Ground Zero
“How we got our groove on” at Ground Zero in Clarksdale, MS
Slowly…we drove down the wide main street. It was lined with trees, colorful flowers and many quaint “mom and pop” stores. This was our first glimpse of Clarksdale, Mississippi known to many as the “Home of the Blues.”
It was definitely an old Southern town with that easygoing, “feel good” atmosphere. We checked the address once more and knew that we were getting closer to our destination. It loomed at the end of that long boulevard. After parking the car, we crossed over an abandoned, graveled lot. Excited, I gingerly found my way over the uneven sidewalk that led up to that notorious blues club, Ground Zero. We were on our way to the daylong Delta All Star Groove.
The old, whitish gray block building loomed in the distance. Rusting rail cars stood on the old railroad links behind the building. We climbed the few steps onto the old concrete front porch. (I tried finding out what this building “used” to be in its heyday….a mercantile, a warehouse, a hardware…I was not to learn the secret on that sunny day in Clarksdale.) Old overstuffed sofas, wooden chairs, rockers and old tire planters adorned the porch. The building was in serious need of a coat of paint. We opened the large wooden screen door and pushed our way though the main door. We stepped into a large, oblong room and onto the old, creaking wooden floors. (Early in the day before the crowds surged in, you could actually feel the floors shake.)
Numerous posters, memorabilia, old instruments and license plates covered the walls. Everywhere and on everything…black markers had been used to make drawings, sayings, names and signatures. Nothing was spared: the walls, columns, chairs, windows, tables, blinds, and bar. The items that were hung on the walls and suspended from the ceiling were also victims of the black markers. This was no easy feat since the walls were at least twenty feet high. Large, old-fashioned Christmas tree lights drooped from the ceiling. Guitars were hanging from the pipes on the ceiling. (The one house was stated on a large sign…-‘no scribbling on the guitars on display.’) Girls…the bathroom was totally covered with the infamous graffiti. Black markers were again used to create the scads of doodles, names, and sayings that covered the toilet paper holders, paper towel holders, ceilings, walls, floors, and stalls. (Whew…I was dizzy).
The large, rectangular building had limited seating but had a lot of standing room with rails provided for leaning and holding drinks. The pool tables near the entrance were covered and used as large tables for the large crowd that was flowing in throughout the day. An old sun porch/office had been converted into a kitchen. The entire kitchen was lined with windows so that you could see the workers inside. The menu items included, “Real Deal” sammich (pulled pork) and Mumbo Jumbo (burger with double meat and double cheese), “Home wrecker” chicken sammich, Mississippi Delta catfish dinner, and Fried Green Tomato sammich. Appetizers included fried grits and fried hot tamales.
The powerful sounds of Big Pete Pearson of the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona kicked off the afternoon of high energy and dancing blues. Peterson introduced a harp player that he discovered at an Italian Blues festival. What a find! Later in the day, Candye Cane’s son, sat in on the drums and rocked the house. Los Fabulocos with Kid Ramos then took the stage. It was definitely a set that was a cross between blues and Cajun where the guitar met the accordion. The “kid” sizzled. When Ramos did “Burnin’ the Chicken” smoke rolled up over Ground Zero. The crowd stoked the flames for more.
While the party was going on inside, there was one going on outside in that empty parking lot. The Delta Groove Blues musicians were inside and the Southern Rock musicians were on the outside stage. Traditional Delta Blues’ acts were weaved into the mix. Blues fans stood around the lot listening to the music while many strolled around the streets. Some fans just sat on the park benches that were found in front of the many storefronts and enjoyed the music. It was certainly an afternoon filled with blues, inside and out. The old sofas on the porch and the steps of Ground Zero were filled with music fans and people watchers. All the while, people filed in, people filed out.
Back inside, I heard the Insomniacs tearing it up. The blues fans were in frenzy and dancing anywhere that they could find a tiny spot to move around in. E.G. Knight worked her way through the crowd with her ever present great smile and had a big, “Hi Y’all,” for everyone. Bruce Iglar from Alligator Records and Bruce Wheeler from the Heritage Music Fest in Wheeling joined the swelling numbers inside Ground Zero that afternoon. Bob Rice from Bluesville.com also threw in with the crowd. Rich Delgrosso showed with his mandolin. As always, I was impressed with the amazing sound that that big guy extracted from that small instrument. The Mannish Boys who are a mainstay for Delta Groove Productions drove the crowd to soaring heights with their mix of “jam” musicians. Debbie Davies joined the “boys” for a few numbers and wowed the crowd with her guitar. Theresa James, a Blues Foundation Award nominee and a part of Tommy Castro’s act at the Foundation Awards, ripped the act wide open when she started playing the keyboards. Her rendition of “I Found the Blues” had everyone off their seats and “grooving” to the music. The crowd was given a large dose of West Coast Swing. The day went on for many hours and the enthusiastic crowd was off the charts when Jason Ricci finally took to the stage. A younger crowd had added to the blues mix in the wee hours of the morning. Ground Zero had scored a ten and we had “gotten our groove on” in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Sorry we missed you Morgan Freeman. He was one club owner that I really wanted to interview. Clarksdale is on the map because it is the “Home of the Blues.” Thanks, Mr. Freeman for giving Clarksdale “a shot in the arm” for revving up the blues once more.
This was one of many stories from our pilgrimage to the Delta. There are more to come…stay tuned.
- Jonnye Weber
Slowly…we drove down the wide main street. It was lined with trees, colorful flowers and many quaint “mom and pop” stores. This was our first glimpse of Clarksdale, Mississippi known to many as the “Home of the Blues.”
It was definitely an old Southern town with that easygoing, “feel good” atmosphere. We checked the address once more and knew that we were getting closer to our destination. It loomed at the end of that long boulevard. After parking the car, we crossed over an abandoned, graveled lot. Excited, I gingerly found my way over the uneven sidewalk that led up to that notorious blues club, Ground Zero. We were on our way to the daylong Delta All Star Groove.The old, whitish gray block building loomed in the distance. Rusting rail cars stood on the old railroad links behind the building. We climbed the few steps onto the old concrete front porch. (I tried finding out what this building “used” to be in its heyday….a mercantile, a warehouse, a hardware…I was not to learn the secret on that sunny day in Clarksdale.) Old overstuffed sofas, wooden chairs, rockers and old tire planters adorned the porch. The building was in serious need of a coat of paint. We opened the large wooden screen door and pushed our way though the main door. We stepped into a large, oblong room and onto the old, creaking wooden floors. (Early in the day before the crowds surged in, you could actually feel the floors shake.)
Numerous posters, memorabilia, old instruments and license plates covered the walls. Everywhere and on everything…black markers had been used to make drawings, sayings, names and signatures. Nothing was spared: the walls, columns, chairs, windows, tables, blinds, and bar. The items that were hung on the walls and suspended from the ceiling were also victims of the black markers. This was no easy feat since the walls were at least twenty feet high. Large, old-fashioned Christmas tree lights drooped from the ceiling. Guitars were hanging from the pipes on the ceiling. (The one house was stated on a large sign…-‘no scribbling on the guitars on display.’) Girls…the bathroom was totally covered with the infamous graffiti. Black markers were again used to create the scads of doodles, names, and sayings that covered the toilet paper holders, paper towel holders, ceilings, walls, floors, and stalls. (Whew…I was dizzy).
The large, rectangular building had limited seating but had a lot of standing room with rails provided for leaning and holding drinks. The pool tables near the entrance were covered and used as large tables for the large crowd that was flowing in throughout the day. An old sun porch/office had been converted into a kitchen. The entire kitchen was lined with windows so that you could see the workers inside. The menu items included, “Real Deal” sammich (pulled pork) and Mumbo Jumbo (burger with double meat and double cheese), “Home wrecker” chicken sammich, Mississippi Delta catfish dinner, and Fried Green Tomato sammich. Appetizers included fried grits and fried hot tamales.The powerful sounds of Big Pete Pearson of the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona kicked off the afternoon of high energy and dancing blues. Peterson introduced a harp player that he discovered at an Italian Blues festival. What a find! Later in the day, Candye Cane’s son, sat in on the drums and rocked the house. Los Fabulocos with Kid Ramos then took the stage. It was definitely a set that was a cross between blues and Cajun where the guitar met the accordion. The “kid” sizzled. When Ramos did “Burnin’ the Chicken” smoke rolled up over Ground Zero. The crowd stoked the flames for more.
While the party was going on inside, there was one going on outside in that empty parking lot. The Delta Groove Blues musicians were inside and the Southern Rock musicians were on the outside stage. Traditional Delta Blues’ acts were weaved into the mix. Blues fans stood around the lot listening to the music while many strolled around the streets. Some fans just sat on the park benches that were found in front of the many storefronts and enjoyed the music. It was certainly an afternoon filled with blues, inside and out. The old sofas on the porch and the steps of Ground Zero were filled with music fans and people watchers. All the while, people filed in, people filed out.
Back inside, I heard the Insomniacs tearing it up. The blues fans were in frenzy and dancing anywhere that they could find a tiny spot to move around in. E.G. Knight worked her way through the crowd with her ever present great smile and had a big, “Hi Y’all,” for everyone. Bruce Iglar from Alligator Records and Bruce Wheeler from the Heritage Music Fest in Wheeling joined the swelling numbers inside Ground Zero that afternoon. Bob Rice from Bluesville.com also threw in with the crowd. Rich Delgrosso showed with his mandolin. As always, I was impressed with the amazing sound that that big guy extracted from that small instrument. The Mannish Boys who are a mainstay for Delta Groove Productions drove the crowd to soaring heights with their mix of “jam” musicians. Debbie Davies joined the “boys” for a few numbers and wowed the crowd with her guitar. Theresa James, a Blues Foundation Award nominee and a part of Tommy Castro’s act at the Foundation Awards, ripped the act wide open when she started playing the keyboards. Her rendition of “I Found the Blues” had everyone off their seats and “grooving” to the music. The crowd was given a large dose of West Coast Swing. The day went on for many hours and the enthusiastic crowd was off the charts when Jason Ricci finally took to the stage. A younger crowd had added to the blues mix in the wee hours of the morning. Ground Zero had scored a ten and we had “gotten our groove on” in Clarksdale, Mississippi.Sorry we missed you Morgan Freeman. He was one club owner that I really wanted to interview. Clarksdale is on the map because it is the “Home of the Blues.” Thanks, Mr. Freeman for giving Clarksdale “a shot in the arm” for revving up the blues once more.
This was one of many stories from our pilgrimage to the Delta. There are more to come…stay tuned.
- Jonnye Weber
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