Today brings another year of reflection…

Another year has passed in my life, and I have gained yet another year’s experience of wisdom in love and life. All thanks to the many birthday salutes… Let’s see what next year holds.

The Blues is upon us… and that’s a good thing.

Today begins a long week for me and my staff at the 308 Blues Club and Cafe. Mr. B.B. King returns Friday, June 2nd, to headline his annual outdoor festival at Fletcher Park in Indianola, Mississippi. As the city prepares to welcome the many blues enthusiasts from all parts of the planet, we find the Blues once again upon us… and that’s a good thing.

If you arrive Thursday evening, July 1st, and are looking for some live music; I highly recommend checking out Mr. Sid Barger at the 308 Blues Club at 10 pm. Sid Barger learned his craft from the late, Paul “Wine” Jones, of Belzoni, Mississippi. If you’re not familiar with Paul “Wine” Jones, you should check out some of his work on youtube. Sid Barger captures the gritty vocals and slide guitar work of Paul “Wine”. Sid’s overall maturity and talent have earned him the lead role in the newly, reunited Electric Mudd who play our venue Saturday night. I would say so myself, “Da-da (David Burchfield) would be proud.”

The B.B. King Homecoming Blues Festival officially kicks-off on Friday, July 2nd. This year, the city of Indianola, Indianola Main Street, the Indianola Chamber of Commerce, and the B.B. King Museum have come to a single accord and have blessed us with a 2 day festival. Visitors can expect the traditional outdoor concert Friday evening which concludes with B.B. King’s performance and a spectacular fireworks display. The 308 Blues Club extends your evening with the sounds of Jason Carter and the Healers, a North Mississippi Hill Country and Blues act from Ponotoc. Showtime is at 10 pm.

After staying out late all Friday night, if you can muster up the strength… Day 2 of the B.B. King Homecoming Blues Festival takes place Saturday, July 3rd. Head over to the B.B. King Museum for more live music, Indianola’s Farmers Market, a motorcycle showcase, and a Bar-B-Que cook off. Saturday starts early and last all night long. At 10 pm, the 308 Blues Club welcomes the return of local favorites and inovators of Delta Swamp Boogie style… The Electric Mudd. The Mudd family is Sid Barger on lead vocals and slide guitar, Zach Leach on keyboards, Trenton “Poodha” Ayers on bass guitar, Jason Boyles on drums, Jack McWilliams on percussion, and Caleb Boyles on lead/rhythm guitar.

Again, the Blues is upon us… and it’s all good. See ya this long, 4th of July Weekend.

Mississippi Delta UNITE!

I was excited by the announcement of the Delta Summit which will be held this month at Delta State University. It seems that there has finally been a wake-up call to the Mississippi Delta. Through the years, the Mississippi Delta has been documented as an area lacking in social diversity and racial acceptance; an area that is plagued by political ineffectiveness, economic woes, and failing academics; and an area in health crisis. The Delta Summit brings stakeholders from 14 Delta counties together with Federal and State agencies to discuss area problems and create positive initiatives to turn these negatives into positives.

Read more online at The Bolivar Commercial.