on the up and up

Two of my favorite musicians in Oxford, Mississippi, have paired up as a string duo. Their calling themselves Fussell & Hollister, a self-titled band name that beckons to the yesteryear, which is where their musical inspiration can be found. They've been playing regularly in North Mississippi, but I was lucky to catch them in Oktibbeha County at one of my favorite drinking holes, Dave's Dark Horse Tavern.

Fussell & Hollister opened for the semi-defunct Mayhem String Band (listen to my interview with the Mayhem on the Arts Hour), playing a few original tunes such as the heart wrenching "Troubles" and the more playful tune "Donkey Riding." I really dig Jake Fussell's voice-- simple, compelling, warm-- and over the years I've watched Jamison Hollister grow into a fine fiddle player. The duo also played one of my favorite traditionals, "Raggy Levy," and it may be my favorite version yet. Listen to Jake singing "Raggy Levy" on a 2007 episode of Prairie Home Companion.

This is one group I'm going to keep up with in 2010. You should, too.

food, art & music from around the world-- in mississippi!

Catholic Charities, Jackson Mississippi Diocese, celebrated National Migration Week by hosting an international festival in the Leggett Center at Millsaps College. My culturally minded colleague, Diane Williams, drove us over for the festivities, which included foods from around the world, international crafts and salsa dancing. I especially enjoyed a heavily gingered Taiwanese noodle dish. Other interesting dishes included the Yemen desserts and fried cheese from Peru.

The highlight of our lunch outing was a performance by Salsa Mississippi, a Fondren-based studio that hosts beginner to advance lessons, with a dance party every Saturday night to boot! If salsa dancing is nearly as fun & healthful as it seems, lessons may be in my near future.

jack & johnny podcast now available

If you weren't able to tune in for the interview with old-time musicians Jack Magee and Johnny Rawls, then take advantage of modern technology and download the podcast. You'll find more of my Arts Hour interviews, as well as those of my colleagues Malcolm White, Diane Williams & Larry Morrisey.

Old-Time on the Arts Hour

Tune in to the Mississippi Arts Hour this Sunday at 3 p.m. on Mississippi Public Broadcasting for my interview with old-time music players Johnny Rawls and Jack Magee.

Johnny Rawls is a long-time resident of Mendenahall, but he grew up in Stone County in a musical family. Johnny is a multi-instrumentalist, but he's best known as a banjo player.

Jack Magee is a lifelong resident of Magee where his family has roots stretching back to the early 1800's. Jack has been playing music since an early age, lighting up audiences with his spirited approach to old-time fiddle.

I'll talk with Johnny and Jack about the old-time music scene in Mississippi, and where they find their inspiration. We'll also hear some tunes for the duo-- live from the MPB studios.

Tune in to your local MPB station, or listen online at http://mpbonline.org/. To learn more about Johnny Rawls and Jack Magee, check out their bios on the Mississippi Folklife and Folk Art Directory

sunday morning coming down

We drove to the Delta on Sunday morning to celebrate the marriage of two dear friends, Hunter & Shara. The gathering was in an old farm house near Schlater, Miss., and right in the middle of my stomping grounds as a teenager. Growing up in Greenwood, it was more than common to find yourself "around the world:" a trail of dirt roads and two-lane highways that takes you through three counties and many forgotten communities.

One forgotten community is on a small dirt turn-row known as "Snake 88." Snake 88 is my favorite backroad in the Delta, and when I interned at the Greenwood Commonwealth in 2006, I often found myself on this road at sunset. An abandoned one-room church sits snugly among unkempt graves and overgrown oaks. Late one afternoon in the summer of 2006, I drove by the church to find the front door wide open. I stopped, peaked my head in (nervously), and closed the door. A month later, a similar scenario unfolded and upon closing the door, I noticed the sanctuary had been scavenged and vandalized. The pulpit was turned over and the two recliners that once stood at the front of the church were gone. It broke my heart.

Ironically, on this most recent trip down Snake 88, I found this piece of an old electric organ sitting next to a tree about 500 yards from the church. I'm not sure if it washed out or carried out, but I decided to keep it. Maybe this isn't the most ethical decision I've ever made, but if I were to return it to my beloved abandoned church, what would its future be? Today, I'm going to hang the keyboard on a wall in my home. It serves as a reminder of my former home, the Mississippi Delta, and the many sacred spaces across our state that have been forgotten, dozed over and desecrated.

Tax Time

Robert Washington on the Square in Lexington, Miss. 1 February 2009.

I spent the better part of 2008 working on contract as a freelance writer, so I'm not very excited about filing my taxes this year.  That being said, running into Robert Washington in front of the Holmes County courthouse is just about the only way to make me smile when it comes to filling out a W-2.  

festival workshops, inspiring venues

The MAC partnered with the tourism department of the Mississippi Development Authority to host the annual Festival & Event Workshops.  We were pleased to have nearly 150 participants between the workshop's two locations: the Mississippi Crafts Center in Ridgeland and the B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola.  

Festival Workshop at B.B. King Museum

(This space is the actual cotton gin where Riley "B.B." King once worked.)

 

Folks around the state are already working hard to plan festivals, and with the downward economy its harder than ever to find sponsors.  But the spirit to bring the community together and offer entertaining and memorable events for the hometown team is still in tact, and I hope everyone will get out and sponsor their local/regional festival this spring and summer.  Even if you can't give monetarily, please try to give your time or talent.  

I met some fantastic people from around the state during the workshops, but one of the folks I was most excited to run into was my dear childhood friend Jack McWilliams.  He is now the sound tech man at the B.B. King Museum, but you can also catch him playing percussion with the Delta jam band Electric Mudd.