Greene County Democrat

Tag: Terry “Harmonica” Bean

  • 48th Annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival scheduled for August


    Blues musician Clarence Davis, Union Alabama, is one of founding folk artists of the Black Belt Folk Roots Festival; Ms.Vera Spencer cooking skins; Ms.Odessa Rice with crafts and
    Mrs. Claretha and Mr. James Gaines, Sr. singing old timey gospel.

    It’s that special time of year again and the excitement is escalating. The 48th annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is coming to town on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday August 27, 2023. This community celebration is held on the old courthouse square in Eutaw, AL, (Greene County). The festival features down home blues music, old timey gospel, traditional foods, handmade crafts and special events for the young people.
    All this and more is happening at the annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, an event that celebrates culture and traditions.
    Saturday’s events are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Ole Timey Blues and dancing featuring musicians Clarence Davis, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, Jock Webb, Lil Lee and the Midnight Blues Band, Willie Halbert and the Fingerprint Band, Lendell Peebles and the Grapevine, Scott Percer and the Roadhouse Blues Band, Lemon Harper, Russell Gulley on guitar and others.
    The handmade crafts available at the festival are traditional quilts and other needle works; baskets from white oak, pine needles and corn shucks, handmade soaps, candles and scents, handmade jewelry and other decorative items.
    The assortments of down-home foods include, barbecue, fried fish, chicken and pork skins, Polish sausage and Bear Burgers, ice cream, cakes and pies; snow cones, Italian ice, popcorn, freshly squeezed lemonade and more.
    Saturday’s festivities will also sponsor a Kids Tent, with complimentary hands-on art activities for the children. Special features will include pottery making and African drumming.
    Ole Timey Gospel is reserved for Sunday’s festival beginning at 2:00 p.m. and featuring the The Melody Kings, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, New Generation Men of Promise, Greene County Mass Choir, The American Travelers, Maxine Donald and the Chosen Ones, soloist Ms. Eddie Mae Brown and many others.
    “The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is homecoming time in the region. Many families, class reunions and social clubs plan their annual activities to coincide with the festival’s schedule,” stated Dr. Carol P. Zippert, festival coordinator. “The festival brings together musicians, craftspersons, storytellers, food specialists, community workers – all who are considered bearers of the traditions and folkways of the West Alabama region. This is a festival where people truly celebrate themselves – their joys and struggles and especially ‘how we made it over,’” Zippert states.
    According to Dr. Zippert, the two day festival is open to the public free of charge. The hours are Saturday, August 26, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday August 27, 2:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is supported in part by the Alabama Department of Tourism, Black Belt Community Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation and other contributors.
    The festival is produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture. For more information contact Carol P. Zippert at 205-372-0525; Email: zippert.carol79@gmail.com

  • Annual festival features Kids Tent with art workshop; music, crafts and foodways still core of celebration

    Author and graphic artist Mynecia (Mya) Steele engages children in art activities at Saturday’s festival.

    The 47th annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, held Saturday and Sunday, August 27-28, 2022, in Eutaw, featured a Kids Tent providing art activities for children, designed and led by local author and graphic artists Mynecia (Mya) Steele.  The youth enjoyed face painting and creating their own artistic designs.  As producer of the annual festival, the Society of Folk Arts & Culture provided the art materials for the Kids Tent, including prizes and awards.  “The intent of the Kids Tent was to help young people feel they are part of the festival as a community celebration; there is a place for them at the festival,” stated Dr. Carol Zippert, festival coordinator.

        The two-day festival also featured the annual activities of the Ole Timey Blues stage on Saturday with musicians Clarence Davis, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, Lil’ Lee and the Midnight Blues Band and others. The Ole Timey Gospel stage on Sunday brought us Glory 2 Glory, Eddie Mae Brown, Dwayne Charleston and Company and many more. 

        Crafts and traditional foodways satisfied the music loving crowd. There was a noted transition among the craft artists.  Where the festival once attracted many quilters and basket weavers, younger craft artists are joining the festival with handmade jewelry, organic items including soaps, scents and lotions; authored books, paintings and other home decorative items.

        The annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival continues as our signature community celebration.

  • The 45th annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival goes Virtual

    The 45th annual BlackBelt Folk Roots Festival, for the first time, will be a Virtual Celebration of folk artists who are the bearers of the culture and traditions of the West Alabama Region. According to Dr. Carol P. Zippert, festival coordinator, the coronavirus pandemic is the primary reason for presenting a virtual festival this year. “We could not jeopardize anyone with an on site community celebration,” she said.
    “The annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is home coming time in the region. Many families, class reunions and social clubs plan their annual activities to coincide with the festival’s schedule,” stated Dr. Zippert. “The usual on-site festival brings together folk artists who are considered bearers of the traditions and folkways of the West Alabama region. Having a Virtual Festival is a statement of recognition and celebration of the local artists who are the bearers of our culture, traditions and folkways,” she explained.
    The Virtual Festival will feature down home blues music, old timey gospel, traditional foods, handmade crafts and special events for the young people. Ole Timey Blues artists will include Clarence Davis, Jock Webb, Willie T. Adams, Ernest Martin, Jontavious Willis, Lil Lee and the Midnight Blues Band, Nigel Speights, Russell Gulley, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, Roadhouse Blues Band, Willie Halbert and the Fingerprint Band, and others.
    Music of the Ole Timey Gospel artists will include, The Melody Kings, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, Greene County Mass Choir, The American Travelers, Angels of Faith, Ms. Eddie Brown and many others.
    The Virtual Festival will celebrate the craft artists, creators of hand made quilts; baskets from white oak, pine needles and corn shuck; jewelry, sundry of home decorative items, and more. The virtual site will also include information where viewers may contact those craft artists who have arrangements for online purchases.
    The Virtual Web Site will also celebrate the artists who bring us the assortments of down-home foods usually available at the annual festival including soul food dinners, barbecue, fried fish, chicken and skins, Polish sausage, homemade ice cream, cakes and pies; snow cones, Italian ice, and more.
    The Virtual Festival web site will be made available beginning August 22, 2020.
    Virtual Kids Art Tent – A Zoom Experience
    The Virtual Kids Tent will be presented via Zoom. Local artists Mynecia (Mya) Steele has designed various art activities and will the guide the young people in the hands-on creative projects. The youth participants who register in advance will be provided the art materials needed to participate in the Zoom classes. They may contact Maya at 205-393-8644 or email: myneciads@gmail.com; or contact Carol Zippert at 205-372-0525, email: zippert.carol79@gmail.com.
    “This is a festival where people truly celebrate themselves – their joys and struggles and especially ‘how we made it over,’” Zippert stated. We intend to claim, lift, and share our treasures of community celebration through this very special Virtual Festival – the 45th Celebration of the Black Belt Folk Roots Festival.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is supported in part by the Alabama Department of Tourism, the Black Belt Community Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation; Greenetrack, Inc. and other local contributors.
    The festival is produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture.
    For more information contact Carol P. Zippert at 205-372-0525;
    Email: zippert.carol79@gmail.com

  • 44th Annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival Saturday, August 24 & Sunday, August 25, Old Courthouse Square, Eutaw, AL

    Come to the only show in town where you can smile and sway to ole timey blues, enjoy the delicacies of right-off-the grill barbecue and polish sausages, feast on freshly cooked country dinners with assorted pies and cakes and then top it all off with hand churned homemade ice cream.
    All this and more is happening at the annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday August 25 on the Old Courthouse Square in Eutaw, AL.
    The festival features down home blues music, old timey gospel, traditional foods, handmade crafts and special events for the young people. Saturday’s events are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Ole Timey Blues and dancing featuring musicians Clarence Davis, The Liberators, Russell Gulley, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, Jock Webb, Roadhouse Blues Band, Willie Halbert and the Fingerprint Band, and others.
    The handmade crafts available at the festival are traditional quilts and other needle works; baskets from white oak, pine needles and corn shucks.

    The assortments of down-home foods include soul food dinners, barbecue, fried fish, chicken and skins, Polish sausage, homemade ice cream, cakes and pies; snow cones, Italian ice, and more.
    Ole Timey Gospel is reserved for Sunday’s festival beginning at 2:00 p.m. and featuring the The Echo Juniors, Son of Zion, The Melody Kings, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, New Generation Men of Promise, Greene County Mass Choir, The American Travelers and many others.
    The Festival will also feature hands-on arts activities for the children.
    “The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is home coming time in the region. Many families, class reunions and social clubs plan their annual activities to coincide with the festival’s schedule,” stated Dr. Carol P. Zippert, festival coordinator. “The festival brings together folk artists who are considered bearers of the traditions and folkways of the West Alabama region,” she explained. “This is a festival where people truly celebrate themselves – their joys and struggles and especially ‘how we made it over,’” Zippert states.
    According to Dr. Zippert, the two day festival is open to the public free of charge. The hours are Saturday, August 24, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday August 25, 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is supported in part by the Black Belt Community Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation and other local contributors.
    The festival is produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture.
    There is no admission fee for the Festival events.
    For more information contact Carol P. Zippert at 205-372-0525;
    Email: carolxzippert@aol.com

  • Annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival, time for reunions, good food and music

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    Lemon Harper of Sumter County shows off his dance routine at Annual Festival.  and John Kennedy Byrd prepares his famous Barbecue ribs at annual festival

    Where else can you smile and sway to ole timey blues, enjoy the delicacies of right-off-the grill barbecue and polish sausages, feast on freshly cooked country dinners with assorted pies and cakes and then top it all off with hand churned homemade ice cream.
    All this and more is happening at the annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival on Saturday, August 25 and Sunday August 26 on the Old Courthouse Square in Eutaw, AL.
    The festival features down home blues music, old timey gospel, traditional foods, handmade crafts. Saturday’s events are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Ole Timey Blues and dancing featuring musicians Clarence Davis, The Liberators, Jock Webb, Davey Williams, Russell Gulley, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, and others.
    The handmade crafts available at the festival are traditional quilts and other needle works; baskets from white oak, pine needles and corn shucks. The assortments of down-home foods include soul food dinners, barbecue, fried fish, chicken and skins, homemade ice cream, cakes and pies; snow cones, Italian ice, and more.
    Ole Timey Gospel is reserved for Sunday’s festival beginning at 2:00 p.m. and featuring the
    The Echo Juniors, The Melody Kings, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, New Generation Men of Promise, Greene County Mass Choir, Glory Gospel Group, Angels of Faith, The American Gospel Singers and many others.

    “The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is home coming time in the region. Many families, class reunions and social clubs plan their annual activities to coincide with the festival’s schedule,” stated Dr. Carol P. Zippert, festival coordinator. “The festival brings together musicians, craftspersons, storytellers, food specialists, community workers – all who are considered bearers of the traditions and folkways of the West Alabama region,” she explained. “This is a festival where people truly celebrate themselves – their joys and struggles and especially ‘How we made it over,’” Zippert states.
    According to Dr. Zippert, the two day festival is open to the public free of charge. The hours are Saturday, August 25, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday August 26, 2:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is supported in part by the Black Belt Community Foundation, Alabama Power Foundation, Alabama Department of Tourism and other local contributors.
    The festival is produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture.
    There is no admission fee for the Festival events.
    For more information contact Carol P. Zippert at 205-372-0525;
    Email: carolxzippert@aol.com

  • Black Belt Folk Roots Festival celebrates 42nd year

    festival story.jpgWhere else can you smile and sway to ole timey blues, enjoy the delicacies of right-off-the grill barbecue and polish sausages, feast on freshly cooked country dinners with assorted pies and cakes and then top it all off with hand churned homemade ice cream.
    All this and more is happening at the annual Black Belt Folk Roots Festival on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday August 27 on the Old Courthouse Square in Eutaw, AL.
    In its 42nd year of community celebration, the festival will again feature down home blues music, old timey gospel, traditional foods, handmade crafts and special events for the young people.

    Saturday’s events are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with Ole Timey Blues and dancing featuring musicians Clarence Davis, The Liberators, Jock Webb, Davey Williams, Russell Gulley, Terry “Harmonica” Bean, Jock Webb, Lil’ Jimmie Reed and others.
    The handmade crafts available at the festival are traditional quilts and other needle works; baskets from white oak, pine needles and corn shucks. The assortments of down-home foods include soul food dinners, barbecue, fried fish, chicken and skins, Polish sausage, homemade ice cream, cakes and pies; snow cones, Italian ice, and more.
    Ole Timey Gospel is reserved for Sunday’s festival beginning at 2:00 p.m. and featuring the The Echo Juniors, The Melody Kings, The Mississippi Traveling Stars, The Golden Gates, New Generation Men of Promise, Sons of Zion, Greene County Mass Choir and many others. “The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is home coming time in the region. Many families, class reunions and social clubs plan their annual activities to coincide with the festival’s schedule,” stated Dr. Carol P. Zippert, festival coordinator. “The festival brings together musicians, craftspersons, storytellers, food specialists, community workers – all who are considered bearers of the traditions and folkways of the West Alabama region,” she explained. “This is a festival where people truly celebrate themselves – their joys and struggles and especially ‘how we made it over,’” Zippert states.
    According to Dr. Zippert, the two day festival is open to the public free of charge. The hours are Saturday, August 26, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Sunday August 27, 2:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
    The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is supported in part by the Black Belt Community Foundation, and other local contributors.
    The festival is produced by the Society of Folk Arts & Culture. There is no admission fee for the festival events. For more information contact Carol P. Zippert at 205-372-0525;
    Email: carolxzippert@aol.com