Hosted by Robert Kimbrough Sr., Junior Kimbrough’s youngest son, Kimbrough Cotton Patch Soul Blues Festival returns to The HUT in Holly Springs May 17–19, 2019. Featuring three days of live music, food, and plenty of education about original Cotton Patch Soul Blues Boy Junior Kimbrough, this festival is an interactive, unfiltered cultural experience held in Junior’s home town of Holly Springs, Mississippi—the city with all kinds of character.
The Hut an American Legion, cinder block building makes do as an excellent part-time Juke Joint, a fast-fading tradition on the modern day landscape of Mississippi Blues. A comfortable, familiar atmosphere for mesmerizing, trance-inducing, raw, electric, cotton patch soul blues to be created and heard. The Kimbroughs’ style of blues is a tradition developed by their father, Junior, and carried on by Robert, David, and Kent.
FRIDAY, MAY 17
KICK OFF (4–6 pm)
Leontyne Price Library Gallery
Rust College
100 Rust Ave, Holly Springs, Miss.
Exhibit runs until June 15, 2019
The Women Who Captured Junior Kimbrough
Photos by Yancey Allison, Lauri Lawson
Never before exhibited photos of Chulahoma by Yancey Allison, a Como photographer who began photographing Chulahoma in the early 1990s and returned in the late 90s. Yancey is a personal friend of David Jr. and Kent Kimbrough. She recently discovered lost prints through the magic of digital photography. Lauri Lawson was a regular contributor to Living Blues magazine in the late 1980s. Lauri’s photos grace the cover of Junior’s first LP All Night Long and other early Junior Kimbrough releases.
Friday Night Open Floor Jam(7 pm–1 am)
The HUT
475 West Valley Rd., Holly Springs
$10
Burgers, fish sandwiches, and beverages available
SATURDAY, MAY 18
All Day COTTON PATCH SOUL BLUES MUSIC WORKSHOP
The Hut
Learn from the legends: Robert Sr., David Jr., and Kent Kimbrough, as well as Mr. Joe Ayers (Lil’ Joe) are available for guitar, bass, and drum instruction. Lil’ Joe was Junior Kimbrough’s guitarist and bass player for 30 years. Joe appears on the High Water LP Do The Romp, and is seen in the film Deep Blues. This is an incredible opportunity for anyone to learn the secrets of Cotton Patch Soul Blues, not just schooled musicians.
Mississippi Country Breakfast With All The Fixins (7–10 am)
Roberts favorite meal of the day. Start your day Robert’s way, FULL.
$5
All day Cotton Patch Soul Blues Guitar Workshop (10 am–4 pm)
Robert Kimbrough Sr. teaches bass guitar, David Jr. shares his father’s guitar style and his own. Kent will give drum instruction. Mr. Joe Ayers shares his approach to Cotton Patch Blues finger picking and the “ thumb” technique. Duwayne Burnside will also be available to teach.
Limited to 25 students
$150
$75 for kids under 16
Other Saturday activities
Cooking with Necy (noon–2 pm)
The Hut
Learn the fine art of Soul Food cooking with Robert’s older sister Stephanie. Stephanie has been the lead cook at The Hut our past two festivals. She offers traditional Juke Joint fare for a rock bottom price. Nothing wrong wit that! Learn her ways for a melt-in-your-mouth fish sandwich.
$20; lunch included
Limited to 10
Juke Joint Dance Lessons (1–3 pm)
The Hut
#1 Juke Joint Dancer Ms. Sherena Boyce, daughter of Mississippi Blues legend RL Boyce, demonstrates subtle suggestive dance moves, and advises students how to develop their own style.
$10
limited to 20 students
Saturday Night Jam with the Legends (7 pm–2 am)
The Hut
Students are invited up to jam with the legends. Saturday’s workshop students flex their new skills in an unfiltered Juke Joint atmosphere with the Kimbroughs. Students jam alongside the originals as well as other great players such as One Hand Dan, Jessie Cotton Stone, Lightnin’ Malcolm, Memphis Gold, Janky & the Juke Joint Boys, and Cameron Kimbrough.
$10
Burgers, fish sandwiches, and beverages available All Night Long
SUNDAY MAY 19
Country Breakfast with all the fixins (9–11 am)
$5
Kimbrough Cotton Patch Soul Blues Guided Memorial Tour
(noon–2 pm)
Meet up at The Hut
Catch Up with Lil’ Joe
Joe will share with you vivid memories of late night parties and other historical tasty bits about his life as a Mississippi Soul Blues Boy. Visit the location of Junior’s Marianna Rd. home, Sammie’s Chewalla Rib Shack, Chulahoma Club location, Blues Marker on the Square and Junior’s Grave. An astounding opportunity for any history buff or of blues fan.
$25
The Recreation of Junior’s Juke Joint (music starts at 4 pm)
THE HUT
With Robert Kimbrough Sr. Blues Connection, The Kimbrough Brothers, RL BOYCE, Duwanye Burnside, Eric Deaton, Lucious Spiller, Garry Burnside, Mark Muleman, Pork Chop Willie, and the #1 Juke Joint Dancer Ms. Sherena Boyce.
Get your dancing shoes on!
$25
Need More info? Visit here for festival details Kimbroughfest.com
VIP tickets & other packages available at TICKETS
