Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Celebrating One Year with Honeyboy and Boots

It's hard to believe, but it's been a year since we reopened the Historic Elbow Room in downtown Columbus Mississippi.

There have been hurdles and anxious times; but the overall experience has been amazing. There are no words to express our gratitude for the support of so many great patrons. On behalf of Rob and me, we extend a heartfelt THANK YOU!


Come out and help us celebrate a great year. We are pleased that Honeyboy and Boots will be gracing our "stage" to mark this one-year event Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014.





Honeyboy and Boots are a husband/wife, guitar and cello duo with a unique style that is all their own. The songs Drew writes come straight from the heart. Their sound embodies Americana, traditional folk, alt country, and blues.


Drew Blackwell is a true Southerner raised in the heart of the black prairie in Mississippi. First picking up the guitar at fourteen, he was greatly influenced by his Uncle Doug who taught him old country and folk classics. Later, he was mentored and inspired to write (and feel) the blues by Alabama blues artist Willie King. You will hear all of this in his writing and his stories come alive in his songs.


Courtney Blackwell grew up in Washington State and comes from a talented musical family. She began playing cello at the age of three. Her mother was most influential in her progression of technique, tone quality, and ear training. Since traveling around much of the South, she has enjoyed focusing on the variety of ways the cello is used in ensembles. When she plays, you will feel those groovy bass lines making way to soaring leads create an emotional and magical connection between you and her music.


Though they spend most of their time on the road, touring Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, Texas, Washington and Idaho, they are proud to call Mississippi and Tennessee home! http://www.honeyboyandboots.com/

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Get your Elbow Room T-shirts here. elbow-room.myshopify.com


What started as matching shirts for the staff has grown to an online store.

Shortly after opening the bar last September, customers began asking for our Elbow Room shirts. The requests picked up when they saw seasonal changes in our designs.

We began selling shirts from the bar. As the popularity of the shirts picked and Elbow Room fans began posting photos of themselves in their shirts, requests started coming in from as far away as Massachusetts and California.

Today, we launch our next seasonal shirt and our online store. The Summer 2014 Elbow Room Robot T-shirt is available at www.elbow-room.myshopify.com.  If you are local to Columbus, save on shipping by picking yours up at the bar.
Send us a picture wearing your shirt, and you’ll be featured on our Facebook page and 
Instagram.



Sunday, May 4, 2014

Thank You!



A sincere thank you to all who attended the Elbow Room Tornado Relief event and who have so graciously donated cash and toiletries to help our neighbors.


A very special thanks to the artists, Hartle Road and Ming Donkey, who donated their talent to make the event possible.

We will continue accepting donations through today.

Tomorrow, all will be delivered to the Columbus Division of the American Red Cross. A tally of proceeds and supplies collected will be posted at that time.

Again, thank you to the best patrons and artists a bar can have.

#elbowroomcolumbus #hartleroad #mingdonkey

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Tornado Disaster Relief Event



The Elbow Room is hosting a Tornado Disaster Relief Event to help our friends and neighbors who have been impacted by this week's storms and tornadoes.

Hartle Road and Ming Donkey will be performing for your listening pleasure.
 

There will be a $3.00 cover at the door from 8 pm to 12:00 am. Proceeds will go to help local victims of the tornado that struck East Columbus. 

We are also collecting personal care items and toiletries for the Red Cross. Soap, shampoo, razors, shave cream, lotions, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc. Help us fill our bin to overflowing. 

Where: 
Elbow Room
418 2nd Ave. N.
Columbus, MS

When:
Friday, May 2, 2014

What:
Neighbors helping neighbors.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Mississippi Tornado Disaster Relief

The Elbow Room is partnering with the Red Cross to help with the tornado disaster relief. We are collecting personal care/comfort items to be distributed to victims throughout Mississippi.

We are asking our bar patrons and friends to help us help our neighbors and friends.

Items we are collecting: soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, shampoo, hand lotions, hand towels, bath clothes, and etc. Please drop your donations off at the bar and we will deliver them directly to the Red Cross. 

If you have any questions, contact us here and we'll answer right away.


Sunday, April 27, 2014

Music History at the Elbow Room

When I opened the Elbow Room in September 2013, I knew she was something special; something to be preserved. To me she held a personal history. As we renovated, a long forgotten mural made its appearance. That alone is worthy of preservation. But, the Bow has much more to share with us. She’s gradually making her history known to this new generation of patrons, artists, and proprietors.

As is the way of time, treasured memories are lost if not recorded for posterity. I was asked recently what makes the Elbow Room historic; which tells me that the facts and stories of the bar are beginning to be lost. I will try to rectify that.

In a recent post, I shared the story of Buckshot, the bartending dog. In my search for old photos. I found one that pictures the old refrigerator that stood in the back corner of the bar. The very same refrigerator that Buckshot would open, retrieve a beer, and close. But, the refrigerator was not the only thing in the photo.

Yet another fact, revealed itself. While unknown to me and probably most of the current patrons, I’m sure some of our old-timers may recall the days when the legendary James “Son” Thomas and the Blues Professor, Walter “Wales” Liniger, performed at the Elbow Room. 

James "Son" Thomas and Walter "Wales" Liniger
performing at the Elbow Room Columbus, MS in the mid 80s.

While taking a deeper dive into the lives and times that Son and Wales performed at the Elbow Room, I found another link to a Mississippi Blues legend and a historic event that happened right at the Bow. In an interview, Bob Rowell, Mississippi Spoonman was asked how he got the name Spoonman. The story began, “In 1989 I was at the Elbow Room in Columbus, Mississippi, and James “Son” Thomas was there.” To learn more about how Rob Rowell got his moniker, read the interview here. http://www.americanbluesscene.com/2012/11/at-home-mississippi-spoonman-2/

Mississippi Spoonman, Bob Rowell, got is moniker from James "Son" Thomas
at the Elbow Room Columbus, MS


Further evidence of Elbow Room contributions to the promote Blues Music in Mississippi is a mention on a historical marker in downtown Columbus. 


I strongly encourage everyone to read Walter Liniger's site. It's steeped with Blues history and personal insights on how he found his music. 

Walter “Wales”Liniger

James “Son” Thomas is not with us today, by his memories and music live on to inspire today's artists and music lovers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Thomas_(blues_musician) (Elbow Room photo is featured on this wiki page)

Monday, April 21, 2014

Elbow Room - Columbus, MS: Socks for Veterans

Elbow Room - Columbus, MS: Socks for Veterans: Freedom isn't free; and when the war concludes, the battle doesn't end for the veterans who return. Statistics tell us that one...