Welcome to the sixth annual International Conference on the Blues, a celebration of the art form through scholarly activity, discourse, and music! It takes place on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, at Delta State University in Cleveland, Miss., in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, recognized as the birthplace of American music. http://www.deltastate.edu/bluesconference/
Festivities kick off with a pre-conference concert at 7:30 PM Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, with the funkadelic Kool and the Gang, whose hits include “Celebration,” “Cherish,” and “Jungle Boogie.” Still going strong after 50 years, the most sampled R&B band of all time performs at the Bologna Performing Arts Center on the DSU campus. Purchase tickets by calling the box office at (662) 846-4626 or clicking here.
The all-day conference on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, begins bright and early and continues until after dark. The morning and afternoon feature academic presentations at DSU. Topics include the blues; African American musical traditions and influences on world cultures; the influence of gospel, spirituals, and soul music; music of the American civil rights movement; African American music as social commentary and protest; and history and culture of the Mississippi Delta.
At night, there are two free concerts: local and regional acts on the courthouse grounds in downtown Cleveland and a “blues in the round” acoustic jam session at Mississippi Grounds, hosted by award-winning singer/songwriter Tricia Walker.