Microwave Dave performs at the Alabama Cigar Box Guitar Festival

The 7th Annual Alabama Cigar Box Guitar Festival (formerly known as the Cigar Box Guitar Extravaganza) will take place on Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th, 2011 in Huntsville, Alabama. This is the event at which most of my documentary, “Songs Inside The Box” was shot several years ago.

The event attracts cigar box guitar enthusiasts from across the eastern U. S. and is a fun outing for anyone interested in these unique instruments.

Times and performers have not been announced at this writing. Screenings of two of my documentaries, “Songs Inside The Box” and “Richard Johnston: Hill Country Troubadour” are planned along with lots of live music.

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

Hard-rocking blues-soaked guitarist/vocalist/song-writer Tinsley Ellis sings and plays with the energy and soul of all the great Southern musicians who have come before him. Ellis attacks his music with rock power and blues feeling, following in the tradition of Deep South musical heroes Duane Allman, Freddie King, Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes. His live shows feature extended fretwork filled with melodic and rhythmic experimentation, in the spirit of jam bands like his friends Widespread Panic and The Allman Brothers. Atlanta Magazine declared Ellis “the most significant blues artist to emerge from Atlanta since Blind Willie McTell.”

I’ve seen him play before, and I’m looking forward to his appearance at the Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa on Thursday, February 17th at 7:30 pm. Seating is general, and tickets, which are FREE prior to the day of the performance, are required to attend. Tickets are available to pick up at the Tuscaloosa locations of Little Willie’s, Fitts Agency, Inc., Summersell Center for the Study of the South – UA History Dept, The Bank of Tuscaloosa (Main Branch), Manna Grocery and Deli, The University of Alabama Honors College Assembly and WSV Architects. Tickets will also be available for sale at the Bama Theatre box office the evening of the concert for a cost of $10.

Since first hitting the national scene with his Alligator Records debut, GEORGIA BLUE, in 1988, Ellis has toured non-stop and continued to release one critically acclaimed album after another. His stellar guitar work, always a staple of his live shows and CDs, is matched by his strong songwriting and powerful, soulful vocals. Tinsley’s hometown paper, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, calls his music, “a potent, amazing trip through electric blues-rock.”

Ellis’ latest release on Alligator, MOMENT OF TRUTH, captures all the power and energy of his legendary live performances. His vocals reach new heights of soulfulness and expressiveness; his guitar playing is ferocious and relentless, but, when the mood calls for it, gentle and moving. What really sets the album apart, though, is the depth of Ellis’ songwriting. The material deals in matters both personal and universal and runs the gamut of human emotions. MOMENT OF TRUTH is Ellis’ most wide-ranging and inspired recording.

He has played in all 50 states, as well as Canada, Europe, Australia and South America. Whether he’s out with his own band or sharing stages with The Allman Brothers, Robert Cray, Koko Taylor or Widespread Panic, he averages over 150 performances a year, bringing his fast-moving, high-energy, guitar-drenched performances to fans all over the world. Live, there’s simply no one better at igniting a crowd, jamming with focus and purpose.

For more info, visit his website at http://www.tinsleyellis.com.

For info about the Bama Theatre, visit http://bamatheatre.org/.

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

Hill Country Revue performs at the 5th annual North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic in Potts Camp, MS. The event is hosted by Kenny Brown who played guitar with the late blues legend, R. L. Burnside. This song was written by Kenny Brown and was originally recorded by R. L. Burnside. It is about Mr. Burnside’s wife, Alice Mae.

Hill Country Revue:
www.hillcountryrevue.com

More about the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic:
www.nmshillcountrypicnic.com

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

Several years ago I directed a documentary about Richard Johnston, the Beale Street one-man-band who draws his inspiration from the hill country of north Mississippi. It won several festival awards and many people have contacted me to ask how they can get their hands on a copy. Unfortunately we can’t sell it, but now there’s a way you can get video of Richard playing on Beale Street.

Richard Johnston has just released a DVD which he is offering for sale from his website. It is titled, UNMANAGEABLE.

I had the privilege of running camera for this production. My wife and daughter were in the audience and can be seen in it. In fact, that’s my daughter Mary dancing with Disco Felix in the photo above. It was directed by Jennifer A. Johnson and it’s 32 minutes of pure fun!

For information about how to order a DVD or download the video on you computer, follow this link:

http://richardjohnston.com/products.html

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

That’s me on the right with the video camera. My wife and I made our annual pilgrimage to the hill country of north Mississippi for the 5th annual North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic on June 25th and 26th, 2010. Cindy took some still pictures and I shot some video.

The Rising Star Fife & Drum Band put on a wonderful performance with Sharde Thomas singing and playing the fife. Ms. Thomas is the granddaughter of the late Otha Turner of Gravel Springs, Mississippi. African-American fife and drum music was heard across the Southeast at one time but Rising Star is one of the few such bands remaining.

Later on they were joined by Ricky Davis of Blue Mother Tupelo on guitar, Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars and Hill Country Revue on drums, and Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars and the Black Crowes on bass.

The North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic is hosted by Kenny Brown who played guitar with the late blues legend, R. L. Burnside. The event is patterned after an annual event held for decades by the late Otha Turner of Gravel Springs, MS who is Sharde Thomas’ grandfather. Ms. Thomas learned to play the fife from Mr. Turner.

The Otha Turner family picnic (sometimes called the Goat Roast because goat sandwiches are served) is still held in Gravel Springs, MS each year on the last weekend in August.

OTHA TURNER’S FAMILY GOAT BARBECUE PICNIC
985 OB McClinton Road
Senatobia MS 38668
Show Runs All Afternoon/All night
Price: Free – Donations Welcomed!

Directions: On I-55, get off on the Senatobia exit and turn left (away from town) down Highway 4. Go approximately three Miles down that road to Gravel Springs Road (the second road to the right on 4 from Senatobia). Turn right on Gravel Springs Road. Go to the second 4-way stop and turn left (that road is OB McClinton Road) Follow that road about a half mile and the Turner’s Picnic is on the right. There will be lots of cars & people gathered there. Park along the side of the road.

More about Otha Turner:
http://www.othaturner.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Othar_Turner

More about the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic:
http://www.nmshillcountrypicnic.com

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

The North Mississippi Allstars perform at the 5th annual North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic in Potts Camp, MS on June 26, 2010. The Allstars are a trio but bassist Chris Chew could not be a part of this performance, so they were billed as the NMA DuoLuCo with Luther and Cody Dickinson performing. (Cody Dickinson plays the bass line on a keyboard while also playing drums!)

Here’s the opening of their set:

A the end of the set, the Allstars invited guitarist Kenny Brown and members of the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band to join them for a medley:

The North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic is a two-day event hosted by Kenny Brown the last weekend in June. It is patterned after the long-running annual picnic held by the late Otha Turner of the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band. “Glory Glory Hallelujah” was a favorite of Otha Turner and “Goin’ Down South” was written by the late R. L. Burnside with whom Kenny Brown played guitar.

Information about the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic can be found here:

http://www.nmshillcountrypicnic.com

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

I’ve known about Live Blues World for some time but I didn’t take the time to join until recently. I’m glad I’ve joined now as I’m finding both old and new friends there. It is a Ning.com group, a social networking site, devoted to the promotion of live blues music, something that I enjoy very much.

LiveBluesWorld.com was created by Eric Ashman, Chief Financial Officer for The Huffington Post and a big blues fan. It is a gathering place for blues music fans and musicians. If you’re a fan of the music, I recommend you check it out at LiveBluesworld.com.

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

My wife and I recently attended the 5th annual North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic in Potts Camp, Mississippi. We’ve attended every one so far and it has become an annual tradition for us. The two-day festival features over 20 bands from the hill country of north Mississippi, an area with rich musical traditions and some very musically talented families.

One of those families is the Burnside family. R. L. Burnside was a blues legend who passed away a few years ago. I loved his music and was thrilled to get to meet him and interview him for my documentary on Richard Johnston. R. L.’s son, Duwayne is an amazing guitarist and was one of the featured artists at the picnic. Cindy shot the photo above and I shot this video:

Duwayne Burnside toured with the North Mississippi Allstars for a while and that’s Luther Dickinson of the Allstars trading guitar licks with him. The sound quality on my video is not perfect because it comes only from an on-camera microphone and I was standing right at the foot of the stage behind the main speakers. That’s Duwayne Burnside, Jr. that jumps on the stage and bumps the camera. Later in the set, Duwayne, Sr. let Duwayne, Jr. play. I didn’t capture that with my camera but someone else did and posted it on Youtube.com:

The North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic is a great event which I highly recommend!

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

Kenny Brown learned how to play guitar from Joe Callicott and R. L. Burnside. His guitar accompaniment was an important part of the sound of R. L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough popularized by Fat Possum Records a few years ago. Now that both Burnside and Kimbrough have passed on, Kenny Brown plays and records with his own band. He also hosts the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic, an annual festival in rural Potts Camp, MS that showcases music from the hill country of north Mississippi.

My wife and I attended the 5th annual picnic recently. Cindy took a lot of still pictures and I shot some video. Here’s a video with Kenny doing a hill country classic, “Miss Maybelle.” Kenny’s band is joined by Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars and Black Crowes.

And here’s a video with Kenny doing a song originally by Buster Brown which was popularized by Fleetwood Mac. He’s joined on guitar by Duwayne Burnside, son of R. L. Burnside.

Information about the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic can be found here:
http://www.nmshillcountrypicnic.com

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.

After four years of events, the Deep Blues Festival calls it quits. RIP. Long live Deep Blues. – Chris”

Chris Johnson, founder of the Deep Blues Festival

The announcement was made by Chris Johnson, founder of the Deep Blues Festival, a man with a big heart and a big vision. Chris likes primal roots music. So do I and countless others around the world. The bands that play this type of music travel from small bar to small bar and play to small audiences.

Chris traveled long distances to see his favorite bands perform. He’d hop on his motorcycle and drive from Wisconsin down to Mississippi just for a weekend. Then he decided to bring them together in one place for a festival in his backyard… Well, not literally in his backyard but near where he lives which is the Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota area.

He made his case with local governments that didn’t want this type of event in their town explaining that people from all over the world would come. And come they did, but in small numbers.

The Deep Blues events were plagued by bad weather. Even so, faithful fans stood outside in the rain to hear bands they loved and wouldn’t have the opportunity to see otherwise. Some of those fans had indeed traveled around the world to get there.

I’m sure Chris hoped the attendance would increase as the events unfolded over four years. I’m also sure Chris lost money on these events, but carried on even so.

And now Chris is taking some well deserved rest. Chris, you did something beautiful! Thanks!

You have a huge family now. Your family includes not only the people who came to your events but those who, like me, watched from afar and wished we could be there. Who knows how many people you have brought together, bonded by our love for the music that you won’t see on the Grammy Awards? It’s music where performers sit down and audiences just can’t hold still. It’s deep blues!

Max Connections - Random Writings by Max Shores.