The Exception of Blind Willie
Regardless if you know the background of the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival, it’s a conjoining of some of the best musicians, songwriters and storytellers on the planet. We’ve seen this as a jumping-off point for budding acts to major players in the music world. A little-known Alabama-based St. Paul and the Broken Bones took the stage at Blind Willie a few years back; within the next couple of years (2015-2017), they drew audiences to Coachella, Lallapolooza and other major festivals throughout the United States. Some will say, this festival foreshadows what is to come.
Each September, crowds gather on a country field in Thomson, Georgia, to set up tents and claim space in front of the pop-up stage. Surrounded by porta-pottys, hay bales, and vendors, attendees get there before the gates open at 11 a.m. in hopes the sheriff and others will let them set up early. Chances are, they do. Sponsored by Visit Thomson, Elizabeth Vance and her staff work throughout the year to sign acts for the festival. For the last two years, Friday nights have offered a free concert in the downtown Thomson area, allowing everyone to sample the blues. Bring your chair or your latest knitting project and let the music settle you in for long evening of the blues. This year, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones jazzed up the crowd for an extraordinary Saturday.
The Saturday Festival - from 11:00 a.m. until 8 p.m. - highlights four acts with a headliner to cap off the day. By the time the day is done, hundreds have been soaked in a jug of Americana juice. And everyone goes home a little happier.
New Georgia Encyclopedia - “Blind Willie” McTell was one of the great blues musicians of the 1920s and 1930s. Displaying an extraordinary range on the twelve-string guitar, this Atlanta-based musician recorded more than 120 titles during fourteen recording sessions. His voice was soft and expressive, and his musical tastes were influenced by southern blues, ragtime, gospel, hillbilly, and popular music. At a time when most blues musicians were poorly educated and rarely traveled, McTell was an exception. He could read and write music in Braille. He traveled often from Atlanta to New York City, frequently alone. As a person faced with a physical disability and social inequities, he expressed in his music a strong confidence in dealing with the everyday world. He was born in Thomson on May 5, 1898,
The Artists of Blind Willie 2023
Introducing the men and women who came to play . . .
John Cleary and the Monster Gentlemen | Jon Cleary was born in England but makes his home in New Orleans. He has recorded 10 solo albums and won a Grammy in 2016 in the Best Regional Roots category. He is a fixture each spring at JazzFest and otherwise plays in a variety of combos, all called the Absolute Monster Gentlemen.
Shemeka Copeland | From the New York area, Copeland was winner of the 2021 Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year and is touring behind her latest release on Alligator Records, Done Come Too Far. This latest disc was nominated for a Grammy in 2023, coming alongside three prior Grammy nominations. Copeland, daughter of the late blues guitarist Johnny Copeland, has been singing all of her life, touring the world, releasing 10 albums of high energy blues and roots music along the way.
John Fullbright | Oklahoma’s John Fullbright is making his first trip to Thomson as part of a Southeastern run. Born in Okemah, the birthplace of Woody Guthrie, it seems fitting that he enjoys renown as an Americana songwriter. Fullbright received a Grammy nomination in 2013 for Best Americana Album.
Carolyn Wonderland | From Austin Texas, she’s firmly established as one of that musical hotbed’s best guitarists and performers. She tours with a combo on her own, and also works in John Mayall’s touring band. Her latest record is 2021’s Tempting Fate, produced by Dave Alvin on Alligator Records.
Eddie 9V | Georgia’s own, Eddie 9V is new on Atlanta’s roots music scene. Eddie, born Brooks Mason, will be touring behind his latest album, Capricorn. The tunes were recorded at Capricorn Studios in Macon and the album cracked the top 5 on the Americana Album charts soon after its release. The sounds are soulful, southern and his set is guaranteed to be big fun.
The Sensational Barnes Brothers | From Memphis, the Sensational Barnes Brothers opened the festival with their unique brand of gospel and R&B. The Barnes Family was, and still is, well known in Memphis as stellar gospel performers. Brothers Chris and Courtney, raised in that musical genre, have branched out and now are putting their own spin on “gospel soul”.
A Field of Followers
We’ve lost count of the number of times we find ourselves in this Thomson field, moving to the beat while battling the heat. Familiar faces always become a celebration. The couples that dance near the stage tell you all you need to know about the music’s power. We’ve seen them before, and we’re sure, we’ll see them next year. It’s an addictive field where lovers of good music gather on a hot September Saturday.