3rd annual North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic

July 4-5, 2008

Last June's two day North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic was a resounding success, drawing over 2,000 people to a rural site in Potts Camp in Marshall County. The festival demonstrated the vitality of the contemporary blues scene in North Mississippi, with attendees from 31 states and seven different countries. Potts Camp is located off of Route 78, about halfway between Memphis and Tupelo.

The festival celebrates the legacies of departed North Mississippi blues legends including Joe Callicott, Mississippi Fred McDowell, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Othar Turner, and the festival will once again feature many of their children and grandchildren. These include Duwayne Burnside; the Burnside Exploration, featuring Garry Burnside; Cedric Burnside with Lightin Malcolm; David Kimbrough; the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band, led by Othar Turner's 17-year-old granddaughter Sharde Thomas.

Other "second generation" acts returning to the event include Kenny Brown, R.L. Burnside's longtime guitarist and "adopted son;" and the Reverend John Wilkins, son of pre-WWII recording artist Robert Wilkins, whose song "Prodigal Son" was covered by the Rolling Stones. Also returning to the festival are Jimbo Mathus, T-Model Ford, Blue Mountain, Danny Lancaster, Jocco Rushing with Fried Chicken & Gasoline, and John Barnett.

The festival is run by the non -profit organization North MS Hill Country Picnic, Inc., and enjoys great support and sponsorship from North Mississippi communities. Camping will be allowed both nights, coolers are permitted, and vendors will sell local delicacies including barbeque and fried catfish. Sponsors to-date include Flick's Country Restaurant, R & B Feder Charitable Foundation, Paragon Casino, Freeland & Freeland, One Day Signs, Holly Springs Tourism, Honest Tunes, Living Blues, Two Stick, Parrish Baker Pub, Fat Possum, Vista III Media, and Budweiser.

For more information visit the websites:

www.nmshillcountrypicnic.com

myspace.com/northmississippihillcountrypicnic