Coming to 3rd Annual Coahoma to Sonoma Blues Festival
By POOR WILLIAM
Clarksdale, Mississippi (VIDEO!)
What do Coahoma and Sonoma Counties have in common other than alliteration? Well, some awesome blues, Lagunitas beer, Bill Bowker, Charlie Musselwhite, Charles Evans, remarkable bucolic scenery and some musician swapping—it’s legal and even moral!
Coahoma County in Mississippi is home to county seat, Clarksdale, Mississippi, birthplace of the blues and home to some fantastic known and unknown talent.
Sonoma County in Northern California, about 30 miles north of San Francisco, is home to about half-a-million folks, has more than 370 wineries, over 100 organic farms, some tasty restaurants, a cool arts community and more than 50 miles of stunning Pacific coast scenery!
So, recap: Coahoma and Sonoma have great views, open spaces, a love of fermentation, great food, a Bohemian element fueling the respective creative economies or creative economies fueling a Bohemian element, and both have recognized that mutual love leads to some fine musician swapping, via the Lagunitas Brewing Company, Bowker Family Productions and KRSH Radio sponsored blues festival! Damn, that works!
Lagunitas Brewery is located in Petaluma, Sonoma County and its fine brews are now sold in Coahoma County. The Coahoma to Sonoma Festival is held on the grounds of the Lagunitas Brewing Company at the LaguMiniAmphitheaterette, where musical events are often held. In fact, some principles from the brewery visited Clarksdale and stayed at the Clark House Residential Inn, where Poor William hails as innkeeper and custodian of all cold beer!
Lagunitas Brewery hosts 3rd Coahoma to Sonoma County Blues Festival
Famed harmonica player, Charlie Musselwhite—winner of too many Blues Music Awards to even mention, a Grammy for Best Blues Album this year for “Get Up” with Ben Harper, and they both played for the Prez at the White House last year—has Mississippi roots. Charlie and sweet wife Henrietta visit Clarksdale often, but they currently reside in Sonoma County, also home to Clark House Residential Inn owner, Charles Evans, and KRSH FM legend, Bill Bowker, who digs on some Clarksdale at least once a year on his way to the Americana Music Awards in Nashville.
BTW, check out Charlie’s radio program “Charlie’s Back Room” on KRSH.com Sunday evenings from 6-7 p.m. PST and Bill’s program “Blues with Bowker” Sunday from 7-9 p.m. PST.
Hill Country Blues musician Lightnin’ Malcolm, Poor William’s favorite blues Dude, played at the first Coahoma to Sonoma County Blues Fest in 2012, along with local Bluesberry Café and Red’s Lounge regular, Watermelon Slim. The 2nd annual fest in 2013 had Johnny Rawls, who has played at Clarksdale festival numerous times, along with Charlie Musselwhite, the Hound Kings, Markus James and Kinney Kimbrough.
This year Lightnin” Malcolm and Carl “Stud” White, grandson of legendary bluesman T-Model Ford are in the amphitheater, along with Clarksdale’s guitar prodigy Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Stud and Kingfish are both teenagers and are quite peerless on their respective instruments. Translated, they are insane, tireless musicians!
Watch the video of the three musicians to tease yourself into going and watch for T-Model Ford who makes an appearance![youtube width=”600″ height=”444″]http://youtu.be/Q2CfrnNQoy0[/youtube]
If you get a chance check out this festival, and maybe, just maybe, Magical Madge and Poor William can find a cheap-ass ticket to get out there our “ownselfs!” If we do, we will be bringing some Delta Bohemian® t-shirts and hats!
Read below a blurb from the Coahoma to Sonoma Blues Fest website about our local boys and who will benefit locally from their performances: Griot Arts in Clarksdale! pw
Evening Show 6-9pm: Kingfish & Lightnin’ Malcolm
Proceeds will go to Griot Arts in Clarksdale, an after school program providing arts to at risk kids. Both Kingfish and Stud have been involved with Griot. www.griotarts.com. Tickets are $12, and available only at www.lagunitas.com. Doors @ 4:20. 21 and over. On Monday, September 1st, 2014, from noon to 9pm, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Bowker Family Productions and KRSH Radio present the 3rd annual Coahoma to Sonoma County Blues Festival, an event totally dedicated to bringing some of the most vital blues from the “Birthplace of the Blues”, Clarksdale, Mississippi (Coahoma County) to Petaluma, CA (Sonoma County). The festival gets underway at noon, FREE TO ALL AGES, until 3pm in the Beer Sanctuary with the Patrick Sweany Band. The evening show starts at 6pm in the LaguMiniAmphitheaterette.
Very cool! Excellent chance for our California friends to catch some real-deal Clarksdale & Coahoma County, Mississippi BLUES! Have fun, y’all… and then, come see it at home in Clarksdale. (Hmm. Perhaps at our fest in April? http://www.jukejointfestival.com)
Hey folks , if you do decide to come to out for the festival be sure to let Diane and myself know . We got a spare room for ya.
Frank, that is a lovely offer!! Thank you. We were hoping to make the trip this year but alas, life has gotten in the way and some personal matters have taken precedence to our playing on the West Coast at the festival. Next year!!! 🙂