CeDell Davis performing at Juke Joint Festival 2012. Photo by ©Eric Stone
By POOR WILLIAM
Tarzan is no longer playing in black and white on Saturday afternoons, at least not in the Mississippi Delta, so whatcha gonna do this Saturday afternoon, March 7th, from 3:00—5:00? Why not mosey on down to 1 Blues Alley in downtown Clarksdale, birthplace of the blues and host to the oldest music museum in the marvelous state of Mississippi: Delta Blues Museum!
CeDell Davis, Jimbo Mathis, Zakk and Big Papa Binns (Zakk & Greg) will be there with special guest musician Barrett Martin to celebrate the 89-year-old Davis’s first album in over a decade. “Last Man Standing” was produced by Mississippi homeboy and Grammy award winner Mathis in Water Valley.
Ellis CeDell Davis was born in Helena, Arkansas in 1926. He has weathered some tough stuff, including polio contracted at age nine, which left him partially paralyzed; a trampling at a nightclub in St. Louis when a fight broke out when he was playing with Robert Nighthawk and Sam Carr, requiring him to use a wheelchair ever since.
Cedell has played in Clarksdale several times during the Juke Joint Festival, always drawing a big crowd in his tent outside Miss Del’s General Store. Displaced Californian and now permanent Clarksdale fixture Eric Stone took an iconic photograph of CeDell, which proudly hangs in the Delta Bohemian Guest House. Can you spy our Young & Free writer Corinne Vance in the background? That’s her fiancé Bryan Fikes with her. 😎 😎
Come on downtown Saturday! It will be worth your while!
For more info on CeDell, CLICK HERE.
Cover of CeDell Davis newest CD “Last Man Standing”
Hello my friend,
I just want to say “thank you” for Keep me and all the others tuned what is going on in Clarksdale! Yes – each two or three days I’m looking to this web site, if anything is new!
I habe heart CeDell Davis during different JJF in front of Miss Dells store and it was always a preasure to hear him! Can’t wait to buy the new CD!! I whished to stay at my beloved Clarksdale on saturday for CD release. But: 5000 miles ar toooo Long! Greeting from Germany to all my friends. I’m in thoughts with you!!
Guenter, that warms our hearts to read your sincere comments. You, my friend, are why we do this Delta Bohemian. It is souls like yours from all walks of life and all over the globe we write for. Our locals tolerate us (ha) but our regular visitors (you), one-time visitors, want-to-be visitors, soon-to-be visitors and curiosity seekers about the Mississippi Delta appreciate the DB. It is always confirming and encouraging when one of you tells us so. Thank you so very much. See you soon!!! xoxo