(CLARKSDALE, MS) –  Kicking off Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival events in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi, Delta Blues Museum will host “From Hand to Hand: Passing Down the Blues,” an educational panel featuring three graduates of the Delta Blues Museum Arts & Education Program–Jaxx Nassar, Anthony “Big A” Sherrod and Lee Williams. The classmates learned from Mr. Johnnie Billington, founder of the Museum’s after-school program, and were members of “The Deep Cuts,” a band fronted by late local bluesman Josh “Razorblade” Stewart. Arts & Education Program graduate Travis Calvin, a current instructor at the Delta Music Institute at Delta State University, will moderate. 

Free Panel and Photo Exhibit

The in-person panel is free and open to the public made possible by the Mississippi Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The event will be livestreamed on the Museum’s Facebook page. Also, a small exhibit of photographer Panny Mayfield’s images of the panelists as students will be on display. Held in the Museum classroom Thursday, August 10, 6pm. 

Museum’s Arts & Education Program

For 30 years, this program has taught students to play music that keeps the history of the Delta blues alive. Nationally recognized as a top youth program. Additionally, one of its graduates is the GRAMMY-winning blues musician, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.

For more information, contact Delta Blues Museum at 662-627-6820 or visit the website.
To livestream the event, visit the Museum’s Facebook page.