The 2022 Down Home Blues Music Festival will feature good music, good food and good times, says John Ray.
“We want people to come out and enjoy themselves,” added Ray, the event’s promoter, “and just look forward to having a great time, through music and through good food and fellowship.”
The music festival will be held next Saturday, June 11 at Florewood State Park. Gates will open at noon, and the live entertainment will start at 2 p.m.
The festival is being sponsored by Budweiser/Mitchell Distributing, Kirk Brothers of Greenwood, SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western in Greenwood and the Commonwealth.
This is the second Down Home Blues festival. The first was held in 2019, and the event is finally returning after a two-year hiatus because the pandemic.
“We’re bringing it back because the pandemic is easing up, and people want to get out and have a good time, and this is one of those experiences where they can have a good time,” said Ray.
Hosting the event will be Thaddeus Matthews — also known as The Cussing Pastor — and Soul Master. The show will include D. Master, Dirty DJ and DJ Smooth.
The event will feature a variety of Southern soul, blues and R&B performers, from headliners to local musicians.
Ray, who lives in Birmingham, was first brought to the Greenwood area years ago by his friend, the late Chuck Prophet.
Ray, 76, is a longtime national promoter and producer. Prophet was the sports information director at Mississippi Valley State University and had asked Ray to help him showcase the talent at Mississippi Valley State.
“That’s how I got involved initially,” said Ray.
Ray was part of the effort that took MVSU’s football team and band for the first time to Soldier Field in Chicago to play against Grambling State University.
Ray has held several events in the area since then.
For the music festival, Ray chose the spacious Florewood Park, with more than 100 acres, in hopes of drawing a large crowd.
The former state park is located at 1999 County Road 145, less than a half-mile south of U.S. 82, behind the Cannon Chrysler dealership and Lamb’s Photography.
The Down Home Blues Music Festival will also promote prostate cancer awareness.
“We are trying to encourage men of all colors, but especially in the African American community, to get screened for prostate cancer,” said Ray.
This is an important cause to the festival promoter.
“I am, with God’s blessing, a prostate cancer survivor,” said Ray. “We’re suggesting that all men who are over 40-plus years old of age to make sure that they get screened for prostate cancer because early detection is going to give you the best possible chance.”
Ray said the festival will feature a great cross section of Southern soul, blues and R&B — “music that is really trending right now.”
The headliners are:
- Tucka, of Loreauville, Louisiana, is the self-proclaimed “King of Swing.” Starting his career singing lead with Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band, he later moved into a solo career in 2008 and has since released six albums, which all follow a similar theme of romance. He is considered a fan favorite in the Southern soul, blues and R&B scene.
- King George provides R&B vocals with feel-good transitions and an effortless delivery.
- Sir Charles Jones’ style ranges from jazz to fusion, and from gospel to blues. Jones taught himself how to write his own music, as well as arranging and producing it. In his early career, he worked under the guidance and tutelage of Marvin Sease.
- Bigg Robb is an arranger, producer, writer, rapper, singer, studio engineer and record label owner. He is a prolific musician, issuing at least one album a year and alternating between Southern soul and Midwest funk.
- Lacee is an R&B, soul and blues singer and songwriter. Her first album was released in 2006 by the internationally known funk group the Bar-Kays, Archie and Lillie Love with Loveland Records. That same year she won the International Female Vocalist of the Year Award at the Jackson Music Awards.
- LJ Echols started a solo singing career as a Southern soul and blues artist in 2004. He plays, writes, produces and sings his own music. He has been nominated for multiple awards, including Best New Blues Artist of the Year, at the Jus Blues Music Awards.
Also performing will be Nathaniel Kimble, Emmons Entertainment Band, Isaac Lindsey, Uvee Hayes, Narvell Echols, K.W. Love and The Big Yayo.
The event will feature “an old fashion fish fry” and several food vendors.
“We are going to have some of the best fried catfish,” said Ray.
Larry’s Fish House will be on site selling freshly prepared fried catfish.
Ray said he is thankful for the many people in Greenwood who are helping to make this event a success, such as business owners, city and county law enforcement, the city of Greenwood and the Leflore County Board of Supervisors.
“The people have been very supportive of our event, and they know the potential of its economic impact in Greenwood,” he said.
There will be secured parking. Those attending are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for seating. No glass bottles or grills will be allowed.
Ray said he hopes everyone attending will have what he calls “a Chick-fil-A experience.”
“That means that we want people to come out and enjoy themselves, enjoy good food, great weather and great music with their friends, family and loved ones,” said Ray. “(Chick-fil-A) has a great product. They’re not the cheapest, and we’re not looking to be the cheapest; we’re looking to be the very best.”
General admission tickets are $42 each, and a VIP ticket costs $62. Prices will increase on the day of the event to $50 for general admission and $75 for VIP.
Tickets can be purchased at the Leflore County Civic Center, Harris Shoe Shop and Capricorn Internet Cafe in Itta Bena. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.ticketweb.com and on the event’s website, www.downhomebluesfestival.com.
For more information about the event or to be a vendor, call Ray at 833-901-5486.
- Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7235 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
