A Greenwood nightclub intends to honor the blues disc jockeys of old with an ongoing tribute called “DJ Sunday.”
“What we are trying to do is provide recreation for older people, who don’t have establishments where they can go and relax. Most everything going on now is rap,” said Willie Dickson, the owner of House of Blues, 1400 Main St.
“DJ Sunday” begins at 7 p.m.
Dickson, 58, said the idea is to honor legendary blues DJs from Greenwood’s past including Sydney Stevenson, George Davis, Ted Hill, Willie Brown, Al Morris and Andrew McQueen.
One DJ that’s behind the effort at the House of Blues is Willie Walker, known on the air as “The Bluesman,” who was active on Greenwood airwaves back in the 1960s and 1970s.
Blues DJs had a style about them that made them one of a kind, said Walker, 60. He learned the craft from Hill and has been DJing ever since he was about 15.
Walker said pioneering blues DJs of Greenwood are a breed that deserves to be recognized for their contribution to the culture.
“They should have been recognized a long time ago,” he said.
Dickson said he’s had a lifelong, abiding love for the blues.
“I was raised up on the blues. James Brown, B.B. King, Albert King,” he said.
Today will be the second “DJ Sunday” at the club.
On Labor Day, the club hopes to present awards to the surviving blues DJs of Greenwood.
Dickson said he hopes that WGNL might do a remote broadcast from the club if the idea takes off.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
