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2325 SOUTHERN MUSICIANSFrom down-home blues to glitzy rock ’n’ roll, these 25 musicians have a style all their own
62BOHO & BLUESThe perfect blend of glitz and grunge for a hot night on the town
71JUKE JOINTS & DIVE BARSVenerable venues of the South
37 | FEAST ON THE FARM
40 | SUNSET ON THE SQUARE: SEEING RED
42 | 4TH ANNUAL THROUGH THE ROOF PEDIATRIC THERAPY FASHION SHOW & SILENT AUCTION
43 | ZOO BREW
44 | BROOKS MUSEUM GRAND AUCTION
46 | VINE TO WINE AT THE GARDEN
47 | BRUSSELS BONZAI RENDEZVOUS
48 | CROWN & SCEPTRE CORONATION BALL
50 | THE PRINCESS BALL
51 | SIZZLIN’ SUMMER KICKOFF PARTY
OUT & ABOUT
CONTENTS August 2015
62FEATURES
52 | BLUES BALL SPRING AUCTION AND CRAWFISH BOIL
54 | SUNSET ON THE SQUARE: SAY IT AIN’T SO
55 | LITERATINI
56 | TUNICA ARTS COUNCIL’S ARTS IN THE ALLEY
57 | ZETA PHI BETA 5TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Photo by Pam Fields
6 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
DEPARTMENTS
August 2015 • Volume 9 No. 8CONTENTS
23
13
13 | INTERVIEW Buryin’ GroundJuke joint legend and Delta storyteller Bill Abel shares a personal history
16 | ARTS The United States of MississippiRoger Stolle’s journey from corporate America to Cathead, Inc., Clarksdale’s treasure trove of Delta blues history
24 | BOOKS Malice in MemphisFor members of a local mystery writers group, one man’s tourist destination is another man’s crime scene
75 | ON THE MONEY A Penny SavedCitizens National Bank says “Yes” to assistingits customers in being financially successful
IN EVERY ISSUEEditor’s Letter 8Contributors 10Calendar 58See & Do 80 16
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 7
8 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
CA
SEY
HIL
DE
R
Songs of the South
Music makes the world go round, or so they say. While I personally don’t have a
musical bone in my body, even I can enjoy a good tune every now and then.
This month, Click’s celebration of sound highlights the music that made the
MidSouth. And despite what locals may hear, there’s way more to it than Elvis
and Americana. It’s about the music that fills the air at local concerts, fairs and
festivals. It’s about the living blues and the decades of history that writhe in every
plucked guitar string. In short, it’s about stuff you can’t just get on the radio.
And the radio is exactly where you won’t find many of the local performers on
display in this month’s big feature, “25 Southern Musicians,” (page 23) a veritable
smorgasbord of sound from artists that run the gamut from country music to
blues to punk rock. In addition, we’ve got the lowdown on three high-profile
music venues in the region where you can see our featured artists in “Juke Joints
and Dive Bars” (page 71). Speaking of venues, special thanks go out to Bill Luckett
and our friends at Ground Zero Blues Club for allowing us to shoot this month’s
fashion feature, “Boho & Blues,” (page 62) on the premises.
So whether you’re a seasoned picker or a festival fanatic, I advise you to get out
there and enjoy the spectacle of Southern sound, live and in person. Take it in and
let it wash the day-to-day troubles away. For a moment, anyway.
Read on,
Casey Hilder
Editor
Write To Us: Email editor@myclickmag.com or send us a letter at Click Magazine P.O. Box 100, Hernando, MS 38632.
editor’s letter
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 9
Co-Presidents Jonathan Pittman & Angie Pittman
Publisher Dick Mathauer
Editor Casey Hildereditor@myclickmag.com
COPY + FEATURES
Events Maggie Vinzant events@myclickmag.com
Contributing Writers Tess Catlett, Casey Hilder, Tonya Thompson
ART & PHOTOGRAPHY
Art Director Jennifer Leonard Corbin
Graphic Design Jennifer Rorie
Contributing Photographers Brian Anderson, Frank Chin, Pam Fields, Matt Floyd, Casey Hilder,
Kandi Tippit
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CLICKPeople | Parties | Places
10 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
August 2015
contributors
Tess CatlettClick’s headline feature for this month, "25 Southern Musicians," was produced by Tess Catlett. A Southaven native who attends school at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, Catlett is a former intern for Click Magazine. An avid and tenacious writer, Catlett has been featured in various publications including Vox Magazine, The Columbia Missourian and The DeSoto Times-Tribune. When not writing, Catlett enjoys binge watching underrated TV dramas.
Alexandra NicoleThis month’s style feature was coordinated by Memphis native Alexandra Nicole, who owns and operates three local boutiques, a makeup line and her very own fashion brand. From styling clients and working behind the scenes as a MUA and Stylist for fashion shows and shoots, to attending LA and New York market trips and runway shows, Alexandra lives for the fashion and trends of the modern woman’s lifestyle.
Brian Anderson Various events and concert photography in this issue were shot by local photographer Brian Anderson, a Memphis-based artist that started shooting professionally about six years ago and has been featured in Southern Living Magazine, Oxford American, MBQ and the St. Jude Gallery Collection, to name a few. He primarily focuses on the concerts, with a focus on blues and old-fashioned Southern music, as well as the Mississippi delta and cityscapes .
Marcie Kay SeccombeHairstyling for this month’s fashion spread, “Boho & Blues” (page 62), was done by Mississippi native Marcie Kay Seccombe. In Memphis, Seccombe works her hair magic in a downtown studio four days a week. When out of the studio, Marcie travels as a National Educator for John Paul Mitchell Systems teaching across the country. Her experience includes styling hair on Fifth Avenue in New York, as well as Cosmopolitan magazine.
Pam FieldsPam Fields is a Memphis area photographer who grew up in the Mississippi Delta. Having always had an eye for photography, she found her love for portrait and fashion work while living in Indianapolis. She has been published in several independent magazines and is featured on Vogue Italia’s website. When she is not honing her camera skills, she enjoys a good cup of coffee, road trips, concerts, and relaxing with her husband and two teenagers.
Jennifer CorbinClick Magazine’s art director, Jennifer Corbin, a recent transplant from Birmingham, Alabama now hails from Lambert, Mississippi. She brings with her a wealth of design talent. A graduate of Auburn University, Corbin’s portfolio packs a wide variety of experience for publications like Southern Lady, TeaTime and Bassmaster Magazine. In her spare time, she enjoys helping her husband on the farm and all things water — from white water rafting to a day by the pool.
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 11
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Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 13
UP FRONTARTS, CULTURE AND PERSONALITIES
Buryin’ Ground
Juke joint legend and Delta storyteller Bill Abel shares a personal history
Interview by CASEY HILDER | Photos by RORY DOYLE
14 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
up front people
Click Magazine: How’d you learn to play music?
Bill Abel: I met a man named Paul Jones, a local welder, when
I was 10 years old and growing up in Belzoni, Mississippi. He
was a part-time musician and I just started playing with him
and a few other guys in Humphreys County. I picked up a lot
from him and his, but he died in 2005. This was right after I
first started playing solo shows in 2000, before that I always
played alongside him. I played a lot with other people —
guitar and bass, mostly.
CM: Your most recent album, 2008’s One-Man Band, showcases
your work on a number of instruments including electric
guitar, dobro, hi-hat, snare, bass drum and all manner of
percussions — not to mention a few homemade deals like
cigar box guitars. What led you to branch out from your
initial learnings?
BA: Well, I don’t play like that much anymore — I’m old. It’s
tricky to keep up with and kinda hard on the body playing
drums with your feet. Most people sound better with a real
drummer anyway, you know?
CM: What have you been up to recently?
BA: I lived in Jackson for a while, but the whole time I would
find myself coming back to Belzoni to play music. I came back
to study painting and sculpture at 52 years old as an older art
LIKE MANY DENIZENS OF THE MISSISSIPPI Delta, the blues comes naturally for Bill Abel. A
juke joint staple since his youth, the 52-year-
old Abel has spent the past 15 years refining his solo
act and branching out to bring the history of the
region to a wider audience, all while maintaining the
traditions taught to him by legendary local pickers.
student at Delta State. When I moved back, I started playing
more and with new people — people like Cadillac John Nolden
and T-Model Ford. Probably the highlight of those years was
recording with Hubert Sumlin for an album in 2005. I got to
play with a lot of people down here in the Delta before they
died and, strangely enough, they were always looking for new
people to play with.
CM: What do the blues mean in 2015? Is it still being passed
down like it was in your day?
BA: Well, you’ve got two sides in that corner — you’ve got the
old-school, authentic, old blues — parts of that can’t be carried
on. They sang about the times. You can’t sing about cotton
if you’ve never picked cotton and even something like the
pronunciation of the words — the cultural aspect of the blues
— that part’s been dying off real fast. You can’t carry that on,
but you can carry on the style. The new blues is different, you
know? Playing-wise and the format, it’s just different. When
the electric guitar came out in the 1940s, the guys who stayed
here in the Delta instead of going to Memphis or Chicago or
anywhere else weren’t playing the same style. The Delta guys
learned how to play the electric guitar for a better sound to
get people dancing in the juke houses, and they played it
like acoustic with their fingers. But when Muddy Waters and
Howlin’ Wolf took it to Chicago, that’s when they started to
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 15
spread the sound out across multiple
bandmates. It really evolved the music.
But here in the Delta, it stayed raw. The
guys who played electric down here
play loud, fast and full of information.
Kind of like what Paul Jones played.
CM: You’ve performed alongside some
real legends — Henry Townsend, Hubert
Sumlin, Big George Brock, Sam Carr
and Kenny Kimbrough, to name a few.
Who was a big inspiration for you that
you never got a chance to play with?
BA: That’s one to think about. Probably
all the guys who are long dead and
gone, the guys from the 1920s. I’ve been
inspired by a lot of their music. Robert
Johnson, Skip James, Charlie Patton. I
really like Skip’s stuff.
CM: You’ve performed around the
world, from Clarksdale and Chicago to
Italy and the UK. What are some acts
you really remember?
BA: In June, I played at a festival in
Switzerland called “Blues Rules.” That
was really nice. I also played in Norway
last year. No big festivals or anything,
just a few clubs. A few years before
that, I was in Sweden at the Åmål’s
Blues Festival. I don’t have a booking
agent and I don’t get to play all the
time. Being a local guy, when somebody
hears you play and they want to hear
more, it’s special. I’m not that famous,
you know, so it means a lot when I get
to travel to play.
CM: What do you think gives this
particular brand of Delta music such a
universal appeal?
BA: People ask that all the time and the
answer I’ve come up with is that a lot
of people were listening to those old
pre-war recordings — some done down
here, some in Wisconsin, New York, and
Texas — and those guys were singing
how they felt, which was pretty doggone
bad sometimes. And that stuff — that
emotion and pain — that went on
record. People can feel that worldwide.
So many people come around these
days, Europeans who are into the old
blues — that really interests me.
16 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
up front arts
The United States of MississippiRoger Stolle’s journey from corporate America
to Cathead, Inc., Clarksdale’s treasure
trove of Delta blues history
Story & Photos by CASEY HILDER
THE UNAIRCONDITIONED INTERIOR OF CATHEAD, INC. BOASTS
wall-to-wall folk art and the faint, musty smell that only a
plethora of old records can produce. Presiding over the organized
clutter is Roger Stolle, a hardcore blues fan and native of Dayton, Ohio.
While Ohio isn’t the best place to develop an appreciation of the blues,
the music struck a chord with Stolle, who took a fateful trip in the mid-
nineties to discover the roots of its uniquely Mississippi sound.
“As a longtime blues fan, it suddenly occurred to me ‘Well, I should
go see where it came from’,” he says. “So I was really on kind of a dead
man blues tour. I had planned to see grave sites and that was it. There
was one museum back then and it was small.”
Stolle’s 1995 road trip took place more than a decade before the Blues
Trail existed, and very little information existed on acts like Big Walter
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 17
Horton, Furry Lewis and Skip James. Moreover, Stolle would
soon discover that many of the headstones and graves that held
some of the older bluesmen were unmarked or eroded. With a
patchwork history of the Delta in mind and several years from
the advent of widespread Internet, he decided to look below
the surface at a juke joint in the hill country of Chulahoma,
Mississippi. It was at Jr.’s Place, a juke joint owned by bluesman
Junior Kimbrough, where Stolle would have his first up-close
encounter with the living blues. Surrounded by glossy folk art
murals and juke joint décor of Christmas lights and scratched
wood, this event was what Stolle describes as his “Alan Lomax
moment.” “It was the beginning of being conscious of the fact
that this was the place I wanted to spend a lot more time,” he
says. “Junior sold the beers and performed, R.L. Burnside was
there that night, along with all their kids and grandkids.”
Junior died in 1997 and his place burned to the ground soon
after, but that chance encounter had changed the then-30-
year-old marketing consultant’s outlook on life. He eventually
honed in on Clarksdale as a base of operations, a place he
decided had all the right ingredients for a blues lover to settle
down: the infrastructure, the players and the history. “There
was just something about Clarksdale,” he says.
Stolle soon left his job in St. Louis with a rough goal in mind.
“When I moved down here it, was not to open a retail store
— which is what I did – it was to organize and promote from
within,” he says. Stolle’s mission — which he would also
accomplish over the years — was to celebrate and document
the Delta blues through film, writing, radio shows, recordings,
booking and discovering new talent. He produced several
documentary-style films about life in the Delta, including
the recent We Juke Up in Here, which explores Mississippi’s
surviving juke joint scene and heavily features local bluesman
Big George Brock. Stolle had previously worked alongside Brock
with his record label, Cathead Presents, which Stolle says was
initially geared toward raising the aging bluesman out of
obscurity. “Jeff Konkel is a friend of mine and we both have
little record labels that we’ve recorded blues guys on,” he says.
“We started collaborating on film projects like M for Mississippi,
which is probably our best-known documentary.”
Following their initial mission to engage people in the
Delta, Stolle and Konkel produced a road-trip style narrative,
presenting an approachable concept for visitors packed with
interviews and live performances. Showings of the film have
been held as far as Geneva and Norway.
And with so much history, Stolle and company eventually
needed a place to house the recordings that had piled up over
the years, as well generate some much-needed income. “I
needed a way to bring in cash flow,” he says. “But I also wanted
to pull people in, get the public interested. That’s the kind of
thing that can turn a two-hour visitor to Clarksdale into an
overnight visitor.”
18 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 19
20 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Malice in MemphisFor members of a local mystery writers group, one man’s
tourist destination is another man’s crime scene
Story by KATHRYN JUSTICE LEACHE
up front books
“MYSTERY WRITERS WALK INTO A ROOM FOR
the first time and consider where we
could most efficiently kill somebody in
an interesting way. We discuss untraceable poisons in
restaurants — and terrify the poor people who wait on us.
We wonder whether that beam that runs across the ceiling
in church would hold up a hanging corpse, and how long a
dagger would have to be to puncture a heart.”
Thusly does Carolyn McSparren, editor of Malice in Memphis:
Bluff City Mysteries, caution Memphis-area restaurant
employees in the volume’s “Disclaimer and Introduction.”
Members of Malice in Memphis, a local mystery writers
group, contributed to the collection of stories featuring
murder and mayhem against the backdrop of well-known
Memphis landmarks, events and neighborhoods.
Does pub trivia night bring out your ruthless side? “Trivial
Pursuit” by Melissa Royer will make you view your fellow
competitors with new suspicion — and wonder what really
goes on at the Pink Palace after hours. In the mood for barbe-
cue? Read McSparren’s “Long Pig,” which takes place during
Barbecue Fest, and you just might order the vegetarian
option instead. Staying downtown? “Murder at the Peabody”
by Patricia Potter might have you taking the stairs to your
room and skipping the elevator. And “The Queen of Hearts”
by Barbara Christopher will make you think twice about
wearing your red spiked heels on the cobblestones at Beale
Street Landing — in case you really needed another reason
not to.
Half the fun of this collection is seeing where these mystery
writers will off their characters next. From the horse-drawn
carriages of Downtown to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church to
Voodoo Village to Mud Island, the fictional Memphis, past
and present, of Bluff City Mysteries is filled with revenge-
seekers, guilty consciences, and other wreakers of Memphis-
style havoc.
Stories range in tone from the borderline zany, cozy-style
“Elmwood Blues” by Phyllis Appleby — which is heavy on
local color and light on plot — to “Murder in Midtown” by
Kristi Bradley, a solid short with plenty of red herrings and
emotional intrigue, featuring the residential environs of
Midtown as merely an incidental setting. The settings of
some stories are sort of characters in their own right, like
the James Lee House (former home of Memphis College of
Art) in “An Artful Death” by Elizabeth Smith.
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 21
“Night Fishing” by Angelyn Sher-
rod takes place at the Burkle Estate,
which now operates as the Slavehav-
en Underground Railroad Museum
in Memphis. In antebellum days, the
land was owned by Jacob Burkle, a
German immigrant who was widely
believed to be a secret abolitionist and
whose home served as a stop on the
Underground Railroad. In a way, this
historical footnote is instrumental to
Sherrod’s murder mystery, for Burkle’s
extraordinarily respectful relationship
with the servants on his plantation
ultimately leads to a timely discovery
of who the murderer really is.
Like “Night Fishing,” many of the
stories have history lessons embed-
ded in them, and thanks to each story’s
being introduced by a historical blurb
about its setting, you’ll finish the
collection a little wiser about weird
Memphis than when you started it.
Many of Malice in Memphis’s authors
are published novelists, including
James Paavola, author of the Murder
in Memphis series featuring Memphis
Police Department Lieutenant Julia Todd.
Contributors Barbara Christopher, Caro-
lyn McSparren, Patricia Potter, Ange-
lyn Sherrod and Elizabeth Smith have
published novels in a variety of genres.
For others — Kristi Bradley, Juanita Dunn
Houston, Cheryl Noland, and Melissa
Royer — stories published in Malice in
Memphis are among their first pieces of
published fiction. Phyllis Appleby writes
interactive mystery plays and writes,
directs, produces, and stars in Death
Du Jour Mystery Theater, which head-
lines Spaghetti Warehouse in Downtown
Memphis, among other venues.
Lest you draw the wrong conclu-
sions about the creative and morbid-
minded MidSoutherners who make
up the Malice in Memphis writers
group, McSparren assures us in her
“Disclaimer and Introduction” that
they “are essentially peaceful. We can
always bump off unpleasant people
in our writing. No reason to do it in
actuality. So don’t blame the blameless
landmarks we’ve used. Remember, it’s
all fiction.”
22 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 23
From down-home blues to glitzy rock ’n’ roll, these
25 MUSICIANS have a style all their own. Click Magazine rounds up
THE BEST THE MIDSOUTH has to offer as the summer concert season comes to a close
25Southern
MUSICIANSBY TESS CATLETT
24 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
SIDE STREET STEPPERSSelf-described as “vintage and vaudeville,” The Side Street
Steppers aim to please. The four-piece act plays everything
from Western swing to folk, adding its own twist to classic
tracks. 2013’s sophomore effort, The Sweetest Peaches Don’t
Grow On Trees, features tunes by Bessie Smith, Hank Williams
Sr. and Mae West. Caravan Gypsy Swing band leader Chris Rup-
penthal pops in as a guest artist to bring his jazz-influenced
guitar styling to the record.
SOUNDS LIKE — Dixieland jazz; Vaudeville blues CHECK OUT — “Mississippi Heavy Water Blues”
PILLOW TALKRooted in pop-punk, Pillow Talk offers a fresh take on songs
about heartache and the one that got away. Originally a side
project between vocalist Josh Cannon and guitarist Calvin Lau-
ber, the duo soon added guitarist Kevin Gibson, bassist Hunter
Davidson and drummer Sam Leathers to the mix. Although de-
but EP Recreational Feelings is ambitious in its own right, March’s
What We Should Have Said sets a new standard. Hazy sound-
scapes blur into plush melodies, proving that shoegazing alt-
rock has a softer side.
SOUNDS LIKE — Dream pop CHECK OUT — “Make You Real”
PENGEAFemale-fronted rock band PENGEA is back at it with the
spring release of Tales from the No-Tell Motel. After months of
heavy promotion, the six-song EP is making the rounds in the
Memphis music scene. It isn’t hard to see why. Vocalist Bob-
bie Parker is one wicked songstress, blending grit with glam
as she purrs over twangin’ guitar riffs. Jimmy Rodgers slams
on drums, with bassist John Davis and guitarists Kevin Green-
burg and Robert Parker rounding out the line-up.
SOUNDS LIKE — Hard rock CHECK OUT — “Dreamland”
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 25
DEAD SOLDIERS In line with the likes of Willie Nelson and
Johnny Cash, Dead Soldiers isn’t here
to romanticize the South. Instead, the
group fields its own ideas of life below
the Mason-Dixon line. Poverty, mental
illness and institutionalized racism are
at the heart of Dead Soldiers’ discogra-
phy. Compared to 2013’s full-length de-
but, last year’s High Anxiety offers a wel-
come change of pace. A mix of acoustic
and electric, the four-song EP solidifies
the group’s folk-rock sound with swaying
rhythms backing rollicking refrains.
SOUNDS LIKE — Progressive bluegrassCHECK OUT — “Nobody’s Son”
CHINESE CONNECTION DUB EMBASSYWith roots as close as Memphis and as far as New York, the
members of Chinese Connection Dub Embassy have one goal
in mind: unity. Determined to bring light and positivity to
the world at large, the new-age group offers original tracks
and fanciful takes on reggae standards. 2013’s Farmers Market
Chronicles EP features covers of “Take On Me” and “Love TKO.”
The group also released its first full-length, The Firm Founda-
tion, that spring.
SOUNDS LIKE — Reggae CHECK OUT — “Get Ready”
BAILEY AND WYLY BIGGERWyly Bigger picked up the piano at age 4, and by the time he
was 8 years old, he was already performing for diverse audi-
ences. Now in his late teens, Wyly has swapped the keys for
the blues. With two of Clarksdale’s Pinetop Perks Homecom-
ing Festivals under his belt and a song on iTunes (“South Side
of Southern”), Wyly has laid the groundwork for his younger
sister, Bailey.
She took up the guitar at age 9 and has been writing her
own music ever since. Still in her tweens, Bailey has had
her song “Best Small Town” featured on the City of Marion,
Arkansas’, website and has placed in a number of local talent
completions.
SOUNDS LIKE — Acoustic; Blues CHECK OUT — “Somewhere”
26 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
DEERING AND DOWNWhen budding musician Lahna Deering met estab-
lished bandleader Rev. Neil Down in Skagway, Alaska,
in 1998, Down knew he had found his musical match.
It wasn’t long before the pair released its debut Coupe
de Villa — a foot-tapping, rock ‘n’ roll number — and
began touring the U.S. By 2007, the indie duo decided
to make its way to Memphis one last time. Lead single
“You’re the One” paves the way for more after 2009’s
Out There Somewhere, a breathtaking tribute to the
sounds of the city.
SOUNDS LIKE — Sultry folkCHECK OUT — “You’re the One”
HI ELECTRICRelatively quiet since 2012’s eponymous debut,
Hi Electric remains one to watch. Champion-
ing unadulterated vocals and loud guitars, the
group began as a backing band for Neil Bartlett.
Dave Shouse of Grifters and Steve Selvidge of
The Hold Steady were the original muske-
teers, later giving way to Alan Yee on bass
and Henry Talbot on drums. High Electric’s first
release garnered local critical acclaim and
thrust the group into the indie-rock spotlight.
SOUNDS LIKE — Pop rockCHECK OUT — “Talking to Yourself”
DEVIL TRAINDive-bar staple Devil Train has been a fixture at the Buccaneer
Lounge on Monroe Avenue since 2005. The five-piece plays Memphis
soul and gypsy jazz and is heavy on the strings. Clint Wagner favors
the fiddle, whereas Jonathan Ciaramitaro prefers the mandolin. The
two also take the lead on vocals and guitar, with James Ray also com-
ing in on his acoustic. National Bluegrass Banjo Champion Randal
Morton is at the top of his game, and JD Westmoreland bumps the
upright bass. Graham Winchester smooths it out with slick
percussion.
SOUNDS LIKE — BluegrassCHECK OUT — “Little Black Cloud”
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 27
THE ELLIE BADGEA blistering mix of electro-infused
pop punk, The Ellie Badge is remi-
niscent of early 2000s-era emo pop.
The alter ego of twentysomething
Jeremiah Matthews, The Ellie Badge
tackles adolescence and adulthood,
lousy friends and lost lovers. And af-
ter a handful of EPs, 2014’s full-length
Vs. All Your Problems offers a highly-an-
ticipated dose of a angst and despair.
SOUNDS LIKE — Indie punkCHECK OUT — “Friends With New Haircuts”
28 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
THE BAND AVON DALEWhen frontman Conrad Polz and guitarist Matt McCarter first
met their freshman year at the University of Illinois Cham-
paign-Urbana, they didn’t plan on starting a band. Both mem-
bers of the university’s wrestling team, Polz and McCarter
spent their free time jamming at Polz’s house on Avondale
Avenue. But when the duo caught the attention of drummer
Alec Heist, they decided to get serious. They began playing gigs,
and after graduation, the group made the move to Memphis.
After adding bassist Andrew Allen to the line-up, the four-
piece recorded it’s 2014 debut, Dress It Up, at Ardent Studios.
SOUNDS LIKE — Southern Rock CHECK OUT — “Worst Case”
TIGER HIGHVocalist and guitarist Jake Vest is joined by his brother, Toby,
on vocals and organ, Greg Roberson on drums and Leo Ramos
on bass to form Tiger High. The psych pop four-piece kicked
things off in 2010, and went on to release Myth Is This and Cata-
combs After Party on cassette in 2012. Now on its third LP, 2015’s
Inside the Acid Coven, the band is hitting its stride. Recorded at
Toby’s studio, High/Low Recording, the concept album weaves a
multi-faceted narrative.
SOUNDS LIKE — Psychedelic rock CHECK OUT — “So It Goes”
YOUNG BUFFALODrawing comparisons to Vampire Weekend
and Local Natives, Young Buffalo spins an ef-
fervescent blend of synth-influenced pop. The
Oxford-based quintet made its full-length debut
with March’s House, a deceptively upbeat record
about broken relationships and self-discovery.
Infectious melodies give way to lyrical distress,
all coated with a haze of summertime sheen.
Released on Votiv Records, House was a three-
year process ripe with musical awakening. Up-
heaval within the band temporarily called the
album into question, but the Young Buffalo boys
are back in the game.
SOUNDS LIKE — Indie pop rockCHECK OUT — “No Idea”
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NICK BLACK Old school rhythm and blues meets modern soul on Nick
Black’s sophomore release, Deep Blue. The follow-up to 2012’s
The Soul Diaries, Deep Blue is a natural progression; mastered
by Grammy award-winning engineer Brad Blackwood and
co-produced by acclaimed musician Victor Wainwright,
the album bounces from ballad to blues to boogie. Looking for
love in all the right places, Black navigates timeworn matters
of the heart over the course of ten songs. Solid in sound, Deep
Blue offers a sweet escape down memory lane.
SOUNDS LIKE — Soul; R&B CHECK OUT — “Reason to Stay”
MISSISSIPPI STOMP For over two decades, the members
of Mississippi Stomp have come to-
gether to cultivate the captivating
sounds of the MidSouth. The group
— comprised of five brothers and
one sister — has played together and
apart in a number of different acts
before settling on its current incarna-
tion. No longer interested in belting
out well-known cover songs, Missis-
sippi Stomp prides itself on creating
an original mix of hill-country blues,
rock ’n’ roll and gospel. Last year’s de-
but, Chickasaw Lodge, offers up a range
of new and old produced by Jimbo
Mathus and Ryan “Rando” Rogers.
SOUNDS LIKE — Southern rock CHECK OUT — “Hill Country”
HOSOI BROSAfter getting its start in 2010, hardcore trash band Hosoi Bros
went on to release two 7” singles: 2011’s Wine Witch, featuring
the eponymous lead song and “Yellow Fever,” and 2012’s Snor-
lokk, which included both the title track and “Amberlamps.”
Vocalists and guitarists Severin Allgood and Shawn Apple,
drummer Jimmy James Blasingame and bassist Eric Forten-
bery are getting ready to debut the band’s first full-length re-
cord, which is set to release by summer’s end.
SOUNDS LIKE — Thrash metal CHECK OUT — “Wine Witch”
30 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
SANDERS BOHLKE Slow things down with Oxford native Sanders Bohlke. The
singer-songwriter expertly weaves powerful vocals with
folk-tinged melodies for a haunting finish. Drawing compar-
isons to the likes of Amos Lee and Ray LaMontagne, Bohlke’s
soulful croon leaves even the most casual listener wanting
more. Including his eponymous debut in ’06, the artist has
only released two full-length albums; instead, Bohlke pep-
pers fans with bits and pieces across a handful of EPs. Feb-
ruary’s The Night EP is the latest, with five songs chronicling
his sonic journey.
SOUNDS LIKE — Indie folkCHECK OUT — “The Return”
THE JAGHailing from Jackson, Mississippi, founding members Aaron
Tyler King, Joe Regan and Gant O’Brien were in creative
cahoots for about 10 years before they made the move to
Nashville. There they joined forces with Scott Harper, and,
in 2012, adopted The JAG moniker. Acid rock bleeds into 70s
glam, laying a trippy framework for innovative hooks and
brooding bass. After 2012’s Mississippi Acid Pine Highway Tour
EP, The JAG went on to record its sophomore effort with Bomb
Shelter’s Andrija Tokic. The new record is set to release this
fall.
SOUNDS LIKE — Psychedelic rock CHECK OUT — “White Horse”
ROSCO BANDANAA melting pot of mixed influences, Rosco
Bandana began as a straight-laced Ameri-
cana act and has evolved into a progressive
southern rock band. Elements of blues and
bluegrass fuse with alternative country on
the group’s sophomore release, Time to Be-
gin. Released on Hard Rock Records, the al-
bum resulted from winning the 2011 Hard
Rock Rising Battle of the Bands. The win
took the band from dive bars and restau-
rants on the Gulf Coast to the main stage on
a national tour.
SOUNDS LIKE — CountryCHECK OUT — “Woe Is Me”
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JOHN MURRY Although the Tupelo native has taken
up residence across the pond, John
Murry hasn’t lost sight of his Southern
roots. His critically acclaimed debut,
The Graceless Age, combines familiar in-
strumentation with substantive lyrics,
and weeping Americana glistening with
gothic realism. Last year’s four-song fol-
low-up, Califorlornia, shifts Murry’s focus
from raw and uncut to something more
modern. The timeworn traveler contin-
ues to flex the heart on his sleeve, crying
out for something more while rejecting
the absurdity of everyday existence.
SOUNDS LIKE — Folk rockCHECK OUT — “Southern Sky”
32 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
HOPE CLAYBURN’S SOUL SCRIMMAGEA revolving door for noteworthy Memphis musicians,
the Soul Scrimmage ensemble has featured bassist
Khari Wynn, guitarist Robert Allen Parker Jr. and trum-
peter Victor Darnell Sawyer. Multi-instrumentalist Paul
Taylor of The Merry Mobile and Kickman Teddy of Free-
Sol have even been known to take up the drums. Led
by saxophonist and vocalist Hope Clayburn, the Soul
Scrimmage mixes funky vibes with soulful afrobeat
style. With one EP out and a full-length album on the
way, the group shows no sign of slowing down.
SOUNDS LIKE — FunkCHECK OUT — “Love Is On The Way”
SWEET KNIVESFormerly of the legendary Lost Sounds, Alicja Trout and Rich Crook
are back at it with the reboot Sweet Knives. The band disbanded in
2005 after an ill-fated European tour, leading the late Jay Reatard to
embark on a solo venture. Meanwhile, Trout went to work with rock
band River City Tanlines and dream pop quintet Mouserocket. Now,
Lost Sounds’ synth-heavy legacy is being revived through pop-up
shows around town. Hear bites from the group’s reconfigured
discography at this year’s Gonerfest.
SOUNDS LIKE — Punk rockCHECK OUT — “I Get Nervous”
EX-CULTEx-Cult emerged in 2011 with vocalist Chris
Shaw, formerly of hardcore outfit Vile Nation,
and drummer Michael Peery, previously with
pop rock act The Magic Kids, teaming up as Sex
Cult. Natalie Hoffmann came in on bass, and
guitarists J.B. Horrell and Alec McIntyre joined
in for the band’s breakthrough single, “Errand
Boy.” By late 2012, the band had switched gears
and taken up the name Ex-Cult. After two LPs
and a lineup change, Ex-Cult is heading out on
the road in support of its February EP, Cigarette
Machine.
SOUNDS LIKE — PunkCHECK OUT — “Not a Threat”
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TORI TOLLISON A fixture in the Memphis music scene, Tori
Tollison has been playing music for over a de-
cade. Similar in sound to P!nk and Stevie Nicks,
the singer-songwriter has a knack for deliver-
ing heartfelt pleas mixed with straight-up sass.
Although she’s known for cover songs, 2012’s
“Bed You Made” and March’s acoustic “Walk
Away” prove that Tollison can hold her own.
SOUNDS LIKE — Rock ’n’ RollCHECK OUT — “Bed You Made”
BASS DRUM OF DEATHOriginally a solo effort, the Oxford-based
punk rock band has come a long way
since John Barrett’s one-man approach to
his bass drum and guitar. Barrett’s scrap-
py self-production offered up rough cuts
of earsplitting garage rock that eventually
landed on video game soundtracks and
in ad campaigns. Now a two-man crew,
Bass Drum of Death features Len Clark
on drums while Barrett mans the guitar.
Although the pair announced a hiatus in
mid-May, the band appears to be back at
it again with a few supporting tour dates
lined up in September.
SOUNDS LIKE — Garage rockCHECK OUT — “Way Out”
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Agricenter International’s annual farm-to-table tasting event invited guests aboard the Agricenter’s “country limousine”
for an evening of moonlight and moonshine. Some of Memphis’ top chefs — including Kelly English of Restaurant Iris
and The Second Line — were on hand to create a number of culinary delights. Photos by MIKE LEE
Feast on the Farm
OUT&ABOUTAROUND TOWN ONE PARTY AT A TIME
all things social
Jeremy & Emily Matthews
38 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
out & about parties
Deb Nichols & Ann Terry
David & Suzanne BrandonBen Patalano, Elliott Birch, Ashley Bradberry & Conrad Phillips
Johnny & Sue Roberts George & Bryn Wilson
Jeanne & Richard Hollis
Linda & Michael Spano, Karen & Gary TaylorLauren Binkley & Allen Willams
Karen & Jim Avery Lori & Robby Parker Marilyn Kain & Paul Coombs
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 39
Kerri Morgan & Marilyn Kennedy
Jeremy & Lindsey Renfroe
Fern Dillard & Kelley Scott
David & Erica Marrone
40 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Memphis-based rockers Seeing Red kicked off the annual
Sunset on the Square summer concert series on June 4.
Sponsored by First Tennessee Bank, this family-friendly
event in Hernando offers the best in local music each Thursday in
June. Photos by MIKE LEE
Sunset on the Square: Seeing Red
out & about parties
Eva & Harper Ward & Marijo Cox
Drew, Amanda & Natalie Ferguson
Grace Owens, Natalie Shoffner & Maddie Jones Kristin Reich & ‘Sinatra’ Diane & Ken McNeil
Meghan, Cameron & Chaney Dawkins
Maddison & Shannon WelchJennifer, Allie, Sam, Emma Witt & ‘Laila’
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 41
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42 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
out & about parties
Children benefitting from pediatric therapy strutted
down the catwalk at Through the Roof Pediatric
Therapy’s fourth annual fashion show in Hernando.
Accompanied by their mothers, each modeled the latest in
local fashions. The show highlighted attire from Center Stage,
Jack Anna Beanstalk and Southern Comfort, just to name a
few. Buon Cibo, Lady Bugg Bakery and Catering by Donna
supplied an array of baked goods and other tasty bites.
Photos by MATT FLOYD
Alice Figgs, Tiffany & Tre Wilson & Clarie Dawkins-Davis
Leslie Wilson, Eliza, Mari Hendrix & Hayley McDowell
Julie & Angel Montgomery Theri & Laney HamiltonCharlene & Cannon Belue
April, ‘Scout’ & Tadd Baxter
Heather & Annelise Peacock Sha-Kiya Brown, Omarion Scott & Felisha Key
Jack & Sydney Mahony Cohen & Sarah Perkins
Judy, Sam, Will & Mike Ferguson
4th Annual Through the Roof Pediatric Therapy
Fashion Show & Silent Auction
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 43
out & aboutparties
Beer connoisseurs enjoyed stouts
from around the world at the
Memphis Zoo’s annual Zoo
Brew. Widely considered to be one of
the Zoo’s most popular fundraisers,
the exotic celebration offers the best
in brew alongside live entertainment.
Photos by FRANK CHIN
Zoo Brew
Amy & Jeff Simcox Caitlin Jones & Adan Qureshi
Joni Rousseau & Casey Yoakum
Alesha & Jeff Deane
Alithia & Keda Webb
Verity Goodell & Michelle Grabowski Jennifer Warren & Christy Smith
Angel & Marcus Martin Patrick Sweeney & Misty Roberson Kelsey & Zack Zaharko
44 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
out & about partiesout & about parties
The culmination of the Memphis Wine + Food
series, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s
Grand Auction offered exotic trips, rare wines
and exquisite artwork. Bidders could also participate
in a special paddle raise that provided support for
the Brooks’ outreach programs. Photos by FRANK CHIN
Brooks Museum
Grand Auction
Aaron & Sarah Klimek Emily Neff Janet Lo, Kim Williams & Bob Cabral
Brooke & Jerry PlunkSara & Ravi Madasu
Kirk & Karen Johnston Merilyn Mangum & Robert Hanusovsky
R.D. & Vicki Singh
Dr. Marc & Wendi Mihalko, Lisa & Jerrod Smith Keri & Clay Chapman & Andrew Taylor
Andy & Cathy Perkins Betsy Brasher & Sarah Cate Francie Saunders & Tiffany Parker
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Memphis Botanic Garden’s third wine tasting
event of the season shined a light on a
collection of French wines. The tasting
invited guests to indulge in eight varietals, as well
as a selection of hors d’oeuvres by Eclectic Catering.
Photos by FRANK CHIN
Vine to Wine at the Garden
out & about partiesout & about parties
Lance & Fiona Binder
Barbara Arnold, Janie Garrett & Tina Moran
Carly & Melana Sain
Jessie & Tysheena Wakefield Mary Helen & Mark ButlerDoug & Carmen McCage
Joe Witherwax & Courtney Murray Kellie & Corey Doyle Michelle Ybos & Shirley Danyleyko
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 47
out & aboutparties
For more than 30 years, Brussel’s Bonzai in Olive Branch has been
a destination for committed bonsai hobbyists. And each year,
these enthusiasts make the trip for the nursery’s Memorial Day
Rendezvous. Bonzai masters from around the world come together to lead
hands-on workshops and offer demonstrations. Photos by MIKE LEE
Brussels Bonzai Rendezvous
Marc Norlanders, Brussel Martin & Russell Baggett
Randi Heise & Gerald Nolan
Byron Myrick & Hurley Johnson
Keith & Cheryl Kowalczyk Jack Douthitt & Michelle Zimmer Darren & Laura Wong
Jeff Tilt
48 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Carnival Memphis has served the MidSouth for more than 80 years. What
began as an effort to promote commerce in the community has grown into
a celebration of the region’s leaders and overall economic success. Pegged as
the party of the year, the Crown and Sceptre Coronation Ball honors the King, Queen,
Royal Court and Grand Krewes. These individuals are recognized for their service to
the community and take part in a number of charity-focused activities throughout
their reign. Photos by MARY ECKERSLEY
Crown & Sceptre Coronation Ball
Peyton Halle & Joanie Lightman Tiffany Brimhall & Floy Cole
Bill Corwell & Nancy Chase
Philip Jurgens Meyer & Briana Wilson
Mace Gearhardt & McClain GordonMary Lauren Bobango & Paige Williams
Ginger Collier & Preston Roberts
Sharon Fewell, Selina Smith, Julie Eaves & Cindy Shaw Mike & Susan Shivers, Bridgette Trenary & JJ Krauch
John Bobango & Lockie DearmanStacey Husse, Glynn Alexander, Kimberly Tayloe & Carey SniderMithcell & Janet Spurlock and Lauren & Chris Winchell
out & about parties
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Francis Winkler & June Leatherland
Anita Howald & Wayne Fewell
David Jordan & Caroline Carter
Tori Crnogorac & Jaime Fields
50 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
out & about parties
Honoring only the Royal
Court, Carnival Memphis’
Princess Ball is an invitation-
only event for association members
and their guests. Mark Anderson’s
Party Train provided live music.
Photos by FRANK CHIN
The Princess Ball
Carl Nichols & Taylor Kinard Laura Scott & Lauren Blackstone Mary Harbert Stromberg & Townsend Morgan
Lisa Thompson & Elise Freeburg Charity Cobb, Ally Luciano & Anne Walker
Parker Sexton & Elizabeth OwenPhillip & Missy Green
Lizzy Pitts & Amy WalkerSallie Harris & Mary StranglerParker Tenent & Collier Roberts
Emily Green & Morgan Sumner Nannie Harris & Seth Young Regan Gaillard, Tiffany Brimhall & March Gates
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 51
out & aboutparties
Southern Thunder Harley Davidson invited motorcycle-
lovers from across the MidSouth to its Southaven
location for one hot kickoff party. Local bands Under
the Radar and Basketcase played throughout the afternoon,
and demo rides were on the table for anyone interested.
Photos by MIKE LEE
Sizzlin’ Summer Kickoff Party
Dayton Engelbrecht, ‘Piper’, Kyler Pryon & Tyler Diehl
Lashunda Jones, Michael Parker & Henry Brown
Tim Hussey & Don WilliamsJessica & David Ratcliff
David & Michelle Croenne
James Yarbrough & Jimmy Glover
King Pappi, Big Cell & King Dream Wil Gatlin & Lydia Kuhn
52 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
out & about parties
Held at the Tennessee Brewery, the gala previewed a
number of items to be auctioned at The Blues Ball this
fall. A painting of B.B. King by artist Michael Maness
and a guitar by Ernie Patton bearing King’s likeness are among
those up for grabs, as this year’s Ball will pay special tribute to
the fallen bluesman. Photos by FRANK CHIN
Blues Ball Spring Auction and
Crawfish boil
Pat Kerr Tigrett Melanie Tigrett & Jackie Wilson
Karen & Taylor Luna Jessica & Kim Hunter
Lana Smith & Dr. John Rada
Amy Reaves & Samantha Hayes
Mike Glenn & Jacinda Norton
David Bunk, LaToya Sharp & Gary Gardo Stacy, Nick & Betty Jean Harmeier
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out & about parties
This cover band offered up a mix of country tunes and good ol’ fashioned
rock ’n’ roll at Sunset on the Square in Hernando. The four-piece features
frontman guitarists Jay Stone and Juno Aventon, while Rome McMinn
thumps the bass and Rickey Shelton slams on drums. Photos by ROBERT LONG
Sunset on the Square: Say it Ain’t So
Shari & Marshall Galloway
Susan Fernandez, Pam Black & Neal CannonHudson Fernandez, Jesse Ingram & Pinot
Melanie Dupree, Diane & Lester SmithKelli & Brian Baker
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 55
Literacy Mid-South and Marx-
Bensdorf Realtors presented
the fourth annual Literatini
benefitting LML’s Adult Learning
Program. The program serves more
than 500 low-literate students
annually and provides adult learners
with free tutoring. This year’s Literatini
featured hors d’oeuvres from The
Booksellers Bistro and mixed drinks
from a number of local restaurants,
including Alchemy, South of Beale
and Café Ole. Bestselling author
Marja Mills, known for her Harper
Lee memoir The Mockingbird Next Door,
was on hand for a signing and Q&A.
Photos by FRANK CHIN
Literatini
out & aboutparties
Angie & Zack Street
Charles Chooch Pickard & Valerie Calhoun
Barry Wolverton & Brit McDaniel Jon & Rachel Dickens
Taylor Wamble & Knox Shelton Tracie West & Alison Welch
Shannon & Paul Schuhlein
Charlie & Courtney Miller Santo Beverly Perkins & Rodney Newsom
Jessica Toliuszis & Christina Vranich Lindsey True & Andrea Schultz
56 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Tunica Arts Council sponsored Arts in the Alley, which featured
live music by Tunica locals Byron Earnheart, Patrick Johnson
and Dave Klimek. A celebration of arts and culture, the event
also recognized photography and other visual works, including a
children’s chalk wall. Photos by MIKE LEE
Tunica Arts Council’s
Arts in the Alley
out & about parties
Jane Sullivan, Joe & Priscilla MusgraveDeanno & Monty WigginsBrad & Brenda Cobb
Jody & Kate Scott PennockElizabeth & Michael Johnson with John Aubrey, Lucas Johnson, Nolen Shannon & Mack Johnson Victoria & Carter Bobo & Jan Watson
Anita Hastings & Lilibeth Withers
Byron Earnheart & Patrick JohnsonPat Bibb & Eddie McGregor
Terry Lancaster & Brenda VanCleave Yoriko, Hannah, Sho, Emma & Michael Sides Clay Gentry & Laura Wright
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 57
On June 6, the Southaven Chapter of the
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority celebrated their
fifth year as an active charter with a
luncheon at Goodman Oaks Church of Christ.
The sorority also used this time to present their
yearly scholarships to deserving DeSoto County
seniors. Photos by MIKE LEE
out & aboutparties
Telitha Ball, Vachenzia McKinney & Sophie Griffin
Mary McClain & Katrina Guthwright
Tommerria Hearn & Debra Sykes
Kimberly Williamson & Stephanie McCarty
Jerrica Birks & Tianna Howard
Jackie & Phylecia MasonAmanda Carter & Stephanie ThaddiesAuslyn Frazier & Katelyn Gatewood
Zeta Phi Beta 5th Anniversary
Celebration
58 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
SOCIAL AGENDAYour monthly resource for what’s happening around town
out & about calendar
1Spirit of SRVSHilton Memphis7–11:30 p.m. Sponsored by Sedgwick, this auction event features a wide variety of wines from around the world and a hearty selection of local fare. Proceeds from the 17th annual gala will benefit SRVS programs and ser-vices. Admission $75.srvs.org
7Firefly Glow PartyMemphis Botanic Garden 7 –9 p.m.Light up the night sky at this family-friend-ly bash. Amp up your look at the Illumina-tion Station before a dance party featuring an LED hoop performance and music by The Friendzies. Admission $12-$15.memphisbotanicgarden.com
Backstage BashOrpheum Theatre6 p.m. Step through the famous “Stage Door” on Beale Street for a lively backstage experi-ence in Memphis. Central BBQ and Hard Rock Café will provide a delicious meal, and Buster’s Liquors & Wines has the cocktails covered. Admission $25-$250.orpheum-memphis.com
15Splash Time at the DixonDixon Gallery & Gardens2–4 p.m.Beat the summer heat in Memphis by run-ning through the sprinklers and relaxing in front of the fans at the gardens. Admission $3-$7.dixon.org
15Moon River Music FestivalLevitt Shell11 a.m. to 11 p.m.Catch Drew Holocomb & The Neighbors, Needtobreathe, Switchfoot and more at the second annual Moon River Music Festival in Memphis. Admission $25-$75.moonriverfestival.com
Live at the Garden: ZZ TopMemphis Botanic Garden8:30 p.m.Legendary rock band ZZ Top takes the stage as part of the Live at the Garden concert series. Expect epic renditions of all the clas-sics. Admission $40-$74.liveatthegarden.com
20Art After Dark: HerbsDixon Gallery & Gardens6–8 p.m.Join Melissa Peterson, editor and publisher of Edible Memphis, on a tour around the Dixon’s herb garden in Memphis. Light refreshments and a cash bar will also be available. Admission $3-$7.dixon.org
22Paw Prints PartyThe Racquet Club of Memphis5:30–11 p.m. Enjoy live music by jukebox band Front & Beale and bid on live and silent auction items at this fundraiser for the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County. Ad-mission $150.memphishumane.org
6th annual City Wide Scavenger HuntGale CenterGrab a couple of friends and put your knowledge of the Hernando community to the test. Participants traverse the town in hopes of winning a $1,000 grand prize. Admission $20.hernandorec.com
A Vintage Affair: Toast to Life GalaMemphis Botanic Garden6–11 p.m.Party for a cause at this year’s Toast to Life Gala benefitting American Cancer Society. Admission $250.main.acsevents.org
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25Vine to Wine at the Garden: My Big Backyard BBQMemphis Botanic Garden6–8 p.m.Sample a selection of wines and beers fit for a picnic in the park. Central BBQ will provide the meal, and Minor Street Strings will soothe the soul at this tasting in Mem-phis. Admission $25-$35.memphisbotanicgarden.com
28Silent NightHoliday Inn–University of Memphis6 p.m.Hear from the evening’s featured artist, Tom Sullivan. An acclaimed jack-of-all-trades, Sullivan has done everything from singing to writing to producing. Attend-ees can also take part in a silent auction. Admission $100. worldcataract.org
29Art SaleOrpheum Theatre1 p.m.Snack on hors d’oeuvres while perusing art from some of the MidSouth’s top art-ists in Memphis. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the Orpheum’s new Hal-loran Centre for Performing Arts & Educa-tion. Admission $10.orpheum-memphis.com
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ENTERTAINMENTout & about calendar
1Patti LaBelleHorseshoe Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $41.50-$102ticketmaster.com
1Ramcat Rhythm & BrewsRamcat Alley, Greenwood6-10 p.m., Admission $20greenwoodms.com
5Kevin Gates Minglewood Hall, Memphis9 p.m., Admission $15-$30minglewoodhall.com
7Outcry TourBankPlus Amphitheater, Southaven 7 p.m., Admission $22-$42ticketmaster.com
7-9Sunflower River Blues and Gospel FestivalDowntown Clarksdale4:30 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m. Sat., 4 p.m. Sun., Admission freesunflowerfest.org
8Kool and the GangGoldStrike Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $49.95-$79.95goldstrike.com
9Cat Head Mini Blues Fest Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art Store, Clarksdale10 a.m., Admission freecathead.biz
Second Street Blues PartyRock & Blues Museum, Clarksdale10 a.m., Admission freeblues2rock.com
13Tim McGrawBankPlus Amphitheater, Southaven 7 p.m., Admission $30.75-$61.75ticketmaster.com
14Jamey JohnsonHorseshoe Casino, Tunica 8 p.m., Admission $26.50-$102ticketmaster.com
14-15RustenhavenRoxy’s Live at Sam’s Town Casino, Tunica9 p.m., Admission freesamstowntunica.com
15Sounds of Summer Music & Family FestivalByhalia Walking Park, Byhalia5-10 p.m., Admission $5byhalia-ms.com
21Corey SmithMinglewood Hall, Memphis9 p.m., Admission $18-$20minglewoodhall.com
Kenny RodgersHorseshoe Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $31.50-$102ticketmaster.com
21-22Billy Jones Bluez BandRoxy’s Live at Sam’s Town Casino, Tunica9 p.m., Admission freesamstowntunica.com
28Neil SedakaHorseshoe Casino, Tunica8 p.m., Admission $42-$102ticketmaster.com
30Belle and SebastianMinglewood Hall, Memphis9 p.m., Admission $32-$35minglewoodhall.com
VISUAL ARTS6-8Art-er Limits: Oxford Fringe FestivalDowntown Oxford6 p.m. Thurs., 1 p.m. Fri., 9 a.m. Sat., Admission $5-$10oxfordarts.com
through August 23River ExhibitionNational Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., Noon-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $4-$6 metalmuseum.org
through August 30Arp, Man Ray, and Matta: Surrealists in any mediumMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org
through September 5V.I.P. Portrait Gallery by Andrzej MaciejewskiThe University of Mississippi Museum, Oxford10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat., Admission $3-$5museum.olemiss.edu
through September 820th Century Color Woodcuts: Japonisme and BeyondMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org
MUSIC
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through September 11A Kind of ConfessionNational Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., Noon-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $4-$6 metalmuseum.org
through September 13Surreal Kingdoms Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org
through September 20British Watercolors from the Golden AgeMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org
through September 20PlayMemphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis10 a.m.-4 p.m. Weds., 10 a.m-8 p.m. Thurs., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Admission $3-$7brooksmuseum.org
PERFORMANCE ARTS1-2Menopause: The Musical Orpheum Theatre, Memphis2 p.m., 8 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Admission $39-$49orpheum-memphis.com
14 through September 6Billy Elliot the MusicalPlayhouse on the Square, Memphis8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Admission $15-$40playhouseonthesquare.org
21 through September 6Buyer and CellarCircuit Playhouse, Memphis8 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sun., Admission $15-$35playhouseonthesquare.org
62 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
THE PERFECT BLEND OF glitz AND grunge FOR A HOT NIGHT
ON THE TOWN
Photography PAM FIELDS
Models KAYLEN SHELBY & AVIANA MONASTERIO
Fashion Coordinator MAGGIE VINZANT
Styling and Makeup ALEXANDRA NICOLE
Hair MARCIE KAY SECCOMBE
“BohoBlues
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 63
Aviana:Top $40, Janie Rose Boutique; Jeans $84, Ivory Closet; Boots $63, Purse $70, Cuff Bracelet $14, Pink Coconut Boutique; Earrings $22, The Attic
Kaylen:Top $60, Janie Rose Boutique; Pants $84, Ivory Closet; Boots $110, Necklace $98, The Attic; Brace-let $85, Bracelet $42, Earrings $24, SoCo Apparel
64 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Top $60, Shoes $134, Janie Rose Boutique; Pants $20, Necklace $16, Pink Coconut Boutique; Earrings $24, The Attic; Scarf $15, Ivory Closet
Top $28, Bracelet $24, SoCo Apparel; Purse $60, Shorts $48, The Bunker; Vest $42, Shoes $28, Bracelet $18, Earrings $22, Pink Coconut Boutique;
Top $38, Necklace $18, Janie Rose Boutique; Shorts $38, Ivory Closet; Bracelet $20, Shoes $45, Pink Coconut Boutique
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 67
Aviana:Top $20, Skirt $29, Pink Coconut Boutique; Necklace $40, SoCo Apparel; Earrings $16, Ring $30, Janie Rose Boutique
Kaylen:Dress $38, The Bunker; Vest $34, Necklace $28, Bracelet $20, Pink Coconut Boutique; Earrings $16, Janie Rose Boutique
68 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
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Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 69
70 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
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Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 71
Juk� Joints&Dive BarsVenerable venues of the South
72 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 73
Between its former location on Poplar
Avenue and the swanky new Crosstown
Memphis digs, the Hi Tone name carries
a lot of weight in the Bluff City. After 20
years of shows that include hot acts like
Yelawolf, Lucero and Carrie Rodriguez,
the renowned Memphis venue, which
once housed the dojo of Elvis Presley’s
martial arts sensei, Kang Rhee, moved to
its current Crosstown Shoppes location.
“What I loved about the Hi- Tone was the
intimacy the venue brought,” says Phil
Beasley, former Memphis Songwriters
Association president. Beasley was
there when Billy Joe Shaver played. He
was standing near the door that, to
frequenters of the Poplar Hi-Tone, will
always be more closely associated to a
wall with a handle, when Billy Joe tried
to sneak out during a drum solo. Beasley
brought it to Shaver’s attention that it
was locked, and as Shaver looked at the
main entrance, and the sea of people
he’d have to roll through to get to it, he
decided it better to stay. “I ended up
getting to take a picture with him, shake
his hand, and just hang out for a bit with
a guitar shaman,” Beasley says.
Lahna Deering of roots-rock group
Deering and Down has played at both
locations and says of the Cleveland
location since its 2013 inception, “It’s
bare-bones at the moment, but they’re
making music. It’s kind of cool that it is
the way it is.” At the time, it was little more
than a cement room with a soundboard
and porta-john foyer pillars. But rock
n’ roll persisted. “The old building was
pretty cool, and I know it has a lot of
history, but we still have a place to play
music, and that’s the bottom line.”
The Hi Tone Story by Freddy HodgesPhotos by Brian Anderson
74 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Photo by Brian Anderson
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 75
From its historic location at 0 Blues
Alley to its iconic owners in Clarksdale
Mayor Bill Luckett and Academy Award-
winning actor Morgan Freeman, Ground
Zero Blues Club packs a ton of Southern
history in its relatively short 14 years of
operation.
“We got our start because -- when
Morgan Freeman and I used to hang
out in the nineties – we started to see
all these foreign tourists out this way
looking for a good blues show,” Luckett
says. “So we thought, ‘Why not open a
blues club?’ We needed it for historical
preservation, and the area could use it
for employment.”
The club initially drew its naysayers,
skeptical that a “modern” blues club
could invoke the same feeling as the old-
timey juke joints of the region. However,
local apprehensions would go away
after the club, its popularity boosted in
part by endorsements by Freeman, drew
blues fanatics and tourists from all over
the world to see acts like Mark Massey,
Daddy Mack and The 901 Blues Band. “I
think we’ve proven the critics wrong –
the whole world is coming here now,”
Luckett says. “Australia, Canada, Ireland,
Italy, French, German – you see a lot of
different people coming through this
small town of 18,000.”
In addition to a lunch menu that boasts
Southern staples like fried catfish, slow-
cooked pork and all manner of greens,
Ground Zero offers eight apartment
flats to rent for tourists looking for the
authentic juke joint experience. “You
can get all you want of the music and go
to bed listening to it,” Luckett says.
In addition to a year-round, near
constant rotation of blues musicians,
Ground Zero serves as a regional hub
of sorts during celebrations like the
upcoming inaugural Sister City Festival
and ongoing events by the Bridging the
Blues organization, as well as the annual
New Year’s Eve Bash, which Freeman
himself usually attends.
Ground Zero Story by Casey Hilder
Photos above courtesy of Clarksdale CVB
76 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 77
It’s not every music venue that can
boast going from the Faulkners’ livery
stable to the third stop of The Flaming
Lips world record success for most
shows played during a 24-hour period.
Yet, The Lyric Theatre holds that exact
claim to fame, and as the largest music
venue in Oxford, Mississippi, it is known
for bringing several acclaimed national
and international acts to the North
Mississippi region.
“The Flaming Lips travelled from
Memphis to New Orleans playing eight
shows,” says Lindsay Dillon-Maginnis,
the venue’s general manager. “It was a
lot of work. The venue was completely
sold out and everyone was thrilled!
It was broadcast live the entire time.”
Along with The Flaming Lips, music acts
like Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, MGMT,
and Modest Mouse have also performed
at the venue, which is located near the
courthouse square at 1006 Van Buren
Avenue in Oxford.
“The Lyric [has also] premiered a lot of
Faulkner films,” says Dillon-Maginnis,
who notes that the venue has underwent
several major changes since it was first
constructed. The original structure was
built during the later part of the 19th
century, and was first used as the livery
stable for William Faulkner’s family. The
1920s saw the stable repurposed into
the theatre that would be Oxford’s first
movie house, and local tales have been
told of how in 1949, William Faulkner saw
the world premiere of MGM’s Intruder in
the Dust in the same building that once
housed his family’s horses.
Falling into disrepair after its post-20s
heyday, The Lyric was used for office space
and a health center during the 1980s.
On July 3, 2008, The Lyric was reopened
and quickly became one of the best-
known music venues of the MidSouth.
With capacity for 500 people seated and
over 1,000 for concerts, the theatre has
been returned to its former glory with
a multimillion-dollar renovation. Also
available to rent for private events, the
bi-level venue offers several bars, state-
of-the-art sound and lighting equipment,
multiple green rooms, and a beautiful
lobby that combines Oxford’s past and
present on unique display.
The Lyr ic Story by Tonya ThompsonPhotos by Brian Anderson
78 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
W ITH A ROCK-SOLID REPUTATION FOR BEING
strong, stable, and secure through its 127 years
of continuous service to Mississippi, Citizens
National Bank is grounded in a rich heritage. Since 1888, the
Bank has never been acquired by another financial institution,
and the Bank is committed to preserving the ideals of
community banking.
The Bank’s business premise is centered on the Power of
Local, and it continues to operate all 26 of its locations within
the Magnolia State on that basis. Two of those locations are in
DeSoto County: one on Hacks Cross Road in Olive Branch and
another on Airways Boulevard in Southaven. Currently the
Bank’s assets exceed $1 billion, while its Wealth Management
division manages an additional $920 million in assets.
According to the Bank’s President and CEO, Archie McDonnell,
Jr., Citizens National Bank reinvests 100% of customers’
deposits back into Mississippi. “Area citizens may not realize
they can make a difference when it comes to strengthening
their community, but it’s been proven they can do so by
choosing to bank locally,” McDonnell added.
The Bank places a strong emphasis on the customer’s
experience when he or she visits the Bank, and the employees
strive to know their customers on a first-name basis.
In addition, Citizens National Bank is keenly interested in
the financial fitness of each customer. “Many years ago, our
Citizens National Bank says “Yes” to assistingits customers in being financially successful
on the money Special Advertising Section
1Investments are not FDIC insured, not guaranteed by the Bank, and subject to loss of principal.
Olive Branch Banking Centre7280 Hacks Cross Rd. Olive Branch, MS 38654662.890.2860
Southaven Banking Centre6296 Airways Blvd. Southaven, MS 38671662.349.7255
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employees helped us create a Vision Statement, which says,
‘Every client has a financial plan to achieve their earthly
dreams,’” McDonnell said. “We work hard to live out that vision
every day and make recommendations so our customers can
be financially successful.” The Bank offers complete financial
services, including home loans and trust and investment
services, as well as a complete line of personal and business
accounts and services.
As a bank steeped in tradition, Citizens National Bank keeps
moving forward by providing its customers with cutting-edge
technology. Rapid Deposit Mobile allows customers to make
check deposits through their smartphones, and the CNB
Mobile App has become very popular because of its banking-
on-the-go convenience.
The Interlocking C’s of Citizens National Bank’s logo stand
for the Bank’s commitment to stand side-by-side, hand in
hand with the citizens of the community. The Bank is proud
to serve the DeSoto County area.
Click magazine | AUGUST 2015 79
80 AUGUST 2015 | Click magazine
SEE&DO
A Furry AffairAugust 8
S D
When Emily Rygg brought an abandoned dog
to DeSoto Animal Rescue Society, she had no
idea what would come of the experience. Now,
both Emily and Bob Rygg host the nonprofit’s
annual Furry Affair fundraiser at Bonne Terre.
Around 200 guests come out each year to enjoy
live music, a silent auction and more in sup-
port of the organization. All proceeds aid DARS
in rescuing abused animals across the Mid-
South and finding love-filled foster homes.
ONE THING NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH
Click magazine | MAY 2014 1