Delta Dreams

One of my dearest friends has carved out a niche for herself in Mississippi. Even though I am in Marrakech, my thoughts are drawn to the Delta, for Facebook tells me that Robin is beginning the long trip, driving from the Pacific Northwest down to the sticky south. She has a deadline: the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival starts in two weeks, and she undoubtedly has a long task list before the Acoustic Stage is ready!

Robin is a merchant marine, but she moonlights as the owner and MC of an open-air blues venue in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Don’t you just love it? Especially since Clarksdale is more than 350 miles from the closest sea. Robin loves a good project. She will perhaps argue that the projects find her, rather than the other way around. But I know better.

Along with ongoing home design and improvement projects in the Pacific Northwest, Robin is also in the process of renovating and restoring an old 1950s movie theater in Clarksdale: The New Roxy. When Robin purchased the building several years ago, the interior was filled with debris, rotting wood, and pervasive poison ivy. The roof was missing, and a precarious balcony hung by a thread. The original marquee still proudly hung above the double theater doors, but the New Roxy suffered from an accumulated twenty-five years of neglect

With a strong commitment to preserving the original layout and historical elements of the New Roxy, work has been steady and positive for the past two years. Film and photograph documentation ensure that the history of the New Roxy and of its placement in the neighborhood is documented. With a rich history that includes serves as the first place of employment for the teenaged Ike Turner, as well as for many other youth of the town, the New Roxy holds rich and important memories and reminiscences for the local community. Thanks to help from locals, friends, and with great personal determination, Robin has lifted this dilapidated theater from its lowly position as an eyesore and discarded relic, to a position of importance and recognition at the annual Sunflower Festival. And this festival-related status is just the beginning, just a glimpse into the impact of the New Roxy project.

see more photos of the New Roxy on myspace

If you stick around a little while, you realize that Robin’s hard physical labor and her commitment to the New Roxy has a more profound effect. Neighbors come by to check the progress and offer assistance. Stories are told (and actually listened to and oftentimes recorded) about the history of the New Roxy and its role in the Clarksdale community. Robin’s presence in Clarksdale is careful, and thoughtful, and respectful. She visits as often as she can, and strives to ensure that her contributions are ultimately positive for the town.

Robin has turned her personal interest in and passion for the delta blues into a project that has implications for the greater community. I continue to be impressed by her accomplishments and dedication to causes greater than her own.

“Working to restore and resurrect the theater is a labor of love, for the music, for the culture and for the way the two come together.” - Robin, New Roxy website

This year, the New Roxy will be featuring acoustic blues, including the great names of Charles Fowler, Foster "Tater" Wiley, Bill Abel & Cadillac John, Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, Kenny Brown, and Johnny Lowe Bow.

Are you feeling restless? Bored and ready for an adventure? Consider heading to Clarksdale for the Sunflower Festival! I predict that it will be just the first of a soon-to-be annual trip. Stop by the acoustic stage and show your recognition of Robin’s hard work by purchasing a “New Roxy” t-shirt; proceeds go towards the renovation and restoration of the theater. Or, if you are looking for a project yourself, consider volunteering with the New Roxy and contributing your skills and talents to a community project. Contact details and more information can be found at the New Roxy website. Also check out Robin’s blog, titled: “Dispatches from the Delta."