Bettye LaVette Headlines Sunflower Fest Honoring Sam Cooke.

The 22nd annual Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 7-8-9, 2009 will honor Clarksdale native Sam Cooke who grew up in the city singing in a children's gospel group with his siblings, became lead singer with the Soul Stirrers, and later crossed over to become one of the world’s most famous soul vocalists.
The Sunflower River Blues Association is presenting Bettye LaVette (See Don Wilcock’s interview with Bettye in this issue) as headliner and participant in the educational forum honoring Sam Cooke. Other performers include Super Chikan, Cedric Burnside/Lightnin' Malcolm, Homemade Jamz, T-Model Ford, Pat Thomas, Robert "Wolfman" Belfour, Cadillac John/Bill Abel, OB Buchana and more on acoustic, electric and gospel stages.

Full line-up and schedule are at http://www.sunflowerfest.org.

Sunflower fest-related events in Clarksdale will take place at the Delta Blues Museum, Ground Zero Blues Club, Red's Lounge, Hopson Commissary, Sarah's Kitchen, and Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art including the free Cat Head Mini Blues Fest on Sunday, August 9th (10am till) with Big George Brock, Robert Belfour, Mary Ann "Action" Jackson and more. Then, in the afternoon that Sunday, it's the Sam Carr Day celebration out at Hopson Commissary, followed by a jam at Red's Lounge.