Research
the Mississippi Delta blues or any of the most revered and respected
names in blues music such as Chess Records, King Biscuit Time,
Sun Records, or Muddy Waters, and you will discover they were
at one time a part of Pinetop Perkins’ life. He received
a Grammy Award in 2005 for Lifetime Achievement, but Pinetop wasn’t
finished making music. In 2008 he received another Grammy Award,
this time for Traditional Blues Album. Born on a farm outside
of Belzoni, Mississippi in 1913, he taught himself how to play
guitar and began playing at dances, house parties, and in honky
tonks. A serious knife injury to his left arm caused him to put
down the guitar and concentrate on the instrument that would bring
him worldwide fame and acclaim, the piano. After decades of playing
for some of the biggest names nationally in the blues, including
Robert Nighhawk, Earl Hooker and Little Milton, Pinetop replaced
Otis Spann in Muddy Waters’ band in 1969 and remained an
integral part of that world renowned blues band until 1980. After
60 years of success, Pinetop was just beginning. He stepped out
as a front man in 1992 and has released more than 15 solo records
since then. His influence also includes the Pinetop Perkins Foundation,
a tax exempt non-profit organization that provides support to
young musicians and helps provide care for elderly musicians at
the twilight of their career.
The 2011 Governor's Awards for Excellence
in the Arts ceremony will be held on Thursday, February 24, 2011
in the auditorium at the Mississippi Department of Education in
downtown Jackson. The event is free and open to the public.
To commemorate the event each year, the
Commission prints a poster for the Governor’s Awards. The poster
boasts photography highlighting the influence the arts have on
government, from a rose chandelier at the Governor’s Mansion to
a Native American copper breastplate found in Mississippi.
The current series of posters feature arts
facilities across the state that have received a grant through
MAC's Building Fund for the Arts. The Building Fund for the Arts
is funded through the Mississippi Legislature and state general
obligation bonds to provide high quality facilities for arts and
cultural activities.
The 2011 poster is being designed by Vidal
Blankenstein and features photography by Tom Joynt. The poster
will be available for free from the Arts Commission.
The award that will be presented to each
recipient in 2011 will be created by acclaimed Mississippi artist,
Bill Dunlap.
