We're less than two months away!

The Memphis Music & Heritage Festival returns September 5 & 6, and the Center's Facebook page notes this:

If you haven't attended the Memphis Tradition - Memphis Music and Heritage Festival, surely, as a Fan of the Center for Southern Folklore, you have heard of it.

We are looking for committed volunteers to help out with stage management, kitchen, beer and merchandise sales, and lots of other fun stuff at this year's festival, September 5 and 6. That's Labor Day Weekend.

Volunteer by emailing volunteer@southernfolklore.org, or calling Brian Paris at 901-525-3655, or visit the website at Center for Southern Folklore and fill out a volunteer form.

The Center for Southern Folklore outdoes itself, which isn't easy

Full disclosure: I am a member of the board of directors for the Center for Southern Folklore.

Last night, an event thirty-two years in the making took place at the Center, with the opening of the online exhibit, TAYLOR MADE, the collection of the photographs, films and audio recordings of the Reverend L.O. Taylor of Memphis.

Reverend Taylor took photographs and made films and recordings of life in Memphis in the 1920 through the 1950s, and thanks to the work of the Center's archivists, they have been able to digitize this collection so that you may access it from your computer.

As Michael Taft of the Library of Congress noted at last night's opening, what makes this so very special is that this is documentation of the African-American community from the INSIDE, and not from white Northerners who had no idea about the culture of the South or the African-American community. This is truly unlike anything you have seen, and what's great about this is you can PARTICIPATE as well!

If you see someone in one of the films, photos, or recordings that you recognize, there is an email address next to that item, and we urge you to email us with that information, as there are lots of unidentified people in these pieces.

I want you to visit this exhibit, so that you get a full understanding of what the Center for Southern Folklore does, day in and day out, as we're not just the producers of the BEST FREE FESTIVAL IN MEMPHIS.

Of course, I personally want to thank Elisa, Changzhi, Bridgett, Tim, and of course, the lovely Lauren, who worked on this before coming to work with me, for the yeoman's work they did on this project.

I'll let the words of our director, Judy Peiser, sum this up:

TAYLOR BIOGRAPHY
The Taylor Collection is part of the Center for Southern Folklore'sMultimedia Archives which preserves and digitizes the images and voices we have recorded and collected over the last 37 years. We plan to produce more on line exhibits showcasing Rev. Taylor and many other photographers, artists, musicians, talkers and cooks whose work defines our region. We hope these exhibits provide a window for men and women across the globe to learn about the music, culture, arts and rhythms of the Memphis Delta region.	TAYLOR COLLECTION HISTORY
Taylor Made would not be possible without the generous support of local and national foundations and agencies. The Assisi Foundation of Memphis,The Plough Foundation, The Grammy Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts have provided the resources to digitize and organize our Multimedia Archives. The National Park Service's Save America's Treasures grant administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities insures the preservation of the Rev. L.O. Taylor Collection and provides the resources for the Center to make exhibits like this available for people to learn about Rev. Taylor and his important legacy.

Something amazing happens TONIGHT at the Center for Southern Folklore

REMINDER, this is TONIGHT and a few tickets remain, so COME ON DOWN!

We proudly present..

An Evening with Bobby Rush
Friday, January 09 2009, 8:00pm - 5:00pm
After spectacular performances at the Center's 2007 and 2008 Memphis Music & Heritage Festival Mr. Rush said, "I want to support an organization that unites Memphis' culture, music, history and arts the way the Center for Southern Folklore and its Festival does. I hope all my fans join me in supporting the Center on Friday, January 9, 2009." Bobby Rush, performs a rare solo acoustic benefit concert for the Center for Southern Folklore. Admission is $75.00 per person and includes regional foods, beer and wine. The evening will include performances by Mr. Rush plus an on stage interview where audience members will have a chance to ask Mr. Rush about his musical career. learn more about Bobby Rush Get your tickets Now!
Location: Folklore Hall Contact: yourevent@southernfolklore.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 901.525.3655
$75.00 (includes food, beer & wine) This Event supports the Center for Southern Folklore. Please join us and consider buying a ticket as a gift!

KateFest this weekend at the Center for Southern Folklore

REMEMBER, KATE BEGINS TONIGHT!

As Andria Lisle has noted, Kate Campbell is making a visit to the Center this weekend for two shows and a songwriting workshop.

Saturday night, we are having a CD release party and concert to hear songs from her new CD, SAVE THE DAY; this will begin at 8 PM.  Tickets are $25 (Golden Circle), $18 day of show and $15 in advance, call 525-3655 for more information.

Sunday afternoon from 2-4 PM, Kate is having a Songwriting Workshop in conjunction with the Memphis Songwriters Association, tickets are $30, $25 for Memphis Songwriters Association members.  Those tickets also include admission for the 4-5:30 show that follows, KateFest!

KateFest will be all of the older songs we've come to love over the years; if you just want to come by for the show and bypass the workshop, tickets are $20.  Please call the Center for more information!

I will be there Saturday night, I hope you can make one or more of these events, they are a treasure, as we welcome Kate back to Memphis! 

Finally, it's HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What, you ask? The ALL-NEW website for the Center for Southern Folklore, which is a 10000% improvement over the old one.

The new site has pictures and links and stories and separate pages for the Memphis Music & Heritage Festival (coming up TWO WEEKS from tomorrow, there is still time to volunteer!) for which I have a schedule up NOW, see below.

Go there now and EXPLORE, you can also shop at our online store (I'm a member of the Board of Directors, I can say OUR) and see all the wonderful things available. Or, just go play around, you will have a great time!