date: 02-Jun-2003
From Melbourne to Memphis (news from Steve)
We've been having a great time, though very busy. The flight over was really long and Fiona had to play in Atlanta the next day. She performed at a Blues Festival sponsored by WRFG, the main roots music station in Georgia. She went over really well, did two sets and we sold a lot of CD's. Then we went to Marietta the same night where Fi sat in on electric with the Patrick Vining Band and wowed 'em. Tuesday saw us
on the radio early then on to Memphis. Wednesday was the beginning of the whirlwind of the Handy's with sound checks, receptions, interviews and then the Hall of Fame dinner at the Les Paul Room in the Gibson building. We spent an hour or so before the dinner in a corner drinking with Magic Slim, Bobby Rush, Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith, Pinetop Perkins, Little Milton and other such notables. Fiona's set was incredibly well received. Pinetop Perkins said she was the best female finger picking-guitarist he'd heard in 30 years, and slide player Cedell Davis asked could he play with her. Grammy Award winner 'King' Solomon Burke offered us a recording contract on the spot. The only hitch was the sound system collapsing in the middle of the set, but as it turned out the professional way Fiona handled it really impressed
everyone there. Accolades have been coming in from industry people so
that's good. Thursday was the Handy's with the day beginning with a Fox TV interview (people keep coming up to Fiona on the street and asking for autographs etc.) at 7.15am then sound check in the early afternoon. The Handy pre-party started at about 5.00pm (check out the limo photos, we expect this now from our Australian record company!!!!). Red carpet and all the other glitz, but it was fun. The awards were a bit of a blurr because they had so much on the program. Fiona opened the second
half of the program, followed by Bobby Rush, Corey Harris and Sam Carr. She went really well with great crowd response. Ann Rabson was particularly enamoured by her. Then we went on to the jam at the New Daisy Theatre on Beale St. Fi played a couple of songs with Handy nominee Ana Popovic, a young Yugoslavian female Tele player, which the crowd loved. Got to bed about 4.30am and then crawled into the day on Friday afternoon for a gig at the King's Palace with Collard's and Geoff Acheson from 4 -7pm, and straight across the road to the Pig on Beale for a 3 set solo show. Lots of media and talent bookers there so good should come of it. Fiona was then invited to play with Bob Margolin and Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith at the Rum Boogie Cafe. Magic Slim also wanted her to sit in but their gigs were on at the same time, but it was a huge complement to her that he asked. The stuff Fi did with Bob Margolin was extraordinary. It's good to see people notice her talent as an electric player as well and it will mean more work for her. Again into bed about 4.30am.
Yesterday and today we've had off. We went and heard Dr John last night and The Iguanas this afternoon. We're going to Clarksdale Mississippi tomorrow for 4 days of gigs and record store appearances then off for the Chicago Blues Fest next Sunday.