Bones Fest XXVIII
May 2-5, 2024 – Clarksdale, MS
Host: Randy Seppala
Media
History of the Blues, Part 1 (from Bones Fest XXIII)
What I will remember most about Bones Fest XXVIII is the passing of “Super” Jeremy Brown just days before the festival date. We will all miss your smiling face Jeremy, you taught us to stay happy and keep on smiling, no matter what comes our way. Rest in peace fellow rhythm bones player.
As in so many festivals that I’ve been in involved with you spends months and months planning and making arrangements and when the actual event starts rolling it goes by in a flash and is suddenly over. XXVIII started rolling on Thursday evening with blues and jamming, and kept building in a crescendo climaxing in the BIG BONES SHOW at Ground Zero. The skill level of bones players was truly astounding. We have an organization with such a variety of talented players that we can surely call this “the most eclectic festival we have had” as Steve Wixson said to me. I am so glad we had perfect weather and everyone enjoyed themselves again at the incredibly unique Shack Up Inn and additionally this year the Hopson Commissary, providing two unbeatable venues for our festival. Big thanks to both of these grand facilities.
Big thank you also to all 45 Fest attendees, each and every one of you are what made this gathering an overwhelming success. The workshops, jamming and individual performances were well presented and informative. The “Discussion of Irish Bones” and “Vgo’s History of the Blues: part 4” really added the some perspective and relivence. Then came the BIG BONES SHOW at Ground Zero and it was an EXTRAVAGANGA!!!!!! Everyone played wonderfully and world premier of Mel Mercier’s “ROLL On”, performed by the Rhythm Bones Ensemble, was nothing short of sensational. WOW!!!!!!!!!
Over the past 25 years The Rhythm Bones Society has created Brotherhood/Sisterhood, an alliance, dedicated to the presentation, preservation and perpetuation of the ancient art of rhythm bones playing and Bones Fest XXVIII is proof that it is working. Discovering that there are more bones players out there than we first thought and bringing them together at an annual festival to celebrate and teach our bones playing tradition is a brilliant idea and way to ensure the survival of bones playing. It is vital that we keep this organization going for at least another 25 years. Thank you for attending Bones Fest XXVIII and being a member of the Rhythm Bones Society. Best always.
Randy “DaBonesMan” Seppala