By 9 PM, Pete’s Bar & Grill had become a venue for Juke Joint Festival, with a large crowd in and around, Clarksdale, MS, 4/14/12
Clarksdale MS
Jimbo Mathus Live at Messengers Pool Hall, Clarksdale
Jimbo Mathus calls his unique mixture of blues, country and rock “Catfish Music”, and is a popular performer at every Juke Joint Festival, as he is a former resident of Clarksdale. Messengers Pool Hall, where he performed on Saturday night, is possibly the oldest continuously-operated juke joint in Mississippi. Mathus is about to release his latest album White Buffalo.
The Ranchero is an old-school place along old Highway 61 in Clarksdale, and a definite must-visit for lovers of great steaks and seafood. On the particular night I was there, the Juke Joint Festival had the place packed to capacity, particularly the 65 or so students from the Stax Academy in Memphis. They thanked the restaurant staff by singing a lovely version of “There Is A Balm In Gilead”, an unexpected performance for employees and patrons alike.Â
Juke Joint Chapel, Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale, MS 4/14/12
The Shack Up Inn grounds at Hopson are a peaceful place to relax and unwind after the hustle and bustle of Juke Joint Festival in downtown Clarksdale, 4/14/12
Nashville blues singer Tullie Brae on the Hopson Commissary main stage, Juke Joint Festival, 4/14/12
Mississippi Delta Railroad Excursion Train, Juke Joint Festival 2012
The Mississippi Delta Railroad runs a special excursion train during the Juke Joint Festival, carrying people between Hopson and the Shack Up Inn and Clarksdale depot. Juke Joint Festival, 4/14/12
The Rev. John Wilkins performing at The Bank stage, Juke Joint Festival, Clarksdale, MS, 4/14/12
Bands occasionally just set up on the street in Clarksdale during Juke Joint Festival 4/14/12