ShedHed Blues Festival Rocks Jackson County, Mississippi

By Toni Miles

Barbeque, blues and beer were the perfect combination for the ShedHed Blues Festival in Jackson county Sunday. This is the fourth year the event has been held.

"We do three things at the Shed. We do beer, barbeque and blues, and this is what this is about. It's about the blues," said Brad Orrison, Head ShedHed.

They may have been singing the blues, but no one seemed to have a case of them at the event.

"I think it's a really good way to get all the local blues people around, to just hang out and have some fun, be yourself and just dance, and have a good time," said employee Beth Garvey.

It was Jason Clark's second time to go to the festival. He moved to South Mississippi about a year ago and has made several adjustments. Music like this is one of the changes he enjoys.

"It's a 180 degree turn from back where I'm from. You don't have blues music up there. You have rap and heavy metal, that's about it, and this right here, this is it. This is where it's at right here," Clark said.

Nine bands from near and far took center stage.

"The Line Up, we've been very fortunate this year. We have Bobby Rush, guitar Shorty who taught Jimmy Hendrix how to play the guitar. This is Blue Mountain playing, now, it's really great," Orrison said.

Hattiesburg native Dave Riley was one of the performers. His music has taken him touring all over the world, but he says there's no place he'd rather be than right here.

"It feels good, you know, I spent all my childhood days down here. It's no other place in the world like this. Trust me, and I go around the world...nothing like this place," Riley said.