Music history and highlights that have happened on January 29th… from the birthplace of the blues… and rock n’ roll. 1781: Mozart’s opera “Idomeneo” opens in Munich. 1917: Actor, singer and Bonnie Raitt’s father, John Raitt born in Santa Ana, California. 1936: Motown, Funk Brothers bassist and major musician James Jamerson born in Charleston, South […]
The Arts & Culture District project was originally slated to be 33 signs, and most of those were focused on the music and musicians that gave us the birthplace of the blues. Some of the artists in the original mix, Willie Brown for example, are much known to music historians and intrepid blues fans, but […]
Music history and highlights that have happened on January 28th… from the birthplace of the blues… and rock n’ roll. 1956: Elvis Presley first appearance on national TV (The Dorsey Bros Stage Show). 1927: Jazz musician and heralded London jazz club owner Ronnie Scott born. 1936: Singer songwriter and greatest Canadian early rock n’ roller […]
Music history and highlights that has happened on January 27th… from the birthplace of the blues… and rock n’ roll. 1778: Puccinni’s opera “Roland” opens in Paris. 1885: Broadway composer Jerome Kern (“Showboat”) born in New York City. 1901: Italian composer Guiseppe Verdi passes on. 1918: Bluesman Elmore James (“Dust My Broom, “Shake Your Money […]
The Hal Fiser honorary Arts & Culture District sign was just mounted in historic downtown Clarksdale. Mounted by Clarksdale Public Utilities, the sign is located on E. 1st Ave. across the street from The Fiser Agency, the real estate and insurance firm Hal created and worked out of for much of his adult life. Hal […]
In honor of Huey “Piano” Smith’s birthday, here’s his always fun song “Don’t You Just Know It” (it’s ok, listen to it loud! And laugh along with this New Orleans great too.) Check out “Today in Music” article below this one under “Clarksdale Updates.” Huey is featured in it, and lots of other great stuff […]
Music history and highlights on January 26th from the birthplace of the blues… and rock n’ roll. 1790: Mozart opera “Cosi Fan Tutte” opens in Vienna. 1795: Johann Christoph Freiderich Bach passes on. 1905: Maria Augusta von Trapp (inspiration for “A Sound of Music”) born in Austria. 1908: Jazz violinist Stephane Grappelli born in Paris. […]
Music history and highlights that happened on January 25th from the birthplace of the blues… and rock n’ roll. 1858: Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” plays at Queen Victoria’s wedding in Great Britain (it was the first time “Wedding March” was played). 1899: Blues musician “Sleepy” John Estes born in Ripley, Tennessee. 1927: Composer Antonio Carlos […]
The Arts & Culture District Sign honoring former City of Clarksdale Commissioner Grady Palmer went up today on Sunflower Avenue near City Hall. Palmer was a graduate of Mississippi State University, then he was a respected teacher in the Coahoma County Public Schools for 32 years. A tireless champion of Clarkdale, Grady was also a […]
Music history and highlights on January 23rd from the birthplace of the blues… and rock n’ roll. 1837: Former slave, singer and evangelist Amanda Smith born in Long Green, Maryland. 1902: Jazz saxophonist and clarinetist Benjamin “Benny” Waters” born in Baltimore. 1906: Composer Igor Stravinsky marries Yekaterina Nosenko. 1910: Pioneering jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt born […]