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| The 12th Annual Pinetop Perkins Homecoming Celebration Dedicated To Arkansas’ Own Michael Burks The 13th annual Pinetop Perkins Homecoming Celebration will take place on Sunday, October 7, at Hopson's Commissary and the Shack Up Inn from 2 to 7 p.m. with a suggested donation of $15. The Homecoming is held each year on the site of the old Hopson's Plantation and began with the dedication of the Pinetop Perkins Shack at the Hopson Plantation's Shack Up Inn in October 2001. It became an annual event to honor Pinetop who had spent World War II on the grounds of Hopson's driving one of the first mechanized cotton picking machines. The event quickly drew many fans and musicians each year who stopped by on the Sunday after the King Biscuit Festival to honor Pinetop. The celebration now attracts over 1000 fans to three stages of music on these Sunday afternoons. Since 2009 all the proceeds have gone directly to scholarships for youth to attend the Pinetop Perkins Master Class workshops in June, which are also held in Clarksdale, MS. Artists appearing this year include: Special Michael Burks Tribute Performance with Preston Shannon, Popcorn Louden, Terry Grayson, The Peterson Brothers and Clay Swafford. Also appearing: Paul Oscher, Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger, Kenny Smith, Ann Rabson, Bob Corritore, Eden Brent, Kenny Brown, The Side Street Steppers, and The Youth Workshop Showcase featuring Austin Young, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Matthew Davidson, and Jack Gaffney. The Homecoming Celebration is a benefit for youth scholarships for The Pinetop Perkins Foundation annual master class workshops in June. Pinetop formed THE PINETOP PERKINS FOUNDATION, a nonprofit 501c(3) in 2009. It's mission, in part, is to help young musicians at the beginning of their careers. The Foundation fulfills that mission through the Master Class Workshops held each June. Open to musicians of all ages, it's goal is to provide scholarships to youth 12 to 21 to spend three days learning from some of the top blues artists in the country. The Workshops have grown from 9 to over 25 participants in two years. We anticipate even more for next year. The Homecoming benefit will help the Foundation enable youth to experience this wonderful workshop experience. write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Jazz News :: home page |