The Holmes Brothers Cook a Bluesful Brew at Blissfest

July 7, 2004

The Blissfest Folk & Roots Festival has had a history of blending local and international performers on stage to create one of Northern Michigan’s best celebrations of world music. The 24th version of the festival on July 9-11 will be no exception. Blissfest has built its reputation by bringing in such folk legends as John McCutcheon and Richie Havens and this year the festival is anchoring itself around one blues legend, The Holmes Brothers, and one future legend, Larry McCray.
Comprised of Wendell and Sherman Holmes on guitar and bass and Popsy Dixon on drums, The Holmes Brothers have performed in 41 countries in their 36-year career. To pigeonhole The Holmes Brothers as just simply blues is to not get to the “root” of their music.
“White radio stations had more kilowatts than the black stations,” said Wendell Holmes. “We’d be listenin’ to the blues, and all of a sudden, poom, you’d get Hank Williams. That was good for us. We love doin’ country & western. Lots of people find it strange that black folks’d do country & western, but we do lots of it -- and like it.”
They play all styles of music and are currently out promoting their latest Alligator release “Simple Truths” that features a rousing spiritual rendition of folk legend Townes Van Zandt’s “If I Needed You.”
“Townes was one of the great songwriters of our day,” said Holmes. “We are really about great songs whether we write them or someone else.”

MODERN METAL
Proof of that comes on the second song of their new album. If anyone ever wondered if a modern metal rock tune could convert into a country blues song check out The Holmes Brothers’ cover version of Collective Soul’s smash hit “Shine.”
“Hey we can rock too,” said Holmes. “Look, I have the greatest job in the world. It is the only job I know of where they applaud when you arrive to work and applaud when you leave. And there ain’t many jobs where you get a standing ovation.”
The band has a lot of fans including Willie Nelson. The group recorded Nelson’s “Opportunity to Cry,” and the country legend loved it so much he invited them to perform it at his “Willie Nelson and Friends Television Special” this past spring. Fans came from all directions.
“We got a call from Lou Reed asking us to open for him at Carnegie Hall last week,” said Holmes. “We were shocked that he even knew who we were. We were even more shocked when he told us to come to sound check with him so we could rehearse a few songs together for the show.”

As for performing in Northern Michigan, will this be the group’s first time visiting?
“I could be wrong, but I think Blissfest is in Lower Michigan,” laughs Holmes. “We have played the Upper Peninsula in Marquette to be exact and that is the real northern Michigan.”

WHO’S HOT
Thanks for the geography lesson. Anyone exciting out there on the blues landscape?
“I think Shemekia Copeland is definitely carrying the torch,” said Holmes. “She is exciting and can sing. I remember her father Johnny Copeland; she has good genes.”
As for themselves, they have no plans to retire and feel the blues or roots music remains popular because it connects with the listener.
“We do about 200 shows a year,” said Holmes. “Blues music really is a taste of everything and it doesn’t have to be sad. There are a lot of happy blues songs and we sing a lot of them.”
Something that doesn’t make Holmes happy is seeing all of the legendary blues clubs closing in New York.
“It is pure economics, they can make more money with a Popeye’s Chicken,” said Holmes. “This doesn’t mean that the music is losing popularity, the crowds are still there and more young people are taking a liking to the music. We are not going anywhere but on the road and this music isn’t going anywhere but being passed on to the next generation.”

LARRY McCRAY
That next gen-eration includes Saginaw, Michigan blues guitarist Larry McCray. McCray is touring in support of his current album “Believe It,” and will make his first appearance at Blissfest on Sunday, July 11 with an appearance on the acoustic stage followed by a set on the main stage.
McCray is excited about coming north.
“I have played up that way before and I know that area has an appreciation for music, especially the blues,” said McCray. “I love those guys Mojo and The Boogieman and went into the studio with them for the their next album. Plus I play a lot with another cat from up north named Brian Schram. That cat can play too.”
McCray has some big shoes to fill.
“Larry is one that I am counting on to keep the blues going,” said B.B. King. “The torch was passed to me and Muddy and others in the ‘60s and now it is time to pass it on and certainly Larry is one of those torch bearers.”
McCray’s growing popularity is a result of his blistering guitar wizardry, soulful vocals and an infectious smile.
Blissfest attendees will be treated to all three and a rare treat of McCray’s acoustic ability. According to the classic song McCray loves to perform: “I’m open for business in your neighborhood. The blues is my business and business is good, yeah it’s sho nuff good.”

The business of the blues, folk, world beat and a host of other sounds will be open for commerce at the 24th Annual Blissfest Folk & Roots Festival located between Harbor Springs and Cross Village from July 9 – 11. For additional information on tickets, camping and a complete line up of the performers visit their website, www.blissfest.org or call (231) 348-7047 as tickets in recent years have sold out.
Additional Blissfest highlights include the newgrass John Cowan Band, fiddle virtuoso Vassar Clements, world beat group Brave Combo, jazz-swing band Jive at Five w/Mollie O’Brien, alternative folk Kris Demeanor & His Crack Band, Kristin Sweetland, African kora band Mamadou Diabate, Nashville songwriters Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart, Canadian Celtic band The Duhks, Appalachian roots w/ Ira Bernstein, homegrown cajun players the Benzie Playboyz, bluegrass Grasshoppah, storyteller LaRon Williams, reggae/ska artists Ignorant Mob, Latin performer Benny Cruz y la Buena Vida, Ralston Bowles, Andy Young, Tanglemere, Seth Bernard, Daisy May, Ron Fowler, Foghorn String Band, Kirby, Darlene and more.

Advance tickets for the weekend are $65 adults, $30 for supervised teens and $55 for seniors -- add $10 at the gate, with day passes also available. Rustic camping is $10/vehicle advance and $15 gate for Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights with a Weekend Pass. Check out www.blissfest.org for details.