"LIVE" BLUES THIS WEEK (and beyond)...
Our "Live Music" page has just been updated: http://www.cathead.biz/livemusic.html
- Includes Eric Hughes and the Gamble Bros. at Ground Zero, Jimbo Mathus at Cat Head and more!

1. BENEFIT... I LEFT OUT THE DATE LAST WEEK...

Sat., 12/6, 8pm - Leo's Market, Rosedale, MS (Hwy. 1 at the entrance to State Park): Blues Fest Benefit show featuring King Bailey Band. Help Rosedale resurrect its blues fest for spring and enjoy some good music. (Leo's has GREAT food, so plan to eat...)

2. TIX AVAILABLE FOR GROUND ZERO NEW YEAR'S EVE BASH...

- Pick up your tix for the big show at Ground Zero Blues Club (cash or charge) or at Cat Head (cash, money order ... or check if I know ya). T-Model Ford, Paul "Wine" Jones, Robert Belfour and Jimbo Mathus -- four stellar acts for just $10!

3. ALSO, AT HOPSON'S COMMISSARY IN DECEMBER...

- Sat., 12/13 - Hopson Commissary, Clarksdale, MS (4 miles east of "crossroads"; just off hwy 49): Annual "Mexican Christmas Party" with music by Bruce Brewer & Friends. Free admission with Mexican dish. Donations appreciated for band.

- New Year's Eve, Wed., 12/31, 9pm- Hopson Commissary, Clarksdale, MS (4 miles east of "crossroads"; just off hwy 49): Party with classic rock/R&B by The Remains, plus midnight breakfast.

- Also, don't forget that Hopson has happy hour most week nights and BBQ on Thursdays.

4. "NO SALES TAX DAY" on Delta Avenue THIS Saturday.

- Over a dozen stores on Delta Avenue will pay the sales tax for you this Saturday, December 6. PLUS, at Cat Head, Harris Barnes signs his book "Cotton" at NOON and Jimbo Mathus plays the blues at 1 PM.

5. INFO FROM STEVE "BLUES TRAVELING" CHESEBOROUGH...

Steve is doing a lecture/performance on 1920s-30s Delta blues at the Tunica Museum, to go with their current exhibit, at noon Dec. 6. For adults and mature children. Immediately after that he will lead a diddley-bow-making workshop for children 9-12. Both events are free, but the workshop has limited space and requires advance registration, which may be made by calling the museum.

Also, on Dec. 13 Steve is doing a Blues Traveling book signing from 11-1 p.m. at Cat Head and 2-4 p.m. at the Gin Mill Mall (109 Pershing St., Indianola, phone 662-887-3209.).

6. RECENT DELTA BLUES HAPPENINGS...

- 4 nights in a row of blues & roots music at Ground Zero included a great Thanksgiving Day night gig by Jimbo Mathus. He'll be there again on Dec. 19th. Maybe he'll feature Mr. Tater and Olga again. Tater & the band played a couple short sets of songs off his forthcoming "Electric Tater" CD that kept folks talking for days.

- Big T played the blues at Red's Lounge on Friday night. Great juke joint experience. Red is about as cool and real-deal as they come. Red's Lounge isn't a bar. It's a houseparty! (Big T also played an acoustic set for a party at Hopson last night. He's available for events. Drop me a line, and I'll hook you up with him.)

- 76-year-old blues singer and harp player Cadillac John Noden and his guitar sidekick Bill Abel laid down some heavy, traditional blues at Cat Head on Saturday as part of Delta Avenue's "Holly Days" events. Light turnout, but the customers who hung around sure had a real fine time. Catch Cadillac and Bill sometime if you can. They go way back.

- Had an interesting older gentleman come through the store today. His name is Donald Mayes. He and his wife moved to Marks, MS from Chicago about 3 years ago. (He loves the slower pace. She's... uh... still getting used to it.) Back in the day, Donald was a member of The Flamingos and did session keyboard work for the Chess brothers. Fascinating guy with a great voice. (He had a homemade demo tape with him.) While he was in the store, WROX's Steve Ladd came by, and they chatted about all the old doo wop and blues folks they both knew. Lots of history. Donald plans to have a blues band pulled together in about a month, so we'll keep folks posted on gigs, etc.

7. CAT HEAD DELTA BLUES & FOLK ART...

- New art: From artist J.D. Sipe... 3 beautiful, highly-detailed paintings on wood of John Lee Hooker (7 1/4 x 9", $70), Jessie Mae Hemphill (7 1/4 x 9", $65) and Honeyboy Edwards (5 1/4 x 7 1/4", $60). Sipe accents each painting with a touch of collage as well (eg. Hooker's necktie is cut from a package label). Very cool.

- New magazine: Cat Head now carries "Delta Magazine." The current Nov/Dec issue is full of great stuff, including the most informative Robert Johnson (and Steve LaVere) article I've seen in years. It includes the latest info on where RJ lived, learned, played and died. It's not an exceedingly long article but very interesting. Steve Cheseborough did a great job on it. There's also a blurb on the Delta Blues Museum in this issue. The mag is $4.95.

- Newly signed book/print: Maude Schuyler Clay was in Saturday to sign "Delta Land" books ($35) and prints ($25). They make great holiday gifts. (My relatives are getting a couple...)

- New recordings/restocks: The latest by North Mississippi Allstars and Robert Randolph. New Otis Rush DVD. New vinyl, incl. J.B. Lenoir's Parrot Sessions LP and Hasil Adkins "Blue Christmas" 45.

Email us for photos, availability, artist or shipping info. Order by email/fax/phone.

8. CLARKSDALE NEWS COURTESY OF PRESS REGISTER...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REST HAVEN RESTAURANT OWNERS!!!
* Couple spends 50 years learning the meaning of love
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Studying at the American School in Zahle, Lebanon, during the 1950s, Louise Chamoun had seen the handsome young man named Chafik in passing. Chafik had seen Louise, too.
(By ROBIN RUSHING - Contributing Writer)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10589386&BRD=2038&PAG=461&dept_id=230617
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Merchants planning special event on Saturday
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Downtown retailers will launch their second Holly Days event of the season Saturday, giving turkey-stuffed residents incentive to shop off their Thanksgiving pounds.
(By EMILY Le COZ - Staff Writer)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10584074&BRD=2038&PAG=461&dept_id=230617
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Hundreds treated to Clarksdale Christmas parade
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hundreds of warmly dressed spectators turned out Tuesday night to cheer the Clarksdale Christmas Parade, a human train of candy and music that stretched for several blocks.
(By EMILY Le COZ - Staff Writer)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10606142&BRD=2038&PAG=461&dept_id=230617

9. MORE INFO ON JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL FOUNDATION BENEFIT...
November 20, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
OLGA, JIMBO MATHUS KNOCKDOWN SOCIETY, 3-LEGGED DOG, AND TAYLOR GROCERY
BAND, PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS ARE SCHEDULED TO PERFORM A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE
JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL FOUNDATION AT PROUD LARRY‚S DECEMBER 11TH 2003 BEGINNING
AT 10PM.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL
FOUNDATION, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED BY BLUES SINGER/SONGWRITER
OLGA TO PRESERVE NORTH MISSISSIPPI’S HILL COUNTRY BLUES HISTORY AND CREATE
AWARENESS OF HILL COUNTRY BLUES MUSIC.
THE FIRST PROJECT OF THE JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL FOUNDATION IS TO RAISE MONEY
FOR PRODUCTION OF JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL‚S LATEST RECORDING. IN 1993, JESSIE
MAE HEMPHILL SUFFERED A STROKE THAT PARALYZED HER LEFT SIDE, LEAVING HER
UNABLE TO PLAY GUITAR. SINCE HER STROKE, JESSIE MAE HAS LIVED AT HER NATIVE
HOME, SENATOBIA, MISSISSIPPI. UNFORTUNATELY, JESSIE MAE DOES NOT OWN THE
PUBLISHING RIGHTS TO HER PREVIOUS ALBUMS AND DRAWS NO REVENUE FROM SALES OF
THESE RECORDINGS.
THE NEW RECORD, SCHEDULED TO BE LAUNCH EARLY 2004, WAS RECORDED AT A FARM IN
COMO, MISSISSIPPI ON APRIL 1, 2003. JESSIE MAE LENT HER VOICE AND
TAMBOURINE TO A HOSTS OF FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS. THE NEW ALBUM FEATURES:
Robert Belfour
R.L.Boyce
Kenny Brown
Cedric Burnside
Garry Burnside
Tramp Camp
Cyd Cassone
Chris Chew
Davis Cohen
Eric Deaton
Ruthie Foster
Steve Gardner
Greg Humphreys
Kent Kimbrough
DJ Logic
Papa Mali
Jimbo Mathus
Sharde Turner and the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band
THE JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL FOUNDATION IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION UNDER
FEDERAL 501(C)(3) STATUS. ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FOUNDATION ARE
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT:
JESSIE MAE HEMPHILL FOUNDATION
POB 271
CLARKSDALE, MS 38614
662-627-2939
INFO@JMHEMPHILL.ORG
WWW.JMHEMPHILL.ORG

10. FAT POSSUM KEEPS AT IT! PLEASE SUPPORT THEM...

Check out a new article on the label at:
http://www.fatpossum.com/press/Grant.html

Upcoming Records on Mississippi's Fat Possum label:
February 3rd, 2003
Jimmy Lee Williams - Hoot Your Belly
Charles "Cadillac" Caldwell - Remember Me
To Be Announced
R.L. Burnside's new remix record
Little Freddie King

11. I.B.C. IN MEMPHIS MEANS BLUES IN CLARKSDALE...

The International Blues Challenge (IBC) and Blues First events are coming to Memphis this January 29-31. To celebrate (and hopefully earn a visit from those participating), Clarksdale has scheduled several blues events, including:

Thurs., 1/29 - Sarah's Kitchen: The Deep Cuts blues band rehearses.
Fri. 1/30 - Ground Zero Blues Club: Big T & the Family blues band, 9pm.
Sat., 1/31 - Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art: Big T plays solo acoustic, 12 noon.
Sat., 1/31 - Delta Blues Museum: FREE 25th Anniversary event at 1pm with music by the Delta Blues Museum students and a showing of the Robert Johnson documentary Can't You Hear the Wind Howl?
Sat., 1/31 - Ground Zero Blues Club: BIG SHOW!! Details to be announced soon.
Sun., 2/1 - Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art: Special hours 11am-3pm; Mr. Tater plays blues, 12 noon.
Sun., 2/1 - Red's Juke Joint: "Live" Delta blues 6pm till...

12. BLUESFIRST AND IBC INFORMATION...

From the press release forwarded to me by Joni at the Delta Blues Museum:
"2004 BluesFirst, taking place January 29-31 in Memphis, will feature the 20th International Blues Challenge as well as the BluesFirst symposium and the Keeping the Blues Alive awards. BluesFirst is a day and a half of education and networking commencing Thursday evening with an opening reception and ending Friday evening with a Blues and BBQ reception. A highlight of BluesFirst is the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards brunch, at which the highest honors in the blues industry are bestowed to the non-performers who support the music behind the scenes. The brunch will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2004.

The 20th annual International Blues Challenge semi-finals and finals bring to BluesFirst the culmination of months of regional competitions staged by Blues Foundation affiliates around the world. In 2003, 80 acts competed for $20,000 in cash and prizes and the title of Best Unsigned Blues Band. How many will compete in 2004? Watch as the best musicians you've never heard of bluesify historic Beale Street in three days of action-packed competition.

To register to attend BluesFirst, go to www.uniquememphis.com/bluesfoundation/ or call Unique at 800-235-1984. Please note there are early-bird rates, so register now to take advantage of the special pricing.

More information on the Blues Foundation and how to become a member is posted at www.blues.org"

13. BLUES HIGHWAY ORGANIZATION INFORMATION...

From Luther Brown of Delta State University:

The Alluvian Hotel will have a great evening of music tomorrow night, December 4. They will feature Norbert Putnam, Duff Dorrough, Barry Bays and Haley Bennett. Norbert played bass on over 50 Elvis albums and produced such legendary hits as Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville and Joan Baez's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". Most of you know the great work that Duff, Barry and Haley do throughout the Delta. The Alluvian Lobby Lounge opens at 4:30 p.m. Entertainment Starts at 5:30 p.m.

Also, the Governor's Blues Commission held its first meeting yesterday, and will meet several more times before the new Governor is inaugurated. One of our challenges is the construction of a complete inventory of blues and blues heritage sites for the entire state. We already have an inventory for the central part of the Delta, but this does not include places outside the triangle between Clarksdale, Greenwood and Greenville. For example, it does not include Belzoni, Yazoo City, or Vicksburg, let alone the rest of the state. IF YOU KNOW OF BLUES RELATED SITES THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE INVENTORY, PLEASE EMAIL LUTHER BROWN IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE CAN ADD THEM TO THE LIST. This is a great opportunity to plug your own region!

Further details will be posted on the web site by the end of the today. www.blueshighway.org/bluesnews.htm.

14. JACKSON HAPPENINGS FROM MARCIA WEAVER...

For Immediate Release
December 1, 2003
Contact: Pastor Robert Blanton
Trinity Lutheran Church
Jackson, MS
601-371-2332
Marcia Weaver
Trinity Worship Committee Chair
601-372-8851

R&B/Gospel Duo Featured at Bach to Blues Vespers

The Reverand Arnold Dwight "Gatemouth" Moore and Dorothy Moore will be featured at Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday, December 7 at 6 PM. These singers have sung both rhythm and blues and gospel. Rev. Moore will bring the message and Dorothy Moore will sing gospel.

The Bach to Blues ministry of Trinity Lutheran Church for Advent is a series of music and prayer services anticipating the coming of our Lord at Christmas on Sundays at 6 PM. The ministry will offer a mix of sacred and secular music from various traditions as a statement of its commitment to spiritual harmony within the Jackson community. Following each service everyone is invited to stay and share in a "Harmony Meal." You are invited to come and bring a dish.

Other guests at Trinity are:

Bach to Blues music will return on December 14, with the blues music of recording artist Grady Champion and his family. Grady Champion will play his harmonica, sometimes called harp, and acoustic guitar. The accompaniment of his daughter on drums and son on bass guitar will make it a family affair.

Trinity Lutheran Church is located 6401 Highway 18 West on the corner of Siwell Road in Southwest Jackson, Mississippi. We invite metro area guests and guests visiting the Jackson area to share music and food with us during Advent and starting February, every 3rd Sunday at 6 PM. Click on www.bachtoblues.org for more info.

15. THURS., 12/4 AT BURKE'S IN MEMPHIS...

David Tankersley Presents: Six Tales of Olivia Norton. Featuring stories by Mary Helen Randall, Chris Davis, Jonathon Postal, J. Lazarus, Sara Strange and Andria Lisle. ($12.50 CD) Thursday, Dec. 4, 5-7pm. Burke's Book Store, Memphis, TN. 901-278-7484.