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Following the trail he explored in search of the roots of the Blues back in 1971, film producer/director Ted Reed revisited those places today and found where the Blues is alive, now more than ever. His new film, "The Blues Trail Revisited," is the foundation for this podcast, and in partnership with Clarksdale, MS tourism office "Visit Clarksdale," uses Mississippi's Delta region as the jumping off point for shows about the home of the Blues. Showcasing the music and the people who make the blues eternally alive, each episode brings Ted's road of discovery to music and history fans everywhere.
Episodes
Saturday Jan 29, 2022
21. Guy Davis
Saturday Jan 29, 2022
Saturday Jan 29, 2022
The multi-talented -- and now Grammy-nominated bluesman, Guy Davis, is featured in this episode.
I met Guy in Clarksdale, MS at his first "official" Juke Joint Festival, and learned that Guy is also an author, a teacher, a Broadway and film and television actor, who portrayed Robert Johnson in "Robert Johnson: Trick the Devil", winning the Blues Foundation Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) award.
Thursday Dec 30, 2021
20. Dick Waterman
Thursday Dec 30, 2021
Thursday Dec 30, 2021
Meet Massachusetts-born and resident of Oxford, Mississippi, writer Dick Waterman. Dick was instrumental in guiding Tim and I back in 1971 in finding some of the last surviving blues legends, some of which appear in my film. Listen to Dick talk about his eye-opening experiences with the blues back then and his sentiments about the blues now.
Music from Mississippi Fred McDowell, Son House, Bukka White, and Skip James.
Monday Dec 27, 2021
19. Bill ”Howl’n Madd” Perry on How Kingfish Got His Name
Monday Dec 27, 2021
Monday Dec 27, 2021
This episode features blues veteran Bill “Howl’n Madd” Perry, the first time he walked on stage with Christone Ingram -- how and why he gave him his stage name, Kingfish.
Enjoy snippets of Bill’s song, “Real Blues” and music from Kingfish, himself.
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
18.Bill Talbot; The Shack Up Inn
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Just a 10 minute drive from Clarksdale is the world-famous "Bed & Beer" Shack Up Inn. Meet Bill Talbot, one of the owners, as he talks about the history of how the Shack Up Inn came to be. Enjoy music from Pinetop Perkins, Super Chikan, Charlie Musselwhite, Libby Rae and GA-20.
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
17. La La Craig
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Clarksdale songwriter/singer/musician La La Craig started her musical career as a child in her family's country music band, trained as a classical pianist and followed her ears to Clarksdale MS and became part of Super Chikan's band.
Tuesday Oct 12, 2021
16.Blues historian and filmmaker Bill Ferris
Tuesday Oct 12, 2021
Tuesday Oct 12, 2021
Photographer, filmmaker, author and historian Will Ferris started documenting black southern culture in the 1960s and has over 15 films and a dozen books to his name, along with a Mississippi Blues Trail marker and was Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities under the Clinton administration. Our paths crossed but we never met when I was making my student film in 1971, so this was my chance to at long last meet this remarkable individual.
Friday Sep 17, 2021
15. Tour guides Robert Birdsong and John Ruskey
Friday Sep 17, 2021
Friday Sep 17, 2021
Whether by land or by river, Clarksdale's environs always hold new surprises for the the first timer or the seasoned visitor. In this episode we talked with Clarksdale historian Robert Birdsong who bases his operations out of the Hopson Commissary, and John Ruskey, founder of the Quapaw Canoe Company on the banks of the Sunflower River.
Monday Sep 06, 2021
14. Harmonica Players: Deak Harp and Watermelon Slim
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Monday Sep 06, 2021
This episode we're celebrating one of the greatest blues solo instruments of all time--the harmonica, AKA the harp and the Mississippi Saxophone. A long history of harp players hail from Clarksdale, MS, and we're visiting with resident harmonica players Deak Harp and Watermelon Slim.
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
12. King Solomon Hicks, Holly Harris
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Thursday Aug 19, 2021
Taking a break up north in Gloucester Massachusetts for the Gloucester Blues Festival and a chance to catch up with Blues Music Award winner King Solomon Hicks talking about his upcoming follow-up album. Then, an interview with Boston's WUMB radio host Holly Harris about her first trip to Clarksdale in 1989.
Sunday Aug 01, 2021
11. Bluesberry Cafe
Sunday Aug 01, 2021
Sunday Aug 01, 2021
One of the most popular music venues in Clarksdale is also a restaurant, and owners Carol and Arthur Crivaro started it years ago with the idea of opening a health food store--we learned about how that went, along with getting to know who comes there. Then it's this episode's edition of the Blues Trail Music Report. Music from Watermelon Slim, Mississippi Marshall, La la Craig and Kingfish Ingram.