Shows draw hundreds; organizers looking to ’07|[10/16/06]

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 16, 2006

About 1,000 people stepped out this past weekend for the debut event, Mississippi Celebrates the Birthplace of America’s Music.

The weekend included a Country Music Review, a Gospel Music Review, the Willie Dixon Wang Dang Doodle Blues Festival, teachers’ workshops and the 2006 Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

&#8220I think it went great,” said Jim Brewer, founder and chairman of the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame and organizer of the weekend’s activities. &#8220The performances were great, and the audiences were great. The numbers could have been more, but I think for the first time it’s adequate.”

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Larry Gawronski, executive director of the Vicksburg Convention Center, the main venue for the event, said more marketing locally could have increased numbers.

&#8220I think it went well, but they didn’t emphasize the local and regional market as being a staple for attendance,” he said. &#8220They did not embrace or reach out to the local public.”

The event attended by the most people during the weekend was the Willie Dixon Wang Dang Doodle Blues Festival, organized by the Vicksburg Blues Society. About 350 people flocked to Ameristar’s Delta Point Overlook parking lot for the event, which showcased Mississippi blues performers Dorothy Moore, Pinetop Perkins, Vasti Jackson, Kenny Brown, as well as national and regional acts.

Marie Dixon, widow of the late bluesman Willie Dixon, for whom the festival was named, traveled from Chicago for the event. Dixon was born in Vicksburg and grew up here before moving to Chicago.

&#8220I’m honored to be here,” Dixon said Saturday at the festival. &#8220I’ve been prepared for this moment. I knew when he left this world that his name would live on, and I see it is going on and I am so honored.”

The celebration, the most comprehensive music celebration of its kind in Mississippi, was first planned for last October, but Hurricane Katrina canceled the event. This year’s festival was supposed to begin Oct. 13 with a Talent Show Preliminary, but that was canceled due to a lack of participation. Instead, the celebration kicked off Friday with a Country Music Review, which drew 250 people and featured musicians such as Mac McAnally, The Taylor Grocery Band, Fred Knobloch and the Fox Fire Band. Teacher workshops cranked up Saturday along with the blues festival, followed by the Mississippi Musician’s Hall of Fame inductions, attended by 250 people. Because of last year’s cancellation, inductions were made for 2005 and 2006.

The three-day event ended with a Gospel Music Review, which drew 275 people and featured the Mississippi Mass Choir, the Blackwood Family, the Blackwood Brothers and the Blackwood Quartet.

&#8220I was absolutely thrilled with the performances, and the audiences stood up with cheers and standing ovations,” Brewer said.

Brewer, who founded the Hall of Fame in 1995, said organizers will meet this week to begin making plans for next year’s event, which will be in Vicksburg.

Gawronski said he will push for the event, with a restructured format.

&#8220The people who came to see it are talking about it, and those who didn’t, wish they had,” he said. &#8220We will look for bigger and better next year.”