Music, hall induction highlight festival

Published 12:31 am Wednesday, April 1, 2009

FERRIDAY — There will be plenty of toe-tapping, two-steppin’ and rockin’ and rollin’ in Ferriday on Saturday as music from the eighth annual Delta Music Festival fills the air.

The festival will get under way at 9 a.m. when the first musical act takes the stages, set up in the middle of Louisiana Avenue. Music won’t cease until late afternoon.

Judith Bingham, Delta Music Museum director, said this year’s musical lineup should offer something for every festival attendee.

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“I think we have a very diverse lineup this year,” she said.

She said the musical acts scheduled for the festival have gotten attention from people as far away as Rapides Parish.

“A lot of people from there are calling about Avery Michael & Exit 209 because they are from that area,” she said. “I’ve been happy with that response.”

Bingham also said the lineup is full of local talent as well. Paul Southerland and Hannah Belle, Wayside, Y Z Ealy and Band and Rendez-Vous are all local music acts that are scheduled to perform.

“We’re hoping all the local musicians will attract our local people,” she said.

And while the music is playing, Bingham said there will be plenty of activities going on around the stage. Louisiana Avenue will begin to fill with arts and craft vendors, food vendors and games Friday evening.

A portion of Louisiana Avenue will be blocked off Friday afternoon for the stage to be assembled. The rest of the street will be closed at 6 p.m. to allow festival vendors to set up.

The Delta Music Museum will also be open for tours all day.

Admission to the day long festival is $3 for ages 6 and up. Festival goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Bingham, who has been working with the festival since its inception in 2002, said the challenge each year is to make the festival bigger and better.

But, she said, because of the hard work of about 20 members of the festival committee, that is usually a fairly smooth task.

“The good thing is that these people have all been doing their jobs since the festival began,” she said. “Now, they know what to do and they just get on it and get it done.”

And when the committee members aren’t busy trying to out-do themselves, Bingham said they are fretting over the festival weather. She said the forecast for this weekend couldn’t be any better.

“We pray about that every year,” she said. “We don’t have anywhere to put the thousands of people who usually come if it rains.”

One of the highlights of the festival is the hall of fame induction that takes place in conjunction with the festival.

This year’s inductee is Johnny Rivers, who was raised in Baton Rouge and recorded his first single for Natchez-based Suede Records in 1957.

Rivers had nine top 10 hits including the chart topping song “Poor Side of Town” and the popular song “Secret Agent Man.” He also produced the Grammy winning record “Up, Up and Away.”

Rivers will not be on hand for the induction because of a scheduling conflict, but did accept his award on March 20 in Baton Rouge.

Bingham said that ceremony was taped and will be played in the museum during the festival.

“He will be there, sort of,” she said.