Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 1

10272013 JOURNAL GAZETTE TIMES-COURIER 111 SERVING CHARLESTON, MATTOON SURROUNDING AREAS Mattoon man shares his love of attending blues festivals IWWW.JG-TC.COM JJ He also said he likes smaller venues, especially "juke joints" such as the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksville, co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman. "That's the real blues atmosphere," he said. "It's nice to take pictures and be around folks who are having a good time." Something else that often goes hand-in-hand with blues music is barbecue, and Sneddon said part of his fun from traveling comes from finding good barbecue and good food in general. He also likes to visit towns with major universities because they usually have an international population that means there'll be ethnic restaurants. He said he also likes the architecture of college towns and their "funky, fun atmosphere." Sneddon's retiring at the end of the year and said he hopes that will mean he and his wife can travel even more radio program the King Biscuit Flour Co.

once sponsored. Its location is in the part of the country "where the blues kind of started," Sneddon said. And, it's not far from the Mississippi crossroads where Johnson might have traded his soul for musical success. "A lot of old blues players have been there," Sneddon said. He has plenty of photo- graphs he's taken of performers on the festival's main stage.

But while he's there, he takes the time to wander away and take in the numerous musicians performing on sidewalks and street corners, photographing many of them as well. "I get as much, if not more, enjoyment from the street musicians," Sneddon said. "Ninety percent of my enjoyment comes away from the main stage." The trips aren't limited to the King Biscuit Blues Festival, however, or even to blues music events. He's also been BY DAVE FOPAY JG-TC Staff Writer MATTOON Not too far from the crossroads where some say legendary blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil, Mike Sneddon regularly visits to take in the kind of music Johnson performed, with or without his soul. It's during those and other trips that Sneddon has also been able to capture iconic images of the world of blues music.

He has a photograph of bluesman Pinetop Perkins, looking every bit the part at age 97, that he took four years ago, not long before Perkins' death. "It kind of all worked together," Sneddon said. Every year in early October, Sneddon and his wife Joan leave their Mattoon home and travel to Helena, for the King Biscuit Blues Festival. It's one of many venues he's visited but said it's his favorite. There's the tradition of the festival evolving out of the to the W.C.

Handy Blues Barbecue Festival in Henderson, but has also attended events such as the Great American Brass Band Festival in Danville, and a jazz festival in Davenport, Iowa. Sneddon dates his love of music to when learned to play the piano as a kid and he still plays at Rotary Club meetings and in his church's band. He said he's been traveling to music festivals for about the last 20 years. He said he bought his first camera when he was in the military stationed in Vietnam. He still has that camera but he "got back into it" when he bought a new camera in the 1990s.

"My photography interest was dormant for a while but I've always enjoyed photography," he said. He works as an architect at the Upchurch Group Inc. in Mattoon and said the subjects he likes to photograph range from musicians to buildings to kids on playgrounds. (A i i '-jrni 1 Vf If Ken TrevarthanStaff Photographer TOP LEFT: Shown is blues enthusiast and photographer Mike Sneddon with a photograph of bluesman Pinetop Perkins, looking every bit the part at age 97. Sneddon took the photo four years ago, not long before Perkins' death.

Submitted photos ABOVE: Shown is a photo taken by Mike Sneddon of Blues singer Veronika Jackson of Georgia as she performs at the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas. AT LEFT: Shown are children in Helena, Arkansas at the King Biscuit Blues Festival. See BLUES, 2 HjI 5-8 p.m., Yuletide Tunes Treats, Charleston Moose Lodge, 615 Seventh Charleston, 217348-0430. 6-7 p.m., Free Fit Club at Cross County Mall, 700 Broadway Ave, Mattoon, 217-343-1275, camerondmcyahoo.com 7 p.m., Merle Haggard performs, Effingham Performance Center, 1325 Outer Belt West, Effingham, www.the-epc.org. 7 p.m., Gunny Sack Revue performs, 1061 Yoder Center, 1061 E.

Columbia St. (Route 133) near the Dollar General, Arthur. 10 p.m., Karaoke night, Friends and Company, 509 VanBuren, Charleston, 217-345-2380. TC.COM 1- Promote your event to JG-TC readers. From click on Events are subject to change.

select "Add an Event." Contact information is required. 'Sunday Night Football' Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings 7:20 p.m. on NBC If today Is your birthday: Do what works best for you in the months ahead. Look over the highs and lows you have experienced recently and choose a path that suits your current situation. Being a little different will draw interest and spark ideas that could turn a little venture into something exciting.

"Calendar" in the navigation bar, then Board Health and Safety Committee meets, courthouse. 5 p.m., Coles County Board Road and Bridge Committee meets, courthouse. 6-7 p.m., Midwest Humanist Society, Mattoon Common Grounds, 1612 Charleston Ave, Mattoon, 217-317-1345. TUESDAY 4-5 p.m., Book discussion: "The Yellow Wall-Paper," Booth Library Witters Conference, Room 4440, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, www.library.eiu.edu, 217-581-6064. 6:30 p.m..

The History of the Lesbian Bisexual Gay and Transgender (LBGT) Move ment, Charleston Carnegie Public Library, Rotary Room 712 Sixth Charleston, www.charlestonlibrary.org, 217-345-1514. 7 p.m., Open Mic Night, Common Grounds, 1612 Charleston Mattoon, 217-235-2326. 7:30 p.m., William Yang, pianist, performs, Recital Hall, Doudna Fine Arts Center, EIU, Charleston, www.eiu.edudoudna, 217-581-3110. WEDNESDAY a.m., Charleston Farmer's Market, Courthouse Square, Seventh Street and Monroe Ave, Charleston, 217-348-8018. 2-6 p.m., Wine Tasting and Bazaar, American Legion Post, 1903 Maple, Mattoon.

6 p.m., Eastern Symphony Orchestra: Fright Night, Dvorak Concert Hall, Doudna Fine Arts Center, EIU, Charleston, www.eiu.edudoudna, 217-581-3110. MONDAY a.m., Pre-School Storytime, Charleston Carnegie Public Library, Rotary Room 712 Sixth Charleston; www.charlestonli-brary.org; 217-345-1514. 11 a.m.-l p.m., Hay Livestock Auction, Arthur Sale Barn, Arthur, 217-543-3255. 4:30 p.m., Coles County TODAY 10 a.m., Gunny Sack Revue performs, Middle Cross Cowboy Church, 1061 Yoder Center, 1061 E. Columbia St.

(Route 133), near the Dollar General, Arthur. 11 a.m., Gamblers Grudge Box, No-Box Pro, Footbrake, Novice Street TnT, Coles County Dragway USA, 4700 West State Charleston, www.ccdragway.com, 217-345-7777. p.m., Fall Vendor Show, Mattoon Moose Lodge 803, 1212 Broadway Mattoon, 217-235-2161. 2 p.m., Halloween Parade, downtown Effingham, 217-342-4147. 7 9 THE JG-TC 2013 SUNDAY SECTION, PUBLISHED IN MATTOON, IS AN EDITION OF THE HERALD REVIEW LEE PUBLICATIONS, INC BREAKING NEWS, COMMENTARY, MULTIMEDIA AND MORE: WWW.JG CONTACT THE NEWSROOM: 217-235-5656 INCREDIBLE DRIVING WITH INCREDIBLE FUEL ECONOMY IS NO 9- LONGER A DREAM.

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