Exit 56 Fun!

We had a blast Saturday at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center's first Exit 56 Blues Fest in Brownsville! Over 400 people turned out throughout the day for arts and crafts, good food, and great blues music. If you weren't here, this is what you missed!

Jackson's Ronnie Thompson performing during the Exit 56 Blues Fest.

Blind Red Rooster singing Sleepy John Estes' "Going to Brownsville"

Blind Red Rooster

The crowds gathered in the shady spots to enjoy the blues music.

Haywood's Got Talent winner Clifton Smith really puts some feelings into his music.

Author Pamela Whinnery discussed her Tennessee Celebrity Cookbook with a festivalgoer.

A Cotton Boll Quilt on display in the West Tennessee Cotton Museum. Part of the "Heritage Quilts of West Tennessee" exhibit.

It was a good night to cruise-in for the Blues. Many came from the Memphis and  Jackson area .

The Diverse Five, featuring Clifton Smith.

Joe Adams of A Cut Above won the "Most Unique Item Award" for his wood puzzles.

Graham Perry and Kevin Kilgore, founding members of the group Tucson Simpson, put on a great show.

The quilt exhibit got a lot of attention and drew viewers from all over West Tennessee. It was sponsored by Pat's Fabrics.

A few of the quilts on display at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center.

Haywood County Reading Railroad's booth won "Most Creative Booth."

Another view of  Reading Railroad's whole tent.

Tucson Simpson members to perform at Exit 56 Blues Fest

Here's a little background on Tucson Simpson. Two of its members, Graham Perry and Kevin Kilgore will be performing at this year's Exit 56 Blues Fest Saturday, May 28, 2011, in Brownsville, Tenn. Their performance begins at 5 p.m.

Kevin Kilgore

Graham Perry

Tucson Simpson is a roots rock combo based out of Memphis Tennessee.   Featuring Graham Perry (vocals, guitar), Kevin Kilgore (backing vocals, guitar), Steve McCraw (backing vocal, lead guitar), and Steve Hearn (Bass), and backed by drummers including Memphis favorites Anthony Barrasso, Bill Frazier and Harry Peel, the band’s style is an eclectic mix of Delta Blues, Commercial Pop and Roots Rock. The band has enjoyed success on the Midsouth’s club circuit and Memphis in May Bar-B-Que Festival network as a headline act.

Drawing from experience acquired as a songwriter for Crutchfield Music, Perry (a PhD Candidate at The University of Memphis) joined forces with Kilgore, Hearn and Frazier in 1999 with now deceased guitarist Sam Plumlee to release two CDs, Drawn & Ready (EP) and Hot Town (LP), the latter of which was the #14 add the week of its release on the CMJ Charts in 2003.  Soon after the death of Plumlee during the recording of Hot Town, McCraw joined the band, taking the band’s sound to new heights.

While, Hot Town is a well-rounded collection of powerful electric and acoustic guitars, soulful melodies, and catchy hooks that portray the varying life-experiences of the musicians, their latest release, Rainshine, in 2010 has been a watershed for the band-members, having taken seven difficult years to complete.  This latest release has received airplay at more than 150 stations college and community radio stations nationwide, charting in St. Louis, MO, Machias, ME, Peoria, IL, Pittston, PA, Farmville, VA, Brookville, NY, Waukesha, WI, Newton, MA, Moscow, ID, and San Marcos, CA.

Blues Fest revived in Brownsville

Blind Red Rooster will perform live at the Exit 56 Blues Fest Saturday, May 28, beginning at 7 p.m. Members of the group from Northwest Tennessee are Smokin' Joe Watts, Rick Casey, Coby Watts and Rob Kingrey.

Brownsville will once again celebrate its blues heritage during the Exit 56 Blues Fest Saturday, May 28, at the West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center. Festivities will include an arts and crafts show, quilt exhibit, book signing, cruise-in and live music. The day long event will run from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Artisans will showcase their wares from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Items for sale will include sunglasses, handmade ribbons and bows, aprons, boutique dresses, flower arrangements, jewelry, handbags, wood products, quilts and more.

Heirloom and more modern quilts will be on display inside the Center as part of the “Heritage Quilts of West Tennessee” special exhibit sponsored by Pat’s Fabrics of Brownsville. Also on exhibit will be the winning art projects of the Haywood County School children for the recent Cinco de Mayo Celebration.

Author Pamela Whinnery will be present from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., to sign copies of her latest cookbook “Country Goodness Recipes of Tennessee Celebrities.” The recipe collection includes recipes from Elvis, Trace Adkins, President Andrew Jackson and more.

Beginning at 5 p.m., local and area artist will perform from the porch of the Sleepy John Estes home, located on the grounds of the Center. Memphis musicians Graham Perry and Kevin Kilgore, members of the group Tucson Simpson will perform at 5 p.m. Brownsville’s own Clifton Smith will take the stage at 6:30; and Union City Blues band Blind Red Rooster will perform at 7 p.m.

Car and motorcycle enthusiasts are invited to cruise-in for any or all of the festivities.

Festival admission and concerts are free and everyone is invited to attend and enjoy a day celebrating the Brownsville blues. The West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center is located off of Interstate 40 at Exit 56, behind McDonald’s. For more information, contact the Center at 731-779-9000 or visit www.westtnheritage.com.