The Land Where The Blues Began

Tuesday April 21, 2009

We arrived in Helena, West Arkansas just in time for Pat and I to be guests on Sonny Payne’s King Biscuit Time radio show at 12.15pm. Sonny has been involved in the show since 1941 (!) and recalls that recently he had Robert Plant (from ‘Zed Leppelin’) as a guest.

Then it was over to Clarksdale to check into the Shack Up Inn and then go on Robert Birdsong’s excellent tour of the city. Afterwards, it was a quick clean up and change before meeting Theo Dasbach at his amazing Rock ‘n’ Roll Heritage Museum. A quick visit to the Delta Blues Museum followed and we were able to see the exhibition of Charlie Musselwhite memorabilia, though we just missed Charlie.

Then it was time to go to the new sun House Gallery and Cafe established byour friend  Tony Wood from Melbourne and local artist and musician Rosalinde Wilcox. The food was done by Rosalinde’s son Rimmon and consisted of baby back ribs, spicey sausages, chicken, black-eyed peas and salad. Plus plenty of beer.

Back at the Shack Up Inn some of the crew klicked on until the early hours.