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Blues Foundation Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Rush will headline the Sixth Annual Mother’s Best Music Fest on Saturday, June 4, at the Cherry Street Pavilion in historic downtown Helena-West Helena, Arkansas.
Music is slated to begin at 1 p.m. Admission to the festival, presented by the Delta Cultural Center, is free. The public is welcome and warmly encouraged to attend.
Helena Regional Medical Center is also providing festival sponsorship.
Also performing will be Lonnie Shields, Earnest “Guitar” Roy, Joe Pitts, James
Morgan, the Live Wire Band, Spoonfed Blues featuring The Mississippi Spoonman, Big Red & The Soul Benders, and the New Delta Jukes.
Mother’s Best Music Fest offers an eclectic take on the variety of music created throughout the Delta region of Arkansas and Mississippi, from its blues to its rockabilly, country, and Americana sounds. The festival takes its name from a 1940s radio show on Helena station KFFA 1360-AM that featured Delta musical innovators, including Doctor Isaiah Ross. Mother’s Best provides a free event for blues, rock and country music fans during the first half of the calendar year.
Bobby Rush was born as Emmit Ellis Jr. on Nov. 20, 1940 in the north Louisiana town of Homer. In his early teen years, he was wearing a fake mustache so that he could play area juke joints. Rush’s passion for performance only heightened when the family moved to Chicago in the mid-50s. Soon, he was playing in bands that included Freddie King, Luther Allison, and Earl Hooker. When the family moved back South, Rush found himself performing with Elmore James and others during trips to Pine Bluff to visit his parents.
Rather than dedicating himself to the Chicago blues circuit, Rush championed the so-called “chitlin circuit,” living a nomadic lifestyle as he played a long-established route of working class nightclubs from the Windy City to the north, Florida to the southeast, and east Texas to the west. In these joints, Rush perfected increasingly bawdy material, as well as his skills as a businessman and bandleader. In 1971, he enjoyed his first hit, “Chicken Heads,” on the Galaxy label, and later followed it with “Bow-Legged Woman” on Jewel Records. A steadily increasing reputation brought Rush to the attention of producers Leon Huff and Kenny Gamble who produced his 1979 LP “Rush Hour” on their Philadelphia
International label. In the 1980s, he moved to Jackson, Miss., and recorded albums on the LaJam label including “Gotta Have Money” (1984) and “What’s Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander” (1985). He’d also record for Ichiban, Malaco, and Waldoxy.
Tragedy struck Rush in 2001 when his tour bus crashed, killing a band member and injuring others, including Rush. After recuperating, he returned to the spotlight in a big way—and on his own label, Deep Rush, a longtime dream. He released “Undercover Lover,” and then “Live From Ground Zero,” both on CD and DVD. Rush’s life on the road and his stage show were also highlighted in Richard Pearce’s documentary, “The Road to Memphis,” part of Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed PBS film series “The Blues.”
In 2004, Rush demonstrated his appreciation of traditional Delta blues with the well-received “Folk Funk,” which included the guitar work of Alvin Youngblood Hart.
The following year saw the release of two discs, “Hen-Pecked” and “Night Fishin’,” assuring his core audience he had not forgotten them or the risqué numbers which had brought him fame.
The Year of Bobby Rush came in 2007 with the release of “Raw,” another album of stripped-down blues, focusing on Rush’s voice, guitar, and harmonica. “Raw would be named Acoustic Blues Album of the Year at the 2008 Blues Foundation Music Awards, and would win Rush recognition as Acoustic Blues Entertainer of the Year. If there was any concern Rush’s new focus would cost him in other areas, it ended when he also took home the award for Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year.
His other recent albums include “Look What You Gettin’” (2008), “Blind Snake”
(2009), and “Show You a Good Time” (2011).
Shields, born April 17, 1956, in West Helena, was raised in the gospel music of the church and formed his first rhythm and blues band at 15. Later, in the company of Jelly Roll Kings Sam Carr, Frank Frost, and Big Jack Johnson, he focused directly on contemporary blues.
His debut album, “Portrait,” on the Rooster Blues label was one of 1992’s critically acclaimed discs. A constant touring and festival draw as a blues singer-songwriter and guitarist, Shields later released “Tired of Waiting” (1996), “Blues on Fire” (1997), and “Midnight Delight” (2000).
Clarksdale native Earnest “Guitar” Roy has known music throughout his life. He was taught how to play bass guitar at age five by his father, Earnest Roy Sr., a guitarist who worked with Ike Turner, Jackie Brenston, and John Lee Hooker. By age eight, he was performing in his father’s band, the Clarksdale Rockers. He switched to lead guitar at age 11 and fronted his own band at 14. Roy has worked with many luminaries, including Albert King, Big Jack Johnson, Sam Carr, and Joe Turner. From 1993 to 2001, he performed with televangelist Rod Parsley. Several years ago, Roy returned to the blues and formed his own band, Earnest “Guitar” Roy and the Clarksdale Rockers, naming the group in honor of his father’s band.
Guitarist Joe Pitts studied at the Berklee College of Music and credits Duane
Allman, Dickey Betts and Roy Buchanan among his greatest influences. He has been compared to a number of other renowned guitarists, including Warren Haynes, Michael Burks, Larry McCray and Walter Trout.
“One of the most soulful blues rock guitarists of our time,” Nightflying magazine wrote in describing Pitts’ sound.
Constantly gigging and touring internationally, he released his “Just A Matter of Time” CD in 2007 and followed it in 2008 with “Joe Pitts Band: One Night Only.”
Blues Foundation Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Rush will headline the Sixth Annual Mother’s Best Music Fest on Saturday, June 4, at the Cherry Street Pavilion in historic downtown Helena-West Helena, Arkansas.
Music is slated to begin at 1 p.m. Admission to the festival, presented by the Delta Cultural Center, is free. The public is welcome and warmly encouraged to attend.
Helena Regional Medical Center is also providing festival sponsorship.
Also performing will be Lonnie Shields, Earnest “Guitar” Roy, Joe Pitts, James
Morgan, the Live Wire Band, Spoonfed Blues featuring The Mississippi Spoonman, Big Red & The Soul Benders, and the New Delta Jukes.
Mother’s Best Music Fest offers an eclectic take on the variety of music created throughout the Delta region of Arkansas and Mississippi, from its blues to its rockabilly, country, and Americana sounds. The festival takes its name from a 1940s radio show on Helena station KFFA 1360-AM that featured Delta musical innovators, including Doctor Isaiah Ross. Mother’s Best provides a free event for blues, rock and country music fans during the first half of the calendar year.
Bobby Rush was born as Emmit Ellis Jr. on Nov. 20, 1940 in the north Louisiana town of Homer. In his early teen years, he was wearing a fake mustache so that he could play area juke joints. Rush’s passion for performance only heightened when the family moved to Chicago in the mid-50s. Soon, he was playing in bands that included Freddie King, Luther Allison, and Earl Hooker. When the family moved back South, Rush found himself performing with Elmore James and others during trips to Pine Bluff to visit his parents.
Rather than dedicating himself to the Chicago blues circuit, Rush championed the so-called “chitlin circuit,” living a nomadic lifestyle as he played a long-established route of working class nightclubs from the Windy City to the north, Florida to the southeast, and east Texas to the west. In these joints, Rush perfected increasingly bawdy material, as well as his skills as a businessman and bandleader. In 1971, he enjoyed his first hit, “Chicken Heads,” on the Galaxy label, and later followed it with “Bow-Legged Woman” on Jewel Records. A steadily increasing reputation brought Rush to the attention of producers Leon Huff and Kenny Gamble who produced his 1979 LP “Rush Hour” on their Philadelphia
International label. In the 1980s, he moved to Jackson, Miss., and recorded albums on the LaJam label including “Gotta Have Money” (1984) and “What’s Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander” (1985). He’d also record for Ichiban, Malaco, and Waldoxy.
Tragedy struck Rush in 2001 when his tour bus crashed, killing a band member and injuring others, including Rush. After recuperating, he returned to the spotlight in a big way—and on his own label, Deep Rush, a longtime dream. He released “Undercover Lover,” and then “Live From Ground Zero,” both on CD and DVD. Rush’s life on the road and his stage show were also highlighted in Richard Pearce’s documentary, “The Road to Memphis,” part of Martin Scorsese’s acclaimed PBS film series “The Blues.”
In 2004, Rush demonstrated his appreciation of traditional Delta blues with the well-received “Folk Funk,” which included the guitar work of Alvin Youngblood Hart.
The following year saw the release of two discs, “Hen-Pecked” and “Night Fishin’,” assuring his core audience he had not forgotten them or the risqué numbers which had brought him fame.
The Year of Bobby Rush came in 2007 with the release of “Raw,” another album of stripped-down blues, focusing on Rush’s voice, guitar, and harmonica. “Raw would be named Acoustic Blues Album of the Year at the 2008 Blues Foundation Music Awards, and would win Rush recognition as Acoustic Blues Entertainer of the Year. If there was any concern Rush’s new focus would cost him in other areas, it ended when he also took home the award for Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year.
His other recent albums include “Look What You Gettin’” (2008), “Blind Snake”
(2009), and “Show You a Good Time” (2011).
Shields, born April 17, 1956, in West Helena, was raised in the gospel music of the church and formed his first rhythm and blues band at 15. Later, in the company of Jelly Roll Kings Sam Carr, Frank Frost, and Big Jack Johnson, he focused directly on contemporary blues.
His debut album, “Portrait,” on the Rooster Blues label was one of 1992’s critically acclaimed discs. A constant touring and festival draw as a blues singer-songwriter and guitarist, Shields later released “Tired of Waiting” (1996), “Blues on Fire” (1997), and “Midnight Delight” (2000).
Clarksdale native Earnest “Guitar” Roy has known music throughout his life. He was taught how to play bass guitar at age five by his father, Earnest Roy Sr., a guitarist who worked with Ike Turner, Jackie Brenston, and John Lee Hooker. By age eight, he was performing in his father’s band, the Clarksdale Rockers. He switched to lead guitar at age 11 and fronted his own band at 14. Roy has worked with many luminaries, including Albert King, Big Jack Johnson, Sam Carr, and Joe Turner. From 1993 to 2001, he performed with televangelist Rod Parsley. Several years ago, Roy returned to the blues and formed his own band, Earnest “Guitar” Roy and the Clarksdale Rockers, naming the group in honor of his father’s band.
Guitarist Joe Pitts studied at the Berklee College of Music and credits Duane
Allman, Dickey Betts and Roy Buchanan among his greatest influences. He has been compared to a number of other renowned guitarists, including Warren Haynes, Michael Burks, Larry McCray and Walter Trout.
“One of the most soulful blues rock guitarists of our time,” Nightflying magazine wrote in describing Pitts’ sound.
Constantly gigging and touring internationally, he released his “Just A Matter of Time” CD in 2007 and followed it in 2008 with “Joe Pitts Band: One Night Only.”
