DR PHILL HEADLINES SELL OUT CONCERT
Written by Archie Fergusson on 25/02/2013
A milestone in blues music history will be celebrated at a very special event in the Isle of Man at the Famous Lakey Working Men’s Institue on March 2nd 2013.
March 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the ‘re-discovery’ of the great guitar player and singer Mississippi John Hurt.
In a tribute to the musician, who died in 1966, a night of acoustic blues will be held at the Institute featuring amongst others Dunoon Community Radio’s “Sounds of The South” Dr Philip Ratcliffe featuring a 45 minute presentation by Dr Phil author of the award-winning biography Mississippi John Hurt, His Life, His Times, His Blues (University Press of Mississippi) .
Dr Phil will perform some of Mississippi John Hurt’s songs and also on the bill, and performing acoustic blues, will be Pete Woodman and Blue John and Papa Cass.
Mississippi John first recorded in 1928 but then lived his life in relative obscurity until a fan, Tom Hoskins, tracked him down in rural Mississippi in March 1963.
From that point on John, who was then 71 years of age, became a hugely influential musician and was very popular in the folk and blues scene in America.
Countless generations of guitar players have been inspired by his impressive finger picking style and his songs.
Organiser of the Isle Of Mann event John Gregory, who also plays guitar in the blues duo Blue John and Papa Cass, has said: “As a huge fan of Mississippi John Hurt I really wanted to commemorate the anniversary of the moment when this highly talented musician had a second chance at recording and a full-time career in music.
“Who better to invite to the Island to celebrate this anniversary………………………………………………..
than Dr Phil, whose biography of Mississippi John Hurt is arguably the finest biography I have read.
“I really felt it gave me an insight into this remarkable man.
“I am so looking forward to this night and want to thank Dr Phil for agreeing to come to the Island.”
“I really felt it gave me an insight into this remarkable man.
“I am so looking forward to this night and want to thank Dr Phil for agreeing to come to the Island.”
Dr Phil Presenting From The Royal National Mod Dunoon 2012
It won’t be too long before Dr Phil travels over seas again in connection with Mississipi John Hurt and he travels to America to receive the ARSC Awards for Excellence from the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) an organization dedicated to the preservation and study of sound recordings, in all genres of music and speech, in all formats, and from all periods.
ARSC is unique in bringing together private individuals and institutional professionals—everyone with a serious interest in recorded sound and each year award the ARSC Awards for Excellence Dr Phill …………….. BEST RESEARCH in RECORDED BLUES, RHYTHM & BLUES, or SOUL MUSIC
