Mississippi AllStars, Bobby Rush to Headline 26th Sunflower Festival

Press Release - 04/10/2013

Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival

Panny Mayfield, publicist

Bobby Rush performs at
the 2012 Sunflower Festival

North Mississippi AllStars, Bobby Rush to Headline Sunflower 26th Annual Free Festival Scheduled August 9-10-11, 2013

CLARKSDALE - The acclaimed North Mississippi AllStars and celebrity entertainer Bobby Rush will headline the 26th annual Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival in downtown Clarksdale August 9-10-11, 2013, according to co-chairman Margaret Jordan-Walker.

The free 2013 celebration featuring 40 bands performing three days is being dedicated to the late Melville Tillis, longtime blues historian and festival co-chairman.

"We are delighted to present two internationally-renowned and diverse groups heading the Sunflower's festival," says Walker who announced the booking at this week's Blues Association meeting.

Performing at the White House this
week are (from left) Sam Moore,
Mavis Staples, Justin Timberlake,
Charlie Musselwhite, and Ben Harper

Rush is headlining the Friday night stage, and the North Mississippi AllStars will close the Saturday night stage.

The complete lineup will be announced on the festival website: www.sunflowerfest.org

Luther Dickinson, leader of
the North Mississippi
AllStars, performs at an
earlier Sunflower Festival

Clarksdale's Board of Mayor and City Commissioners recently renamed the downtown venue the Melville C. Tillis Sr. Delta Blues Stage in his honor.

At the City Board meeting, Rush, a close friend of the late co-chairman, recalled his friendship, his numerous Sunflower performances and the Rivermount Lounge owned by Tillis.

An educational forum during the festival will revisit the historic Rivermount Lounge that was home base for Rush and many performers including Ike Turner, Little Milton, Clayton Love, O.B. Buchanan.

Sunflower Association members also voiced congratulations to multiple festival headliner Charlie Musselwhite for his performance this week at the White House and to the Delta Blues Museum for its Mississippi Blues Trail Marker.