click magazine | august 2015

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2325 SOUTHERN MUSICIANSFrom down-home blues to glitzy rock ’n’ roll, these 25 musicians have a style all their own

62BOHO & BLUESThe perfect blend of glitz and grunge for a hot night on the town

71JUKE JOINTS & DIVE BARSVenerable venues of the South

37 | FEAST ON THE FARM

40 | SUNSET ON THE SQUARE: SEEING RED

42 | 4TH ANNUAL THROUGH THE ROOF PEDIATRIC THERAPY FASHION SHOW & SILENT AUCTION

43 | ZOO BREW

44 | BROOKS MUSEUM GRAND AUCTION

46 | VINE TO WINE AT THE GARDEN

47 | BRUSSELS BONZAI RENDEZVOUS

48 | CROWN & SCEPTRE CORONATION BALL

50 | THE PRINCESS BALL

51 | SIZZLIN’ SUMMER KICKOFF PARTY

OUT & ABOUT

CONTENTS August 2015

62FEATURES

52 | BLUES BALL SPRING AUCTION AND CRAWFISH BOIL

54 | SUNSET ON THE SQUARE: SAY IT AIN’T SO

55 | LITERATINI

56 | TUNICA ARTS COUNCIL’S ARTS IN THE ALLEY

57 | ZETA PHI BETA 5TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Photo by Pam Fields


DEPARTMENTS

August 2015 • Volume 9 No. 8CONTENTS

23

13

13 | INTERVIEW Buryin’ GroundJuke joint legend and Delta storyteller Bill Abel shares a personal history

16 | ARTS The United States of MississippiRoger Stolle’s journey from corporate America to Cathead, Inc., Clarksdale’s treasure trove of Delta blues history

24 | BOOKS Malice in MemphisFor members of a local mystery writers group, one man’s tourist destination is another man’s crime scene

75 | ON THE MONEY A Penny SavedCitizens National Bank says “Yes” to assistingits customers in being financially successful

IN EVERY ISSUEEditor’s Letter 8Contributors 10Calendar 58See & Do 80 16


CA

SEY

HIL

DE

R

Songs of the South

Music makes the world go round, or so they say. While I personally don’t have a

musical bone in my body, even I can enjoy a good tune every now and then.

This month, Click’s celebration of sound highlights the music that made the

MidSouth. And despite what locals may hear, there’s way more to it than Elvis

and Americana. It’s about the music that fills the air at local concerts, fairs and

festivals. It’s about the living blues and the decades of history that writhe in every

plucked guitar string. In short, it’s about stuff you can’t just get on the radio.

And the radio is exactly where you won’t find many of the local performers on

display in this month’s big feature, “25 Southern Musicians,” (page 23) a veritable

smorgasbord of sound from artists that run the gamut from country music to

blues to punk rock. In addition, we’ve got the lowdown on three high-profile

music venues in the region where you can see our featured artists in “Juke Joints

and Dive Bars” (page 71). Speaking of venues, special thanks go out to Bill Luckett

and our friends at Ground Zero Blues Club for allowing us to shoot this month’s

fashion feature, “Boho & Blues,” (page 62) on the premises.

So whether you’re a seasoned picker or a festival fanatic, I advise you to get out

there and enjoy the spectacle of Southern sound, live and in person. Take it in and

let it wash the day-to-day troubles away. For a moment, anyway.

Read on,

Casey Hilder

Editor

Write To Us: Email [email protected] or send us a letter at Click Magazine P.O. Box 100, Hernando, MS 38632.

editor’s letter


Co-Presidents Jonathan Pittman & Angie Pittman

Publisher Dick Mathauer

Editor Casey [email protected]

COPY + FEATURES

Events Maggie Vinzant [email protected]

Contributing Writers Tess Catlett, Casey Hilder, Tonya Thompson

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Art Director Jennifer Leonard Corbin

Graphic Design Jennifer Rorie

Contributing Photographers Brian Anderson, Frank Chin, Pam Fields, Matt Floyd, Casey Hilder,

Kandi Tippit

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HOW TO REACH US2445 Hwy 51 South | Hernando, MS 38632

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CLICKPeople | Parties | Places


August 2015

contributors

Tess CatlettClick’s headline feature for this month, "25 Southern Musicians," was produced by Tess Catlett. A Southaven native who attends school at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, Catlett is a former intern for Click Magazine. An avid and tenacious writer, Catlett has been featured in various publications including Vox Magazine, The Columbia Missourian and The DeSoto Times-Tribune. When not writing, Catlett enjoys binge watching underrated TV dramas.

Alexandra NicoleThis month’s style feature was coordinated by Memphis native Alexandra Nicole, who owns and operates three local boutiques, a makeup line and her very own fashion brand. From styling clients and working behind the scenes as a MUA and Stylist for fashion shows and shoots, to attending LA and New York market trips and runway shows, Alexandra lives for the fashion and trends of the modern woman’s lifestyle.

Brian Anderson Various events and concert photography in this issue were shot by local photographer Brian Anderson, a Memphis-based artist that started shooting professionally about six years ago and has been featured in Southern Living Magazine, Oxford American, MBQ and the St. Jude Gallery Collection, to name a few. He primarily focuses on the concerts, with a focus on blues and old-fashioned Southern music, as well as the Mississippi delta and cityscapes .

Marcie Kay SeccombeHairstyling for this month’s fashion spread, “Boho & Blues” (page 62), was done by Mississippi native Marcie Kay Seccombe. In Memphis, Seccombe works her hair magic in a downtown studio four days a week. When out of the studio, Marcie travels as a National Educator for John Paul Mitchell Systems teaching across the country. Her experience includes styling hair on Fifth Avenue in New York, as well as Cosmopolitan magazine.

Pam FieldsPam Fields is a Memphis area photographer who grew up in the Mississippi Delta. Having always had an eye for photography, she found her love for portrait and fashion work while living in Indianapolis. She has been published in several independent magazines and is featured on Vogue Italia’s website. When she is not honing her camera skills, she enjoys a good cup of coffee, road trips, concerts, and relaxing with her husband and two teenagers.

Jennifer CorbinClick Magazine’s art director, Jennifer Corbin, a recent transplant from Birmingham, Alabama now hails from Lambert, Mississippi. She brings with her a wealth of design talent. A graduate of Auburn University, Corbin’s portfolio packs a wide variety of experience for publications like Southern Lady, TeaTime and Bassmaster Magazine. In her spare time, she enjoys helping her husband on the farm and all things water — from white water rafting to a day by the pool.


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UP FRONTARTS, CULTURE AND PERSONALITIES

Buryin’ Ground

Juke joint legend and Delta storyteller Bill Abel shares a personal history

Interview by CASEY HILDER | Photos by RORY DOYLE


up front people

Click Magazine: How’d you learn to play music?

Bill Abel: I met a man named Paul Jones, a local welder, when

I was 10 years old and growing up in Belzoni, Mississippi. He

was a part-time musician and I just started playing with him

and a few other guys in Humphreys County. I picked up a lot

from him and his, but he died in 2005. This was right after I

first started playing solo shows in 2000, before that I always

played alongside him. I played a lot with other people —

guitar and bass, mostly.

CM: Your most recent album, 2008’s One-Man Band, showcases

your work on a number of instruments including electric

guitar, dobro, hi-hat, snare, bass drum and all manner of

percussions — not to mention a few homemade deals like

cigar box guitars. What led you to branch out from your

initial learnings?

BA: Well, I don’t play like that much anymore — I’m old. It’s

tricky to keep up with and kinda hard on the body playing

drums with your feet. Most people sound better with a real

drummer anyway, you know?

CM: What have you been up to recently?

BA: I lived in Jackson for a while, but the whole time I would

find myself coming back to Belzoni to play music. I came back

to study painting and sculpture at 52 years old as an older art

LIKE MANY DENIZENS OF THE MISSISSIPPI Delta, the blues comes naturally for Bill Abel. A

juke joint staple since his youth, the 52-year-

old Abel has spent the past 15 years refining his solo

act and branching out to bring the history of the

region to a wider audience, all while maintaining the

traditions taught to him by legendary local pickers.

student at Delta State. When I moved back, I started playing

more and with new people — people like Cadillac John Nolden

and T-Model Ford. Probably the highlight of those years was

recording with Hubert Sumlin for an album in 2005. I got to

play with a lot of people down here in the Delta before they

died and, strangely enough, they were always looking for new

people to play with.

CM: What do the blues mean in 2015? Is it still being passed

down like it was in your day?

BA: Well, you’ve got two sides in that corner — you’ve got the

old-school, authentic, old blues — parts of that can’t be carried

on. They sang about the times. You can’t sing about cotton

if you’ve never picked cotton and even something like the

pronunciation of the words — the cultural aspect of the blues

— that part’s been dying off real fast. You can’t carry that on,

but you can carry on the style. The new blues is different, you

know? Playing-wise and the format, it’s just different. When

the electric guitar came out in the 1940s, the guys who stayed

here in the Delta instead of going to Memphis or Chicago or

anywhere else weren’t playing the same style. The Delta guys

learned how to play the electric guitar for a better sound to

get people dancing in the juke houses, and they played it

like acoustic with their fingers. But when Muddy Waters and

Howlin’ Wolf took it to Chicago, that’s when they started to


spread the sound out across multiple

bandmates. It really evolved the music.

But here in the Delta, it stayed raw. The

guys who played electric down here

play loud, fast and full of information.

Kind of like what Paul Jones played.

CM: You’ve performed alongside some

real legends — Henry Townsend, Hubert

Sumlin, Big George Brock, Sam Carr

and Kenny Kimbrough, to name a few.

Who was a big inspiration for you that

you never got a chance to play with?

BA: That’s one to think about. Probably

all the guys who are long dead and

gone, the guys from the 1920s. I’ve been

inspired by a lot of their music. Robert

Johnson, Skip James, Charlie Patton. I

really like Skip’s stuff.

CM: You’ve performed around the

world, from Clarksdale and Chicago to

Italy and the UK. What are some acts

you really remember?

BA: In June, I played at a festival in

Switzerland called “Blues Rules.” That

was really nice. I also played in Norway

last year. No big festivals or anything,

just a few clubs. A few years before

that, I was in Sweden at the Åmål’s

Blues Festival. I don’t have a booking

agent and I don’t get to play all the

time. Being a local guy, when somebody

hears you play and they want to hear

more, it’s special. I’m not that famous,

you know, so it means a lot when I get

to travel to play.

CM: What do you think gives this

particular brand of Delta music such a

universal appeal?

BA: People ask that all the time and the

answer I’ve come up with is that a lot

of people were listening to those old

pre-war recordings — some done down

here, some in Wisconsin, New York, and

Texas — and those guys were singing

how they felt, which was pretty doggone

bad sometimes. And that stuff — that

emotion and pain — that went on

record. People can feel that worldwide.

So many people come around these

days, Europeans who are into the old

blues — that really interests me.


up front arts

The United States of MississippiRoger Stolle’s journey from corporate America

to Cathead, Inc., Clarksdale’s treasure

trove of Delta blues history

Story & Photos by CASEY HILDER

THE UNAIRCONDITIONED INTERIOR OF CATHEAD, INC. BOASTS

wall-to-wall folk art and the faint, musty smell that only a

plethora of old records can produce. Presiding over the organized

clutter is Roger Stolle, a hardcore blues fan and native of Dayton, Ohio.

While Ohio isn’t the best place to develop an appreciation of the blues,

the music struck a chord with Stolle, who took a fateful trip in the mid-

nineties to discover the roots of its uniquely Mississippi sound.

“As a longtime blues fan, it suddenly occurred to me ‘Well, I should

go see where it came from’,” he says. “So I was really on kind of a dead

man blues tour. I had planned to see grave sites and that was it. There

was one museum back then and it was small.”

Stolle’s 1995 road trip took place more than a decade before the Blues

Trail existed, and very little information existed on acts like Big Walter


Horton, Furry Lewis and Skip James. Moreover, Stolle would

soon discover that many of the headstones and graves that held

some of the older bluesmen were unmarked or eroded. With a

patchwork history of the Delta in mind and several years from

the advent of widespread Internet, he decided to look below

the surface at a juke joint in the hill country of Chulahoma,

Mississippi. It was at Jr.’s Place, a juke joint owned by bluesman

Junior Kimbrough, where Stolle would have his first up-close

encounter with the living blues. Surrounded by glossy folk art

murals and juke joint décor of Christmas lights and scratched

wood, this event was what Stolle describes as his “Alan Lomax

moment.” “It was the beginning of being conscious of the fact

that this was the place I wanted to spend a lot more time,” he

says. “Junior sold the beers and performed, R.L. Burnside was

there that night, along with all their kids and grandkids.”

Junior died in 1997 and his place burned to the ground soon

after, but that chance encounter had changed the then-30-

year-old marketing consultant’s outlook on life. He eventually

honed in on Clarksdale as a base of operations, a place he

decided had all the right ingredients for a blues lover to settle

down: the infrastructure, the players and the history. “There

was just something about Clarksdale,” he says.

Stolle soon left his job in St. Louis with a rough goal in mind.

“When I moved down here it, was not to open a retail store

— which is what I did – it was to organize and promote from

within,” he says. Stolle’s mission — which he would also

accomplish over the years — was to celebrate and document

the Delta blues through film, writing, radio shows, recordings,

booking and discovering new talent. He produced several

documentary-style films about life in the Delta, including

the recent We Juke Up in Here, which explores Mississippi’s

surviving juke joint scene and heavily features local bluesman

Big George Brock. Stolle had previously worked alongside Brock

with his record label, Cathead Presents, which Stolle says was

initially geared toward raising the aging bluesman out of

obscurity. “Jeff Konkel is a friend of mine and we both have

little record labels that we’ve recorded blues guys on,” he says.

“We started collaborating on film projects like M for Mississippi,

which is probably our best-known documentary.”

Following their initial mission to engage people in the

Delta, Stolle and Konkel produced a road-trip style narrative,

presenting an approachable concept for visitors packed with

interviews and live performances. Showings of the film have

been held as far as Geneva and Norway.

And with so much history, Stolle and company eventually

needed a place to house the recordings that had piled up over

the years, as well generate some much-needed income. “I

needed a way to bring in cash flow,” he says. “But I also wanted

to pull people in, get the public interested. That’s the kind of

thing that can turn a two-hour visitor to Clarksdale into an

overnight visitor.”


Malice in MemphisFor members of a local mystery writers group, one man’s

tourist destination is another man’s crime scene

Story by KATHRYN JUSTICE LEACHE

up front books

“MYSTERY WRITERS WALK INTO A ROOM FOR

the first time and consider where we

could most efficiently kill somebody in

an interesting way. We discuss untraceable poisons in

restaurants — and terrify the poor people who wait on us.

We wonder whether that beam that runs across the ceiling

in church would hold up a hanging corpse, and how long a

dagger would have to be to puncture a heart.”

Thusly does Carolyn McSparren, editor of Malice in Memphis:

Bluff City Mysteries, caution Memphis-area restaurant

employees in the volume’s “Disclaimer and Introduction.”

Members of Malice in Memphis, a local mystery writers

group, contributed to the collection of stories featuring

murder and mayhem against the backdrop of well-known

Memphis landmarks, events and neighborhoods.

Does pub trivia night bring out your ruthless side? “Trivial

Pursuit” by Melissa Royer will make you view your fellow

competitors with new suspicion — and wonder what really

goes on at the Pink Palace after hours. In the mood for barbe-

cue? Read McSparren’s “Long Pig,” which takes place during

Barbecue Fest, and you just might order the vegetarian

option instead. Staying downtown? “Murder at the Peabody”

by Patricia Potter might have you taking the stairs to your

room and skipping the elevator. And “The Queen of Hearts”

by Barbara Christopher will make you think twice about

wearing your red spiked heels on the cobblestones at Beale

Street Landing — in case you really needed another reason

not to.

Half the fun of this collection is seeing where these mystery

writers will off their characters next. From the horse-drawn

carriages of Downtown to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church to

Voodoo Village to Mud Island, the fictional Memphis, past

and present, of Bluff City Mysteries is filled with revenge-

seekers, guilty consciences, and other wreakers of Memphis-

style havoc.

Stories range in tone from the borderline zany, cozy-style

“Elmwood Blues” by Phyllis Appleby — which is heavy on

local color and light on plot — to “Murder in Midtown” by

Kristi Bradley, a solid short with plenty of red herrings and

emotional intrigue, featuring the residential environs of

Midtown as merely an incidental setting. The settings of

some stories are sort of characters in their own right, like

the James Lee House (former home of Memphis College of

Art) in “An Artful Death” by Elizabeth Smith.


“Night Fishing” by Angelyn Sher-

rod takes place at the Burkle Estate,

which now operates as the Slavehav-

en Underground Railroad Museum

in Memphis. In antebellum days, the

land was owned by Jacob Burkle, a

German immigrant who was widely

believed to be a secret abolitionist and

whose home served as a stop on the

Underground Railroad. In a way, this

historical footnote is instrumental to

Sherrod’s murder mystery, for Burkle’s

extraordinarily respectful relationship

with the servants on his plantation

ultimately leads to a timely discovery

of who the murderer really is.

Like “Night Fishing,” many of the

stories have history lessons embed-

ded in them, and thanks to each story’s

being introduced by a historical blurb

about its setting, you’ll finish the

collection a little wiser about weird

Memphis than when you started it.

Many of Malice in Memphis’s authors

are published novelists, including

James Paavola, author of the Murder

in Memphis series featuring Memphis

Police Department Lieutenant Julia Todd.

Contributors Barbara Christopher, Caro-

lyn McSparren, Patricia Potter, Ange-

lyn Sherrod and Elizabeth Smith have

published novels in a variety of genres.

For others — Kristi Bradley, Juanita Dunn

Houston, Cheryl Noland, and Melissa

Royer — stories published in Malice in

Memphis are among their first pieces of

published fiction. Phyllis Appleby writes

interactive mystery plays and writes,

directs, produces, and stars in Death

Du Jour Mystery Theater, which head-

lines Spaghetti Warehouse in Downtown

Memphis, among other venues.

Lest you draw the wrong conclu-

sions about the creative and morbid-

minded MidSoutherners who make

up the Malice in Memphis writers

group, McSparren assures us in her

“Disclaimer and Introduction” that

they “are essentially peaceful. We can

always bump off unpleasant people

in our writing. No reason to do it in

actuality. So don’t blame the blameless

landmarks we’ve used. Remember, it’s

all fiction.”


From down-home blues to glitzy rock ’n’ roll, these

25 MUSICIANS have a style all their own. Click Magazine rounds up

THE BEST THE MIDSOUTH has to offer as the summer concert season comes to a close

25Southern

MUSICIANSBY TESS CATLETT


SIDE STREET STEPPERSSelf-described as “vintage and vaudeville,” The Side Street

Steppers aim to please. The four-piece act plays everything

from Western swing to folk, adding its own twist to classic

tracks. 2013’s sophomore effort, The Sweetest Peaches Don’t

Grow On Trees, features tunes by Bessie Smith, Hank Williams

Sr. and Mae West. Caravan Gypsy Swing band leader Chris Rup-

penthal pops in as a guest artist to bring his jazz-influenced

guitar styling to the record.

SOUNDS LIKE — Dixieland jazz; Vaudeville blues CHECK OUT — “Mississippi Heavy Water Blues”

PILLOW TALKRooted in pop-punk, Pillow Talk offers a fresh take on songs

about heartache and the one that got away. Originally a side

project between vocalist Josh Cannon and guitarist Calvin Lau-

ber, the duo soon added guitarist Kevin Gibson, bassist Hunter

Davidson and drummer Sam Leathers to the mix. Although de-

but EP Recreational Feelings is ambitious in its own right, March’s

What We Should Have Said sets a new standard. Hazy sound-

scapes blur into plush melodies, proving that shoegazing alt-

rock has a softer side.

SOUNDS LIKE — Dream pop CHECK OUT — “Make You Real”

PENGEAFemale-fronted rock band PENGEA is back at it with the

spring release of Tales from the No-Tell Motel. After months of

heavy promotion, the six-song EP is making the rounds in the

Memphis music scene. It isn’t hard to see why. Vocalist Bob-

bie Parker is one wicked songstress, blending grit with glam

as she purrs over twangin’ guitar riffs. Jimmy Rodgers slams

on drums, with bassist John Davis and guitarists Kevin Green-

burg and Robert Parker rounding out the line-up.

SOUNDS LIKE — Hard rock CHECK OUT — “Dreamland”


DEAD SOLDIERS In line with the likes of Willie Nelson and

Johnny Cash, Dead Soldiers isn’t here

to romanticize the South. Instead, the

group fields its own ideas of life below

the Mason-Dixon line. Poverty, mental

illness and institutionalized racism are

at the heart of Dead Soldiers’ discogra-

phy. Compared to 2013’s full-length de-

but, last year’s High Anxiety offers a wel-

come change of pace. A mix of acoustic

and electric, the four-song EP solidifies

the group’s folk-rock sound with swaying

rhythms backing rollicking refrains.

SOUNDS LIKE — Progressive bluegrassCHECK OUT — “Nobody’s Son”

CHINESE CONNECTION DUB EMBASSYWith roots as close as Memphis and as far as New York, the

members of Chinese Connection Dub Embassy have one goal

in mind: unity. Determined to bring light and positivity to

the world at large, the new-age group offers original tracks

and fanciful takes on reggae standards. 2013’s Farmers Market

Chronicles EP features covers of “Take On Me” and “Love TKO.”

The group also released its first full-length, The Firm Founda-

tion, that spring.

SOUNDS LIKE — Reggae CHECK OUT — “Get Ready”

BAILEY AND WYLY BIGGERWyly Bigger picked up the piano at age 4, and by the time he

was 8 years old, he was already performing for diverse audi-

ences. Now in his late teens, Wyly has swapped the keys for

the blues. With two of Clarksdale’s Pinetop Perks Homecom-

ing Festivals under his belt and a song on iTunes (“South Side

of Southern”), Wyly has laid the groundwork for his younger

sister, Bailey.

She took up the guitar at age 9 and has been writing her

own music ever since. Still in her tweens, Bailey has had

her song “Best Small Town” featured on the City of Marion,

Arkansas’, website and has placed in a number of local talent

completions.

SOUNDS LIKE — Acoustic; Blues CHECK OUT — “Somewhere”


DEERING AND DOWNWhen budding musician Lahna Deering met estab-

lished bandleader Rev. Neil Down in Skagway, Alaska,

in 1998, Down knew he had found his musical match.

It wasn’t long before the pair released its debut Coupe

de Villa — a foot-tapping, rock ‘n’ roll number — and

began touring the U.S. By 2007, the indie duo decided

to make its way to Memphis one last time. Lead single

“You’re the One” paves the way for more after 2009’s

Out There Somewhere, a breathtaking tribute to the

sounds of the city.

SOUNDS LIKE — Sultry folkCHECK OUT — “You’re the One”

HI ELECTRICRelatively quiet since 2012’s eponymous debut,

Hi Electric remains one to watch. Champion-

ing unadulterated vocals and loud guitars, the

group began as a backing band for Neil Bartlett.

Dave Shouse of Grifters and Steve Selvidge of

The Hold Steady were the original muske-

teers, later giving way to Alan Yee on bass

and Henry Talbot on drums. High Electric’s first

release garnered local critical acclaim and

thrust the group into the indie-rock spotlight.

SOUNDS LIKE — Pop rockCHECK OUT — “Talking to Yourself”

DEVIL TRAINDive-bar staple Devil Train has been a fixture at the Buccaneer

Lounge on Monroe Avenue since 2005. The five-piece plays Memphis

soul and gypsy jazz and is heavy on the strings. Clint Wagner favors

the fiddle, whereas Jonathan Ciaramitaro prefers the mandolin. The

two also take the lead on vocals and guitar, with James Ray also com-

ing in on his acoustic. National Bluegrass Banjo Champion Randal

Morton is at the top of his game, and JD Westmoreland bumps the

upright bass. Graham Winchester smooths it out with slick

percussion.

SOUNDS LIKE — BluegrassCHECK OUT — “Little Black Cloud”


THE ELLIE BADGEA blistering mix of electro-infused

pop punk, The Ellie Badge is remi-

niscent of early 2000s-era emo pop.

The alter ego of twentysomething

Jeremiah Matthews, The Ellie Badge

tackles adolescence and adulthood,

lousy friends and lost lovers. And af-

ter a handful of EPs, 2014’s full-length

Vs. All Your Problems offers a highly-an-

ticipated dose of a angst and despair.

SOUNDS LIKE — Indie punkCHECK OUT — “Friends With New Haircuts”


THE BAND AVON DALEWhen frontman Conrad Polz and guitarist Matt McCarter first

met their freshman year at the University of Illinois Cham-

paign-Urbana, they didn’t plan on starting a band. Both mem-

bers of the university’s wrestling team, Polz and McCarter

spent their free time jamming at Polz’s house on Avondale

Avenue. But when the duo caught the attention of drummer

Alec Heist, they decided to get serious. They began playing gigs,

and after graduation, the group made the move to Memphis.

After adding bassist Andrew Allen to the line-up, the four-

piece recorded it’s 2014 debut, Dress It Up, at Ardent Studios.

SOUNDS LIKE — Southern Rock CHECK OUT — “Worst Case”

TIGER HIGHVocalist and guitarist Jake Vest is joined by his brother, Toby,

on vocals and organ, Greg Roberson on drums and Leo Ramos

on bass to form Tiger High. The psych pop four-piece kicked

things off in 2010, and went on to release Myth Is This and Cata-

combs After Party on cassette in 2012. Now on its third LP, 2015’s

Inside the Acid Coven, the band is hitting its stride. Recorded at

Toby’s studio, High/Low Recording, the concept album weaves a

multi-faceted narrative.

SOUNDS LIKE — Psychedelic rock CHECK OUT — “So It Goes”

YOUNG BUFFALODrawing comparisons to Vampire Weekend

and Local Natives, Young Buffalo spins an ef-

fervescent blend of synth-influenced pop. The

Oxford-based quintet made its full-length debut

with March’s House, a deceptively upbeat record

about broken relationships and self-discovery.

Infectious melodies give way to lyrical distress,

all coated with a haze of summertime sheen.

Released on Votiv Records, House was a three-

year process ripe with musical awakening. Up-

heaval within the band temporarily called the

album into question, but the Young Buffalo boys

are back in the game.

SOUNDS LIKE — Indie pop rockCHECK OUT — “No Idea”


NICK BLACK Old school rhythm and blues meets modern soul on Nick

Black’s sophomore release, Deep Blue. The follow-up to 2012’s

The Soul Diaries, Deep Blue is a natural progression; mastered

by Grammy award-winning engineer Brad Blackwood and

co-produced by acclaimed musician Victor Wainwright,

the album bounces from ballad to blues to boogie. Looking for

love in all the right places, Black navigates timeworn matters

of the heart over the course of ten songs. Solid in sound, Deep

Blue offers a sweet escape down memory lane.

SOUNDS LIKE — Soul; R&B CHECK OUT — “Reason to Stay”

MISSISSIPPI STOMP For over two decades, the members

of Mississippi Stomp have come to-

gether to cultivate the captivating

sounds of the MidSouth. The group

— comprised of five brothers and

one sister — has played together and

apart in a number of different acts

before settling on its current incarna-

tion. No longer interested in belting

out well-known cover songs, Missis-

sippi Stomp prides itself on creating

an original mix of hill-country blues,

rock ’n’ roll and gospel. Last year’s de-

but, Chickasaw Lodge, offers up a range

of new and old produced by Jimbo

Mathus and Ryan “Rando” Rogers.

SOUNDS LIKE — Southern rock CHECK OUT — “Hill Country”

HOSOI BROSAfter getting its start in 2010, hardcore trash band Hosoi Bros

went on to release two 7” singles: 2011’s Wine Witch, featuring

the eponymous lead song and “Yellow Fever,” and 2012’s Snor-

lokk, which included both the title track and “Amberlamps.”

Vocalists and guitarists Severin Allgood and Shawn Apple,

drummer Jimmy James Blasingame and bassist Eric Forten-

bery are getting ready to debut the band’s first full-length re-

cord, which is set to release by summer’s end.

SOUNDS LIKE — Thrash metal CHECK OUT — “Wine Witch”


SANDERS BOHLKE Slow things down with Oxford native Sanders Bohlke. The

singer-songwriter expertly weaves powerful vocals with

folk-tinged melodies for a haunting finish. Drawing compar-

isons to the likes of Amos Lee and Ray LaMontagne, Bohlke’s

soulful croon leaves even the most casual listener wanting

more. Including his eponymous debut in ’06, the artist has

only released two full-length albums; instead, Bohlke pep-

pers fans with bits and pieces across a handful of EPs. Feb-

ruary’s The Night EP is the latest, with five songs chronicling

his sonic journey.

SOUNDS LIKE — Indie folkCHECK OUT — “The Return”

THE JAGHailing from Jackson, Mississippi, founding members Aaron

Tyler King, Joe Regan and Gant O’Brien were in creative

cahoots for about 10 years before they made the move to

Nashville. There they joined forces with Scott Harper, and,

in 2012, adopted The JAG moniker. Acid rock bleeds into 70s

glam, laying a trippy framework for innovative hooks and

brooding bass. After 2012’s Mississippi Acid Pine Highway Tour

EP, The JAG went on to record its sophomore effort with Bomb

Shelter’s Andrija Tokic. The new record is set to release this

fall.

SOUNDS LIKE — Psychedelic rock CHECK OUT — “White Horse”

ROSCO BANDANAA melting pot of mixed influences, Rosco

Bandana began as a straight-laced Ameri-

cana act and has evolved into a progressive

southern rock band. Elements of blues and

bluegrass fuse with alternative country on

the group’s sophomore release, Time to Be-

gin. Released on Hard Rock Records, the al-

bum resulted from winning the 2011 Hard

Rock Rising Battle of the Bands. The win

took the band from dive bars and restau-

rants on the Gulf Coast to the main stage on

a national tour.

SOUNDS LIKE — CountryCHECK OUT — “Woe Is Me”


JOHN MURRY Although the Tupelo native has taken

up residence across the pond, John

Murry hasn’t lost sight of his Southern

roots. His critically acclaimed debut,

The Graceless Age, combines familiar in-

strumentation with substantive lyrics,

and weeping Americana glistening with

gothic realism. Last year’s four-song fol-

low-up, Califorlornia, shifts Murry’s focus

from raw and uncut to something more

modern. The timeworn traveler contin-

ues to flex the heart on his sleeve, crying

out for something more while rejecting

the absurdity of everyday existence.

SOUNDS LIKE — Folk rockCHECK OUT — “Southern Sky”


HOPE CLAYBURN’S SOUL SCRIMMAGEA revolving door for noteworthy Memphis musicians,

the Soul Scrimmage ensemble has featured bassist

Khari Wynn, guitarist Robert Allen Parker Jr. and trum-

peter Victor Darnell Sawyer. Multi-instrumentalist Paul

Taylor of The Merry Mobile and Kickman Teddy of Free-

Sol have even been known to take up the drums. Led

by saxophonist and vocalist Hope Clayburn, the Soul

Scrimmage mixes funky vibes with soulful afrobeat

style. With one EP out and a full-length album on the

way, the group shows no sign of slowing down.

SOUNDS LIKE — FunkCHECK OUT — “Love Is On The Way”

SWEET KNIVESFormerly of the legendary Lost Sounds, Alicja Trout and Rich Crook

are back at it with the reboot Sweet Knives. The band disbanded in

2005 after an ill-fated European tour, leading the late Jay Reatard to

embark on a solo venture. Meanwhile, Trout went to work with rock

band River City Tanlines and dream pop quintet Mouserocket. Now,

Lost Sounds’ synth-heavy legacy is being revived through pop-up

shows around town. Hear bites from the group’s reconfigured

discography at this year’s Gonerfest.

SOUNDS LIKE — Punk rockCHECK OUT — “I Get Nervous”

EX-CULTEx-Cult emerged in 2011 with vocalist Chris

Shaw, formerly of hardcore outfit Vile Nation,

and drummer Michael Peery, previously with

pop rock act The Magic Kids, teaming up as Sex

Cult. Natalie Hoffmann came in on bass, and

guitarists J.B. Horrell and Alec McIntyre joined

in for the band’s breakthrough single, “Errand

Boy.” By late 2012, the band had switched gears

and taken up the name Ex-Cult. After two LPs

and a lineup change, Ex-Cult is heading out on

the road in support of its February EP, Cigarette

Machine.

SOUNDS LIKE — PunkCHECK OUT — “Not a Threat”


TORI TOLLISON A fixture in the Memphis music scene, Tori

Tollison has been playing music for over a de-

cade. Similar in sound to P!nk and Stevie Nicks,

the singer-songwriter has a knack for deliver-

ing heartfelt pleas mixed with straight-up sass.

Although she’s known for cover songs, 2012’s

“Bed You Made” and March’s acoustic “Walk

Away” prove that Tollison can hold her own.

SOUNDS LIKE — Rock ’n’ RollCHECK OUT — “Bed You Made”

BASS DRUM OF DEATHOriginally a solo effort, the Oxford-based

punk rock band has come a long way

since John Barrett’s one-man approach to

his bass drum and guitar. Barrett’s scrap-

py self-production offered up rough cuts

of earsplitting garage rock that eventually

landed on video game soundtracks and

in ad campaigns. Now a two-man crew,

Bass Drum of Death features Len Clark

on drums while Barrett mans the guitar.

Although the pair announced a hiatus in

mid-May, the band appears to be back at

it again with a few supporting tour dates

lined up in September.

SOUNDS LIKE — Garage rockCHECK OUT — “Way Out”


Agricenter International’s annual farm-to-table tasting event invited guests aboard the Agricenter’s “country limousine”

for an evening of moonlight and moonshine. Some of Memphis’ top chefs — including Kelly English of Restaurant Iris

and The Second Line — were on hand to create a number of culinary delights. Photos by MIKE LEE

Feast on the Farm

OUT&ABOUTAROUND TOWN ONE PARTY AT A TIME

all things social

Jeremy & Emily Matthews


out & about parties

Deb Nichols & Ann Terry

David & Suzanne BrandonBen Patalano, Elliott Birch, Ashley Bradberry & Conrad Phillips

Johnny & Sue Roberts George & Bryn Wilson

Jeanne & Richard Hollis

Linda & Michael Spano, Karen & Gary TaylorLauren Binkley & Allen Willams

Karen & Jim Avery Lori & Robby Parker Marilyn Kain & Paul Coombs


Kerri Morgan & Marilyn Kennedy

Jeremy & Lindsey Renfroe

Fern Dillard & Kelley Scott

David & Erica Marrone


Memphis-based rockers Seeing Red kicked off the annual

Sunset on the Square summer concert series on June 4.

Sponsored by First Tennessee Bank, this family-friendly

event in Hernando offers the best in local music each Thursday in

June. Photos by MIKE LEE

Sunset on the Square: Seeing Red

out & about parties

Eva & Harper Ward & Marijo Cox

Drew, Amanda & Natalie Ferguson

Grace Owens, Natalie Shoffner & Maddie Jones Kristin Reich & ‘Sinatra’ Diane & Ken McNeil

Meghan, Cameron & Chaney Dawkins

Maddison & Shannon WelchJennifer, Allie, Sam, Emma Witt & ‘Laila’


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out & about parties

Children benefitting from pediatric therapy strutted

down the catwalk at Through the Roof Pediatric

Therapy’s fourth annual fashion show in Hernando.

Accompanied by their mothers, each modeled the latest in

local fashions. The show highlighted attire from Center Stage,

Jack Anna Beanstalk and Southern Comfort, just to name a

few. Buon Cibo, Lady Bugg Bakery and Catering by Donna

supplied an array of baked goods and other tasty bites.

Photos by MATT FLOYD

Alice Figgs, Tiffany & Tre Wilson & Clarie Dawkins-Davis

Leslie Wilson, Eliza, Mari Hendrix & Hayley McDowell

Julie & Angel Montgomery Theri & Laney HamiltonCharlene & Cannon Belue

April, ‘Scout’ & Tadd Baxter

Heather & Annelise Peacock Sha-Kiya Brown, Omarion Scott & Felisha Key

Jack & Sydney Mahony Cohen & Sarah Perkins

Judy, Sam, Will & Mike Ferguson

4th Annual Through the Roof Pediatric Therapy

Fashion Show & Silent Auction


out & aboutparties

Beer connoisseurs enjoyed stouts

from around the world at the

Memphis Zoo’s annual Zoo

Brew. Widely considered to be one of

the Zoo’s most popular fundraisers,

the exotic celebration offers the best

in brew alongside live entertainment.

Photos by FRANK CHIN

Zoo Brew

Amy & Jeff Simcox Caitlin Jones & Adan Qureshi

Joni Rousseau & Casey Yoakum

Alesha & Jeff Deane

Alithia & Keda Webb

Verity Goodell & Michelle Grabowski Jennifer Warren & Christy Smith

Angel & Marcus Martin Patrick Sweeney & Misty Roberson Kelsey & Zack Zaharko


out & about partiesout & about parties

The culmination of the Memphis Wine + Food

series, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s

Grand Auction offered exotic trips, rare wines

and exquisite artwork. Bidders could also participate

in a special paddle raise that provided support for

the Brooks’ outreach programs. Photos by FRANK CHIN

Brooks Museum

Grand Auction

Aaron & Sarah Klimek Emily Neff Janet Lo, Kim Williams & Bob Cabral

Brooke & Jerry PlunkSara & Ravi Madasu

Kirk & Karen Johnston Merilyn Mangum & Robert Hanusovsky

R.D. & Vicki Singh

Dr. Marc & Wendi Mihalko, Lisa & Jerrod Smith Keri & Clay Chapman & Andrew Taylor

Andy & Cathy Perkins Betsy Brasher & Sarah Cate Francie Saunders & Tiffany Parker


Memphis Botanic Garden’s third wine tasting

event of the season shined a light on a

collection of French wines. The tasting

invited guests to indulge in eight varietals, as well

as a selection of hors d’oeuvres by Eclectic Catering.


Vine to Wine at the Garden

out & about partiesout & about parties

Lance & Fiona Binder

Barbara Arnold, Janie Garrett & Tina Moran

Carly & Melana Sain

Jessie & Tysheena Wakefield Mary Helen & Mark ButlerDoug & Carmen McCage

Joe Witherwax & Courtney Murray Kellie & Corey Doyle Michelle Ybos & Shirley Danyleyko


out & aboutparties

For more than 30 years, Brussel’s Bonzai in Olive Branch has been

a destination for committed bonsai hobbyists. And each year,

these enthusiasts make the trip for the nursery’s Memorial Day

Rendezvous. Bonzai masters from around the world come together to lead

hands-on workshops and offer demonstrations. Photos by MIKE LEE

Brussels Bonzai Rendezvous

Marc Norlanders, Brussel Martin & Russell Baggett

Randi Heise & Gerald Nolan

Byron Myrick & Hurley Johnson

Keith & Cheryl Kowalczyk Jack Douthitt & Michelle Zimmer Darren & Laura Wong

Jeff Tilt


Carnival Memphis has served the MidSouth for more than 80 years. What

began as an effort to promote commerce in the community has grown into

a celebration of the region’s leaders and overall economic success. Pegged as

the party of the year, the Crown and Sceptre Coronation Ball honors the King, Queen,

Royal Court and Grand Krewes. These individuals are recognized for their service to

the community and take part in a number of charity-focused activities throughout

their reign. Photos by MARY ECKERSLEY

Crown & Sceptre Coronation Ball

Peyton Halle & Joanie Lightman Tiffany Brimhall & Floy Cole

Bill Corwell & Nancy Chase

Philip Jurgens Meyer & Briana Wilson

Mace Gearhardt & McClain GordonMary Lauren Bobango & Paige Williams

Ginger Collier & Preston Roberts

Sharon Fewell, Selina Smith, Julie Eaves & Cindy Shaw Mike & Susan Shivers, Bridgette Trenary & JJ Krauch

John Bobango & Lockie DearmanStacey Husse, Glynn Alexander, Kimberly Tayloe & Carey SniderMithcell & Janet Spurlock and Lauren & Chris Winchell

out & about parties


Francis Winkler & June Leatherland

Anita Howald & Wayne Fewell

David Jordan & Caroline Carter

Tori Crnogorac & Jaime Fields


out & about parties

Honoring only the Royal

Court, Carnival Memphis’

Princess Ball is an invitation-

only event for association members

and their guests. Mark Anderson’s

Party Train provided live music.


The Princess Ball

Carl Nichols & Taylor Kinard Laura Scott & Lauren Blackstone Mary Harbert Stromberg & Townsend Morgan

Lisa Thompson & Elise Freeburg Charity Cobb, Ally Luciano & Anne Walker

Parker Sexton & Elizabeth OwenPhillip & Missy Green

Lizzy Pitts & Amy WalkerSallie Harris & Mary StranglerParker Tenent & Collier Roberts

Emily Green & Morgan Sumner Nannie Harris & Seth Young Regan Gaillard, Tiffany Brimhall & March Gates


out & aboutparties

Southern Thunder Harley Davidson invited motorcycle-

lovers from across the MidSouth to its Southaven

location for one hot kickoff party. Local bands Under

the Radar and Basketcase played throughout the afternoon,

and demo rides were on the table for anyone interested.

Photos by MIKE LEE

Sizzlin’ Summer Kickoff Party

Dayton Engelbrecht, ‘Piper’, Kyler Pryon & Tyler Diehl

Lashunda Jones, Michael Parker & Henry Brown

Tim Hussey & Don WilliamsJessica & David Ratcliff

David & Michelle Croenne

James Yarbrough & Jimmy Glover

King Pappi, Big Cell & King Dream Wil Gatlin & Lydia Kuhn


out & about parties

Held at the Tennessee Brewery, the gala previewed a

number of items to be auctioned at The Blues Ball this

fall. A painting of B.B. King by artist Michael Maness

and a guitar by Ernie Patton bearing King’s likeness are among

those up for grabs, as this year’s Ball will pay special tribute to

the fallen bluesman. Photos by FRANK CHIN

Blues Ball Spring Auction and

Crawfish boil

Pat Kerr Tigrett Melanie Tigrett & Jackie Wilson

Karen & Taylor Luna Jessica & Kim Hunter

Lana Smith & Dr. John Rada

Amy Reaves & Samantha Hayes

Mike Glenn & Jacinda Norton

David Bunk, LaToya Sharp & Gary Gardo Stacy, Nick & Betty Jean Harmeier


out & about parties

This cover band offered up a mix of country tunes and good ol’ fashioned

rock ’n’ roll at Sunset on the Square in Hernando. The four-piece features

frontman guitarists Jay Stone and Juno Aventon, while Rome McMinn

thumps the bass and Rickey Shelton slams on drums. Photos by ROBERT LONG

Sunset on the Square: Say it Ain’t So

Shari & Marshall Galloway

Susan Fernandez, Pam Black & Neal CannonHudson Fernandez, Jesse Ingram & Pinot

Melanie Dupree, Diane & Lester SmithKelli & Brian Baker


Literacy Mid-South and Marx-

Bensdorf Realtors presented

the fourth annual Literatini

benefitting LML’s Adult Learning

Program. The program serves more

than 500 low-literate students

annually and provides adult learners

with free tutoring. This year’s Literatini

featured hors d’oeuvres from The

Booksellers Bistro and mixed drinks

from a number of local restaurants,

including Alchemy, South of Beale

and Café Ole. Bestselling author

Marja Mills, known for her Harper

Lee memoir The Mockingbird Next Door,

was on hand for a signing and Q&A.


Literatini

out & aboutparties

Angie & Zack Street

Charles Chooch Pickard & Valerie Calhoun

Barry Wolverton & Brit McDaniel Jon & Rachel Dickens

Taylor Wamble & Knox Shelton Tracie West & Alison Welch

Shannon & Paul Schuhlein

Charlie & Courtney Miller Santo Beverly Perkins & Rodney Newsom

Jessica Toliuszis & Christina Vranich Lindsey True & Andrea Schultz


Tunica Arts Council sponsored Arts in the Alley, which featured

live music by Tunica locals Byron Earnheart, Patrick Johnson

and Dave Klimek. A celebration of arts and culture, the event

also recognized photography and other visual works, including a

children’s chalk wall. Photos by MIKE LEE

Tunica Arts Council’s

Arts in the Alley

out & about parties

Jane Sullivan, Joe & Priscilla MusgraveDeanno & Monty WigginsBrad & Brenda Cobb

Jody & Kate Scott PennockElizabeth & Michael Johnson with John Aubrey, Lucas Johnson, Nolen Shannon & Mack Johnson Victoria & Carter Bobo & Jan Watson

Anita Hastings & Lilibeth Withers

Byron Earnheart & Patrick JohnsonPat Bibb & Eddie McGregor

Terry Lancaster & Brenda VanCleave Yoriko, Hannah, Sho, Emma & Michael Sides Clay Gentry & Laura Wright


On June 6, the Southaven Chapter of the

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority celebrated their

fifth year as an active charter with a

luncheon at Goodman Oaks Church of Christ.

The sorority also used this time to present their

yearly scholarships to deserving DeSoto County

seniors. Photos by MIKE LEE

out & aboutparties

Telitha Ball, Vachenzia McKinney & Sophie Griffin

Mary McClain & Katrina Guthwright

Tommerria Hearn & Debra Sykes

Kimberly Williamson & Stephanie McCarty

Jerrica Birks & Tianna Howard

Jackie & Phylecia MasonAmanda Carter & Stephanie ThaddiesAuslyn Frazier & Katelyn Gatewood

Zeta Phi Beta 5th Anniversary

Celebration


SOCIAL AGENDAYour monthly resource for what’s happening around town

out & about calendar

1Spirit of SRVSHilton Memphis7–11:30 p.m. Sponsored by Sedgwick, this auction event features a wide variety of wines from around the world and a hearty selection of local fare. Proceeds from the 17th annual gala will benefit SRVS programs and ser-vices. Admission $75.srvs.org

7Firefly Glow PartyMemphis Botanic Garden 7 –9 p.m.Light up the night sky at this family-friend-ly bash. Amp up your look at the Illumina-tion Station before a dance party featuring an LED hoop performance and music by The Friendzies. Admission $12-$15.memphisbotanicgarden.com

Backstage BashOrpheum Theatre6 p.m. Step through the famous “Stage Door” on Beale Street for a lively backstage experi-ence in Memphis. Central BBQ and Hard Rock Café will provide a delicious meal, and Buster’s Liquors & Wines has the cocktails covered. Admission $25-$250.orpheum-memphis.com

15Splash Time at the DixonDixon Gallery & Gardens2–4 p.m.Beat the summer heat in Memphis by run-ning through the sprinklers and relaxing in front of the fans at the gardens. Admission $3-$7.dixon.org

15Moon River Music FestivalLevitt Shell11 a.m. to 11 p.m.Catch Drew Holocomb & The Neighbors, Needtobreathe, Switchfoot and more at the second annual Moon River Music Festival in Memphis. Admission $25-$75.moonriverfestival.com

Live at the Garden: ZZ TopMemphis Botanic Garden8:30 p.m.Legendary rock band ZZ Top takes the stage as part of the Live at the Garden concert series. Expect epic renditions of all the clas-sics. Admission $40-$74.liveatthegarden.com

20Art After Dark: HerbsDixon Gallery & Gardens6–8 p.m.Join Melissa Peterson, editor and publisher of Edible Memphis, on a tour around the Dixon’s herb garden in Memphis. Light refreshments and a cash bar will also be available. Admission $3-$7.dixon.org

22Paw Prints PartyThe Racquet Club of Memphis5:30–11 p.m. Enjoy live music by jukebox band Front & Beale and bid on live and silent auction items at this fundraiser for the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County. Ad-mission $150.memphishumane.org

6th annual City Wide Scavenger HuntGale CenterGrab a couple of friends and put your knowledge of the Hernando community to the test. Participants traverse the town in hopes of winning a $1,000 grand prize. Admission $20.hernandorec.com

A Vintage Affair: Toast to Life GalaMemphis Botanic Garden6–11 p.m.Party for a cause at this year’s Toast to Life Gala benefitting American Cancer Society. Admission $250.main.acsevents.org


25Vine to Wine at the Garden: My Big Backyard BBQMemphis Botanic Garden6–8 p.m.Sample a selection of wines and beers fit for a picnic in the park. Central BBQ will provide the meal, and Minor Street Strings will soothe the soul at this tasting in Mem-phis. Admission $25-$35.memphisbotanicgarden.com

28Silent NightHoliday Inn–University of Memphis6 p.m.Hear from the evening’s featured artist, Tom Sullivan. An acclaimed jack-of-all-trades, Sullivan has done everything from singing to writing to producing. Attend-ees can also take part in a silent auction. Admission $100. worldcataract.org

29Art SaleOrpheum Theatre1 p.m.Snack on hors d’oeuvres while perusing art from some of the MidSouth’s top art-ists in Memphis. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the Orpheum’s new Hal-loran Centre for Performing Arts & Educa-tion. Admission $10.orpheum-memphis.com


ENTERTAINMENTout & about calendar

1Patti LaBelleHorseshoe Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $41.50-$102ticketmaster.com

1Ramcat Rhythm & BrewsRamcat Alley, Greenwood6-10 p.m., Admission $20greenwoodms.com

5Kevin Gates Minglewood Hall, Memphis9 p.m., Admission $15-$30minglewoodhall.com

7Outcry TourBankPlus Amphitheater, Southaven 7 p.m., Admission $22-$42ticketmaster.com

7-9Sunflower River Blues and Gospel FestivalDowntown Clarksdale4:30 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m. Sat., 4 p.m. Sun., Admission freesunflowerfest.org

8Kool and the GangGoldStrike Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $49.95-$79.95goldstrike.com

9Cat Head Mini Blues Fest Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art Store, Clarksdale10 a.m., Admission freecathead.biz

Second Street Blues PartyRock & Blues Museum, Clarksdale10 a.m., Admission freeblues2rock.com

13Tim McGrawBankPlus Amphitheater, Southaven 7 p.m., Admission $30.75-$61.75ticketmaster.com

14Jamey JohnsonHorseshoe Casino, Tunica 8 p.m., Admission $26.50-$102ticketmaster.com

14-15RustenhavenRoxy’s Live at Sam’s Town Casino, Tunica9 p.m., Admission freesamstowntunica.com

15Sounds of Summer Music & Family FestivalByhalia Walking Park, Byhalia5-10 p.m., Admission $5byhalia-ms.com

21Corey SmithMinglewood Hall, Memphis9 p.m., Admission $18-$20minglewoodhall.com

Kenny RodgersHorseshoe Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $31.50-$102ticketmaster.com

21-22Billy Jones Bluez BandRoxy’s Live at Sam’s Town Casino, Tunica9 p.m., Admission freesamstowntunica.com

28Neil SedakaHorseshoe Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $42-$102ticketmaster.com

30Belle and SebastianMinglewood Hall, Memphis9 p.m., Admission $32-$35minglewoodhall.com

VISUAL ARTS6-8Art-er Limits: Oxford Fringe FestivalDowntown Oxford6 p.m. Thurs., 1 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m. Sat., Admission $5-$10oxfordarts.com

through August 23River ExhibitionNational Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., Noon-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $4-$6 metalmuseum.org

through August 30Arp, Man Ray, and Matta: Surrealists in any mediumMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org

through September 5V.I.P. Portrait Gallery by Andrzej MaciejewskiThe University of Mississippi Museum, Oxford10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat., Admission $3-$5museum.olemiss.edu

through September 820th Century Color Woodcuts: Japonisme and BeyondMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org

MUSIC


through September 11A Kind of ConfessionNational Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., Noon-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $4-$6 metalmuseum.org

through September 13Surreal Kingdoms Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org

through September 20British Watercolors from the Golden AgeMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org

through September 20PlayMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org

PERFORMANCE ARTS1-2Menopause: The Musical Orpheum Theatre, Memphis2 p.m., 8 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Admission $39-$49orpheum-memphis.com

14 through September 6Billy Elliot the MusicalPlayhouse on the Square, Memphis8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Admission $15-$40playhouseonthesquare.org

21 through September 6Buyer and CellarCircuit Playhouse, Memphis8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Admission $15-$35playhouseonthesquare.org


THE PERFECT BLEND OF glitz AND grunge FOR A HOT NIGHT

ON THE TOWN

Photography PAM FIELDS

Models KAYLEN SHELBY & AVIANA MONASTERIO

Fashion Coordinator MAGGIE VINZANT

Styling and Makeup ALEXANDRA NICOLE

Hair MARCIE KAY SECCOMBE

“BohoBlues


Aviana:Top $40, Janie Rose Boutique; Jeans $84, Ivory Closet; Boots $63, Purse $70, Cuff Bracelet $14, Pink Coconut Boutique; Earrings $22, The Attic

Kaylen:Top $60, Janie Rose Boutique; Pants $84, Ivory Closet; Boots $110, Necklace $98, The Attic; Brace-let $85, Bracelet $42, Earrings $24, SoCo Apparel


Top $60, Shoes $134, Janie Rose Boutique; Pants $20, Necklace $16, Pink Coconut Boutique; Earrings $24, The Attic; Scarf $15, Ivory Closet

Top $28, Bracelet $24, SoCo Apparel; Purse $60, Shorts $48, The Bunker; Vest $42, Shoes $28, Bracelet $18, Earrings $22, Pink Coconut Boutique;

Top $38, Necklace $18, Janie Rose Boutique; Shorts $38, Ivory Closet; Bracelet $20, Shoes $45, Pink Coconut Boutique


Aviana:Top $20, Skirt $29, Pink Coconut Boutique; Necklace $40, SoCo Apparel; Earrings $16, Ring $30, Janie Rose Boutique

Kaylen:Dress $38, The Bunker; Vest $34, Necklace $28, Bracelet $20, Pink Coconut Boutique; Earrings $16, Janie Rose Boutique


SHOP THE ISSUE

THE ATTIC

2121 Madison Ave

Memphis

901.207.1273

theatticapparel.com

THE BUNKER BOUTIQUE

2424 Mt. Pleasant Rd.

Hernando

662.470.4843

bunkerboutique.com

THE IVORY CLOSET

103 Harbor Town Square

Memphis

901.527.9538

ivorycloset.com

JANIE ROSE BOUTIQUE

5627 Getwell Rd.

Southaven

662.510.5577

janieroseboutique.com

PINK COCONUT BOUTIQUE

5070 Goodman Rd.

Olive Branch

662.892.8175

pinkcoconutboutique.com

SOCO APPAREL

2521 Caffey St.

Hernando

662.298.3493

shopsocoapparel.com


YOUR LIFE,YOUR WAY.RETIRECONFIDENTLY.Life may be short, but it’s never too late to live it your way.

I can help build an investment strategy that works toward your long-term goals, helping you to retire confidently on your terms.

Call today for more information or to schedule a visit.

TRUSTMARK FINANCIAL SERVICESStephen Piacentini, Jr., CFP®9039 Pigeon Roost RoadOlive Branch, MS 38654662.895.4775 Office662.895.9023 Fax901.238.4784 [email protected]

Not FDIC Insured

Not Insured by Any Federal Government Agency

Not Bank Gauranteed May Lose Value

Not a Bank Deposit

Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance products offered through LPL Financial or its licensed affiliates. TRUSTMARK NATIONAL BANK: not registered broker/dealer(s) nor affiliate(s) of LPL Financial.


Juk� Joints&Dive BarsVenerable venues of the South


Between its former location on Poplar

Avenue and the swanky new Crosstown

Memphis digs, the Hi Tone name carries

a lot of weight in the Bluff City. After 20

years of shows that include hot acts like

Yelawolf, Lucero and Carrie Rodriguez,

the renowned Memphis venue, which

once housed the dojo of Elvis Presley’s

martial arts sensei, Kang Rhee, moved to

its current Crosstown Shoppes location.

“What I loved about the Hi- Tone was the

intimacy the venue brought,” says Phil

Beasley, former Memphis Songwriters

Association president. Beasley was

there when Billy Joe Shaver played. He

was standing near the door that, to

frequenters of the Poplar Hi-Tone, will

always be more closely associated to a

wall with a handle, when Billy Joe tried

to sneak out during a drum solo. Beasley

brought it to Shaver’s attention that it

was locked, and as Shaver looked at the

main entrance, and the sea of people

he’d have to roll through to get to it, he

decided it better to stay. “I ended up

getting to take a picture with him, shake

his hand, and just hang out for a bit with

a guitar shaman,” Beasley says.

Lahna Deering of roots-rock group

Deering and Down has played at both

locations and says of the Cleveland

location since its 2013 inception, “It’s

bare-bones at the moment, but they’re

making music. It’s kind of cool that it is

the way it is.” At the time, it was little more

than a cement room with a soundboard

and porta-john foyer pillars. But rock

n’ roll persisted. “The old building was

pretty cool, and I know it has a lot of

history, but we still have a place to play

music, and that’s the bottom line.”

The Hi Tone Story by Freddy HodgesPhotos by Brian Anderson


Photo by Brian Anderson


From its historic location at 0 Blues

Alley to its iconic owners in Clarksdale

Mayor Bill Luckett and Academy Award-

winning actor Morgan Freeman, Ground

Zero Blues Club packs a ton of Southern

history in its relatively short 14 years of

operation.

“We got our start because -- when

Morgan Freeman and I used to hang

out in the nineties – we started to see

all these foreign tourists out this way

looking for a good blues show,” Luckett

says. “So we thought, ‘Why not open a

blues club?’ We needed it for historical

preservation, and the area could use it

for employment.”

The club initially drew its naysayers,

skeptical that a “modern” blues club

could invoke the same feeling as the old-

timey juke joints of the region. However,

local apprehensions would go away

after the club, its popularity boosted in

part by endorsements by Freeman, drew

blues fanatics and tourists from all over

the world to see acts like Mark Massey,

Daddy Mack and The 901 Blues Band. “I

think we’ve proven the critics wrong –

the whole world is coming here now,”

Luckett says. “Australia, Canada, Ireland,

Italy, French, German – you see a lot of

different people coming through this

small town of 18,000.”

In addition to a lunch menu that boasts

Southern staples like fried catfish, slow-

cooked pork and all manner of greens,

Ground Zero offers eight apartment

flats to rent for tourists looking for the

authentic juke joint experience. “You

can get all you want of the music and go

to bed listening to it,” Luckett says.

In addition to a year-round, near

constant rotation of blues musicians,

Ground Zero serves as a regional hub

of sorts during celebrations like the

upcoming inaugural Sister City Festival

and ongoing events by the Bridging the

Blues organization, as well as the annual

New Year’s Eve Bash, which Freeman

himself usually attends.

Ground Zero Story by Casey Hilder

Photos above courtesy of Clarksdale CVB


It’s not every music venue that can

boast going from the Faulkners’ livery

stable to the third stop of The Flaming

Lips world record success for most

shows played during a 24-hour period.

Yet, The Lyric Theatre holds that exact

claim to fame, and as the largest music

venue in Oxford, Mississippi, it is known

for bringing several acclaimed national

and international acts to the North

Mississippi region.

“The Flaming Lips travelled from

Memphis to New Orleans playing eight

shows,” says Lindsay Dillon-Maginnis,

the venue’s general manager. “It was a

lot of work. The venue was completely

sold out and everyone was thrilled!

It was broadcast live the entire time.”

Along with The Flaming Lips, music acts

like Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, MGMT,

and Modest Mouse have also performed

at the venue, which is located near the

courthouse square at 1006 Van Buren

Avenue in Oxford.

“The Lyric [has also] premiered a lot of

Faulkner films,” says Dillon-Maginnis,

who notes that the venue has underwent

several major changes since it was first

constructed. The original structure was

built during the later part of the 19th

century, and was first used as the livery

stable for William Faulkner’s family. The

1920s saw the stable repurposed into

the theatre that would be Oxford’s first

movie house, and local tales have been

told of how in 1949, William Faulkner saw

the world premiere of MGM’s Intruder in

the Dust in the same building that once

housed his family’s horses.

Falling into disrepair after its post-20s

heyday, The Lyric was used for office space

and a health center during the 1980s.

On July 3, 2008, The Lyric was reopened

and quickly became one of the best-

known music venues of the MidSouth.

With capacity for 500 people seated and

over 1,000 for concerts, the theatre has

been returned to its former glory with

a multimillion-dollar renovation. Also

available to rent for private events, the

bi-level venue offers several bars, state-

of-the-art sound and lighting equipment,

multiple green rooms, and a beautiful

lobby that combines Oxford’s past and

present on unique display.

The Lyr ic Story by Tonya ThompsonPhotos by Brian Anderson


W ITH A ROCK-SOLID REPUTATION FOR BEING

strong, stable, and secure through its 127 years

of continuous service to Mississippi, Citizens

National Bank is grounded in a rich heritage. Since 1888, the

Bank has never been acquired by another financial institution,

and the Bank is committed to preserving the ideals of

community banking.

The Bank’s business premise is centered on the Power of

Local, and it continues to operate all 26 of its locations within

the Magnolia State on that basis. Two of those locations are in

DeSoto County: one on Hacks Cross Road in Olive Branch and

another on Airways Boulevard in Southaven. Currently the

Bank’s assets exceed $1 billion, while its Wealth Management

division manages an additional $920 million in assets.

According to the Bank’s President and CEO, Archie McDonnell,

Jr., Citizens National Bank reinvests 100% of customers’

deposits back into Mississippi. “Area citizens may not realize

they can make a difference when it comes to strengthening

their community, but it’s been proven they can do so by

choosing to bank locally,” McDonnell added.

The Bank places a strong emphasis on the customer’s

experience when he or she visits the Bank, and the employees

strive to know their customers on a first-name basis.

In addition, Citizens National Bank is keenly interested in

the financial fitness of each customer. “Many years ago, our

Citizens National Bank says “Yes” to assistingits customers in being financially successful

on the money Special Advertising Section

1Investments are not FDIC insured, not guaranteed by the Bank, and subject to loss of principal.

Olive Branch Banking Centre7280 Hacks Cross Rd. Olive Branch, MS 38654662.890.2860

Southaven Banking Centre6296 Airways Blvd. Southaven, MS 38671662.349.7255

A Penny Saved

EQUAL HOUSING

LENDER

employees helped us create a Vision Statement, which says,

‘Every client has a financial plan to achieve their earthly

dreams,’” McDonnell said. “We work hard to live out that vision

every day and make recommendations so our customers can

be financially successful.” The Bank offers complete financial

services, including home loans and trust and investment

services, as well as a complete line of personal and business

accounts and services.

As a bank steeped in tradition, Citizens National Bank keeps

moving forward by providing its customers with cutting-edge

technology. Rapid Deposit Mobile allows customers to make

check deposits through their smartphones, and the CNB

Mobile App has become very popular because of its banking-

on-the-go convenience.

The Interlocking C’s of Citizens National Bank’s logo stand

for the Bank’s commitment to stand side-by-side, hand in

hand with the citizens of the community. The Bank is proud

to serve the DeSoto County area.


SEE&DO

A Furry AffairAugust 8

S D

When Emily Rygg brought an abandoned dog

to DeSoto Animal Rescue Society, she had no

idea what would come of the experience. Now,

both Emily and Bob Rygg host the nonprofit’s

annual Furry Affair fundraiser at Bonne Terre.

Around 200 guests come out each year to enjoy

live music, a silent auction and more in sup-

port of the organization. All proceeds aid DARS

in rescuing abused animals across the Mid-

South and finding love-filled foster homes.

ONE THING NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH

Click magazine | MAY 2014 1

click magazine | august 2015

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