Jackson Free Press

Filming of Three-Part Blues Special a Sequel to Blues Divas. They were born in Shaw and Belzoni, Mississippi and helped craft some of America's original musical sounds. At the age of 92, Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins is revered internationally as the world's best blues piano player. At the age of 90, David "Honeyboy" Edwards is one of the few remaining original practitioners of the acoustic Delta blues style. These two living legends will take the stage at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Miss., for what is sure to be a performance of a lifetime.

"If you want to see and hear some of the original, founding Delta blues, this concert is truly one to witness," said Roger Stolle, Owner of Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art. "American music's roots run deep into the history of the music created in Mississippi and Pinetop and Honeyboy are true originators of the Delta blues."

The living legends performances will be filmed at Ground Zero Blues Club along with the performances of Bobby Rush, Big Jack Johnson, Willie King, Kenny Brown, Big George Brock, and James "Super Chikan" Johnson. The seven concerts part of a three-part series titled Native Sons produced by Blue M Productions and Mississippi Public Broadcasting.

"We have formed a unique and dynamic partnership with our Foundation, Entergy and Ground Zero Blues Club to preserve and promote Mississippi artists while recognizing Mississippi's contributions to American music," said Marie Antoon, Executive Director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting. "The Native Sons documentary is more than a concert series, it is a way to capture oral histories and performances that help educate Mississippians to our state's unique musical heritage while giving us the ability to share it with the rest of the world."

Native Sons is underwritten by Entergy, supporting the power and music in the Mississippi Delta. This monumental concert series is produced in high definition format in association with Mississippi Public Broadcasting.

The concert series begins Tuesday, August 9th with performances by Kenny Brown and Willie King and the Liberators. Performances from Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks, Bobby Rush, Big George Brock & the Houserockers, Big Jack Johnson, Pinetop Perkins, Honeyboy Edwards and Sam Carr round out the series Wednesday, August 10th and Thursday, August 11th.

In addition, Mississippi Public Broadcasting and its Foundation will produce two, one-hour interview programs titled Memories of the Delta hosted by Gene Edwards, MPB Deputy Director of Content. The first of the two part series looks at the works of blues author and photographer Dick Waterman, with performances by Little Milton Campbell, Bobby Rush and Denise LaSalle. The second of the two programs centers on music historians Robert Gordon and Bruce Nemerov who discuss their new book "Lost Delta Found" and about their effort to recreate the famous Fisk University and Library of Congress study of Delta culture during the early 1940s. Nemerov and his musical partner Gene Bush will perform songs actually documented by the study in 1941 and 1942.

The Delta Blues Museum will feature the two-hour compilation of Blues Divas during the three-day concert series. The Delta Blues Museum, located across the street from Ground Zero Blues Club, will show Blues Divas Tuesday, August 9 through Thursday, August 11 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and on Friday, August 12 from 9 a.m. until noon.

The following is the Native Sons concert series at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale:

Tuesday, August 9th

6 p.m. Kenny Brown

9 p.m. Willie King & the Liberators

Wednesday, August 10th

3 p.m. Dick Waterman with Bobby Rush and Denise LaSalle - FREE

(onstage author interviews with performances by the special guests)

6 p.m. Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks

9 p.m. Bobby Rush

Thursday, August 11th

3 p.m. Big George Brock & the Houserockers

6 p.m. Big Jack Johnson

9 p.m. Pinetop Perkins, Honeyboy Edwards and Sam Carr

Friday, August 12th

2:30 p.m. Robert Gordon, Bruce Nemerov, Gene Bush – FREE

Ticket prices are as follows:

$10 Kenny Brown

$10 Willie King & the Liberators

$10 Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks

$15 Bobby Rush

$10 Big George Brock & the Houserockers

$15 Big Jack Johnson

$15 Living Legends David "Honeyboy" Edwards and Pinetop Perkins with Sam Carr

Tickets may be purchased exclusively at Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art. You must have a separate ticket for each concert. All pre-sale tickets will be subject to a $1 service charge and will be held at Cat Head until two hours before the first daily showtime then transferred to Ground Zero Blues Club for pick up. No refunds or exchanges. Tickets can be purchased three ways:

Via PayPal or credit card at www.cathead.biz
By phone with credit card at (662) 624-5992
In person at Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, 252 Delta Ave., downtown Clarksdale