[Sony A700 | CZ 135/1.8 | f1.8 @ 1/500 | ISO 6400 | handheld]

Only a week ago, wildfires threatened the survival of Medicine Park.  Past perils and hardships have not destroyed the determined spirit of Medicine Park residents.  This past 4th of July weekend they carried on with their 103rd Birthday Celebration.  All firework displays were canceled due to the extreme drought and 100+ temperatures across all of Southwest Oklahoma, but that didn’t stop the celebration in Medicine Park.  Live bands were performing throughout the weekend.  I checked the schedule of performances to see who would be there Sunday night.  Scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM, was “The Brothers Dupree”, and then at 9:00 PM, was someone called “Miss Blues”.  I had never heard of them so I Googled the name and “missblues.com” showed up.  After scanning quickly through the site, I knew I’d have to drive out to hear Miss Blues.

It was worth the drive and a lot more!  Unbelievably good and incredibly entertaining is the best way I can describe it.  Miss Blues is 76 years old and has been singing the blues for 68 years.  The band she fronted this evening was comprised of some of the best musicians I have heard in one group.  They were amazing.  The group of assembled to hear Miss Blues was small but what it lacked in size, it made up in appreciation.  It didn’t take long for everyone realized this was a rare treat for Southwest Oklahoma.  In fact, Mike Cappucio, a member of The Brothers Dupree, stayed for the performance and may have appreciated these performers more than anyone.  They were only scheduled to play a couple of hours, but I left at 12:45 AM, and Miss Blues was still going strong.

WHAT A SHOW!  WOW, WOW, WOW!

(more pictures to follow shortly)