Memphis Music Heritage Festival

[Staxsun]

Lots of things always conflict with Labor Day Weekend, but I had almost forgotton what a good little festival this is. They always have a great lineup of local and regional talent of all types. It's kinda like five stages of Lagniappe Stage at JF. I opted for football on Saturday and went on Sunday. Of course, the highlight for me was Big Sam's Funky Nation. The sound was bad, the stage was small, the lighting was bad, but Big Sam didn't care. He just held forth. There was a hodgepodge of stuff from rockabilly with Sonny Burgess or Eddie Bond to blues with Bobby Rush or Kenny Brown. There was the Navy Band, the Memphis Klezmer All-Stars (a little more in the traditional vein), Joe Scott from the Negro Leagues, soul food demonstrations, lots of gospel, and bellydancers. It was a good time, and it's a free festival.

[funkkjunkie]

Nice, staxsun. good times.

[pokerchick66]

I was there.

[Staxsun]

I was there.

I forgot you were going to be here. Why didn't you remind somebody? You know I'm getting old. So what did you think?

[pokerchick66]

I forgot you were going to be here. Why didn't you remind somebody? You know I'm getting old. So what did you think?

I think I had a LARGE time. And I love Memphis; it's a cute little city. We ate good; went to great restaurants and had some big azz beers. Graceland, etc. was a whirlwind and I spent way too much money but it was worth it. Loved the racquetball room. Took about a million pictures. Wish we could see the upstairs!

We ate at BB Kings and King's Palace Cafe. The ribs at BB's were to die for! Fell right off the bone. Loved Beale Street and all the neon. Great music everywhere. We stayed at the Downtown Memphis Marriott. We also saw the Peabody Ducks today, too. Really cute!

And I forgot to remind you cuz I'm getting old too, Stax! I wish I would have remembered.

[nola_funk]

i wish i had known.
i would have been there.
i'm 2 1/2 hours east of memphis.
(muscle shoals area)

[funkkjunkie]

Hey nola funk, do you come over into MS for any of the blues fests? I go to Hwy 61 fest at Leland, Kenny Brown's picnic at Holly Springs and Sunflower River Blues and Gospel fest at Clarksdale. And sometimes the Turner picnic in late August.

[nola_funk]

the only festival i've done is MIM. i started doing that in 1991 and have done it several times. in '96 i found jazz fest and that took the place of MIM.
i'll have to do some searching on the internet on some of those other festivals you wrote about.

[nola_funk]

i was just checking out kenny brown's picnic from this year.
i can't believe richard johnston wasn't there.
have you ever seen or heard him?

[funkkjunkie]

Yep, seen him several times. He didn't play Kenny's picnic this year or last. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen him around in some time. Last time I saw him was the last year Otha Turner was alive=at Otha's goat roast.

[funkkjunkie]

All fests I mentioned are nice and cozy. Kenny's -about 5 or 600 peeps. Hwy 61-about 300, max. Sunflower is the big one with a couple thousand. And of course, you could come on over to Arkansas for Arkansas Blues and Heritage fest, formerly known as King Biscuit. the lineup is weak this year but we're still going. But juana and I will be cutting out early on Saturday to go up to Memphis to hear Robert Randolph and the family band on the Gibson rooftop! Blues is my backup because it's all around my neck of the woods. Funk is my true love. :)
I used to do Memphis in May until the year the bottleneck of thousands of people when getting in and out caused me to totally freak. Never been back and no need with the jazzfest the same weekend.

[Staxsun]

Yep, seen him several times. He didn't play Kenny's picnic this year or last. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen him around in some time. Last time I saw him was the last year Otha Turner was alive=at Otha's goat roast.

I've seen him several times since then. I'm pretty sure that he's not based in North Mississippi anymore. I think somebody told me he had moved up to the Northeast with one of his girlfriends.

[nola_funk]

I've seen him several times since then. I'm pretty sure that he's not based in North Mississippi anymore. I think somebody told me he had moved up to the Northeast with one of his girlfriends.

i think he moved to memphis.
he may be doing his free gigs in front of the new daisy again.

[Staxsun]

i think he moved to memphis.
he may be doing his free gigs in front of the new daisy again.

I don't think so. I spend a lot of time down there, and I haven't seen him. Normally he'll show up somewhere I am even if he's not playing.

[funkkjunkie]

nolafunk, meet staxsun, our resident Memphian, and once a week dj on wevl.org, Memphis's community radio. Also mc of past Blues on the Bluff, International Blues Competition and other musical events. Oh, and tour guide for wayward Threadheads.