chuckography

Spoleto Spillover...

Last year I was involved as a contributor to The Post and Courier's blog about the city's highly successful annual Arts and Music Festival.

I was invited back this year and went through a quick "training session" on how to upload and edit and stuff like that.

Hey, when a year goes by online - things change.

A LOT.

I must have missed one of the lessons because I could NOT get any pictures included in my posting on http://spoletotoday.com.

I really tried.

So, here are pictures taken last night at "The Dough" of Wanda Johnson, the Upstate Queen of Blues.

Behind her is producer/musician/friend Gary Erwin, aka Shrimp City Slim.

The story and headline worked ok but every time I clicked on these photos, the program asked "..and who exactly are you again?


I gave up last night - and tried again this morning. Still No go.

The 80's Blues Ladies, Charleston's own "Sensible Pumps," had disbanded in 1989 but two of the original ladies reformed as the Mattie Phifer Band.

I wanted to show pictures of them working hard getting the Friday night crowd into their rhythm. A Dough Re Mi pizzeria, in Mt. Pleasant, has become well known as a major Blues Spot.

Mattie told me she had grown up in Whitmire, SC, Newberry County, and the band played a circuit from West Virginia down to Key West, Florida, hitting Knoxville, Charlotte and Charleston.

After dissolving the band, Mattie (Mott Subert) continued in education at Newberry and up in Virginia.

About a year ago she got the urge to play again and - using her granny's name for the band - contacted Cathy Brinkly who came back on keyboard and vocals.

Willie Griffon is on sax and long time bassman Jesse Murphy eagerly re-joined the act.

I'm going to get some more computing pointers so I can add photos to all the stuff I blog.

You'll see me snapping away at music venues.

I just hope you'll also see them online.

Labels: Cathy Brinkley, Jesse Murphy, Mattie Phifer Band, Mott Suber, spoletotoday.com, Willie Griffon

posted by chucker @ 10:43 AM