Breaking News
'M FOR MISSISSIPPI'
RECORD LABELS BAND TOGETHER AS 'THREE FORKS MUSIC';
NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION BEGINS JULY 20
(Clarksdale, Miss.) – On Tuesday, July 20, more than a century after the music
was born, Mississippi blues will reach a new milestone as juke joint legends
with names like Duck, T-Model and Big George reach out to mainstream America.
On that date, the three record labels responsible for the award-winning blues
film "M For Mississippi" will unite under a new umbrella organization called
Three Forks Music.
"Beginning July 20, we'll enjoy unprecedented CD and DVD distribution and a
renewed marketing effort for our collective recording labels," explained Roger
Stolle, owner of Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art and co-producer of "M for
Mississippi." "We believe this move will introduce a whole new audience to our
chaotic collection of amazing Delta bluesmen."
The new Three Forks Music family of labels includes Cat Head, Broke & Hungry
Records, and Mudpuppy Recordings. Products distributed and marketed through this
effort include the film "M for Mississippi: A Road Trip through the Birthplace
of the Blues" as well as CDs by Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, T-Model Ford, Big George
Brock, Odell Harris, Pat Thomas, Wesley "Junebug" Jefferson, the Mississippi
Marvel and more. All products in the Three Forks Music catalog will be
distributed in the United States by California-based City Hall Records.
"We've united our labels under one overall umbrella to increase our collective
visibility and our ability to market the region's surviving blues music,"
explained Kari Jones, Mudpuppy Recordings owner and “M for Mississippi”
co-producer. "Three Forks Music allows us to take our marketing and distribution
efforts to the next level."
Additionally, the new umbrella organization has several future projects in
development. "While each of our individual labels will continue to offer new
titles, from time to time our three labels will collaborate on larger projects
that will be produced under the Three Forks Music brand," said Jeff Konkel,
Broke & Hungry Records owner and "M For Mississippi" co-producer. "Our laundry
list of ‘must-do’ projects is growing daily, and we’re looking forward to
teaming up to produce more rough and wild blues recordings."
That "rough and wild" aesthetic is what separates the Three Forks Music group
from many of today's blues-themed record labels.
"If you prefer blues music that is smooth, clean and perfect, then I can
absolutely recommend some other labels and musicians to go out and support,"
Konkel said. "But if you like your blues the way it used to be – full of feeling
and attitude, ragged but right – then check us out. This is the kind of
authentic roots music that the big-label marketing guys want you to think
they're offering. The difference is: We actually have it."
"Look, 'the blues' per se isn't going anywhere," further explained Stolle. "But
for this kind of blues – the music of Mississippi's cotton fields and juke
joints – we've reached a threshold. The end of an era. Our mission is to capture
it and promote it while the music is still living history."
According to Jones, Three Forks Music will soon launch a new web site to market
and sell its releases and to inform the listening public about forthcoming
titles. "There are still new discoveries waiting to be made in Mississippi.
We're just glad to team up with such an experienced distribution partner as City
Hall Records. We're looking forward to working with them on forthcoming
releases."
City Hall Records is an independently owned and operated national independent
music distribution company. Located in San Rafael, California, City Hall Records
was founded in a San Francisco basement in 1973 and continues to move forward
almost 40 years later. Three Forks Music is featured on the City Hall Records
new release catalog cover shown below.
For more information, go to:
http://www.mformississippi.com/
http://www.brokeandhungryrecords.com/
http://www.cathead.biz/
http://www.mudpuppyrecordings.com/
http://www.cityhallrecords.com/
Dundee Blues Bonanza 2009
The Dundee Blues Bonanza 2009 was one of the best to date despite the "prophets of doom" and their "freeloading".
The venues were the busiest I've ever seen them, Sundays venues in particular and the public were in a party mood.
Everyone I spoke to said that they were having a great time and the few glitches were only minor ones and easily solved.
Well done the organisers! Roll on 2010
Arbroath Smokie Blues
Arbroath Smokie Blues are back again Bigger and Better than ever. Alfie and his team have put together a great bill for The Smokie Blues 2009 which will be taking place at Carnoustie's Golf Hotel on the weekend of August 14th. - 16th.
A New Aberdeen Venue
Cellar 35 on Rosemount Viaduct now runs regular Thursday night Blues Nights in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Drop in for a meal and some late night traditional Down Home Blues presented by top national Blues Bands. Admission :- Free
Arbroath Smokie Blues
The end o' an auld sang
The Organisers of The Smokie Blues have decided regretfully to bring the curtain down.
Last year's event was the 3rd and final Smokie Blues Bonanza, various factors and issues have brought about the demise of what was shaping up to be a major Scottish Blues event.
Thanks go out to Alfie, Brian and the rest of the organisers and also to those fans who travelled from all over to enjoy and take part in the past 3 years.
Smokie Blues R.I.P.
A New Record Label:
A new Blues and Roots Music record label "Front Porch Records", has launched in Scotland.
Front Porch Records is the brainchild of Karl "Son" Henry and Billy "Blindman" Allardyce and is aimed at removing control from the hands of the "suits" in the music industry and giving it back to the performers.
Front Porch Records will be "Artist Driven", in reality a co-operative run by the performers, giving unsigned bands the opportunity to market and distribute their own products with not too much effort.
Email Front Porch Records
at