MS Maes Storm the 2008 Juke Joint Festival, Clarksdale MS

Clarksdale Will Never Be the Same



The 2008 Juke Joint Festival was a huge success partially due to a group of Mississippi women who reunite at any opportunity available to renew a 60 year friendship. Sharony might be writing her new book as we speak about these Delta girls who took Clarksdale by storm.

Frankie Mae and her husband Bill Luckett were the host at their sprawling Clarksdale home. Bill owns the Ground Zero Blues Club with his friend and business partner, Morgan Freeman. MS Maes got the tour of Clarksdale and Lyon from Frankie Mae!

Suzy Mae flew over from Houston and drove down to Clarksdale from Memphis. Sweet Suzy Mae arrived on Thursday first and enjoyed Ground Zero before the festival crowd rushed in!

Mary Mae, legal secretary from New Orleans, LA joined the Maes friendship in junior high school when she moved to Mississippi. Mary's sweet easy going nature adds a calming to the group -- our traveling photographer.


Teegie Mae, our idea Mae who lives in Baton Rouge, LA. Teegie is a "real" LSU Tiger who is going to be famous for her new creation, more later.

Tricia Mae, another legal secretary and one of the two Maes who still reside in Greenville. Tricia keeps everyone informed of the Greenville news.

Laurie Mae, the second Greenville Mae is our tennis star. Laurie is active in the "Gaug-din-Club," plays flute in church and is Miss Entertainment!

Nettie Mae, our working Sarasota realtor lives in Paradise and visits Mississippi rarely but loves her Maes. Nettie Mae writes for several real estate blogs and web sites as well as photographing some of the scenes in each.


The Maes hit Ground Zero on Friday night meeting blues fans from all over the world. Nettie Mae even did some Sarasota real estate networking. A Hendersonville North Carolina realtor with his wife and an Atlanta Georgia couple sat with the Maes, danced with the Maes and headed on Saturday for another venue in New Orleans. The Maes, a little bit social, met a photographer doing a documentary from France, couples from the UK and a group from Michigan. Bill Luckett did a wonderful powerpoint historical presentation of the Mississippi Delta and the Blues.

Saturday the Maes enjoyed lunch at Abe's, dining on Mississippi pork barbecue and chili cheeseburgers (the best in the land). After lunch we headed to the festival streets to get our green arm bands which allowed us to access all the blues venues, bars to hear the best of blues. Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art had a great band out front and it was hard to not just park bods and chill. We wandered in Cat Head and purchased t-shirts, postcards, but no arm bands this year. On the street, we found the "official" festival tent, added bright green arm bands to our attire and were ready to PARTY!

About 6:00 pm, the Maes discovered Madidi. We've all heard of it from Frankie Mae since her husband, Clarksdale attorney and businessman owns the restaurant with Academy Award winning actor, Morgan Freeman. Frankie Mae reserved us the perfect table in the center of the bar area where we feasted on grilled shrimp on a small mound of cheese garlic grits, spinach & artichoke dip with fresh bread, tiny ravioli and oyster diablo. If Frankie Mae had let me steal the menu, I would be more precise but this Mae was told hands off as they were very special -- they were!


Saturday night customers at Ground Zero were jumping to Marshall Drew and Rev. Peyton and then bluesing to Super Chikan while dancing on tables, chairs and the bar. Bill Luckett says this behavior is very much encouraged at Ground Zero, and the Maes didn't seem to need encouragment!

After the Maes were interviewed by James Poe for his radio show, Frankie Mae and Nettie Mae headed back to the Lucketts about midnight and the rest of the Maes stayed put with the Boss taking charge. Close to 2:00 am, they took a trip to Reds (famous for the blues) and had a 20 second look and back to Ground Zero to hear someone I don't remember but they'll tell me when they read this entry.

Ground Zero hosted a brunch on Sunday morning and Frankie Mae and our host Bill headed there around 11:00 am. The rest of the Maes sadly prepared for takeoff, remembering already our wonderful time together and already preparing for our next gathering -- Florida!

MS Maes Reunite in Greenville, MS 2007

The Maes at the New Mississippi River Bridge 2007


The MS Maes (Mississippi Maes) are a group of Greenville, MS highschool girl friends who reunite periodically to revisit friendships that have endured over 60 years. Inspired by the book The Maes by Sharony Green, we hope you enjoy our "ya ya sisterhood" which transends our lives and continues to endure as we share our joy, pain, jubilation and growing "mature" with grace! The MS Maes now live in New Orleans LA, Baton Rouge, LA, Houston TX, Sarasota FL, Clarksdale MS and two remain in Greenville, MS. We enjoy life and we still dance, dance dance!!!!!