The pagan summer solstice, also known as Midsummer or Litha, is a celebration of the longest day of the year. Pagans and those who follow earth-based spirituality often observe this important turning point of the year. There are several ways to honor and celebrate the summer solstice. Firstly, **connecting with nature** is a central aspect of pagan spirituality. Taking the time to be outdoors and immerse oneself in the natural world is a powerful way to observe the summer solstice. Whether it is a hike in the woods, a visit to a local park, or simply spending time in a garden, being surrounded by the sights, sounds, and scents of nature helps to create a connection to the earth and the energy of the season.
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Magic Slim
1. Morris Holt was born on August 7th, 1937 in Torrance, Mississippi. Like many other families, the Holts moved to Grenada when Morris was young. He was dubbed “ Magic Slim ,” by his childhood friend, Sam Maghett, who had moved to Chicago in the 50s, and received the name “ Magic Sam .” The complimenting monikers weren’t the only thing the two guitar slingers had in common. They were born the same year (Sam being only 6 months older), in places that now lay submerged beneath Grenada Lake. Both young men grew up singing in church, and playing country music, which was more popular than the blues at the time. They were also both completely fascinated by the John Lee Hooker song, “Boogie Chillen.”
2. Slim’s first instrument was the church piano. He also fashioned a homemade diddley bow, with a single piece of wire, strung between two bottles. He was fast becoming an accomplished pianist, when a cotton gin accident at age 14, took the pinkie finger from his right hand. Influenced by artists such as Rufus Thomas, and Willie Mabon, he began taking guitar lessons from his uncle, bluesman, Walter Miller.
3. Recognized, along with this band, The Teardrops, as one of the last great Chicago blues bands, Slim wasn’t always so lucky in the Windy City. He first moved to Chi-Town in the mid 1950s, and played bass for Magic Sam’s band. Unfortunately, his talent wasn’t quite up to par with the exploding Chicago blues scene. He returned to Grenada, where he taught his younger brothers, Nick, and Douglas “Lee Baby” Holt to play. Among his other jobs back home, were hauling and selling wood with his step-father, and bootlegging whiskey.
4. His recording career began, back in Chicago, in 1966, when he recorded a handful of singles including, “Love My Baby,” and, “Tonight I Learn,” for the Ja-Wes label. He was playing guitar for Robert “Mr. Pitiful” Perkins & The Teardrops. When Perkins left the group, Slim took over as bandleader, playing gigs and recording on compilation albums, while grooming what would become the “quintessential” Chicago blues band.
5. In 1977, with both younger brothers now with the band, and Alabama Jr. Pettis on second guitar, Slim recorded his first full length album. Born On a Bad Sign, was recorded live, at Ma Bea’s in Chicago, on November 9th, 1976. The album had seven tracks, five of which were written by Holt himself. The other two were covers of the St. Louis Jimmy Oden classic, “Goin’ Down Slow,” and B. B. King‘s, “Rock Me Baby.” Originally released on the French label MCM, it was re-released by Storyville Records, in 2013, with five additional tracks.
6. Magic Slim released no fewer than 36 albums in his lifetime, on labels such as Rooster Blues, Black and Blue, Alligator, Wolf, and Blind Pig Records. He had developed a trademark sound, accomplished by taking any song, and transforming it into a heaving blues shuffle. His penetrating guitar licks punctuated the music. Slim was also a walking, guitar playing, encyclopedia of music, with an ability to play nearly any song upon request. His musical repertoire counted in the hundreds. Holt’s live performances were rarely duplicated, and never monotonous.
7. Shortly after the release of his first album, Holt began touring Europe. Around that same time, he developed a rabid following in Lincoln, Nebraska. Always a primary stop on the touring circuit, Lincoln is a college town with several clubs featuring blues acts. Most notably, the ZOO Bar , booked Slim often, and the crowd were absolute fanatics for his music. He was so well received, and loved in Lincoln, that Holt moved his family, and his band to the Nebraska town in 1994. One local group, the Kris Lager Band , often performed with Slim, and featured him on the song, “Kris Done Took My Woman,” from their 2012 CD, Swagadocious.
8. Magic Slim & The Teardrops were influential outside the world of blues music as well. At first, other musicians began to take note of his genre-bending abilities. Pearl Jam frontman, Eddie Vedder, was a fan, and at the pinnacle of their career, in 1994, they requested Slim open for them in Chicago. Chicago Blues All-Stars and Muddy Waters Band veteran, John Primer, joined The Teardrops in 1982. He stayed for 13 years, recording and touring with the band. In 2013, when Slim’s son, Shawn Holt, had taken over as bandleader, Primer was a special guest on their debut album, Daddy Told Me. Magic Slim also recorded with artists such as Popa Chubby, Billy Branch, James Cotton , Elvin Bishop , Lonnie Brooks, and many more over his nearly 60 year career.
9. Winning his first W. C. Handy Award (Blues Music Award) in 1981, Magic Slim & The Teardrops won “Best Blues Band of the Year,” no fewer than six times, garnering over 40 nominations in the first three decades of the awards’ existence. His final BMA, for “Traditional Blues Male Artist,” was awarded posthumously, in 2013. Suffering from bleeding ulcers, heart, lung, and kidney problems, all while on tour, Morris “Magic Slim” Holt died on February 21st, 2013, at the age of 75.
10. On July 25th, 2011, the Mississippi Blues Trail established a marker for Magic Slim on Union Street in downtown Grenada. The Holt family had lived at 818 Union while Slim was growing up, and his mother ran a cafe just down the street. The marker for his friend, and mentor, Magic Sam, is located in the Knoxville community, five miles East of town.
Magic Slim - Grenada
Morris “Magic Slim” Holt, who developed a raw, hard-hitting guitar style that made him a favorite on the international blues club and festival circuit from the late 1970s well into the twenty-first century, was born in Torrance on August 7, 1937. His Chicago-based band, the Teardrops, at one time included his brothers Nick Holt on bass and Douglas “Lee Baby” Holt on drums. Holt’s stage name was taken from a childhood friend from Grenada, Blues Hall of Fame guitarist Magic Sam.
Magic Slim and his namesake Magic Sam each created a deep and instantly identifiable approach to the blues, and although their styles differed, both guitarists shared similar influences from their early days in Grenada. They both sang in church and learned to play country music, which was more prevalent than blues on the radio in the 1940s, and both shared a fascination for John Lee Hooker’s 1949 blues hit “Boogie Chillen.” Slim and Sam were also both born in areas that are now submerged beneath Grenada Lake. Magic Slim was born on a farm in Torrance, a former sawmill town in Yalobusha County, and moved to Grenada with his family when he was about eleven. The Holt family lived at 818 Union Street, and Slim’s mother ran a cafe down the street.
Magic Slim’s first instrument was a church piano, but he and his brother Nick Holt also played a homemade one-string guitar fashioned from a wire nailed to the wall between two bottles. Slim learned some guitar from his uncle, Walter Miller, who played “Roll and Tumble Blues,” and sometimes sat beneath the trees playing guitar alongside his friend Sam Maghett. After Maghett assumed the name Magic Sam (to rhyme with his surname) in Chicago, he bestowed the name Magic Slim upon Morris Holt. In Grenada, Magic Slim was also inspired by performances he saw in the 1950s by Rufus Thomas, Willie Mabon, and particularly by the guitarists who played in Slim Harpo’s band. Magic Slim had tried his hand in Chicago in 1955 but found his skills weren’t up to par for the city’s competitive blues scene. He returned to Grenada and taught his brothers Nick (1940-2009) and Douglas “Lee Baby” (1944-2006), performing with them during the early 1960s in Grenada, Charleston, Minter City, and other Delta towns at juke joints that often charged twenty-five cents at the door while he helped his stepfather haul and sell wood and homebrewed whiskey.
After returning to Chicago around 1965 with new confidence and control of his instrument, Slim played with Robert “Mr. Pitiful” Perkins & the Teardrops, and took over the band after Perkins left, recording with them for the local Ja-Wes label. His act continued to grow more powerful and exciting until, by the 1980s, Magic Slim & the Teardrops were widely regarded, at home and abroad, as the quintessential Chicago blues band. Their trademark sound was based on Slim’s ability to turn almost any song into a churning blues shuffle driven by stinging guitar licks. Witha repertoire of hundreds of songs, he was able to record dozens of albums beginning in 1976. He began touring Europe in 1978 and simultaneously developed a fanatical following in Lincoln, Nebraska, a college town that proved so receptive that Slim later moved there with his family when they tired of ghetto life in Chicago. Magic Slim won his first W.C. Handy (Blues Music) Award in 1981 and was nominated more than forty times during the first three decades of the awards.
content © Mississippi Blues Commission
This marker was unveiled on July 25, 2011. Magic Slim passed away on February 21, 2013. He was 75.
Magic Slim
Magic Slim and the Teardrops were the epitome of raw-edged Chicago blues. Slim's totally aggressive, rhythm-driven sound showed not a trace of slickness. His music carried on in the unvarnished style of the '50s and '60s Windy City blues masters, and he helped keep that tradition alive.
Born on August 7, 1937 in Grenada, Mississippi, Morris Holt began in music as a piano player. After losing one of his fingers in a farming accident, he switched to guitar. In 1955, he moved to Chicago and played bass in his friend Magic Sam's band for a time before returning to Mississippi. It was Sam, the famed West Side bluesman, who dubbed his young pal Magic Slim. While living in Chicago, Slim absorbed the sounds and styles of the city's blues greats. Besides Magic Sam, he was strongly influenced by Muddy Waters, Freddie King and Otis Rush.
After 'woodshedding' in the South, Slim moved back to Chicago in the early 1960s, determined to make a name for himself as a bluesman. He found a gig as lead guitarist with a South Side band called Mr. Pitiful and the Teardrops. When the lead singer left, Slim assumed the role of vocalist as well as guitarist. He cut his first 45 in 1966, and won a devoted following in the ghetto clubs, eventually taking over Hound Dog Taylor's spot at Florence's Lounge. His guitar work was tough and raw, and his roaring vocals were gruff and uncompromising. The Teardrops developed one of the heaviest grooves in the city, and the intertwining of Slim's lead guitar with insistent rhythm guitar grooves became the band's signature sound.
In 1978, Slim appeared on Alligator's Living Chicago Blues Vol. 2, a collection of songs by unsigned locally popular artists. Slim's appearance on the album led to other recordings, many on European labels, including the French Isabel label. In 1982, Alligator released an album of Slim's Isabel material entitled Raw Magic. Also in 1982, Slim recorded Grand Slam for Rooster Blues, for which he won a Blues Music Award.
Slim and the Teardrops became one of the most recorded Chicago bands, with albums on labels like Blind Pig, Evidence, and Wolf documenting their proudly rough and tough style of Chicago blues. The band appeared at clubs and festivals worldwide, right up until Slim's death on February 21, 2013
Whether it is a hike in the woods, a visit to a local park, or simply spending time in a garden, being surrounded by the sights, sounds, and scents of nature helps to create a connection to the earth and the energy of the season. Secondly, **creating a sacred space** is a common practice during pagan celebrations. This can be done indoors or outdoors, depending on personal preference and resources.
An altar or shrine can be set up with items that represent the elements of fire, water, earth, and air, as well as symbols of the sun and other natural elements. Adding fresh flowers or herbs can add a touch of color and fragrance to the sacred space. Thirdly, **honoring the sun** is a key element of the summer solstice. The sun is seen as a symbol of life, light, and warmth, and its energy is at its peak during this time of year. Lighting a bonfire or a candle can be a way to symbolically honor the sun. Making sun-themed crafts or decorations, such as sun wheels or sun catchers, can also be a creative and enjoyable way to celebrate the solstice. Fourthly, **performing rituals or ceremonies** is another way to observe the pagan summer solstice. These can range from simple, solitary rituals to more elaborate group ceremonies. Some common practices include meditating on the energy of the sun, offering prayers or blessings to the earth and the sun, and engaging in divination or oracle readings to gain insight into the coming season. Finally, **celebrating with others** is an important aspect of many pagan solstice celebrations. Gathering with friends, family, or like-minded individuals can create a sense of community and shared celebration. Whether it is a small backyard gathering or a larger public event, coming together with others can enhance the solstice experience and foster a sense of connection and unity. Overall, the pagan summer solstice can be observed in a variety of ways. The key is to create a personal and meaningful experience that resonates with one's own spiritual beliefs and practices. Connecting with nature, creating a sacred space, honoring the sun, performing rituals, and celebrating with others are all ways to commemorate this special time of year..
Reviews for "Manifesting Abundance: Pagan Summer Solstice Rituals for Prosperity"
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