Monday, May 19, 2014

GRAVE MARKER DEDICATION FOR BLUES MUSICIAN JAMES “T-MODEL” FORD

The Mt. Zion Memorial Fund, on behalf of Estella Ford and Fat Possum Records, invites everyone to the dedication ceremony for the headstone of James Lewis Carter “T-Model” Ford at Green Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery off Highway 82 West outside of Greenville, the “Queen City” of the Mississippi Delta.  The graveside ceremony will be held at 4 o’clock on Saturday, May 31, 2014.  The reception will be held afterwards at the Walnut Street Blues Bar (128 South Walnut Street) in Greenville.  Local food and live music will be provided.
T-Model Ford died at home in Greenville of respiratory failure after a prolonged illness on Tuesday, July 16, 2013.  Amos Harvey, formerly of Fat Possum Records, stepped up to help cover the costs of the visitation at Redmond Funeral Home on North Broadway Street in Greenville, and friends and admirers of the blues musician held fundraisers at the Walnut Street Blues Bar in Greenville, the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic in Marshall County, and other locations throughout the state.  Gravel Road, the blues singer’s former backing band, as well as Chris Johnson from Bayport BBQ helped finish out the payment on the funeral costs.  The funeral service was held at the Washington County Convention Center on July 27.  Musician and songwriter Robert Mortimer, Jr., of Mortimer Funeral Homes, donated the burial plot and vault for the local blues singer in the newly named “Legends” section of the burial ground.  The grave marker was designed by Amos Harvey and engraved by Alan Orlicek.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

HEADSTONE DEDICATION CEREMONY FUNDRAISER

This Friday, May 16th from 9pm - close The Mount Zion Memorial Fund is hosting a concert raising funds for the headstone dedication ceremony of blues musician T-Model Ford at The Blind Pig in Oxford, MS.  Silas Reed N' Da Books, Cadillac Funk, and Tyler Keith are set to perform. Donations will be accepted all night Friday or can be sent directly as outlined on the Donate page. For more information contact T. DeWayne Moore at tmoriver@gmail.com.

Photographer: Bill Steiber