Clarksdale Shines at 12th Annual Juke Joint Festival

Terry “Harmonica” Bean

If the tall shadows cast around every corner of the buildings in downtown Clarksdale made by the warm spring sun were of the great ones who had gone on before – they were surely there to hear the music and feel the spirit of the magical day.

People enjoying the 2015 Juke Joint Festival

Saturday, April 11th was a wonderful day to be in the Mississippi Delta – and in Clarksdale, in particular. The sun was bright and warm, the smell of crawfish was in the air and the sounds of music could be heard from every direction imaginable. The city was the place to be April 9-12 as the 12th Annual Juke Joint Festival got underway. If you’re a fan of Blues and great food, then this was the weekend for you.

The Blues Doctors

The Mississippi Delta is the birthplace of the blues and for three days the streets of Clarksdale were alive with the sounds that were first made famous by legendary musicians such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Son House.

The event brings people from around the globe to the city of Clarksdale and to the Mississippi Delta for an experience unlike anything else in the world. It’s a combination of family fun and lively entertainment throughout the daylight hours and awesome nighttime merrymaking when the sun goes down.

The poignant music can be heard from within every establishment in the city and throughout the streets itself as people dance, sing along and simply enjoy the spirit of the music.

And it’s definitely all about the music. And sometimes, walking around the historic streets of Clarksdale where the great ones, the legends have walked before; the great sounds of today’s artists merge with a familiar, stirring, soulful strain and you know the legacy continues.

“Stud” of Hill Country Funk

Angela Rogalski is a HottyToddy.com staff reporter and can be reached at angela.rogalski@hottytoddy.com.