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Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival facts for kids
Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival | |
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Genre | Blues, R&B, gospel |
Location(s) | Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S. |
Years active | 1988 - present |
Founded by | Jim O'Neal and Dr. Patricia Johnson |
Website | http://www.sunflowerfest.org/ |
The Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival is a yearly music event in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It happens every August, lasting for three days. The festival started in 1988 as the Sunflower Riverbank Blues Festival. It brings together famous musicians and local talent. People who love blues music come from all over the world to enjoy it. Some big names who have performed include Otis Rush, Ike Turner, Little Milton, Bobby Bland, Bobby Rush, Koko Taylor, Denise LaSalle, Super Chikan, and Robert Plant.
Festival History
The Sunflower Riverbank Blues Festival began in 1988. Many local groups helped fund it, like The Downtown Association of Clarksdale and the Mississippi Delta Arts Council. WROX radio and the Delta Blues Museum also helped. Jim O'Neal and Dr. Patricia Johnson started the event. It took place by the Sunflower River.
In 1991, a special award was created. It was called the Early Wright Blues Heritage Award. This award honors Early Wright, known as "The Soul Man" of WROX radio. He was the first Black radio disc jockey in Mississippi.
In 1992, another festival started, called the Issaquena Gospel Festival. In 1993, the two festivals joined together. This created the Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival we know today. After Julius Guy, one of the organizers, passed away in 1993, the Julius Guy Gospel Heritage Award was created in his honor in 1994.
In 2012, the festival offered special V.I.P. tickets for the first time. This helped raise money for future festivals. That same year, the festival received a special marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail. This marker recognizes important places in blues music history.
Famous Performers
The festival has hosted many amazing musicians over the years. Here are some of the headliners:
Year | Headliners | Notes |
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1988 | James "Son" Thomas & Otis Rush | This was the very first festival! |
1989 | Bobby Rush & Big Jack Johnson | The Williams Brothers were the main gospel act. |
1990 | Various artists | Performers included Big George Brock and Johnnie Billington. |
1991 | Otis Clay & Big Jack Johnson | Other performers included Clayton Love. |
1992 | Katie Webster, Big Jack Johnson & The Jelly Roll Kings | Pinetop Perkins and Snooky Pryor also performed. |
1993 | Booba Barnes & Junior Kimbrough | This was the first year the Gospel Festival was included. |
1994 | Bobby Rush & The Williams Brothers | Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis also performed. |
1995 | Denise LaSalle, Charlie Musselwhite & Frank Frost | The Jackson Southernaires were among the performers. |
1996 | Bobby Rush | Lonnie Shields and Willie Neal Johnson & The Gospel Keynotes performed. |
1997 | Little Milton & Ike Turner | Slim & the Supreme Angels also performed. |
1998 | Rufus Thomas, Lynn White & R.L. Burnside | The Kinsey Report and Charlie Musselwhite were also there. |
1999 | Otis Clay, Charlie Musselwhite, & Eddie Campbell | Super Chikan and Othar Turner performed. |
2000 | Koko Taylor & Bobby Rush | Blind Mississippi Morris was among the performers. |
2001 | The Pilgrim Jubilees | James Williams and The Messengers also performed. |
2002 | Charlie Musselwhite and Bobby "Blue" Bland | This year honored Little Junior Parker. |
2003 | Latimore, T-Model Ford, Big Jack Johnson, Sam Carr | A special film about Othar Turner was shown. |
2004 | Latimore, T-Model Ford, Big Jack Johnson, Sam Carr | Nelson Larkins & God's Possey of Chicago also performed. |
2005 | Charlie Musselwhite & Shirley Brown | Robert Belfour and David "Honeyboy" Edwards performed. |
2006 | North Mississippi Allstars, Latimore | Super Chikan and Jimbo Mathus were among the performers. |
2007 | Bobby Rush and Denise LaSalle | Shardee Turner and Billy Rivers & The Angelic Voices of Faith performed. |
2008 | Darrell McFadden & the Disciples | Shemekia Copeland and Selvy Singers also performed. |
2009 | Bettye Lavette, Super Chikan & more | T-Model Ford and Chapel Hill's Mens Chorus performed. |
2010 | Johnny Rawls, Homemade Jamz Blues Band & more | This year honored Ike Turner. |
2011 | Dorothy Moore and Johnny Rawls | Super Chikan and Robert Belfour were among the performers. |
2012 | Robert Plant with special guest Patty Griffin | Charlie Musselwhite and Bobby Rush also performed. |
2013 | Bobby Rush and North Mississippi All Stars | This festival honored Melville Tillis. |
2014 | Various artists | This festival honored Big Jack Johnson. |
2015 | William Bell and Rita Engedalen | Super Chikan and Jimmy "Duck" Holmes performed. |
2016 | Super Chikan and Lonnie Shields | Jimbo Mathus and Leo "Bud" Welch performed. |
2017 | Charlie Musselwhite, O.B. Buchana & more | Jimmy "Duck" Holmes and Watermelon Slim performed. |