By Haley Burke
This past week, I packed my guitars, a few outfits, and a whole lot of nerves and headed down to Clarksdale, Mississippi, the birthplace of the blues, for the Pinetop Perkins Foundation Workshop. And honestly? It changed everything.
From the second I pulled into town, I could feel the history in the air. Clarksdale isn’t just where the blues started; it’s where it lives. Every corner has a story, and every person has a song. I thought I was just going to learn some licks, some technique, and get better at playing guitar as a whole, but what I got was so much more: a once-in-a-lifetime experience, lifelong friendships, and a whole new level of confidence in myself as a musician.
The workshop was packed with insanely talented young musicians from all over the world. We were strangers for about two minutes, then it felt like we’d known each other forever. I had the privilege to experience this workshop with Kiersi Joli, Meaza Joy, Cara Villapiano, Nick Spencer, Sebastian Keen, John Clayton White, Gracey Williams, Grace Kuch, Auggie Smith, Thompson Jamieson, and LJ Pearley. We jammed, we laughed, we shared snacks and swapped solos. Every person brought something unique to the table, and it pushed me to dig deeper into my playing. The coolest part? Everyone was just as passionate and nerdy about music as I am. There was never a dull moment.
Our instructors were legitimate blues legends; people who had played with the greats and lived the life. And yet, they were some of the most down-to-earth and supportive humans I’ve ever met. They didn’t just show us how to play; they showed us why. I learned how to speak through my guitar, how to lock in with a drummer, how to feel the music instead of just playing it. And every night, we got to test it all out at live jams at the Hopson Commissary. Nothing beats standing on the stage, heart pounding, playing the blues in the place it all started.
One of the best parts? The connections. I made friends I know I’ll jam with again someday. Some of us already have collab ideas floating around. Everyone there had a different background, style, and story, but we were all brought together by the same love for music. Whether we were doing goofy warm-ups in the morning or improvising a solo at midnight, we were growing together.
Leaving Clarksdale was hard. It’s not just the music, it’s the people, the vibes, the memories. I walked in hoping to become a better guitarist. I walked out with more fire in my soul, more friends in my corner, and a deeper love for the blues than I ever thought possible.
If you’re a young musician even thinking about applying to the Pinetop Perkins Workshop, do it. It’s not just a workshop. It’s a family. It’s a jam session with your heroes. It’s a front-row seat to the heart of American music. And if you’re lucky, like I was, it might just be the week that gives you a whole new perspective.
Contact Haley Burke at haleyburkemusic@gmail.com. Find her on Instagram (haleyburkemusic) and on Facebook.