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 [...]
I saw the sad announcement on Facebook: After four years of events, the Deep Blues Festival calls it quits. RIP. Long live Deep Blues. – Chris” 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 [...]
I just received this information from Pat Rasberry with the Tupelo, MS Film Commission: Blues Documentary, “Full Moon Lightnin’” to screen at Black Box Theatre Thurs. Jan. 28 FILMMAKER JOHN C. GARDINER WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS SERIES OPENER….PG-13 Thursday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 pm – Link Centre The Tupelo Film Commission is cranking up the Indie Film Series at the Link Centre with “Full Moon Lighting” – an award-winning documentary that follows an aging New York Bluesman back to his Mississippi roots. It’s a film that Melanie Addington has described as “Raw, beautiful, heartbreaking….” And Ken Baynes from [...]
The 2010 Deep Blues Film Festival will take place January 23rd and 30th in the St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota area. I won’t be going but I sure wish I could. The Deep Blues Music & Film events that have taken place over the last three years are the brainchild of Chris Johnson of Hudson, Wisconsin. Chris is a wonderful guy who encourages musicians and filmmakers who make films about music. I’m very proud to have had two of my documentaries, “Richard Johnston: Hill Country Troubadour” and “Songs Inside The Box” featured at previous Deep Blues events. The upcoming events include great [...]
