On Saturday, April 28, dozens of Delta Blues greats from Mississippi and beyond will converge in Clarksdale, Mississippi to play their hearts out to blues fans around the world. The event, dubbed America’s Delta Blues: The Blessissippi Crossroads Concert, is an effort by philanthropic media organization Explore.org andGround Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale to raise attention around the value of music and music technology education in the Mississippi Delta region, and to benefit the America’s Delta Blues Scholarship Fund at Delta State University. Acclaimed actor/narrator Morgan Freeman will be on hand to host the evening’s event.
The Blessissippi Crossroads Concert will feature some of the best blues and Delta Blues acts on the scene today including performances by Bobby Keys and Sugar Blue of the Rolling Stones, Bill Payne of Little Feat, GRAMMY nominated singer Maria Muldaur, Albert Bashor, James “Superchikan” Johnson, Bill “Howl-n-Madd” Perry, T-Model Ford, Robert “Wolfman” Belfour, Alphonso Sanders, King Edward, Mickey Rogers, Jeremy Jemmot, Rick Lewis, Jimmi Mayes, Sharo Perry, Stacy Mitchhart, Mark Yacavone, Big T, Big A, Big Dave, Mark “Muleman” Massey, Stan Street, Watermelon Slim, Heather Cross and Heavy Suga, Kingfish, All Night Long Band, Abdul Rasheed, Lightning Malcolm, Andy Frasco, La La, Rachel Coba, Daddy Rich, and Josh "Razorblade" Stewart. The musicians will perform in an effort to raise money for the America’s Delta Blues Scholarship Fund, which will help children and young adults achieve an education in music and music technology through various programs run by Delta State University’s Delta Music Institute (DMI), and the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale.
Explore.org, the multimedia arm of the Annenberg Foundation, will donate the first $250,000 to help start the fund, which they hope will give underprivileged kids and young adults a chance to pursue their dreams and change our world.
“Music is the soundtrack to our life and follows us everywhere we go,” said Charlie Annenberg Weingarten. “By giving underprivileged kids the chance to pursue their dream of working within the music industry, we are giving them a chance to not only change their own lives, but to possibly change ours, too.”
America’s Delta Blues: The Blessissippi Crossroads Concert takes place from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am CST on April 28, 2012 at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Tickets are available in limited quantities, and cost $45 for General Admission and $150 for VIP. VIP includes a private catered reception on Friday evening at The Delta Blues Museum featuring the premiere of the Explore.org documentary Blessissippi-¬-Blues Ground America, live music by Delta Blues musicians and special guests.
Tickets can be purchased through the Delta Blues Museum online or by calling 662-627-6820.
Located at Blues Alley next door to the Delta Blues Museum in the heart of historic downtown Clarksdale, Ground Zero Blues Club® opened in May 2001. Owned by local attorney and businessman, Bill Luckett; Academy Award-winning actor and Mississippi Delta resident, Morgan Freeman; and Clarksdale native and Memphis entertainment executive, Howard Stovall; Ground Zero Blues Club® is the place for anyone looking for an authentic Delta Blues experience. The mission of GZBC is to showcase the best of today’s Delta Blues musicians.
Explore.org is a multimedia organization that documents visionary leaders from around the world who have devoted their lives to extraordinary causes. Both educational and inspirational, Explore.org creates a portal into the soul of humanity by championing the selfless acts of others. Explore.org’s growing library consists of more than 250 original films and 30,000 photographs from around the world. Explore.org showcases its work at film festivals, on over 100 public broadcast and cable channels, and on numerous online destinations including Explore.org, Snag Films, Hulu and TakePart, featuring a wide range of topics—from animal rights, health and human services, and poverty, to the environment, education and spirituality. Delivered in short, digestible bites, Explore.org films appeal to viewers of all ages, from children learning about other cultures for the first time, to adults looking for a fresh perspective on the world around them.
The Delta Music Institute (DMI) is an independent center under the College of Arts & Sciences at Delta State University. The focus of the DMI is to provide students with a broad and thorough education in the technological, creative, and business areas of the music and entertainment industries. The music industry studies program at the DMI is designed to develop interdisciplinary skills in audio engineering technology and music industry entrepreneurship that will give students a foundational base of knowledge for working in various music industry careers. For information, contact (662) 846-4579 or visit http://dmi.deltastate.edu.
