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Clarksdale, Sunflower Fest ranked in Top 10
Latimore, Shemekia Copeland, Jimmy Burns, Super Chikan to star In 21st annual free Sunflower River Blues Festival Aug. 8-10
Click here for 2008 Festival Lineup.
CLARKSDALE - With USA Weekend naming Clarksdale and the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival in the Top Ten places to hear the best of America’s music, Sunflower chairmen agree it’s a dream opportunity to announce headliners and lineup for its 21st annual festival.
"The authenticity of our music labeled us America’s purest blues festival years ago, and this Top Ten ranking along with Seattle, Los Angeles, and Miami is icing on the cake," says John Sherman, co-chairman.
"We are excited to announce Latimore, Shemekia Copeland, Jimmy Burns, and Super Chikan Johnson among our top entertainers," says Melville Tillis, co-chairman.
"The Sunflower is one of the world’s few great free festivals; it is staged entirely by volunteers, and is funded by grants, foundations, donations from businesses, and individuals," continues Tillis.
"Since the music began here, we are committed to making it free and accessible to everyone," he said.
Attracting a Blues Alley audience of more than 10,000 in 2006, Latimore and his signature classic "Let’s Straighten It Out," once again will headline the Friday night stage.
Guitar Mikey with Nellie Tiger Travis of Chicago and Nathaniel Kimble will also entertain Friday evening.
Willie King and the Liberators, classic bluesman Jimmy Burns, the Dublin, Miss., native who carved out an international career for himself in Chicago will return to the Sunflower’s Saturday night stage as well as Mississippi’s good will ambassador and instant crowd favorite, James Super Chikan Johnson.
Closing out the show will be Grammy nominee and multiple Handy Award winner Shemekia Copeland described by the Village Voice as "the most soul-shaking, big-voiced blues singer in years, attacking material like a young Etta James."
Once again the Sunflower will feature two Saturday acoustic stages. The Othar Turner stage inside the Depot Blues Club with traditional music from Foster "Tater" Wiley, Big T and Arthniece "Gas Man" Jones, Eddie Cusic, Pat Thomas, Robert Belfour, and Shardee Turner and the Rising Star Fife and Drum Corps.
Performing on the Sunflower Riverwalk Acoustic Stage will be L.C. Ulmer, Cadillac John and Bill Abel, Terry Harmonica Bean, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, Kenny Brown, and Bill Howlin’ Madd Perry.
The lineup for Sunday’s gospel festival will be announced soon, says Tillis.
For the third consecutive year, the Sunflower will offer a large air-cooled VIP tent offering tables and chairs and refreshments next to the main stage for contributors of $300 tax-deductible donations.
"Each VIP contributor will receive tickets for four guests Friday and Saturday night," explains Sherman. Reservations are being accepted now, and donations may be mailed to the Sunflower River Blues Association, a 501 c 3 organization, at Box 1562, Clarksdale, Miss. 38614
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