WHY CLUB EBONY AND WHO IS MARY SHEPARD?
This event is principally meant to be a tribute to Mary Shepard proprietor of the famed Club Ebony one of a few remaining authentic Juke Joints in the Delta. Mary has been a major supporter of the Blues for over 40 years now. Unfortunately,her health as of late is failing due to successive strokes over the years, but yet manages to still carry on and continues in doing her monumental part in "Keeping the Blues Alive" in the most important of all Blues hotbeds, the Delta.
I met Mary three years ago while touring the Delta and Club Ebony. I talked to her about all the greats that graced the Club Ebony stage. She just rattled off pretty much every name of importance to the Blues. Howlin' Wolf, Count Basie,, Ray Charles, James Brown, B.B. King, Albert King who off the cuff Mary mentions "just lived down the road for a while, two streets away" and so many more. B.B. King thinks enough of Mary and Club Ebony to play here every June as a homecoming tribute to Indianola but also to Mary. "As long as he keeps going, he'll be here" she says.
The night before B.B. King was to perform at Club Ebony Mary had her first stroke. She figures the stress of it all brought it on. But somehow through our conversation, I got the feeling she felt she was lettting down fans because she coudn't be there. Generosity and kindness one finds in the Delta is the first things that comes to mind when you talk with Mary. She is also a very soft spoken and comforting person.
So why not honour someone who has been an important part of the Blues.Who's been under the radar for so long. In this day and age, Blues fans always try to find authenticity to the Blues. We go on pilgrimage around the lower 48 to find what we can that is left of this great American culture worth preserving. Gravesites, clubs, juke joints, performers, and memorobilia. Often we are left dissappointed because things are commercialized to the point of nausea. This is certainly not the case here. Well, how about the real deal Club Ebony and Mary Shepard. From what I see, a club that really hasn't changed in a long, long time. Posters hanging on the walls of all past performers. Not in glass cases, but just there for everyone to see the unpretentious air about the place.
So, you out there who is looking for something real and authentic, well look no further. This is it. Time to pay hommage to someone who has had the courage to stay the course while the whole music scene shifted. Blues, real Blues, heard on the juke Box.. Wow, what's with that! Not a re-invented Blues venue but one that was and IS still today. No broken vocation or direction. Always on the same course, the Blues.
My message is this, there's no need to look anywhere else for an authentic event. This is the one. Most fest' are in an outdoor setting this one in a real Blues indoor setting. A live tribute to a real defender of the Blues. So all you performers, amateurs or pros out there who want to get involved contact me. Those who want to attend but are sitting on the fence decide soon because there is only limited space in the Club and accomodations. So yes, we can make a difference one person at a time, or in this case one event at a time in contributing to "Keeping the Blues Alive". Even from a distant place such as Montreal.
Andre Laberge
andre@boozenblues.com
