Eighth Annual North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic Set For June 28-29, 2013

Festival continues celebration of Hill Country Blues

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Now in its eighth year, the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic will be held June 28-29, 2013, hosted by Betty Davis BBQ, corner of HWY 7 and HWY 310 (12 miles South of Holly Springs & 15 miles North of Oxford), in Waterford, Mississippi.
This year’s festival lineup features Hill Country musicians Kenny Brown, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Luther Dickinson, Jimbo Mathus, Bobby Rush, Duwayne Burnside, Garry Burnside, David Kimbrough, George McConnell, Tate Moore, Blue Mountain, Rising Star Fife & Drum Band, and many more. The two-day festival takes place in the rolling hills of Marshall County and will run from 4 pm on Friday the 28th until after midnight on Saturday June 29th.

The festival is the brainchild of Potts Camp resident and acclaimed bluesman Kenny Brown, who has witnessed first-hand the worldwide appeal and influence of Hill Country Blues through his long tenure with R.L. Burnside and travels with his own band.

“I got to thinking about how much the music from this area has influenced so many,” says Brown, “and although there are a lot of festivals around, no one was focusing on real Hill Country Blues. Everyone I mentioned it to thought it should be done. This will be our eighth year—we’ve got a great lineup again. We have some first-time performers this year and even a special international guest. Some very special touches have been added to the music schedule that we know all picnic fans will appreciate. We hope people will come on out to see old friends and family, enjoy the music, workshop, improved event grounds, camping, and great BBQ.”

Prior to the festival, a hands-on guitar workshop will be held for interested individuals who want to develop their musical skills and broaden their knowledge of roots music. The workshop, led by instructors Kenny Brown, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Luther Dickinson, Duwayne Burnside, and Garry Burnside, will be held June 28th. Further information is available on the Picnic website.

In the mid-90s, the world discovered the power and distinctive sounds of North Mississippi blues via the recordings of R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Otha Turner. These elder statesmen have all since passed, but their music lives on through their contemporaries, family members, and fans and is solidified through the non-profit organization, North MS Hill Country Picnic, Inc. The goal of the organization is to enhance appreciation and educate the general public about the native art form of North Mississippi Hill Country blues music through performance, preservation, and interpretation. The Picnic is run by the non –profit and enjoys great support and sponsorship from North Mississippi communities.

The festival annually features artists with close ties to North Mississippi Hill Country blues. The 2013 festival lineup includes all of the major contemporary artists with direct ties to the three men noted above, such as The Kenny Brown Band, Duwayne Burnside, Burnside Exploration, David Kimbrough, and The Rising Star Fife and Drum Band.

Rising Star is now led by Otha Turner’s granddaughter, Sharde Thomas. Also featured are North Mississippi musicians who have worked closely with Hill Country artists, including Luther Dickinson, Jimbo Mathus, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Robert Belfour, Blue Mountain, Rev. John Wilkins, Eric Deaton, Tate Moore, Rocket 88, and Blue Mother Tupelo.

The 2013 event will also host first time guest appearances from George McConnell, Solar Porch, and Adam Gussow. A special international appearance from UK recording artist Ian Seigal will also occur.
Camping onsite is encouraged for out-of-town visitors and will be allowed Thursday – Saturday nights. Coolers are permitted (NO GLASS: ICE CHESTS WILL BE CHECKED FOR GLASS), and onsite food vendors will sell local favorites including barbeque and fried catfish. Ice vendors will also be onsite.

Ticket information for the workshop and festival is available on the festival website, www.nmshillcountrypicnic.com.
Advance tickets will also be on sale at Betty Davis BBQ in Waterford, Mississippi.
Tax deductible sponsorship and donations are currently being accepted at drsarad@gmail.com.
For more information, please visit any of the following websites:
www.facebook.com/nmshillcountrypicnic
www.nmshillcountrypicnic.com

Tags: alvin youngblood hart, betty davis bbq, blue mountain, blues, bobby rush, David Kimbrough, DuWayne Burnside, Eric Deaton, Garry Burnside, George McConnell, Hill Country Blues, Jimbo Mathus, kenny brown, luther dickinson, Marshall County, Mississippi, North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic, otha turner, Rev. John Wilkins, Rising Star Fife & Drum Band, Robert Belfour, Rocket 88, sharde thomas, tate moore

About the Author

TLV News The Local Voice is a bimonthly entertainment guide and newspaper based in Oxford, Mississippi, covering and distributed in North Central Mississippi, including Oxford, Ole Miss, Taylor, Abbeville, Water Valley, Lafayette County, Yalobusha County, and parts of Panola County, Marshall County, and Tupelo . The Local Voice is distributed free to over 255 locations in North Mississippi and also available as a full color PDF download worldwide on the internet.