Delta Center hosts book signing for 'Highway 61'

 

Delta Center hosts book signing for ‘Highway 61’

 

CLEVELAND— Randy Norris (at left), editor of “Highway 61,” and Dr. Luther Brown, director of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning, look over a copy of the book at a book signing event held for Norris.

 

Norris signed copies of his latest volume “Highway 61” which is a collection of stories and essays written by Delta residents, and illustrated with numerous photographs from the Delta.  Morgan Freeman wrote the introduction. The book was published by the University of Tennessee Press. 

 

The Delta State University Delta Center for Culture and Learning, in conjunction with the Year of Delta Heritage, hosted the book signing which was held in the lobby of Ewing Hall on the campus.

 

 

 

 

Randy Norris will be signing newest volume "Highway 61"

07 May 2008

 

Delta State to host book signing

 

CLEVELAND ―The Delta State University Delta Center for Culture and Learning, in conjunction with the Year of Delta Heritage, will host a book signing on Monday, May 12, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the foyer outside the Jacobs Conference Center of Ewing Hall on the campus.

 

Randy Norris will sign copies of his newest volume entitled “Highway 61” which is a collection of stories and essays written by several Delta residents, and illustrated with numerous photographs from the Delta.  Morgan Freeman wrote the introduction.  The book is newly published by the University of Tennessee Press. 

 

The event is free and open to the public, and will appeal to anyone interested in the heritage of the Mississippi Delta.  For more information, contact the Delta Center at (662) 846-4311.

 

 

Delta State's College of Education plans oral history project

25 April 2008

 

Delta State’s College of Education plans oral history project

 

CLEVELAND— The Delta State University College of Education, in celebration of the University’s Year of Delta Heritage theme, is collaborating with the Sunflower County School District to connect the generations through untold stories.

 

The project is also supported through grants from The Mississippi Humanities Council and the Wal-Mart Foundation, as well as support from the Delta State University Delta Center for Culture and Learning, directed by Dr. Luther Brown.

 

Through the project, middle and high school students in Sunflower County schools will be trained to conduct oral history interviews with individuals who came of age or lived during a significant Civil Rights era in the South (1950s – 1960s). The interviews will be produced as a documentary, with future phases of the project to include the development of curriculum to accompany the documentary.

 

Photo cutline: From left: Delta State Division Chair for Teacher Education Dr. Jenetta Waddell, Delta State Dean, College of Education Dr. Leslie Griffin, Assistant Superintendent of Sunflower County School District Dr. Cheryl Pinckney, and Public Relations Coordinator/Grant Writer for Sunflower County School District Carl Brinkley discuss the upcoming Oral History Project.

 

 

DSU Year of Delta Heritage tours art collection

 

DSU Year of Delta Heritage tours art collection

 

CLEVELAND— The Delta State University Year of Delta Heritage recently presented a guided tour of the Viking Range Art Collection.  Delta artist Jim Seale (at right) is curator of the collection and led the tour. Carol Puckett, also pictured, added commentary to the tour and allowed participants to see the pieces that she has personally added to the collection.

 

The collection includes the works of some fifty Delta artists. Each piece was commissioned by Viking Range to hang in the Alluvian Hotel, the Alluvian Spa, or neighboring facilities. 

 

The collection was honored in 2006, when Viking Range received a Governor’s Award from the Mississippi Arts Commission for being an important patron of the arts in the Delta.  The collection includes work by many members of the DSU Art Department, and is the subject of an upcoming book. 

 

 

 

Queen Mary with musicians and friends!

Mary Shepard is crowned Queen of the JOOK at her Retirement Party!

 

DELTA MUSIC INSTITUTE SENIORS PRESENT SHOWCASE

                                                                                      Tricia Walker

Director, Delta Music Institute

DSU Box 3114 Cleveland, MS 38733

662.846.4579:office

dmi.deltastate.edu   dmi@deltastate.edu

 

 

DELTA MUSIC INSTITUTE SENIORS PRESENT SHOWCASE

 

CLEVELAND - Five senior students in the Delta Music Institute program at Delta State University will be performing a live music showcase on Wednesday, April 23, at 9 p.m. on the Quadrangle of Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi.

 

Cole Furlow of Jackson, Naz Rhodes of Walnut, Michael Brenza of Leland, Matthew Banks of Cleveland, and Michael Williamson of Vicksburg will perform original music in styles varying from acoustic rock to hill country blues as partial requirement of the DMI Senior Project class.

 

Boy Scout Knife is a hill-country-blues-meets-garage-rock duo, featuring Cole Furlow. Naz Rhodes is the leader of the funky rock band, Mindset Mellow, while Michael Brenza’s band, Clif and the No Goods, offers a Southern rock-punk sound. Weejy Rogers, produced by Michael Williamson, performs a blend of new age rock and contemporary classical style piano, and Matthew Banks performs his quirky original songs with a West Coast influenced acoustic rock sound.

 

For their senior projects, the DMI students were required to complete an audio recording of original songs, serving as either artist or producer, and host a performance showcase of their projects. Throughout the semester the students were involved in a broad range of music industry topics, including project management, budgeting, music publishing, copyright and legal issues, recording, editing, mixing and mastering audio, marketing, sales and promotion.

 

The DMI Senior Showcase on Wednesday, April 23, is free and open to the public. In the event of rain, the showcase will be held at 9 p.m. in Jobe Auditorium on the campus of Delta State.

 

The Delta Music Institute (DMI) is a center for recording and music industry studies at Delta State University. The DMI began with a concept and a generous donation by Fred Carl of the Viking Range Corporation. More information about the program is available on the web at dmi.deltastate.edu or by calling (662) 846-4579.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary Shepard's Retirement Party Program

Tribute to Mary Shepard                          

April 6, 2008

 

 

Master of Ceremonies:  C.Sade Turnipseed

Director, Education & Community Outreach of B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center

Photographer:  Landry Prichard

 

 

Coronation

            Presentation of Flowers:  Allan Hammons, Director of Marketing, B.B. King Museum

            Robing: Carver A. Randle, Sr., Personal friend and lawyer for new owner-BB King, LLC

            Septor:  Edna Robinson, long-time Club Ebony employee   

            Crowning:  Brianna King, 9-yr old Granddaughter of Mrs. Shepard 

 

B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center will feature Mary Frances Shepard as

“The Queen of the Jooks” announcement made by C. Sade Turnipseed…………

 

 

Dorothy Moore Personal Letter:

Laconna Shay King, Daughter of Mary Shepard

 

Book gifts     *(Personal friends and persons whose careers are based and respected

                            around our blues history…)

 

   *Scott Barretta:  Images of the Blues by Lee Tanner & Lee Hildebrand:

(Black & White photos of bluesmen from the 1940’s-1990’s w/ a younger BBKing on cover)

Wanda Clark, Associate Project Administrator of the Mississippi Blues Trail

 

   *Dick Waterman – Personalized his latest book – B.B. King’s Treasures: 

Jackie Winter, Vice President, Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola

         

 

Living Blues Magazine:  Appreciation Award for the three decades of operating the Mississippi

Delta Blues Club, Club Ebony, and for welcoming B.B. King Home every

time he returns to Indianola. 

Rodger Simpson, Indianola Police Department

 

 

Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola – Member Emeritus & Life Member Award: 

Carol Marble, Indianola Blues Society Founder & Past President

 

 

Proclamation from the Sunflower County Board of Supervisors: 

Shelia Waldrup, Incoming Indianola Chamber of Commerce Executive Director

 

 

Proclamation from Congressman Bennie Thompson: 

Carol Smith, Supporter of Bennie Thompson & Friend of Mrs. Shepard

 

 

Proclamation from Governor Haley Barbour – Listing Mary Shepard’s accomplishments in promoting and

preserving the blues heritage of this state as well as the Mississippi Delta.  The Governor proclaimed April 6, 2008

as Mary Frances Shepard Day:  Janet Webb, President, Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola

 

 

Lady Terminators Appreciation Award and Trophy: 

Auga Singleton, Representative for the Ladies & the Men’s Pool Teams

that play & compete at the Club…

 

 

Thanks to Sunflower Food Store for the sheet cake.

Thanks to the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola

and all those who helped make this day happen!

 

 

 

Queen Mary

By Amy Evans

 

 

So yesterday was Mary Shepard's last day as owner of Club Ebony. They were calling it a retirement party, but it was really a tribute to the place and, most of all, the woman. Mary Shepard was crowned "Queen of the Jook" and sat in a throne at the foot of the bandstand to receive flowers and gifts and words from friends. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour even issued a proclamation, naming April 6, 2008 Mary Shepard Day. There was music. There was cake. And yes, a few tears.

 

Even though Ms. Shepard is no longer at the helm of this legendary blues club, she'll still be a fixture. She's been given the title of honorary griot for the soon-to-open B. B. King Museum down the street, and you can be sure she'll be popping into her old club from time to time to hear some of those down home blues. And, as she joked to the crowd yesterday, she's got a little something else up her sleeve.

 

Mary Shepard may have retired, but she's sure not going to quit.

 

 

 

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www.amycevans.com

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Blog: Made in Mississippi
Post: QUEEN MARY
Link: http://madeinmississippi.blogspot.com/2008/04/queen-mary.html