Beta Pi:
Announcing 1st Annual BYOG Clarksdale: A few recent blog inductees (who have not done due diligence reading of Archive Issues of Beta Pi Blog, in the annals) might ask . . .
Q: So what does BYOG mean?
A: "Bring your own 
guitar"
Q: What is "BYOG Clarksdale"?
A: "Bozo" Lorenzo Simons (who has some kind of obsessive interest in "The Blues" - and has a place in 
Clarksdale, which is the undisputed place-o-origin of the Blues, which music has morphed into jazz, rock & roll, country, you name it, it all started in Clarksdale. Enough rambling) and wife-o-Lorenzo-ANN, along with 
Pierce "The Wimp" Hodnette and wife, and Jack "Muenchmon" Muench, et ux (wife) have all committed to descend on ole Clarksdale, Mississippi on the weekend of NOVEMBER 9, 10 & 11, 2007! Frank "Buck" Biller has also committed to attend (which means he’s tentative), possibly with a female in tow.
Q: Uh, why?
A: Well, the BYOG thing means what it says, we are all bringing guitars (or other instruments), to have some ad lib blues. We have "reserve - booked" the entire weekend at four places:
1. The Big Pink Guesthouse (check out the link, on the right) which is an ultra-cool bed & breakfast (decorated a la Elvis, Victorian mansion, piano, guitars everywhere) which sets across from The Blues Museum, the out-door blues stage, and Ground Zero (check out the link, on the right). Big Pink sleeps 3 couples, quite comfortably.
2. Little Pink - which is a Commissary building that Bozo’s brother-in-law, Tommy Polk (Big Pink proprietor) put right next to the Big Pink. It is now a music hall, and really cool place. We intend to also party there. It sleeps 1 couple.
3. Honey Hill. Bozo’s mother-in-law Mrs. Lou Polk (Ann & Tommy’s mom) bought this place a few years ago. It is one of the original Bobo homes, and is a beautiful mansion which overlooks the Sunflower River. Lou and Tommy run it as a bed & breakfast. It is magnificent - It sleeps up to 4 couples.
4. 149 Clarksdale. Bozo and Ann own this, it has a blues apartment in the back which will sleep Bozo & Ann, with room in the building for X-number of Tick-a-lors with sleeping bags.
So, in addition to me & Ann, we can accommodate a total of 8 couples, plus random Tick-a-lors sleeping in sleeping-bags. We will divide the total cost (yet to be determined - but there will be a guaranteed "brother-in-law discount").
Depending on how many Ticks also commit, we will book all those accommodations - or, if its only Pierce, Muenchie, me and Buck (and wives/women) we’ll only book The Big Pink & Little Pink.
Q: What will we do?
A: Well, Friday night we’ll arrive, and probably go eat at Abe’s Bar-b-que (at the Crossroads). Then, we’ll tour The Big Pink, Little Pink, Honey Hill, and 149 Clarksdale (which will only take an hour) then we may go to 
Ground Zero (Morgan Freeman’s & Bill Luckett’s blues club, see link on right) depending on who’s playing. We might go out to Hopson Plantation, look at Shack Up Inns (shot-gun shacks) and listen to blues in the Commissary (depending on who is playing). The actual "police car" used in "The Blues Brothers" movie is there, Ann's cousin James Butler, proprietor of Hopson, may let us drive it, no joke.
Q: Then what?
A: Saturday, we’ll have breakfast, then we might lay around drinking coffee, then we might have extended library time, then we might drive around, or maybe walk around Clarksdale. We might lunch at Delta Amusement Company (locally famous hamburgers) or we may do Sonic. Saturday night, we might do Mexican food at Atzimba, a.k.a. "Zippies" which is awesome Mexican, or if there is enough momentum (and enough cash) we could do Madidi (see link on right) which is Morgan Freeman’s & Bill Luckett’s plush, up-scale, pricy, gourmet restaurant. We might end up at 
Ground Zero (juke joint), depending on who’s playing.
Q: With all that, when will we find time to actually play guitars?
A: Who cares! (Kidding) We’ll play whenever.
Q: What blues songs will we play.
A: My personal favorite, Hootchie Kootchie Man (Muddy Waters) and other songs, T.B.A. (We’ll circulate a song list, so guys can "bone-up"). Of course, many verses of "On my way down to New Orleans"
Q: What if I can’t play guitar, banjo, bass, harmonica, piano or other instrument?
A: It matters not, (none of us - except Pedigo - can really play) come thou shalt.
Q: What about ChesterBrewer, wasn’t he born in Clarksdale? And what about Arms Aylward, he was born near Clarksdale, in Pace (I think)?
A: Arms is way, way, way out in Seattle - his hands are full with the Mariners - We’d love for you to come Arms, but understand if you can’t. Chester Brewer, on the other hand, is not that far away, and he and mate can stay with his Uncle Leo. If Chester shows, we’ll certainly add a visit to Uncle Leo and other Brewer landmarks to the tour! Chester, you simply must attend my friend!
Q: What about some of those other, talented, Tick-a-lor musicians, such as . . .
Matt Blankenship (guitar),
Frank Collins (spoons),
J. Neal Crenshaw (guitar),
Marc Darling (the musical whip-that-spins),
George M-LINK Ford (animalistic grunting rhythms)
Matt Hart (blues poetry vocals),
Tison Keel (kazoo),
Art Landry (musical lips),
Ken Linden (subliminal blues vocals, a la Mr. Subliminal),
Clyde Noel (donuts for musicians),
Travis Parr (hand-clapping against Donut’s head),
Ben Pedigo (banjo extra ordinaire, mandolin, guitar, vocals - the man does it all!),
Jeff Perout (the Wet Willie),
Bill Price (boom box),
Mark Reed (the foot),
Chris Regas (stompin’),
Bob Smoot (guitar),
Boss Stein (musical wads-o-cash),
Dick Stoner (will show up stoned!),
Earl "Judge" Stover (hambone),
The Heme ( blues vocals),
Sean "THE F.B.I." Walsh (musical guns),
Chad "Waz" Weiss (submarine saxophone),
Schmeat (bone-a-phone),
Chuck Wharton (musical face),
David Haines (blues sarcasm),
Rod Yanker (will perform, to the musical beat),
and Vinny Starr (hates blues, but loves Johnny Mathis) - that’s the potential Tick orchestra. Kinda boggles the mind?
A: Who knows which of these greats will attend, but if you want to attend, it will be first-come, first served for accommodations. Last resort, Econo-Lodge is next door to Honey Hill.
Q: Where is Clarksdale?
A: About an hour south of Memphis on Highway 61.
I guess you can tell, I’m pumped about this. Hope you can join us.
Check out Beta Pi Blog on the web! The blog address is:
http://journals.aol.com/lasimons4law/beta-pi-blog/
VTL,
Larry Simons
Beta Pi, ‘72
13 comments:
FROM JACK MUENCH, July 20, 2007:
"That's why I sing the blues.
Quasi-material, demi-literate, partly-autobiographical, maddeningly ephemeral: BYOG 2007. My wife (Trudy "Big Leg" Muench) and I will be in Clarksdale on or about Nov. 10. Time to start practicing! for me, at least."
ADDITIONAL MESSAGE FROM JACK MUENCH, July 20, 2007:
"Larry, this is the BEST! BYOG FAQ! I will practice, thank God I have three months.
W, dear old friend, we will pick together again.
Larry, have we gotten up with D Price?? He's a helluva blues piano player!
I got the key to the highway.
Muenchy!
Will you send me W's home number? I left it at "work" ;-)"
RESPONSE TO THE MUENCHMAN: Jack, I too am really happy about BYOG - I might just unbosom myself and do an Irish tap-dance - Pierce's home # is 334-687-7967.
Yes, D. Price is on the humanoid honor-roll - practacing dentistry in Louisville (I was totally unaware Dennis plays piano - he is now a MUST ATTEND. Call him, will you? His home # 502-897-7252. And good luck getting any response from all-time-great Herb Ladley, I tried many times, so did W. See you soon my friend!
Lorenzo
FROM BUCK BILLER, July 20, 2007:
“Dear Larry,
I am quite interested in the "Little Pink" person. Do you think you could
arrange for me to meet "Little Pink"? Maybe she could visit me at the
EconoLodge. I could go for a "Little Pink" at the EconoLodge. Clarksdale
is soundin' pretty good.
That reminds me of an old Taj Mahal line from "The Celebrated Walkin Blues"
(which was probably recorded by 1000 guys before him) where he says:
"I'm goin' to get on down to Memphis,
Jus' to get my hambone boiled"
Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout- "Little Pink".
I remember when me and some other Tic bro's (Chester & JD?) went on down to
Magic Fingers, just to meet "Little Pink" and "get our hambone's boiled".
As Matt remarked at Saturday lunch the next day- "Now let me get this
straight, you boys paid $25 for something you could have done yourselves?"
"Buck should have asked for 1/2 price for that Hairless Half-Incher".
I'm still waitin' ta meet "Little Pink" baby!!! See ya in the Delta Bros'.
Fondest Regards,
Frank J. "Buck" Biller”
ADDITIONAL MESSAGE FROM BROTHER-MAN-BUCK:
“I already marked Nov. 4. I can't just keep marking up my calendar Larry.
Get your shit straight brother. I'm a busy guy over here! I have to be in
NYC that weekend for the National Hotel Show. Don't worry though, I will
call Monday and see if they can change it to another date.
Regards,
Buck”
TO BUCK: I’m depending on you, Brother-man Buck!
FROM JACK MUENCH, July 23, 2007:
"On my way down to New Orleans
Some said: "Muenchy's done become a saint!"
See, there was no way that I could gainsay
Cause my chin was square on the taint!
Can't wait to hoist a cool one with you, Bucko! Whatever happened with Betsy?"
BYOG UPDATE: I got word from MATT BLANKENSHIP and FRANK COLLINS that they might attend. FRANK BILLER has had to cancel due to a conflict. NEAL CRENSHAW sent me an e-attachment that my system could not retrieve, so XBG-NEAL is mystery-man-o-the-hour! I doubt Neal will make the journey from THAILAND!
BYOG UPDATE: I just finished recording my son Andrew and his jazz band Groundspeak, they might join us to "back us up" so to speak - it will make for a MIGHTY JAM - we will have professional musicians for playmates, maybe.
BYOG BLUES LYRIC:
On my way down to New Orleans
There was a man had a face covered with somethin' looked crusty and crunchy
The man was groovin' along down - to New Orleans town
This man you all know as MUENCHIE!
BYOG BLUES LYRIC:
On my way down to New Orleans
There were these womens everywhere -- a-lookin fo their PIMP
They had lick-ity split - and plenty of IT
For the man you all know as THE WIMP!
BLUES NEWS UPDATE, July 31, 2007: MATT BLANKENSHIP has confirmed he and his wife, Mimi will attend BYOG CLARKSDALE! That makes it a solid 8 of us, so far, with Pierce and Cindy Hodnette, Jack and Trudy Muench, and Larry and Ann Simons.
BLUES NEWS UPDATE, August 3, 2007: CHESTER BREWER, who is Clarksdale born and raised, has given a tentative YES to attending BYOG Clarksdale in November!
TO MATT BLANKENSHIP, PIERCE HODNETTE & JACK MUENCH, Sept. 17, 2007:
"Lawrence A. Simons
Rutherford, DeMarco & Simons
214 Second Avenue North
Suite 400, Washington Square
Nashville, TN 37201
September 17, 2007
Matt Blankenship
Pierce Hodnette
Jack Muench
VIA E-MAIL ONLY
Re: BYOG Clarksdale - November 9 & 10
Dear Gentlemen:
Matt Blankenship, Pierce Hodnette and Jack Muench have given me a solid commitment on BYOG, and I have a tentative yes from Frank Collins. Here is how the accommodations will work:
Big Pink Guest House - sleeps 3 couples
Little Pink Music Hall - sleeps 2 couples.
I have booked both facilities. The cost for both is $500 per night ($1000 for both nights). If Frank and his wife Mary are unable to come, there will be 4 couples, including me and Ann. I propose we split the cost as follows: $1000 4 ways = $250 per couple, or $1000 5 ways, if Frank and Mary come, = $200 per couple.
I have a call into Frank, to get a final decision from him. I’ll let you know tomorrow whether Frank is in or not. If its alright with you, I will need the money up front, within the week, so I can finalize the plans.
Sincerely,
RUTHERFORD, DeMARCO & SIMONS
Lawrence A. Simons
LAS/pt
cc: Frank Collins
FROM JACK MUENCH, October 10, 2007:
"dates again? I played for the first time in many years a few days ago and my fingers still hurt. On my way to New Orleans, I thought I'd play a tune, but I thought again, drank a bottle of wine, slept the next day until noon."
TO THE BYOG CREW: Gentlemen, mark your calendars for November 9 - 11, 2007. Also, I need each of you to send me $150 ASAP (your 1/4 cut of the lodging cost of $600). I am working up a version of Muddy Waters' Rollin' and Tumblin, probably somewhat more like the Bob Dylan version which was released on his newest album, Modern Times. Also, I have written an instrumental acoustic slide blues number that we can jam to. If each of you will tell me the name of a blues song to work on - I'll practice.
Lorenzo
Posted, Archives, Vol.2007, No.43 (July)
FROM PIERCE HODNETTE, October 11, 2007:
"Larry, What's your address? Should the check be made to Lawrence Simons? Learn "Stormy Monday" in G, a la Allman Brothers Filmore East, circa 1971. Pierce"
TO PIERCE: 214 Second Avenue North, Ste. 400, Nashville, TN 37201. Yes. Stormy Monday it is. Be well. Larry
Posted at Archives, Vol.2007, No.43, July
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