Shake em on down

I LOVE the Blues, ya'll. 

And what a great place to live if you love the blues. Just look at our state's Welcome Sign:

(OK, I actually miss our old sign:

but... I understand the change. Because, well, I love the Blues.)

Anyway, last weekend was the long awaited (by me and mine, at least) yearly Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale, MS. If you don't know about Clarksdale, and the Delta in general, you should look into it. It is certainly the part of the state that the welcome sign is talking about, home to such musical wonders as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, R.L. Burnside, and Mississippi Fred McDowell, just to name a few. It is a region full of cultural and historical significance, and, most importantly, music with a lot of SOUL.

Here are a few of the highlights from our weekend, so you can get a feel for the whole thing:

An adorable donkey at the petting zoo
(and a pretty cute kid photo-bombing)

An incredibly interesting dancing duo

CRAWFISH!!

Pig races + America

Stax Music Academy - these kids were AMAZING!

Kids' train that rides around town

R.L. Boyce & Steve Toney

Ole T-Model Ford
(can't play anymore, but he was pickin' away at the air)

My friends are the coolest

Sporting a ukelele and a John Prine jam for the walk

Dancin with the regulars

Shoes-optional soccer by Sunflower River

Ahhh, I just want to go back RIGHT NOW!! The Blues was made for gettin' down, and that's just what I love to do...

Next up: Sunflower Festival in August (10-12)!! (Fair warning, if you're interested -- it's gonna be HOT!)

P.S. Ever heard about Robert Johnson selling his soul to the Devil in order to play the Blues? Listen to this episode of Radiolab to hear a little more about it!