When I first offered to write this piece, I had visions of doing basic reviews of the performances I witnessed at Freedom Creek 2010. While I was there, though, I had something of an epiphany, and knew that wasn’t what I wanted this to be about. Yes, there will be mention of the performers I saw, and some of your basic festival or show review, but there’s much more to Freedom Creek than just the music.

    For those that don’t know it, Freedom Creek is an annual festival held in the woods of Pickens County, Alabama, somewhere between Aliceville and Old Memphis, and was the creation of the late, great Willie King.  2010 marked the 13th anniversary of the event, and it is a sad thing that Willie himself was only at 11 of them. Willie King was taken from us on March 8, 2009, just a couple of months before Freedom Creek 2009 at the relatively young age of 66.

    Willie was one of the most kind, generous and loving people you could ever ask to meet, with a God given talent for playing the Blues. He could have signed lucrative deals for recording contracts on several occasions, but chose not to so he could carry his message to the world in his own fashion. And by turning down these contracts, he was also able to stay at home, in the woods, where he felt he could do the most good for those people he’d known all his life.

    Willie King was one of those people with a message of love and togetherness for all people, and while some of those with the same message come across as fakes, that was never the case with Willie.  I know because I had opportunity to meet him several times, and even went to visit him at home once, and was invited in like a long lost friend or family member, and we chatted for close to a couple of hours before I left. 

    Willie truly believed in the very words that are in this nation’s Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal.”  He believed this, and that all men and women should live together in peace, and love each other simply as human beings, regardless of any possible form of discrimination that exists in the world today.

    I say all this as preface to my “review” of Freedom Creek 2010 to give you a sense of what this particular Blues festival is all about. Yes, the music is important, as is the atmosphere, but the underlying current to it all is Willie’s message of peace and love for your fellow mankind.

    I was unable to attend the start of the festival on Friday the 28th, and arrived about a quarter to one on Saturday afternoon. I made the journey through the seemingly endless fields of corn and beans lining both sides of Highways 14 in Mississippi and 32 in Alabama to turn up County Rd 1 in Pickens County, only to be treated to scenic views of more pine trees, corn, beans, and the occasional pasture for cattle. But once I took the fork to the right just past the church, it felt like I was coming home.

    It was a bittersweet homecoming, as it was last year, knowing that Willie was only there in spirit, but it just felt like home. This was our (my friends and I) sixth time to attend Freedom Creek, and we “know” people that we’ve met and only ever seen there. We know them by sight, or by first name (Roger, Randy, Danny, Karen, Jake), or by nickname (Snake Man, Big M). We all know, whether we give thought to it or not, that we’re all there for one reason which is the love that is always present in everyone that is there. Yes, it is a Blues festival, and the music is certainly the main attraction, but sometimes, just sometimes, the music seems to be a secondary thing, and you can feel Willie King himself looking down from Heaven with a smile on his face, content with what he created in life.

    Willie’s work is carried on by many people, but the ones spearheading Freedom Creek are Debbie Bond and Rick Asherson, along with the Alabama Blues Project. Debbie and Rick are excellent musicians in their own right, and both played in Willie’s band, The Liberators, and both have been driving forces in getting things done for Willie and for Freedom Creek.

    This year’s event was full of excellent talent. I can’t directly comment on the shows put on by Willie Washington and Southern Echoes, Venessia Young and the True Blues Express, Little Jimmy Reed, Kent and Gary Burnside or Willie Lee, Johnny B and Sweet P, as they all played Friday, but I can tell you that everyone I saw play on Saturday played some of the best, most down-home blues you could ever ask to hear.

    I unfortunately missed the Mississippi Nightingales, as they started at 11:00 on Saturday morning, but was told by those who were there already that they were an excellent a cappella group. And I only got to see some of the Alabama Blues Project Advanced Band, but what I did see was impressive. The Advanced Band is a young group of musicians, but they have the feeling and the talent of many players much older than them.

    Jesse Daniels was unable to perform due to poor health, but an ad hoc band made up of people who had played with Willie King before doing tribute to him played an excellent set. Birmingham George impressed me with his original music, and also his covers of “Thrill is Gone,” a Muddy Waters’ medley, and his closing cover of “Dust My Broom.”

    Elnora Spencer’s ESP Band opened her set without her onstage with Albert King’s “I’ll Play the Blues for You,” and then brought the lady herself up to sing some power-packed Blues.  There were times when I felt like I was listening to Etta James singing when Elnora was onstage. A couple of surprising covers that Elnora did (for me, anyway) were Z.Z. Hill’s “Shade Tree Mechanic” and The Drifters’ “(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right.”

    Clarence Davis pulled a couple of tunes from Jimmy Reed with “Big Boss Man,” and “What You Want Me to Do” along with the only cover of “Mustang Sally” that I heard all day.  Mudcat, the band from Atlanta, did a set almost completely made up of their original tunes from their newest album, “Freedom Creek” and others. They did slip in their own special version of “Mama Killed a Chicken,” and a wonderful cover of “Sweet Home Chicago” with Little Joe, the sax player taking charge of the vocals.

    Little Willie Farmer channeled Little Milton with his cover of “Blues is Alright.” Eddie Kirkland played a set full of his music. While Jody Williams, the nearly long lost legend himself, closed out the show with a rousing set of originals and covers.

    What I have not mentioned through the show recap so far is that every band or artist either covered one or more of Willie King’s songs, and/or paid tribute to Willie between songs or at the end of their set. Everyone who played had been touched by Willie’s love at some point in their life, and wanted to pay their respects to the man. And like Willie himself (and it’s been this way every year), the artist who perform at Freedom Creek aren’t afraid to mingle with the crowd, have their picture taken, sign autographs, or just visit with the fans. This ain’t your typical musical event where it takes bribery or knowing somebody to get close to the talent on the stage.

    So next year, make a way to pack up the camping gear, load up the cooler, chairs and some sunscreen. Head out through the corn and bean fields of mid-western Alabama, turn North on County Road 1 in Pickens County, and come home to Freedom Creek. You’ll be glad you did, I always am.