In April 1973, a few months before I turned 23 years old, I went to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for the first time. A highlight, of which there were many, was my baptism by the mystic rhythms of Napoleon Strickland and the Como Fife and Drum Corp. Othar and Bernice Turner on the snare drum and R. L. Boyce on the bass drum. Boyce was a little man who banged the hell out his big drum resting on his stomach with his back flat on the stage floor.
Como Fife and Drum Corp Jazz Fest 1973 by Michael P. Smith
In 1967, George Mitchell, at the age of 23 years old, traveled from Minnesota to Como, Mississippi. George stopped at Stuckeys for gas and asked his gas man, if he knew Fred McDowell. The gas man replied, “Your looking at him”. Como’s Stuckeys was owned by the father of Bubba O’Keefe, a blues hound and preservationist of the historic WROX radio station in Clarksdale. Bubba, his brother and I visited last weekend at the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival where they told me many stories about Mississippi Fred McDowell.
Mississippi Fred was nice to George and introduced him to his other hill country pals: Othar Turner, R.L. Burnside, Johnny Woods, Joe Callicott, Napoleon Strickland, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Rosa Lee Hill and Ada Mae Anderson. For two weeks, George photographed and interviewed this unique culture of music within the musicians homes.
George’s photographs speak for themselves, but his book is not just another photography book. His text is outstanding and compliments the photos in every way. The reader feels as if these musicians are talking to you personally about their lives and music. It’s powerful how insightful George was as a young man. With his honorable reflections he captured the dignity of each individual.
As far as people who could be a life inspiration for someone, that would be Rosa Lee Hill. She was as poor as they come. There was nothing around her house. No streets, just hills, in the middle of nowhere. And there was next-to-nothing in her house. That someone that poor could be that spirited and that full of life….I just liked her. As a person, she was one of my favorite people. —George Mitchell
George Mitchell will be signing North Mississippi Hill Country Blues 1967 (UPM, 2013) at LEMURIA on Wednesday, August 21, at 5:00 and reading at 5:30.
George Mitchell will also be at the MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART on Tuesday, August 20.
At 5:30 there will be a reception and cash bar; At 6:00 the program will begin; A book signing will follow. Click here for more info.
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