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Fate? Karma? Purgatory? Help me put a good spin on this.

My wife and I are heading out to Clarksdale, Mississippi for the Juke Joint Festival which is primarily a blues festival for local delta and hill country blues acts. It is a ton of fun.

We are staying with some old friends in a nearby town. They have graciously invited us to a music series hosted by local country music singer and songwriter Steve Azar. The event occurs every couple of months and features a meal by a prominent local chef (featured in Southern Living, Garden and Gun, etc) as well as cocktails and a casual performance and interview with other songwriters and musicians. It is a small group and the guests interact with the guest musicians. The tickets are fairly pricey and our friends have insisted on buying our tickets.

Other than their love of country music our musical tastes are similar to our friend's. They are going with us to the blues festival. They are also into Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, etc.

The guest musician/songwriter is named Anthony Smith. I'd never heard of him. Apparently he has written songs for some big names in the country music world as has the host, Steve Azar.

Now, I don't hate country music per se. But I have a hard time with contemporary pop country. Here is a video of Anthony Smith's:

https://youtu.be/sbNVTh2QA7k

It is going to be a long night. Fortunately the music will be acoustic. Just the guest with his guitar. I suspect the food will be great and there will be plenty of booze. And I guess it will be interesting to get some insight into the singer/songwriter world even if it is pop country.

I just think it is funny that the one type of music I can hardly stand is what is being featured. I'd prefer hip-hop or rap to pop country ;-)
n80

Showing 3 responses by whart

whart's avatar
whart
3,174 posts
 
Take 'em down to the crossroads. 
whart's avatar
whart
3,174 posts
 
Yep, we visited the Delta a few years ago. I had this image in my mind of sepia-tones, it was quite lush and beautiful. Obviously a lot of history there, some pretty scary. I did see the road to Parchman Farm but I doubt they wanted visitors.
We wound up staying the night in Greenwood, lodging and eating at that upscale place that is tied to the Viking Stove company. Did not really stay to explore -- we headed on to Arkansas, through to Dallas, en route to Austin on our move from NY.
We were a little like the Beverly Hillbillies; my wife’s car was packed to the gills. We did have fun though, even though it was a tiring trip from NY.
Be thankful there’s no polka revival movement there.
We just had the Honk Festival here- street bands, the odder the better. Same day as the Chihuahua Beauty pageant, so I was conflicted. :)
whart's avatar
whart
3,174 posts
 
Literature too. The South is famous for writers.
There’s a story, perhaps apocryphal, about a record business exec visiting a road house down south and hearing this marvelous performer. He approached the artist after a set and said, I’m with X label, I’d like to talk about signing you. To which the artist responded, "all that stuff goes through my agent in NY."
I’m fascinated by the stories of the blues revival and those (mostly young) people who collected 78s seeking the out the surviving legends. Some of the stories are great and have been collected in various books about Son House, Skip James, etc.
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