Deep Roots announces four monthly concerts inside the Ellis Theatre
Special to The Bolivar Bullet
Big Front Porch Productions, in partnership with The City of Cleveland, will present a winter/spring series of four monthly Deep Roots music shows inside the historic Ellis Theatre at the Delta Arts Alliance located at 104 Court St. in Cleveland. The 2022 Deep Roots Winter/Spring Series will feature regional Americana and blues music favorites representing the best in roots music.
The roots music series will kick off on Friday, January 28 with blues artist Mark “Muleman” Massey. While doing time at Parchman prison, Massey learned the blues from the legendary David Kimbrough and was mentored by blues great Big Jack Johnson. The February 25 show features husband and wife duo, Ricky and Micol Davis, performing together as Blue Mother Tupelo. Their mix of blues, southern-soul and rootsy country rock personifies Americana and roots music. On March 25, Blackwater Trio, an Americana, folk, roots/rock band based in Clarksdale, Mississippi, will perform. With influences ranging from Led Zeppelin to hot club jazz, their original music and artful covers captivate audiences all over the country. The series closes out on April 29 with a show featuring Mississippi blueswoman, Libby Rae Watson, whose friendship with Hollandale blues legend Sam Chatmon influenced her Delta style.
“The Deep Roots Music Project had a great year of presenting music in 2021 with over 32 Deep Roots: Live Downtown! shows and over a dozen shows at the Farmer’s Market,” says Cleveland’s music ambassador, Tricia Walker, “and we really appreciate the support of live local music from all segments of the community. We’re exploring some additional ideas related to roots music for the first part of 2022 as our local roster of musicians takes a well-earned break while we prepare to present another round of outside Friday evening shows beginning in late spring.”
Local Delta musicians that make up the core roster of Deep Roots include: Craig Adams (Americana), The CUZ Band (R&B/Soul), Jeff McCreary (singer/songwriter/folk), Chris Dixon & Joyfull Noise (Gospel), Delta String Band (bluegrass), Betzenzo (jazz fusion), Gran Boiz (Soul/Funk), Tricia Walker (singer/songwriter), and Variety (Blues/Gospel).
“Cleveland is in the heart of the Americana Music Triangle, and with GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi and the DMI Entertainment Industry program at Delta State both within our city limits and Dockery just down the road, we want Cleveland to continue to develop as a roots music town,” added Walker.
For more information about Deep Roots and the 2022 Winter/Spring music series, visit the website at http://deltadeeproots.com or email info@deltadeeproots.com.