This year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which was canceled for the first time in its 50-year history along with all the city's large gatherings, due to the covid-19 pandemic, was to have featured The Who, Foo Fighters, Chick Corea, Erykah Badu, The Beach Boys, Norah Jones, Maggie Rogers, Stevie Nicks, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Lionel Ritchie and the recently re-formed Black Crowes.
Fans of Jazz Fest (held annually the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May) have been seeking solace over its first cancellation this year with "Jazz Festing in Place," radio broadcasts on New Orleans radio station WWOZ-FM, 90.7 featuring 51 years of archival sets from Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Fats Domino, The Radiators, The Meters, Marcia Ball, Pete Seeger, The Neville Brothers and others. The listening festival was held last weekend on what would have been opening dates for this year's Jazz Fest and continue today through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., just like the hours at Jazz Fest. Listen to the sets here: wwoz.org/listen/player/, and do as New Orleanians are doing and find the recipes for your favorite Jazz Fest foods on nola.com and make them to enjoy while you listen.
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Zach Williams, a Jonesboro native now living in Nashville, Tenn., who has been built a successful career in the Christian country music genre, got a major boost recently, thanks to one of his heroes, Dolly Parton. She performed with him on his song, "There Was Jesus," from his second album, Rescue Story, and on the November Country Music Association awards show.
Now their duo performance can be seen in a YouTube video, released April 24, which shows the two singing and worshipping together in a rural setting.
"When I first heard 'There Was Jesus,' it was one of the best songs I'd ever heard," Parton told Christianbeat.org. "I loved Zach's voice, and at that time I wanted to do something more uplifting. I felt like it was a Godsend, so I thought yes, this is my record and I'm going to sing with him on it! I'm really proud of how it turned out. I think people are going to get a blessing out of it. I know I have."
Parton told pathos.com in the fall while doing publicity for her Netflix series that Williams' song was one of several that she is excited about.
"I'm going to try to get more into doing more uplifting songs, just like the 'God Only Knows' and 'Faith in Me' and the 'There Was Jesus.' Not all religious songs, but just songs that are kinder, more fun, more uplifting, make you feel good about yourself, make you feel good about other people, about life and so I'm hoping to, you know, to try to spread a little light."
Williams obviously is over-the-moon at the collaboration, as he told the website.
"Dolly has been a champion since day one of this song. I never thought in a million years this would happen, and the entire experience working with her has truly been an honor and a privilege."
Williams got his start in Jonesboro while in college, forming Zach Williams & the Reformation. The Southern rock band found some success during a European tour and with local crowds, but Williams' upbringing as a Christian led him to disband the group in 2012 to focus on Christian music. He then formed a Christian group before going solo in 2016 and releasing the album Chain Breaker and seeing the title song become a huge hit.
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Clarksville native Jacob Baker, who went to college at Harding University, is getting notices as a youth minister in Decatur, Texas, for writing a tribute song called "The Best Is Yet to Come" for his town's 2020 graduating class. He dedicated the song to the seniors at the Decatur Church of Christ. You can watch him playing guitar and singing the song on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=y2jtDzkQUyo.
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Conway native and country music singer-songwriter Erin Enderlin is doing Facebook Live shows at 8 p.m. Thursdays (today) and 1 p.m. Tuesdays, "for the foreseeable future," according to her Facebook site.
According to her website, erinenderlin.com, the Arkansan is "already a go-to writer for stars, having penned mega country hits such as Alan Jackson's "Monday Morning Church," Lee Ann Womack's "Last Call," Luke Bryan's "You Don't Know Jack," and a host of other songs for Randy Travis, Joey+Rory, and more."
Her new album, Faulkner County, is available now. Here's a video for a song for that album, "Till It's Gone," at youtube.com/watch?v=6sJpYrhGinc.
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The farmers market that got underway a few weeks ago on the parking lot of White Water Tavern is continuing, according to impresario Matt White.
"Yes, sir, definitely continuing ever Saturday from 11-2 during the shutdown," White says.
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The folks in Helena-West Helena recently announced the lineup for the 2020 King Biscuit Blues Festival, which opens Oct. 7 and closes Oct. 10. The first day consists of one event, the Michael Burks Memorial Jam. On Oct. 8, the festival begins with Fonky Donkey, the winner of the Sonny Boy Blues Society IBC Bands winner. Others that day include Rodney Block, Kentucky Head Hunters, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Billy Branch and headliner Bobby Rush.
On Oct. 9, the lineup includes Butch Mudbone, Lonnie Shields, the C.W. Gatlin Band, the Reba Russell Band, Lucious Spiller, the Paul Thorn Band and headliner Mavis Staples.
On Oct. 10, the lineup includes Fruteland Jackson, Anson Funderburgh, Blind Mississippi Morris and headliner Allman Betts.
Weekend on 04/30/2020