John Henshall, center, with his Australian friends in Clarksdale during Australia Day. Photo by The Delta Bohemian
CLARKSDALE, Mississippi
VIDEO IN POST
John Henshall, Clarksdale semi-fixture and a known Delta Bohemian, requested that the ignoble but passionate Magical Madge and Poor William assist him with doing a quirky (we do quirky) video promoting Clarksdale, Mississippi to his Aussie counterparts in the Melbourne, Australia area.
Henshall, a lover of Clarksdale and an economist/planner, has worked since 1969 consulting with industry and governments in Australia and abroad. He studied, assessed and developed at his own expense an Action Plan for Revitalization for Downtown Clarksdale, having spent a considerable amount of time over several visits to our fair city.
John is an Economist / Planner who has worked since 1969 with organizations in industry, government and consulting, both in Australia and abroad. His experience covers projects in urban and regional economic development and land use planning; industry sector analysis; and retail, industrial and commercial location and development.
After meeting with the affable Lois Erwin, Director of the Delta Bridge Project and a close friend of Henshall, and the hard-to-ruffle Coordinator of Clarksdale Revitalization, Inc. Mac Crank, the Delta Bohemians set about videoing and collating footage for the promo and welcome to Clarksdale video.
Having only a short time to produce the video during one of the busiest tourist seasons for Clarksdale, we were sad not to be able to interview and video ALL the awesome characters and businesses in the area that represent the best of what Clarksdale has to offer Australians and other visitors in the way of products, services, and Southern hospitality.
Our blossoming Bohemian community offers tourists so much more than just awesome, authentic blues music, including talented artists, delightful restaurants, and museums and galleries. Hopefully, if contracted to develop further videos on Clarksdale’s unique community, the Delta Bohemians will be able to include more of the awesome Mississippi Delta area attractions. Enjoy a little slice of Mississippi Delta spice:
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WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE COMMENTS!!
If this doesn’t bring in more Australians I don’t know what will !
Thanks for the LOVE Frank! pw
Great job ! This video captures exactly why Dixie and I moved here to Clarksdale….it is …well..
BOHEMIA !!
We have been to Melbourne , thanks to our good friend John Henshall,and experienced love from the Aussies, had a great time performing at the Mordialloc festival with Jaimi Faulkner, and Big Boy Lemonade. These 2 great musicians also have visited Clarksdale, and played at our Hambone Gallery.
It was such a great feeling having John’s family and friends here , to experience what we have to offer.
Thanks to Billy and Madge for this great video, and to John Henshall for the inspiration .
Here’s to creativity….and screw the negativity !!!! Onward and upward !! This town rocks !
Stan, you bless us. Thanks so much!
By the way, your fans will enjoy watching this video of ours (we’ve done over 100, you know!) which shows Big Boy Lemonade from Melbourne playing the upright at your marvelous Hambone Gallery. Check it out here. https://deltabohemian.com/watcha-wanna-posted-51811/
The Big Boy part begins at minute 4:32!!!! The wonderful Daddy Rich is captured singing his “Sad, Sad Song” too.
I like to live by your perfectly coined mantra… “Here’s to creativity…Screw the negativity!” Peace and Love, Baby!
Billy & Madge – I absolutely loved this! Me and Abby watched it twice … you guys did a wonderful job!
nicely done.
Poor William and Magical Madge: just a note to say I am still receiving glowing comments about your quirky video, and the number of people (Australians, actually) who intend visiting Clarksdale continues to climb. Family and friends who have watched the video have been in tears – either laughing or emotional. It brings back wonderful memories for all of us. A total of at least 86 people (Australians, actually) watched it here at the Essential Economics Delta Blues n Ribs evening here on Friday. Thanks so much. John H
We love Clarksdale, the atmosphere, the history, the blues, the hospitality and the poeple in general. It is true once you have been there you just want to go back. We made some great friends in Clarksdale and loved our stay at the Shack Up Inn. Can highly recommend this as part of a holiday destination and are already planning our next trip over. Thanks so much for a great clip to keep those memories of our time there ticking along and singing a song.
Thanks so much, Adam from Adelaide, South Australia
Hi, I’m an Ole Miss graduate student in Melbourne this semester documenting musical influences between the American South and Australia. I’m very interested in speaking with John Henshall. This is a bit of a hail mary pass, but can you help me get in touch? My email is gwood at olemiss dot edu. Many thank yous!
Sent you a direct email, Gretchen. Please tell us more about what you are doing there! The DELTABOHEMIAN is headed down there to see John on August 30th for a visit through September 16th. Let’s all get together if you are still there.
Go Rebels! 😎
I am wondering if John Henshall is originally from Wangaratta in Victoria as we might have gone to the same school.
John is on Facebook. We will mention you to him via our DB facebook page. Small world. 🙂