher Cross at the MSU Riley Center, 7:30 p.m. For more information or tickets call (601) 696-2200 or visit msurileycenter.com. NATCHEZ, MISS.

• July 24-26.................... Natchez Food & Wine Festival – haute cuisine, wines and craft beers. Indulge in the finest of food, wine and entertainment with culinary enthusiasts from all over. For more information, contact Rene’ Adams at (601) 442-4895 or visit natchezfoodandwinefest.com. PENSACOLA, FLA.

• July 11.......................... 2015 Pensacola Beach Air Show, noon and 2 p.m. Featuring the world-famous Blue Angels performing over Pensacola Beach on Santa Rosa Island. Don’t forget sunscreen and $1 for the toll bridge. For more information, visit visitpensacolabeach.com. SLIDELL, LA.

• June 27-28.................. St. Tammany Crab Festival at Heritage Park, 1701 Bayou Lane. Enjoy a wide variety of music with artists such as Angela Winbush, Cowboy Mouth, Bag of Donuts, Tucka and Rockin Dopsie, a classic car exhibit and children’s activities. For more information, sttammanycrabfestival.com. TUPELO, MISS.

• June 4-7....................... 17th Annual Tupelo Elvis Festival, featuring an Elvis tribute artist contest and top country music entertainers. Downtown Tupelo. For more entertainment line up and ticket prices, visit tupeloelvisfestival.com. VICKSBURG, MISS.

• July 16.......................... Ritz on the River Concert, 6:30 to 10 p.m., Vicksburg Convention Center, featuring The LA Legacy Jazz Orchestra and guest vocalists Bach Norwood, Naomi Holder and Adam Jones. Dinner Show tickets, $50; general admission show tickets, $20 advance, $25 day of show; student tickets $15. Dinner served at 6:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, (800) 745-3000 or the Vicksburg Convention Center Box Office.

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Come to Greenville-Washington County to reboot your energy with a full lineup of revelry to renew your spirit. Join us for award-winning Delta blues from artists like Greenville native Eden Brent, more crawfish than you can eat, and some of the most fun this side of – dare we say paradise? 2nd Annual Warfield Riverfest benefitting Camp Looking Glass 2nd Annual Mississippi Delta Dragon Boat Festival The 38th Annual Delta Blues & Heritage Festival 5th Annual Sam Chatmon Blues Festival 3rd Annual Mighty Mississippi Music Festival 4th Annual Delta Hot Tamale Festival 5th Annual “Jim Henson” Frog Fest, Leland 51st Annual Christmas on Deer Creek

June 13th July 31st - August 1st September 19th September 25th - 26th October 2nd - 4th October 15th - 17th October 24th December 5th - 31st

Greenville - Washington County. More than meets the eye. www.visitgreenville.org 1-800-467-3582

Convention & Visitors Bureau READLEGENDS.COM •

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