Local musician Deak Harp, who has a harmonica shop and puts together an annual harmonica block party, celebrated his 59th birthday at the Shack Up Inn redcently by doing what he loves.
Harp was born Aug. 8, 1962.
“We had a really good time,” Harp said. “I live out there at the Shack Up during the COVID, and I decided I was going to make my own little venue and pull people in my backyard because the clubs were not opening. I’ve been putting on shows. Whenever it’s not raining or not too windy or hot, I’ve been putting shows on in my backyard Friday or Saturday night and they’ve been hitting it off.”
Harp’s neighbors, Doug and Jen Kosmo, got the band Black Lung Lucy to perform on his birthday.
“They wanted to throw a party for me and sure enough they did,” Harp said.
Harp put on all his gear.
He said musical artist Randy “19th Street Red” Cohen showed up. Harp played bass for Cohen for the first time.
Harp will continue to perform in similar ways after the COVID pandemic ends.
“During the pandemic, we were using our music online,” Harp said.
“It’s going to happen again. I hope we don’t get locked down, but the non-vaxxers are fighting it. It’s still here this COVID. But I made it through.
I don’t know how I keep the shop open," he added. "I’m a world-renowned harmonica builder.”
And COVID has all but stopped the international tourist crowd from coming to Clarksdale.
Harp has taken the COVID vaccine. His shop did have to close at one point during the pandemic.
“We had the curfew,” Harp said. “It was worthless to keep the doors open. I did come in here secretly and kept building my harmonicas. I make all of these by hand.”
Harp specifically showed a comb harmonica, a bass harmonica and a chromatic harmonica.
“Back in the day, the harmonica was just a toy per se that people would play, but when they built this harmonica, it actually does the sharps and flats,” Harp said. “It’s musically right there. You could do the whole scale.”
While Harp is known for playing the harmonica, he also plays the guitar. He said he used to play the drums, harmonica and guitar all at once. Today, he mainly concentrates on the guitar and harmonica.
Harp will not specifically be playing for the Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival this weekend, but he will be playing on his back porch stage, which he calls the “Harp Shack Stage” at the Shack Up Inn Thursday. Bill Abel is playing at the Shack Up Inn Friday and Harp is doing an after party on his back porch.
“So I’ll still be playing,” Harp said. “It just won’t be part of the festival. I’m also going to have music out front here (of the harmonica shop). As long as the town’s full of people, I’m going to put music right here, too.”
