Kirk Kramer
Phoenix Staff Writer
—
For 20 years, thousands have come down a dusty road to a small wooden house on the corner to hear the sounds of the Dusk ’til Dawn Blues Festival on Labor Day weekend.
D.C. and Selby Minner of Rentiesville started the event. It grows each year with bigger outdoor stages for international blues singers and musicians. It’s 30 bands with more than 200 musicians playing in three days. Each night has special features, Selby said. There’s a triple CD release party on Friday with new CDs by Cecil Gray, Pat Moss and Sunset.
“Saturday has been nicknamed Mr. Romantic (Johnny Rawls) and the Divas (Miss Blues, Sunset, Selby, E.G. Kight and Zora Young,” she said.
Sunday will be the Rentiesville All Stars in the club after midnight.
“Many Oklahoma Blues Hall of Famers (Miss Blues, Tony Mathews, Bucky Young, Rudy Scott, Lem Sheppard) plus international stars Leon Blue and Johnny Rawls.”
Rawls won soul CD of the Year in Memphis at the Blues Foundation Awards this year, she said.
“I believe Bernard Allison is the sleeper of the show. He grew up playing in his dad, Luther Allison’s, band and has been tearing them up this summer on the festival circuit. He is coming with a six-piece band Sunday and it is really not to be missed.”
Cassandra Gaines won’t miss a thing. She’s looking forward to this year’s festival.
“When they have the blues festival, they bring in thousands of people, not only from Oklahoma but from all over,” said Gaines, manager of the Muskogee Civic Center. “It brings in lots of tourism dollars.”
Zora Young has toured Europe 35 times, and has been the headliner at the Chicago Blues Festival, Selby said.
Gaines said she helps out as a volunteer and as a friend of Selby. Her husband, the late blues great D.C. Minner, was born in Rentiesville and went on to perform with Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and others.
Gaines enjoys all the performers, but says Selby and Cowboy are particular favorites. She is also partial to Pat Moss, whom she describes as “a nice singer.”
Gaines said she looks forward every year to the barbecue and catfish at the food booths.
“They have arts and crafts for kids,” Gaines said. “It is a real family event. “I just want everybody to get out and participate.”
An April 14 letter from Hardy Watkins, director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, encourages investment in the festival.
“The festival provides a real connection to Oklahoma’s role as a cradle of blues music, legend and heritage,” Watkins said. “It is an important event for our state, bringing national and international respect and acclaim, with more than 200 musicians presented each year.”
The $15 admission fee will be refunded to festival-goers who volunteer three hours of their time.
Those wishing to volunteer must first pay their fee at the gate. Then volunteers should head for the volunteer headquarters’ tent. A choice of volunteer jobs is available. After working three hours, volunteers get their admission back, and a coupon good for 50 percent off the purchase of a blues fest T-shirt.
People with children can volunteer in the Kid’s Village.
To sign up early, call 473-2411, or just show up and sign up.
Reach Kirk Kramer at 684-2901 or kkramer @muskogeephoenix.com.
If you go
WHAT: The 20th annual Dusk ’til Dawn Blues Festival.
WHERE: Rentiesville, between Muskogee and Checotah, east of U.S. 69, take the Checotah-Rentiesville exit, turn right and go north one mile; at Rentiesville-Honey Springs Road, turn right and go east two miles to the festival site.
WHEN: 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sept. 3 to 5.
COST: Adults, $15 per day; $10 in advance; and free, children.
SPONSORS: Oklahoma Arts Council, VSA Arts, Yaffe Metals, Love Bottling, Republic Guitars, Budweiser Beer, James Hodge Ford, Griffin Foods, Citizens’ Bank, Creek Nation Casino, Walmart, The Current and Friends of Rentiesville Blues Inc.
INFORMATION: 473-2411 or dcminnerblues.com
