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Thank you for making the 23rd Annual Carolina Blues Festival presented by YES! Weekly a huge success.
Again this year we say “wow!” Saturday was a terrific day of Blues, fellowship, food and drink. The Music was HOT and except for about an hour of having the sky crying down upon us ‘twas a beautiful day. This year’s lineup gave us possibly our best show since moving back to Gtown. Everyone delivered.
And how about our friend Bob Margolin, does he ever know how to spend his birthday! We have seen Bob many times but Saturday was special and it showed on his face as well as his playing and singing. He told us Diunna would be something special. He was correct and helped make her set even more so.
Thanks to all of our Musicians. Everyone delivered their A Games.
The PBPS Trustees are THE BEST. Thank you all for being a 100% hands-on group. Also a big shoutout to Trudy, the Goddess of Backstage and Len Scafitti Lord of the Stage. Y’all kept it running smoothly and handled the storm beautifully. And as always SG you gave us great sound which is why you’re OUR Sound Guy.
Big thanks to Ed Wolverton, Lee Mortensen, and everyone at DGI for not only all you do for us but for Greensboro as well. Also we thank Mary Alice Kurr-Murphy and all at Parks & Recreation for assistance galore. Thanks to the MANC for operating the Kids Area.
And of course we thank our Partners during Blues Week Stephanie Cordick and her staff at the Eastern Music Festival for all they do with the EMFJazz & Blues Concerts Series. The greatest of gratitude is owed to our GREAT friend Terry VunCannon for putting most of the EMFJC Series together.
It brings us pride and joy to see so many of the same faces among our volunteers year after year. Some of you handle multiple shifts or volunteer even after purchasing tickets. Without y’all the Fest would be impossible.
We definitely could not hold this event without sponsorship. The Carolina Blues Festival Sponsors are onboard because they believe in and want to support our mission. Thank you to:
YES! Weekly – our Presenting Sponsor, The Big Kahuna!
Smith Stokes Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep – ALWAYS there for us, longer than anyone!
Rock92 – Two hour-long Blues Under the Big Tent airings; countless promos and Demm, Ronie and Weather Dave – all outstanding Emcees!
WNAA – Again the Radio voice of NCA&TSU gave us countless hours of PSAs, kept the Blues Hangover going over the airways into its third decade and provided the Festival with the inimitable Wild Irish Rose as an Emcee!
The Bank of Oak Ridge – A GREAT Corporate Citizen, we are most fortunate to be one of many community events they assist (and they sold quite a few tickets to boot.) The Glow sticks are ALWAYS a hit!
Stonefield Cellars Winery – Back for a third year, I made a point to survey the crowd about the wines. They love these vintners and want them back. Stonefield provides superior wines MADE IN NC!
Grateful Bread – The Best Backstage food on the Blues Festival Circuit -- REAL food, REALLY good!
I. H. Caffey Distributing – Ya can’t have a Blues Festival without beer!
ALPZ Screenprinting – Another tough to print design executed beautifully!
To my predecessor, mentor and friend Festival Chair John Amberg I again tip my porkpie hat. This year had some new surprises for us on top of the usual hundreds (NO exaggeration, hundreds) of hours that John gives of his life to make this show happen. I still am in awe of his ability to organize and facilitate this event while maintaining sanity. Jamberg simply is THE MAN!
Ultimately it comes down to one thing however. No fans = no show. Again you came out in great numbers and were a fantastic audience. Your support and kind compliments provide us with the strength to carry our tired bodies through the day. It brings us joy to bring you joy. And THAT’S what it is all about, so thanks to all of you.
I know I’m likely leaving many people out. If so I apologize and rest assured that appreciation is sent from all of us in the PBPS.
So, whatsay we do it again next year?
As always, please continue supporting live Music and… Until next week, keep your mojos workin’.
Blues it or lose it,
Casey
*****AREA BLUES JAMS*****
SUNDAY -- ZION BAR & GRILLE, 5601 Roanne Way, GREENSBORO - 7-11PM, Hosts: Shiela K, Chuck Cotton & Terry V
1st & 3rd SUNDAYS - FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL; 326 South Main St, MOUNT AIRY - 6-8PM, Hosted by Randall Carlisle rcarlisle@embarqmail.com; on Facebook at FHBS
MONDAY – THE RED LION, 2107 Kirkwood Street, HIGH POINT, Hosts: Big Bump & Tim Buffington
WEDNESDAY – THE CLUB HOUSE, GREENSBORO – 8PM-Midnight, Hosts: Shiela K & Tim Buffington
THURSDAY – THE FLATIRON, 221 Summit Ave., GREENSBORO - 8PM-Midnight, Hosts: Stan Atwell, Mike Thomas, & Terry V
*****AREA BLUES RADIO*****
THE BLUES HANGOVER ON WNAA 90.1FM, Greensboro, Thursdays, 6-9PM – Followed by the Beale Street Caravan at 9PM
THE BLUES SHOW on WQFS 90.9FM, Greensboro, Fridays, 2-4PM - Hosted by Mike Caudle
BLUE FRIDAY on WSNC, 90.5 FM, Winston-Salem 11am-12pm with MONICA with an eclectic mix of Blues 12pm-1pm BLUES & BEYOND, a weekly exploration of Blues and related musical forms with Johnny Mister from WXPN-FM in Philadelphia 1:00pm-4:30pm a mix of JAZZ & BLUES with HARVEST WILLIAMS 9:00-Midnight BLUES DUES Midnight-5:00 a.m. BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE, a highly regarded syndicated Blues radio program.
PLEASE CHECK WITH INDIVIDUAL VENUES FOR LISTED APPEARANCES.
-- BLUES EVENTS OCCURRING WITHIN THE NEXT 7 DAYS --
--> 15-May-2009: Bob Margolin at Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse, 5410-Y Highway
--> 55, Durham - 9:30PM-12:30AM
$10 cover
Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin is a Blues guitar player and vocalist who is carrying on the deep Chicago Blues style and creating his own original music today. He won a Blues Music Award for Guitar in 2008 (known as the W.C. Handy Award) and played guitar in Muddy Waters’ Band from 1973-’80. This recording artist tours worldwide both leading his own band and The Bob Margolin All-Star Blues Jam - and we’re honored to have him back at Papa Mojo’s!
for more info: www.myspace.com/bobmargolin
--> 15-May-2009: Lawyers Guns & Money at Relay For Life...Randolph
--> County Asheboro - 8:00PM
Come on out & support live music...
www.myspace.com/lawyersgunsmoney1
--> 16-May-2009: Too Much Fun at Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse, 5410-Y Highway
--> 55, Durham - 9:30PM-12:30AM
$7 cover
They can jump, they can swing, they can flat out rock. They play the blues, they are tight, yet loose, playing a mix of their own songs with other peoples music....some you recognize and many that you don't. Too Much Fun has entertained audiences for over 23 years with a engagin style that is contagious - and, best of all, they’re not afraid to entertain themselves either!
for more info: http://profile.myspace.com/toomuchfunband
--> 16-May-2009: Jazz by the Lake at Occoneechee State Park, near
--> Clarksville, VA - Noon-8:30 pm
The amphitheater overlooks beautiful Kerr Lake, also known as Buggs Island Lake to old-timers. Admission is free. Parking is $5.00.
More information and schedule at http://www.vajazzsociety.org/ or call the park office at (434) 374-2210. For those who like to make music by a campfire, the park campground is nearby. Cozy cabins with fireplaces are also available. Motels, restaurants and pubs are just across the bridge in Clarksville.
Kip Williams, Michael Hawkins and Bill Joor are featured at this year's festival. Gilbert Baskerville and his talented students will also be performing, along with other local jazz and blues musicians. As in previous years we're anticipating a big turnout.
The Southside Virginia Jazz Society is a non-profit organization founded by jazz trumpeter Ross Le Compte. Our goal is to bring jazz to everyone.
--> 16-May-2009: **GCI** NC Storyfest Inc. and Downtown Greensboro Incorporated present the 2009 5th annual Greensboro StoryFest hosted in Downtown Greensboro.
Greensboro, N.C. – One of North Carolina's Largest Storytelling Festivals to be held on May 16.
Greensboro StoryFest 2009, presented by NC StoryFest, Inc., will convene one of the states largest storytelling festivals including interactive morning workshops, storytelling and even a chance for amateurs to tell a story of their own. Two main stages: Festival Park and the Cultural Arts Center's Music Hall in Greensboro's thriving center city will provide the setting for the expected crowd of more than 1000 festival goers at this free event for all ages.
Attendees will hear award-winning storytellers share their craft and love of one of the oldest-known and most powerful learning traditions-storytelling.
StoryFest 2009 will feature a line-up of six multicultural storytellers led by headliner, Donald Davis (nationally-known storyteller and Parents’ Choice and Publishers Weekly awards winner), and five North Carolina resident storytellers: Priscilla Best; Marvin Cole; Ron Jones; Charlotte Ross; and Yaeko Katsuki who offer humor, musical performances and personal and cultural experiences that have captivated audiences of all ages nation-wide. The festival will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday morning at the outdoor stage in Festival Park and will culminate with an encore performance by Donald Davis beginning at 4:45 p.m. (ending at 6p.m).
Festival goers are encouraged to bring folding chairs or blankets and enjoy this free, all-day storytelling experience with family and friends.
Also, returning by popular demand, Greensboro StoryFest will offer the chance for amateur storytellers to share an original short story or tale to an audience at no cost at the youth and senior Swapping Ground. A youth Swapping Ground will be held from 2:15-3:15pm on the Cultural Arts Center patio open to children of elementary to secondary school ages and a senior Swapping Ground will end the afternoon from 3:30-4:30pm in the Cultural Arts Center. Swapping Ground registration is from 11:30am-12:45pm during the StoryFest Pre-show event at Festival Park. Participation is free.
The festival will be preceded by four fee-based, storytelling workshops presented by headliner Donald Davis and folklorist Charlotte Ross at 9:45 a.m. and two additional workshops beginning at 11:15 a.m. led by Mark Twain impressionist, Marvin Cole, and African-American storyteller, Priscilla Best. Workshop participants will learn how to select and prepare stories from personal experiences and how to present them to an audience. Workshops are $15 each and will take place in the Greensboro Central Library. Pre-registration is required at www.ncstoryfest.org.
Headliner and related links:
Donald Davis
The nationally-known, Appalachian native storyteller seeks inspiration from neighbors and friends. Now an Okracoke, N.C. resident, Donald travels the country performing and teaching storytelling workshops that focus on family-based storytelling. Many of his stories derive from tales and myths told to him by his generations of traditional storytelling family members.
www.ddavisstoryteller.com
Featured storytellers and related links:
Priscilla Best
Priscilla Best hails from Goldsboro, N.C. She delights audiences from pre-school ages to senior citizens with her use of participation stories that allow listeners to learn as they are enjoying her performance. The eastern N.C. native is best known for her African cultural folktales, stories and chants. www.priscillabest.com
Marvin Cole
A retired college president from Chandler, N.C., Marvin has spent over twenty years studying and researching Mark Twain and bares a startling resemblance to the late author and humorist. A large part of his storytelling repertoire includes lectures and dramatic presentations on “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and Mark Twain. www.main.nc.us/asc/
Ron Jones
Born on a dairy farm near Raleigh, N.C., Ron Jones tells traditional and contemporary folktales, classic fairy tales, bi-lingual stories, as well as original stories and songs. He often involves the audience for a more interactive performance.
www.ronjoneswriter.com
Regional storyteller and related link:
Charlotte Ross
Charlotte T. Ross is a playwright, folklorist and ninth generation storyteller from the Georgia Mountains and faculty member at Appalachian State University. Her stories are full of emotional intensity and historical context and both children and adults enjoy her humor sketches, legends and nostalgic recounts of growing up in the mountains. www.hauntedcomputer.com
Featured multicultural storyteller and related link:
Yaeko Katsuki
A native of Japan, where she was a teacher and storyteller, Yaeko Katsuki, translates and presents Japanese folk tales that captivate both young and adult audiences by fully submersing herself into the characters of her stories with colorful face painting and detailed costumes. She has appeared at StoryFest for the past two years.
Get a sneak preview of the StoryFest storytellers and learn more about storytelling on Saturday, April 25 from 9am-8pm at a Barnes and Noble book fair (3102 Northline Ave, Friendly Shopping Center). The book fair will feature StoryFest regional and multicultural storytellers, Ron Jones and Yaeko Katsuki, as well as Greensboro storytellers Charlotte “Webspinner” Hamlin and Cynthia Moore Brown, and various local authors, and entertainers. A portion of the proceeds of all books sold that day benefit Greensboro StoryFest.
Contact
To inquire about workshops and fees or for more information on Greensboro StoryFest, please contact Downtown Greensboro Inc. at (336) 379-0060 or visit www.ncstoryfest.org for details.
Greensboro StoryFest is an all volunteer-based, non-profit organization sponsored by Yes! Weekly, NC StoryFest, Downtown Greensboro Inc. (DGI), NC Storytelling Guild, Greensboro Central Library, City of Greensboro-City Arts, The Founders Circle, Barnes & Noble Booksellers and the Greensboro Children’s Museum.
About Greensboro StoryFest
The Greensboro StoryFest is a family oriented, multicultural and multigenerational event produced by all community volunteers. Our festival not only attempts to preserve the traditions of storytelling but to rekindle the family cohesion engendered by storytelling in all its forms by reaching out to our varied cultural backgrounds and understanding how we came to be what we are. Greensboro StoryFest is a FREE event for all ages.
Downtown Greensboro Inc.
122 North Elm Street, Suite 609
Greensboro, NC 27401
(P) 336.379.0060 (F) 336.379.0106
www.downtowngreensboro.net
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