Delta Blues Press Release

CLARKSDALE, MS (April 13, 2012) -The Delta Blues Museum will host several events during the 2012 Juke Joint Festival, happening this weekend, April 13-15th, in Clarksdale, Mississippi-

On Friday, April 13th, the museum will offer "Conversations with Big George Brock and Louis 'Gearshifter' Youngblood" at 2 p.m. in the museum's Arts & Education Room, where the artists will share their experiences as Blues musicians. Immediately following, the Delta Blues Museum Band will perform.

On Saturday, April 14th, entertainment on the museum's Honeyboy Edwards Memorial Main Stage will begin at noon with "Juggology" followed by performances by the Delta Blues Museum Band, W.A. Higgins Rock Ensemble, Stax Music Academy and Delta State University's Ol' School Revue. All performances are open to the public.

In addition to planned Juke Joint Festival events, the museum will officially launch its DEEPER ROOTS campaign for new and expanded exhibits. The DEEPER ROOTS campaign aims to raise $1.2 million designated to expand current exhibits and create new installations. Museum Director Shelley Ritter explains, "Funds raised through DEEPER ROOTS will enable the museum to offer a more enriching experience for our visitors, with enhanced exhibits that feature the history of Clarksdale's Blues culture, as told by the musicians and the music they created."

About the DEEPER ROOTS campaign

Through the DEEPER ROOTS campaign, the museum's permanent collection will be augmented with items and artifacts on loan from artists and collectors from around the world. New and expanded exhibits-some to be housed in the museum's new 7,300 sq. foot Muddy Waters Addition-will utilize film, video and music. Listening stations and interactive kiosks will offer visitors a chance to hear the music created by these artists and follow its development from Africa to modern day. World-famous bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, a longtime supporter of the Delta Blues Museum, encourages public support of the DEEPER ROOTS campaign, offering, "The Delta Blues Museum represents the heart and soul of the Blues-not by honoring the music industry or any one individual, but by honoring the culture and the musicians that created this art form. I support the DEEPER ROOTS campaign and want others to do the same, to help the Delta Blues Museum tell an even deeper story of the Blues for generations to come."

Juke Joint Festival visitors can learn more about DEEPER ROOTS by stopping by the Delta Blues Museum's information booth. Donations of any amount are welcome-special naming opportunities are available, beginning at the $25,000 level and above. To find out more about DEEPER ROOTS online, visit www.deltabluesmuseum.org or contact the Museum Director for details.

About the Delta Blues Museum

The Delta Blues Museum is dedicated to creating a welcoming place where visitors find meaning, value, and perspective by exploring evolution of the unique American musical art form of the Blues. The City of Clarksdale, located at the intersection of Highways 61 and 49 ("the crossroads"), and the surrounding Delta region are known as "the land where the Blues began." Since its creation, the Delta Blues Museum has preserved, interpreted, and encouraged a deep interest in the story of the Blues. Established in 1979 by the Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees and re-organized as a stand-alone museum in 1999, the Delta Blues Museum is the state's oldest music museum. The Delta Blues Museum classroom hosts a year-round music education program as well as lectures and symposia. The Delta Blues Museum Stage, adjacent to the museum, serves as the main venue for local festivals such as the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival in August and the Juke Joint Festival in April.

For more information about the Museum or its programs, please call (662) 627-6820, or visit the Museum web site at www.deltabluesmuseum.org.

Members of the press may access the Museum's PRESS ROOM for further information, images and materials by registration on the Museum website.

Shelley Ritter, Director

This newsletter is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and,
in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE DELTA BLUES MUSEUM

April 15th/ Special Museum Hours - the museum will be open 1:00pm to 4:00pm

April 19th / WA Higgins Academy Dance & Band Program at 6:00pm Delta Blues Museum Stage

April 27th / Blessissippi Crossroads VIP Private Reception - 5:00 - 7:00pm VIP Ticket Only Event
Tickets can be purchased through the Delta Blues Museum online or call 662-627-6820

May 17th / WA Higgins Academy Dance & Band Program at 6:00pm Delta Blues Museum Stage

June 14th / Pinetop Perkins Foundation Master Class Reception

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