Where Blues Lives

For today's post, I'm proud to welcome my father as a guest blogger. Here, he recounts his experience at Gip's place, a small blues shack in Bessemer, AL.

It is difficult to describe the location and the ambience at Gip’s place. Somewhere deep in the heart of a rundown Bessemer, Alabama neighborhood lies a “juke joint” that is 110% blues music. I was invited by my friend Phillip Davis to join him and two other male friends, Joe and Andy, to visit Gip’s. last Saturday night. Gip is an 87 year old blues guitar player and singer of the Mississippi John Hurt genre who stayed true to form throughout the evening. His “place” is a shack in someone’s back yard between Bessemer and Midfield. There is no cover charge, but a cowboy hat was passed around frequently to help with the performer’s expenses. The roof is tin, as are the walls. There are tables (but not many) and chairs and ashtrays. The Christmas lights are still up as are the decorations. There remained a bobble head Jesus/John Lennon doll on the Peavey amp on stage during all the performances. Neon signs adorn the walls and there is one commode outside (no sink). But the main thing at Gip’s is the music—blues music and lots of it. One fellow got up and played his slide guitar and then his cigar box guitar with 4 strings and a fretless neck. Yes, a guitar made of a cigar box! Then the evening got serious. The MC stated that weapons, including guns and knives, were forbidden as was cursing and fighting. The Spoons took the stage and rocked, covering ZZ Top and KW Shephard. Then a 65 yr old African American woman named Shar-baby covered Elvis Presley’s Blue Suede Shoes among others, followed by J.T. Brickman from the N. Mississippi All-Stars. By this time all heads were swimming in genuine juke joint blues. There is a smaller shack halfway up the driveway where ribs, burgers and smoked sausage were for sale as well as $1 water, .75 Pepsi and $2 beer. It rained at 9 o’clock but no one noticed. People bring their own beverages (Nascar style) and sit on their coolers. The racial split was about 60-40 black to white and everyone got along very well. Love of blues music was the common denominator and the place was loud and peaceful. We left at midnight, but the place was still totally rocking. Who knows when they shut the place down.

Anyways, it was a great experience I will not soon forget. And the thing is, they do this every Saturday night.

Was it a dream? Was it surreal? No, it was Gip’s Place and it ROCKED solid!