Charles Farley
  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Order
  • Blog

Let There Be Drums

8/26/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

The death of Charlie Watts this week put me in mine of an obsession I festered a few years back:  Drummers!
For months, I listened to them intently at every gig I attended, trying my best to concentrate on them, tuning out the rest of the band, trying as I might to decipher how the hell they did it.  In the end, all I could do was shake my head, stomp my feet to the beat, and sit in wonder at their crazy, amazing magic.

​

Picture
Then, by accident (or maybe guided by the speedy, ghostly hands of the Stones drummer himself), I clicked on a Netflix documentary last night, entitled "Count Me In," produced and directed by Mark Lo, that attempted to explain my fascination.  And there they were, clips of my drummer heroes:  Max Roach, Art Blakey, Alvin Jones, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Sandy Nelson, Ginger Baker, Keith Moon, Stewart Copeland, Taylor Hawkins, Topper Headon, Nick Mason, Nicko MrBrain, Ian Paice, Chad Smith, and, of course, Charlie Watts, and a few others showing and in some cases attempting to explain just how they did it.  And, of course, the answer is what I had finally determined in following my obsession way back when:  It's simply crazy, amazing magic!
0 Comments

Blues in the Time of COVID

8/18/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
It would be a stretch to call this year's (#33) Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival a bust, but it was far from the best.  Nevertheless, the performers were hot--physically, professionally, and passionately--after having been cooped up away from audiences for the past year.
The same could not be said for the audiences themselves, that were instead sparse, relatively reserved, and sadly beset by heat, rain, and continuing COVID-19 angst.  It was hot and humid all day Friday, but cooled off at night for sterling sets by Heather Crosse, "Lightin" Malcolm, and James "Super Chikan" Johnson ("Somebody shoot that thang!").  Saturday was hot again, but the rain cooled things down, and somewhat dampened the the crowd's enthusiasm, in the evening for Jimbo Mathus and surprise guest harpist Charlie Musselwhite, Anthony "Big A" Sherrod, Sweet Angel, and Nathaniel Kimble.
It didn't help that most of the juke joints in town were shuddered, except for Ground Zero, but then who would want to attempt social distancing in their cramped quarters anyway, in the state with the lowest COVID vaccination rate in the country (under 40%)?
So with the iffy weather, COVID still running so rampant that Gov. Tate Reeves was begging for out-of-state medical assistance, and the absence of a well-known headliner (as one local diner complained in Ramon's on Saturday evening as the clouds opened up outside), a true Delta blues fan could not really expect a miracle.  Not this year anyway. 
Picture
0 Comments

Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival

8/8/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Jimbo Mathus and Charlie Musselwhite, two of Mississippi's finest

2021 SUNFLOWER RIVER BLUES & GOSPEL FESTIVAL LINEUP
Thursday, August 1Grits, Greeens & BB Que VIP Party
7:00pm-7:45pm Lucious Spiller
8:00pm-8:45pm Mississippi Marshall
9:00pm-9:45pm Terry "Big T" Williams

Friday, August 13, 2021 Main Stage
7:00pm-7:45pm Delta Blues Museum Band
8:00pm-8:45pm Heather Crosse: Heavy Suga & The Sweet Tones
9:00pm-9:45pm Steve "Lightin" Malcolm
10:00pm-11:00pm James "Super Chikan" Johnson
Headlining the Sunflower River Blues Festival's Friday night stage August 13, 2021, is James "Super Chikan" Johnson, an international and hometown favorite musician, ambassador, songwriter, and folk artist pictured performing at an earlier festival and also welcoming and entertaining a delegation of Norwegian visitors from Clarksdale's Sister City/ the International Notodden Blues Festival. Chikan is a recipient of the Mississippi Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts sponsored by the Mississippi Arts Commission. He also traveled with Gov. Haley Barbour to open Mississippi's Pavilion at the World Fair in Japan. Pictured also with "Chikan" on the porch welcome with our Norwegian "cousins" are State Rep. Orlando Paden, and Nancy Foley, Sunflower members.
We miss Super Chikan over here in Norway. Here is an attached photo where Super Chikan and Lee Williams are present when The City of Clarksdale is being honored with a star on Notodden Blues Walk of Fame in 2017.
Saturday August 14, 2021 Acoustic St (at the VIP Tent)
10:00am-10:45am Pat Thomas
11:00am-11:45 am Kenny Brown
12:noon-12:45pm Jimmy "Duck" Holmes
1:00pm-1:45pm Bill Abel
2:00pm-2:45pm Little Willie Farmer
3:00pm-3:45pm Sean "Bad" Apple (Acoustic Stage moves to the Main Stage)
4:00pm-4:45pm Bill "Howlin' Madd" Perry
5:00pm-5:45pm Mark "Muleman" Massey

Saturday August 14, 2021 Main Stage
6:00pm-6:45pm Lucious Spiller
7:00pm-745pm Terry "Big T" Williams
8:00pm-8:45pm Jimbo Mathus
8:45pm-9:00pm Awards
9:00pm-9:45pm Anthony "Big A" Sherrod
10:00pm-10:45pm Sweet Angel
11:00pm-12:00am Nathaniel Kimble


Gospel Stage Coming Soon
​
0 Comments

Vaccinate Now!

8/4/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
In Alabama, it's against law to:
Hitchhike
Speed
Ride your motorcycle without a helmet (or shoes)
Pass on a curve
Ride a bike on the interstate
Play music too loud
Drive on the wrong side of the road
Blow your horn unnecessarily
Skate in front of a church
Send your kid to school without proof of immunization for ten diseases
Commit suicide
Require individuals to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to receive goods or services

 
Picture
0 Comments

Dusty Hill

8/1/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

    Author

    Charles Farley is an author who lives and writes in Huntsville, Alabama.

    Archive

    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    January 2018
    March 2016
    October 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    October 2014
    August 2014
    September 2013
    July 2013
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photo used under Creative Commons from Kitty Terwolbeck