Michael Donahue submits his latest audio blogging from the 2008 Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival. He interviews fans about rubber boots, bright red dyed hair, general impressions of the festival and the best musical moments.
Test your visual accuity, or just waste a few seconds by playing Where’s Donahue? Click the image below and start searching.
First you get an expert like Tony Thomas who has done it half a dozen times before for Jerry Lee Lewis. Here he reveals a few other tricks to keep on rockin’.
Just a few weeks ago rockabilly pioneer Billy Lee Riley had a hip replacement followed by multiple bypass surgery. If you know him, you’d know that wouldn’t stop him from making yet another BSMF appearance. He gives us the exclusive lowdown here.
Calvin Cooke of Detroit, has been called the “B.B. King of gospel steel guitar.” Well, make up your own label, he is one awesome practitioner of the steel guitar and here’s a sampling from his stint Sunday at the Tennessee Lottery Blues Tent.
George Hunt has been doing the Beale Street Music Festival poster for 17 years. He’s got a gallery next to the Blues Tent where he’s signing posters throughout the day. And after all these years, he’s still having a great time.
Iconoclastic bluesman Richard Johnston is, in a way, responsible for the Southern Comfort Blues Shack being introduced at this year’s Beale Street Music Festival. Last year, the one-man band who plays anywhere he can around town, found a spot at Tom Lee Park during the 2007 festival and did his thing. Memphis in May didn’t get mad, it got creative and put up the SoCo shack to provide music between sets at the Tennessee Lottery Blues Tent.
Backstage at the Blues Tent, the venerable bluesman Pinetop Perkins sits quietly and somewhat luminously as Watermelon Slim goes through his sound checks. Mr. Perkins dispenses conversation and autographs as those who know who he is stand a bit away, shyly, somewhat in awe. This is the way it went.
What is sticky muck? So I’m this old dude trying to figure out the music festival. Last time I was at something like this the Grateful Dead was playing and everyone was doing a field of wheat dance - arms waving kind of mellow in the breeze like Kansas on a good day. Something tells me times have changed. But when I check out this act called Muck Sticky, the first thing that happens is two giant reefer torches start smoking on stage. That looks familiar, but it’s been a long time. Muck Sticky comes on stage between the monster joints looking like an annoying leprechaun who got into his kid sister’s wardrobe. I asked around about him. Listen to the audio. Click here. What is sticky muck?
No responses yet