Legends July / August 13 by Shawn King

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Mighty Mississippi Music Festival October 4-6, 2013 • Warfield Point Park Greenville, MS

Drive by Truckers • Edwin McCain • North Mississippi Allstars Steve Azar with special guest Deana Carter • Javier Colon • The Weeks • Eden Brent Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition • Jason Fratesi & The Dirt Road Jam Band Good Paper of Rev. Robert Mortimer • Pat Thomas • Eddie Cusic Libby Rae Watson • Terry “Harmonica” Bean • Cadillac John Nolden and Bill Abel The John Horton Band • Lightnin’ Malcolm and Stud The Jarekus Singleton Band • The Cedric Burnside Project For camping reservations, call 662-347-2920. For a complete lineup and festival information, visit us online.

Convention & Visitors Bureau

www.visitgreenville.org • 1-800-467-3582 // 2

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www.mightymississippimusicfestival.com

arts

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One of only 34 institutions in the nation accredited in all four arts disciplines: theatre, dance, art and music

Hosting more than 300 arts events each year Concerts Art exhibitions Dance performances Theatre productions

Scan to see all of our upcoming arts events!

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Buy tickets online!

July 26, 27 & 28, 2013 FRIDAY

TasTings along The RiveR • 6:30 pm Natchez Convention Center SATURDAY

Knife sKills wiTh Chef DaviD leaTheRs • 9 am & 10 am CooKing DemonsTRaTion anD lunCh wiTh Tom Ramsey • 11:30 am CRafT BeeR TasTings & leCTuRe • 1:30 - 3 pm “The peRfeCT TaBle” feaTuRing John gRaDy BuRns • 2 - 4 pm All at the Natchez Convention Center

BunCh anD Blues • 11 am - 1 pm At Biscuits and Blues - 315 Main St.

wine anD Cheese • 1:30 pm At Dunleith

BuRgeRs, Blues, BRews anD BoCCe - 4 pm -7 pm live musiC - BeeR TRuCK Bowie’s Tavern

inviTaTion To The naTChez TaBle - 7 pm The Carriage house aT sTanTon hall, DunleiTh, MonMouTh, D’evereaux, Briarvue SUNDAY

Champagne Jazz BRunCh • 11:00 am & 12:30 pm The Carriage house aT sTanTon hall

Tickets available online! natchezfoodandwinefest.com

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Tickets available online! n at c h e z f o o da n d w i n e f e s t . c o m

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CONTENTS JULY / AUGUST 2013

MUSIC PUBLISHER AND PRESIDENT ��Marianne Todd CO-PUBLISHER AND DIRECTOR OF MARKETING ��Ken Flynt CREATIVE DIRECTOR / DESIGNER �� Shawn T. King

ADVERTISING SALES Cindy Thompson - 601-479-6202 Cindy@MississippiLegends.com David Battaglia - 601-421-8654 David@MississippiLegends.com

From the Delta they Came

Sitting on Top of the World

Bridging the Blues

Editorial - 601-604-2963 Editor@MississippiLegends.com Contributing writers: Stephen Corbett, Shirley B. Waring, Annie B. McKee Joe Lee, Kara Martinez Bachman, Kim Williams, James Duke Denton

How Mississippi roots music inspired a nation

The musical legacy of Sam Chatmon

Music events in the cradle of American music

FEATURES 6

Contributing photographers: Steve Gardner, Joe Worthem, Isaac Singleton

Finding Tennessee Williams

Track this literary icon from Columbus to Clarksdale

LEGENDS welcomes your calendar submissions. Submissions are posted free of charge on our website at www.MississippiLegends.com. Please refer to calendar/ submit your event. Calendar submissions for consideration in LEGENDS’ print calendar may be sent to Editor@MississippiLegends.com.

U.S. Highway 61

Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without express permission of the publisher. The opinions and views expressed by our contributors, writers and editors are their own. Various views from other professionals may also be expressed. Neither LEGENDS nor Blue South Publishing Corporation is endorsing or guaranteeing the products or quality of services expressed in advertisements. All advertisers assume liability for all content (including text representation and illustration) of advertisements printed and assume responsibility for any resulting claims against LEGENDS or its affiliates. Materials, photographs and written pieces to be considered for inclusion in LEGENDS may be sent to P.O. Box 3663, Meridian, MS 39303. Unsolicited materials will not be returned. LEGENDS is free within the State of Mississippi and is distributed through tourism offices, welcome centers, restaurants, theaters, casinos and institutions of higher learning. If your business, agency or industry would like to offer LEGENDS, please contact us at Editor@ MississippiLegends.com. LEGENDS is available outside the State of Mississippi at fine retailers everywhere. Please contact us for a list of where to find.

The B.B. King Museum

All Aboard the Cleveland Express!

From Urban Lofts to Delta Digs

Funky Shopping

Growing Bonsai in Olive Branch

For more information, write to Editor@MississippiLegends.com. More information, including a comprehensive, up-to-date calendar, may be found at www.MississippiLegends.com

Come find your mojo along the blues highway

The history of a living legend

Delta railroad museum visits Americana

Eclectic lodging in Clarksdale

From vintage guitars to folk art and blues history

CULINARY 56

ABOUT OUR COVER Photojournalist and bluesman Steve Gardner spent a great deal of the 1970s photographing the most revered blues legends of the Mississippi Delta. This photo of Sam Chatmon originally appeared in Gardner’s book, “Rambling Mind.”

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Get Your Tamale Fix

On the red hot Mississippi Tamale Trail

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clarksdale L

FEATURE

columbus

From Columbus to Clarksdale BY ANNIE B. MCKEE PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIANNE TODD

New Orleans has tried to claim him. St. Louis, too. But in the end, there’s no home for the famous playwright Tennessee Williams other than his birthplace, Columbus, Miss. “I’ve said many times he was born in only one place,” said CEO and Executive Director of the Columbus Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “A lot of his characters and copy for his plays came from Mississippi.” Carpenter led the restoration of the Williams’ home in 2010, which now serves as the city’s welcome center. The house was moved a city block off College Street before the nearly $600,000 restoration began. Today, the brightly colored, Carpenter Gothic house is perched at the entrance to Columbus’ downtown and receives about 18,000 visitors a year. Residents furnished the home – with many of the items on loan from the Williams family estate – so that Carpenter was able to purchase antiques, recover furniture and buy lighting fixtures for less than $10,000. “So many generous people donated,” she said.

Inside the home guests are greeted with parlors filled with books, art, antiques and other

collectibles. A library upstairs hosts a photograph exhibit, and a gift store can be found on the main floor for those who want to take away a memento. “We’re very proud of it,” Carpenter said. “Visitors will see a good many pieces that are from the 1800s. The most valuable piece in the home is an organ. It’s a Mason Hamlet Cabinet organ. It sits in the front parlor.” Thomas Lanier Williams – known as Tennessee Williams – made his first arrival in the home a few days after his birth on March 26, 1911. The house where Tennessee Williams first lived now welcomes visitors to Columbus. it underwent a massive restoration in 2010 and now boasts photographs, books and the period antiques that filled the home during its heyday. A highlight is a Mason Hamlett Cabinet organ on the first floor.

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His place of birth was recorded at the rectory of nearby St. Paul’s Episcopal

Church, where his maternal grandfather served as rector. Williams’ father was a traveling shoe salesman and is regarded as a small, shadowy figure in the boy’s childhood. His mother was the epitome of a Southern belle. Within the family boundaries were secrets which later emerged through his dark, character-driven fiction. In 1948, Williams won a Pulitzer for his play “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Seven years later he received another Pulitzer, this time for his play “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Williams also penned short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs. Such was the richness of his fictional characterization that some say the character of Blanche DuBois, featured in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” was reminiscent of a Williams aunt, that Amanda Wingfield in “The Glass Menagerie,” could have been patterned after his mother and even Big Daddy from “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” summoned images of his father. Brenda Caradine, who directs Columbus’ Annual Tennessee Williams Tribute each September, said someone once told her, “A visit to Columbus is like a Williams play.” To walk the paths, drive the streets, breathe the air and enjoy the Southern lilt of conversation – hallowed in the world of Tennessee Williams -- becomes an opportunity enough to celebrate. When Williams was 3 years old, his grandfather moved to Clarksdale, Miss., where he served as rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church. Williams’ early childhood was spent in the parsonage there, along with his mother and older sister, Rose. He suffered a bout of diphtheria, which left him sickly and relegated to indoor activities such as reading and, later, writing. There were infrequent visits from his father, a proud descendent of Tennessee pioneer stock. From Columbus to Clarksdale, via Highway 82 West, turning north to Highway 61, Williams honed the characters who live so brilliantly in his work. Later in life, he paid homage to his earlier years by saying, “Home is where you hang your childhood.” In turn, Clarksdale pays tribute to Williams with its annual Tennessee Williams Festival, a “lively, fun event and not a bit stuffy” said festival organizer Panny Mayfield. Some of his plays are set in Clarksdale, although fictionalized as Blue Mountain or Glorious Hill.

WANT TO GO? The Tennessee Williams Home in Columbus is open for tours from 8:30 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.columbus-ms.org.

12TH ANNUAL TENNESSEE WILLIAMS TRIBUTE & TOUR OF VICTORIAN HOMES

September 3-8, Columbus – (662) 328-0222 or (800) 327-2686, sbcaradine@cableone.net or visit www.muw.edu/tennesseewilliams. Tennessee Williams Festival, October 11-12, Clarksdale -- (662) 627-7337 or (800) 626-3764 or visit www.coahomacc.edu/twilliams. MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

highway 61 from lorman to rolling fork

FEATURE

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FINDING YOUR MOJO ON

HIGHWAY 61 Port Gibson to Rolling Fork (and everything in between ) BY SHIRLEY WARING PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIANNE TODD

The stretch of U.S. Highway 61 from Rolling Fork through Vicksburg and down to Lorman is an area known as the lower Delta. And in that stretch of curvacious roads and rolling fields, visitors will find people, places, food, music and art – enough for a lazy day’s journey or an entire weekend. Rolling Fork • The Muddy Waters Blues Cabin and exhibit at the Visitor’s Center highlight this tiny Delta town. The cabin is a rustic replica of Muddy Waters’ birthplace. The Mississippi Blues Trail marker honoring Waters is placed near the cabin. Flat, rich farmlands that flank Highway 61 are the fields where Waters toiled as a young boy. Waters’ dark, majestic voice and his use of amplification delivered a new, powerful and exciting sound that became the Chicago sound in blues. • The Onward Store, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Onward Store is the new place for destination dining in the Delta although its origins are 100 years old. Recent renovations include a back porch (with live music) and extensive interior detailing throughout the store. The interior is finished with old wood saved from an area red barn built in the same era and yields a wonderfully authentic ambiance. A collection throughout the store commemorates the great bear hunt of President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902. During the hunt, a run down bear was captured and tied

to a tree. When Roosevelt arrived, he refused to shoot the bear, and hence earned the nickname “Teddy Bear.” The menu even features bear claws.

Vicksburg The highway’s business route along the river becomes Washington Street. Restaurants, unique shops, galleries and music venues throughout historic downtown invite visitors to enjoy. Good Food and Unique Eateries • Solly’s Tamales, famous for taking its recipe to the White House, offers a quaint, hole-in-the-wall ambiance with a tiny dine-in space and big history. • The Historic Klondyke Trading Post, once the place laborers gathered to be picked up for a day’s work, serves an early breakfast and blue-plate lunches. This old store setting toasts the designer beer crowd with a selection of 65 craft beers. • LD’s Kitchen at Catfish Row is the place to find soul food personified. The menu changes daily, offering selections like turkey necks, chitterlings and every kind

The Onward Store is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and pays tribute to President Theodore Roosevelt’s great bear hunt of 1902 in which he refused to kill a run-down bear. The incident earned him the nickname “Teddy Bear.” • Bottom left: a handmade Teddy bear is one of many for sale at the Onward Store. • Center: A tiny replica of Muddy Waters’ cabin sits near the fields he toiled in as a youngster. • Right: A mural in downtown Rolling Fork depicts images from the famous U.S. Highway 61.

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of pork item imaginable. If that isn’t ringing a bell, try the hand-breaded shrimp and catfish made to order. After dark, LD’s is a real juke joint, coming alive with blues performances every Tuesday night. • Walnut Hills Restaurant, the grand dame of Southern fare, offers world famous specialties, including a daily array of entrees. Fresh, home-style vegetables, cornbread and biscuits complement the rocking chairs on the front porch, a full-service bar and gracious hospitality. The Hill presents excellent live blues on Friday and Saturday nights. • The Tomato Place is a treasure as a gourmet road stand and emporium. There, weary travelers will find an impressive menu with variety. Owner Luke Hughes turns out a BLT that’s possibly the best on the planet. Hughes’ keen talent for merchandising is a big part of the Tomato Place’s charm. Picture perfect produce, jars of handmade sauces, jams and jellies are arranged like works of art. Shops, galleries and attractions • Michele’s Music is more than a record shop. The walls are lined with memorabilia. Shop for blues records and CDs and enjoy the owner’s personal collection of treasured items. Vintage posters, saved over a lifetime, tell the family’s stories of their encounters with famous musicians and artists. Ask Timmie Fedell to share her stories about Willie Dixon. Michele’s is filled with the spirit of famous friends and patrons. • H.C. Porter Gallery features Porter’s current collection, “Blues @ Home,” her new painting series which documents living Mississippi blues legends. Porter is a nationally recognized Mississippi artist. Her original works feature mixed media techniques including photography, painting and printmaking. • Highway 61 Coffee House and Attic Gallery is the place to find good coffee, great conversation and funky, original, Mississippi art. Displaying dozens of artists, the gallery is a maze of memorizing works, ranging from paintings to sculptures to “things” visitors are sure to find absolutely fascinating. • Old Depot Museum at the downtown waterfront exhibits modes of transportation

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and travel from days gone by. The impact of the terrain of Vicksburg is explored and presented to help understand the Vicksburg Campaign and Siege. The exhibit includes model trains, boats and military ships and features railroad memorabilia and various miniature collections. A special blues exhibit illustrates the connection of how bluesmen traveled, often hitching train and boat rides, to get their next gig. The blues exhibit also includes tiny replicas of shacks similar to houses in the fields where the blues was born. • Margaret’s Grocery is located on the north end of Business 61. The legendary folk art “castle” was a labor of love by the late Rev. Dennis to honor his wife, Margaret. Dennis embellished the walls, the ceilings, the building’s exterior and even an old bus parked alongside the grocery that he used as his chapel. Tirelessly, he applied layers and layers of colorful paint and anything shiny he could nail or glue, to everything. Garden art, signs proclaiming the Reverend’s philosophies and sermons and random structures made from old tires and cinderblocks are displayed in some fashion on every inch of the compound. Lacking the devoted attention Dennis gave to his fragile castle, sadly, the place is deteriorating rapidly. Visitors are no longer allowed inside, but there’s still a lot to see and appreciate.

TOP: The Highway 61 Coffee House and Attic Gallery is packed with funky, original Mississippi art. BELOW: The Tomato Place is a gourmet food stand offering weary travelers healthy fruit shakes and an impressive menu.

The Juke Joints • LD’s Kitchen at Catfish Row is the place for live blues every Tuesday. Authentic and somewhat gritty, LD’s is the real deal. Every first and third Tuesday Sounds Unlimited performs. With Neal Antwine and Earnest Allen on horns, sizzling vocalists deliver a nice show. The Central Mississippi Blues Society presents the Blue Monday Band every second and fourth Tuesday. The band features legendary bluesman King Edward and popular rhythm and blues artist Dennis Fountain. The band also presents a line-up of local artists. Owner L.D. Prentiss rolls out a free buffet at intermission. • Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar is a modern, upscale juke. Appointed with intriguing artwork, details, lighting, and a great stage and dance floor, the BBB is the

package. Every Friday and Saturday night the Vicksburg Blues Society presents the Heritage Music Series. Top-flight blues acts take the spotlight, playing real blues and sharing stories and anecdotes about the history of blues. The Series includes regular appearances by Mr. Sipp “The Mississippi Blues Child,” Wes Lee and Blue Roux, Stevie J, King Edward and International Blues Challenge 2010 Winner Grady Champion. A non-smoking area is provided. A special food and beverage menu is available.

Port Gibson As Highway 61 courses through picturesque Port Gibson, it’s known as Church Street. Magnificent churches and a synagogue line the street, each one spectacular with its inspiring architecture. One of the town’s most recognizable landmarks is a golden hand atop the steeple of the First Presbyterian pointing to the heavens. Four of the churches are open for tours. A drive through town will take visitors to the Mississippi Blues Trail marker honoring the famous touring company known as the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. Moving their headquarters to Port Gibson in 1918, “The Foots” traveled widely, performing a variety show of dancers, circus acts, comedy and music. Main attractions like “Ma” Rainey, blues singer Bessie Smith and young Rufus Thomas made the shows successful for more than 50 years. The famous troupe disbanded around 1959. A rabbit foot is prime gris-gris.

Lorman Further down Highway 61 South, Arthur Davis at the Old Country Store turns on a big dose of charm. He moves around the 100-year-old store singing and telling stories about his world-famous fried chicken and his grandmother’s perfect cornbread. His performance is reminiscent of an international custom; dim sum vendors in Hong Kong push their food carts around, singing and chanting about their daily fare. Revered by national media, a visit with Mr. Davis is a winning ticket. L WANT TO KNOW MORE? Find more information at www.msvisitorguide.com, www.visitvicksburg.com, and www.vicksburgheritage.com Shirley Waring is the president of the Vicksburg Blues Society and the Vicksburg Heritage League.

The line-up for the three weekends of “Bridging the Blues” will showcase Grady Champion, September 27-28. Mr. Sipp takes the stage October 4-5. IBC 2013 Winner Selwyn Birchwood will perform October 11-12 at Vicksburg’s Bottleneck Blues Bar.

A golden hand pointing toward the heavens is perched atop the steeple of First Presbyterian Church in Port Gibson.

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the mississippi delta

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COVER STORY

How Mississippi’s musical spirits inspired the sounds of America BY KARA MARTINEZ BACHMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIANNE TODD

he fertile soil of the Mississippi Delta runs deep. Deep. It is said that the rich dirt of the region—some of the most fertile on the entire earth —verges on a depth of 125 feet. But what grows there, far below the endless alluvial plains shaped by thousands of years of fresh, but muddy river floods, is not the stuff that grows at the surface. It is not the cotton or the rice or the soybeans that have been the sustenance of these agricultural communities for generations. What grows in the dark is something that can, at times, be too deep to measure. What grows there – way down, beneath the feet, beneath the surface of the land and beneath the surface of a sometimes misunderstood Delta culture, is American music. Described as “the Birthplace of American Music,” the State of Mississippi makes a claim that might seem exaggerated by those who have never really explored the origins of jazz, rock and other genres that are so influential in American popular culture. But these roots – pushing down, pushing up, sonically forcing a musical spirit up through the Coahoma and Sunflower mud – are on display in the Mississippi Delta, just as they were when blues was created by enslaved vocalists tied to plantations of fecund soil and sometimes frightful history. The main thoroughfare – the one sung about, cried about and traveled upon by many blues greats – is U.S. Highway 61. On U.S. Highway 61 crossing Highway 49, visitors pay their respects to one of the supposed locations of the famous half-true, half-mythological tale of blues musician Robert Johnson, reputed to have sold his soul to the devil to gain a musical prowess that is now considered legendary. Blues and jazz aficionados can visit another site, the Riverside Hotel, where Bessie Smith died after an auto accident on this same fateful road and where Ike Turner lived and wrote music.  The hands of David “Honeyboy” Edwards, the “Last of the great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen” before his death in 2011. He was considered to be one of the last remaining links to Robert Johnson, the Delta bluesman who allegedly sold his soul to the devil in exchange for musical greatness. OPPOSITE: An authentic sharecropper’s shack as it was when the Hopson Plantation was thriving near Clarksdale. Much of the Delta’s musical roots are still on display throughout the region just as they were when blues was created by vocalists who worked the land there. MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM 19

And fanning out like a music history constellation, from Clarksdale to Indianola to Greenwood and then on to Greenville, over to Helena and up to Memphis, there are numerous sites on and near Highway 61 that mark the past and inspire the future. In an effort to connect this past to our present, tourism authorities in the Delta region of Mississippi and Arkansas, as well as the blues metropolis of Memphis, have teamed up to create “Bridging the Blues.” This concept – which unites various communities that brought forth America’s indigenous music – connects them in a tourism handhold for several weeks of concerts, festivals, museum showings and other music

and history related events. Primarily taking place along the blues highway of U.S. Highway 61, the scheduled events look back at the significance of the historic road while pointing forward to the musicians standing in the trenches today. “The Bridging the Blues idea is that the literal bridges are the bridges between Mississippi and Memphis and Arkansas. But it is also blues being the bridge to all other forms of music … and it all came out of here,” said Wesley Smith, executive director of the GreenvilleWashington County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and originator of Bridging the Blues (BTB). Its origins were born from a desire to make roots music available to everyone by cooperating – rather than competing. “We have a B.B. King Museum, we have a Blues Trail … we have arts councils that are doing blues photography exhibits and we have tourism … If only we could get everybody to do what they’re already doing, but get it into one week,” Smith said of BTB’s beginnings. That week begins with the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival/ Highway 61 Blues Festival in Greenville, both beginning on October 4 and running throughout the weekend. The week “ends” with the King Biscuit Blues Festival, held in Helena, Ark., beginning on Thursday, October 10. Between the two festivals, and for several days on either side, are various performances by local musicians, museum exhibits and tours by preservationist and Delta heritage expert, Luther Brown.

Hopefully, visitors will return home understanding how the blues is itself an old and well-traveled bridge, a true American byway of a music tradition that is found time and again in other musical forms. While King Biscuit has a strict blues focus, Smith indicates the festival in Greenville will also have a blues emphasis--as Highway 61 has had for years--but will combine that with performances from other types of music that find their origins in the rich music of the Delta. “We have some country, some rock … the music will be broader. There will be a Highway 61 Blues Museum Stage and a Main Stage, which will be rock, country and a variety of things,” Smith said. All music, however, reflects the local vibe. “Everybody would love for you to have the Stones, of course. But really they want you to have T-Model Ford or they want to come because it’s authentic.” Just as the Mississippi shaped the fertile flatland, blues shapes and floods everything around it. It is like the Great River of music, taking a couple of sorrowful minor chords here, taking a hopeful melody there. Letting them drift. Mixing them with some other flotsam and jetsam, perhaps from brass musicians playing out of New Orleans or with bluegrass singers coming from somewhere in Tennessee. The original roots music of this country fanned out from the fields of the Delta generations ago, and it has meandered down to places like New Orleans – and up, even against a powerful flow – to St. Louis, Minneapolis and beyond. “It really is message music,” said Amanda Gresham, creator of the Delta Music Experience, which provides immersive tour experiences for music fans. She describes the original purpose of the blues, which finds its deepest roots in the slavery of the old South and, later, in the sharecropping system devised in the post-Civil War years. The system created a life of hardship for black tenant farmers, who were often tied to the land with little chance of seeking better opportunities outside the Delta. “On the plantations, you couldn’t give messages directly, so they would sing,” explained Gresham. “‘Sarah had a baby, Sarah had a baby.’ And they would sing this across the plantations. I think it [the blues] is a way to relay messages today as well.” Clearly, the messages are spreading far and wide. Thanks to people like Gresham, blues fans from the world over are now able to travel the Delta and see it through the eyes of some of those most revered: musicians. Offering everything from three-hour cruises to five day land tours via rail or bus, Gresham’s tours embody the essence of the Bridging

the Blues concept. Often covering a route that takes participants through the geographic and cultural history of roots music, the Delta Music Experience offers what few tours can provide: close and personal contact with the musicians who ride alongside participants in the bus, or on the train or on board a paddle wheeler headed down the Great River. One Delta native who understands how the story of Highway 61 and surrounding communities is inseparably tied to the land is Madge Howell of Clarksdale. “Our agricultural heritage and where we have come from, our racial history, and that whole culture that we have evolved through together, that’s so important and adds to the richness of this area.” She believes the real curiosity for tourists is being able to imbed for a few days in the agrarian lifestyle. “They [tourists] get to feel what that’s like, to be in an agricultural environment, which is where the blues was birthed,” Howell said. “When you come here, It’s going to take a day or two to detox,” said property developer Bubba O’Keefe. “What you do is, you’re in Sesame Street, and there’s a cast of characters right here, and you’ll get to know them. And now, all of a sudden you’re connected with this town that has a pull that makes you want to come back like they’re friends and family.” John Magnusson, who moved to Clarksdale from New Jersey four years ago, is one of those people who “gets” what is happening along the blues corridor. “There’s this really cool vibe happening here. The best part about it is it’s this podunk little Delta town. But the entire planet comes through here, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Clarksdale is not something you can fake, and people get that. You can’t make this stuff up. You run into strange characters, strange situations that are always entertaining.”

“Music, to me, is life. It gives people life. Makes them feel good, or makes them grieve a little bit when they want to grieve.” — Cedric Burnside

memphis At the northern end of the Bridging the Blues geographical area is the City of Memphis. Filled with history and activity, it’s a great place to immerse in “big city” blues and rock culture. “Beale Street is a historical district,” said Carson Lamm, entertainment director for the Rum Boogie Cafe. “There’s also the Ernest Withers Gallery, he’s got a lot of historical photographs. There’s the Handy House, the actual house that W.C. Handy lived in is on the street as well.”

Photo by Isaac Singleton

Many need a primer in the origins of American music, and Lamm feels that the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum – just a few feet off Beale at the Staples Center – provides that education. “Within 30 minutes you can walk through there and know the exact significance of Memphis, and Beale St., and what it was like in the ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s. It’s a great springboard to know why Beale is significant.” But in Memphis, the history isn’t just in the architecture and streets – it’s also in the sounds. “The historical nature is mostly going to come from the music,” Lamm said. “That’s the cool thing about blues. It tells a story. Each club on Beale has its own niche. Rum Boogie focuses on a lot of blues. We have a lot of stuff that kinda bleeds into blues, some rock, some soul. Blues Hall has got juke joint Delta blues, all the time, or [consider] places like Blues City Band Box.” Connected to Rum Boogie is Mr. Handy’s Blues Hall. “We approached the Handy family and asked whether we could use their name,” Lamm said. “Not only did we use their name, but they gave us a bunch of family photos, their old piano and all this stuff. We kinda plastered the walls haphazardly with it and it is probably one of the favorite places of any musician to play on the street, even though it’s like a shotgun brick building – like a shoebox. But people like it.” Handy is followed by others who came after and channeled the blues

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into what would become rock ‘n’ roll. People like Elvis Presley recorded at the local Sun Studios and the bridge from blues to rock was formed. These genres that evolved from the blues can be heard all over Memphis today. “On Beale, you can get everything from blues to rock to soul … all kinds of different genres,” said Lamm. In a way, Memphis itself is the big-city symbol of Bridging the Blues, as a visitor can be led down different musical roads without having to take a single turn onto another street. “Blues opened up the door for every different rock band of the ’60s. But in Memphis now, it’s kinda going in reverse, where blues musicians on the street will cover a Santana song, or they’ll cover an Isaac Hayes song, or they’ll get away from doing all blues tunes, but they put a blues twist on it. That whole crossover thing is a new sensation.” Lamm goes on to explain what many may not realize: the Bridging the Blues highway is a sonic two-lane street in the City of Memphis, running artfully in both directions.

the arkansas delta

BY KIMBERLY J. WILLIAMS

The Arkansas Delta’s lyrical legacy is impressive. Music legends Johnny Cash, Louis Jordan, Conway Twitty, Howlin’ Wolf, Charlie

 Memphis musician Clyde Hopkins sits outside Sun Studios where greats like Elvis Presley made their first recordings.  The Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale Street is a favorite among tourists. It’s located minutes from the

Rich, Al Green, William Warfield, Albert King, Sonny Boy Williamson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe were either born or lived in the Arkansas Delta. Music is the proverbial heartbeat of the region. In Helena, The Delta Cultural Center tells the history of the Arkansas Delta through artifacts, exhibits and photography on European settlement, the Mississippi River and its influence on the region, the Civil War and the area’s rich musical heritage. The center is home to King Biscuit Time, the award-winning radio show that has the distinction of being the longest-running daily blues radio show in the United States. Weekday visitors can sit and watch the legendary “Sunshine” Sonny Payne broadcast the show live from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Music fans often pay homage to the blues at Bubba’s Blues Corners, where King Biscuit Blues Festival performers go for meet-and-greets and autograph sessions. Each October, thousands from throughout the world flock to historic downtown Helena as the music takes over – giving visitors a three-day, down-home, soul-baring musical history lesson. This year’s headliners are Marcia Ball, Robert Cray, and the Gregg Allman Band. L Williams is a travel writer, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, where visitors learn of the role Beale Street played in developing American music.

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Headlining Clarksdale’s 26th FREE

Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival August 9-10-11, 2013

Luther Dickinson & The North Mississippi Allstars

Bobby Rush & The Bobby Rush Dancers

Saturday night August 10

Friday night August 9

Rated one of America’s Top 10 places to hear authentic music by USA Weekend

Mississippi Blues Trail Recipient with Main Stage, 2 Acoustic Stages, Sunday Gospel Stage

Honoring the late legendary festival co-chairman and blues historian

Melville Tillis The 26th Sunflower River & Gospel Festival

revisits his historic River Mount Lounge where all the great ones called home base: Ike Turner, Little Milton, Bobby Rush, Clayton Love, & O.B. Buchana It’s FREE August 9-10-11, 2013 - Downtown Clarksdale - www.sunflowerfest.org

JULY // AUGUST 2013

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

JULY // AUGUST 2013

The Heart Behind the Music

Featuring Kim Carnes, John Ford Coley, Gene Cotton, Lenny LeBlanc, with special guest Greg Barnhill Tuesday, July 16, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.

Showcasing some of the world’s best singers and songwriters, “The Heart Behind the Music” tour offers a chance to hear talented musicians talk about the meaning behind their hit songs while also treating ticket holders to outstanding performances. The tour’s Meridian stop includes Kim Carnes, who won a Grammy in the 1980s for singing “Bette Davis Eyes.” She has also written numerous hits for Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, and many other well-known singers. Joining Carnes is John Ford Coley, half the Grammynominated duo England Dan & John Ford Coley and best known for the hit “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight.” The concert also highlights Gene Cotton, who has 15 albums to his credit and counts “Before My Heart Finds Out” and “Like a Sunday in Salem” among his top-rated singles. Versatile pop and country songwriter Lenny LeBlanc joins the group as well, known for his 1970s hit ballad, “Falling.” Since a dramatic religious conversion, LeBlanc has become a popular Christian artist, his credits including “Above All” and “There Is None Like You.” Special guest Greg Barnhill is also featured during the Meridian show. A distant relative of Mississippi’s “Singing Brakeman” Jimmie Rodgers, Barnhill has penned such hits as “House of Love” for Amy Grant and Vince Gill as well as “Walkaway Joe,” a duet by Trisha Yearwood and Don Henley. The Emmy nominee can also be heard on the recordings of Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Lee Ann Womack.

For Fans of: country, rock, blue-eyed soul 2200 5th Street • Meridian, Mississippi 601-696-2200 • www.msurileycenter.com MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

toMONET

OLD MASTERS three centuries of french painting from the wadsworth atheneum

MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM of ART t h ro u g h S e p t e m b e r 8 , 2 013

WWW. MSMU SEU MART.ORG 6 0 1 .9 6 0 .1 5 1 5 1 .8 66 . VI EWA RT 380 SOUTH LAMAR STREET JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39201 Old Masters to Monet is organized by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT, and is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Local presentation of this exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation. The Mississippi Museum of Art and its programs are sponsored in part by the city of Jackson, the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau, and The Clarion-Ledger Media Group. Support is also provided in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, afederal agency.

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Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1901), Jane Avril Leaving the Moulin Rouge, 1892. essence on board. Collection of Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT. 33.75 x 27.5 in. Bequest of George Gay, 1941.163.

The Annie Laurie Swaim Hearin Memorial Exhibition Series

Tickets available at Ticketmaster outlets, online at TICKETMASTER.com or by calling 800-745 -3000. Hit JacksonRhythmAndBluesFestival.com for the complete all-star line up.

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hollandale

JULY // AUGUST 2013

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

am Chatmon may not be a household name for most people, but his legacy in the history of blues music cannot be understated. Chatmon was born in Bolton in 1897 and received most of his musical knowledge from his father, Henderson Chatmon, who died at the age of 105 in 1934. He and his brothers formed the Mississippi Sheiks, who first recorded in 1930. Their song “Sitting on Top of the World,” has been covered by Bob Wills, Cream, the Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, Ray Charles and Willie Nelson – to name a few. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. During the years of segregation, the Mississippi Sheiks were unique in that they were a black band from the Mississippi Delta playing for both white and black audiences. By all accounts, the Sheiks would play everything from white fiddle-based music to black gutbucket blues. Chatmon quit the Sheiks in the early 1940s and moved to Hollandale, which is where he spent the remainder of his life. Once the stock and cotton markets crashed, he spent a good portion of his time playing for less money and for a primarily black audience. This is when he began to focus on a more gutbucket version of the blues. According to Sam Chatmon Blues Festival

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founder Roy Schilling, Chatmon was an eclectic soul who had – unlike many of his contemporaries - an ability to read sheet music. “He was a musician,” Schilling said. “He read charts … sheet music. He felt like a lot of other blues musicians were crude. He wasn’t doing three chords and a holler. He was playing something more complex than that. He learned most of it from his dad – he must have been one hell of a musician.” Musician Libby Rae Watson, who first worked with Chatmon at The Delta Blues Festival in Greenville, echoed some of the same sentiments. “We just hit it off, and it was a great friendship. I asked him to teach me some guitar – and he was always teaching me. He played a lot of chords – very complex. And he’d done a lot of ragtime and played a lot of parties for white folks, so he was very diverse. A lot of my style’s the same as his. He was an aggressive thumb-popper. I was a 25-year-old hippie chick when we met, and I used to complain about how I couldn’t play like him. He would always say, ‘You ain’t me.’” Chatmon was rediscovered in the 1960s during the blues renaissance and spent the majority of the remainder of his career as a solo and acoustic “blues-folk” artist. He recorded a number of solo albums and began hitting folk festivals from California to Washington D.C., again in front of

a primarily white audience. Chatmon’s friend Hank Burdine, said even in the midst of his popularity Chatmon wouldn’t travel outside of the United States. “I was trying to get him to do a show in Europe,” Burdine said. “And he tells me, ‘Lil Potnah,’ – he always called me ‘Lil Potnah – ‘How we going to get over there?’ So I told him that we’d take a plane, and there’d be 300-400 people on the plane with us. And he said that if the plane went down because it was one of those people’s time to go, he wasn’t ready to go with them. So he never took any long tour that he couldn’t do on what he called ‘the Long Dog’ – which meant a Greyhound Bus.” Burdine first met him when he was his twenties – and Chatmon was 50 years his senior. Chatmon was tending to his farm and had a guitar sitting on the front porch. Burdine asked if he played the guitar, and Chatmon responded, “‘Lil Potnah, I been playing this guitar my whole years.’” “Sam had long, slender fingers,” Burdine said. “His way of picking the guitar was so unique. It was a different style of finger picking – I think it came from playing the banjo. And all of the songs he wrote came from some place personal. They were about his life – his wives.” Schilling didn’t get quite the personal relationship with him that Burdine did – which is partially the impetus for the festival taking Chatmon’s name. “There’s that Joni Mitchell song,” Schilling said, somberly. “It has the line, ‘You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.’ That’s really the inspiration for the festival in a way. I wish I could have gotten to know him better. He was not aloof and he wasn’t hard to get to know. He was very candid. It was the ‘60s, and I was listening to British rock and didn’t really know where they were getting that from. These guys were covering his songs, and I didn’t know that the guy who wrote them lived in my town. It was bittersweet to discover this so late, and so the festival is in his honor.” L WANT TO GO? The Sam Chatmon Blues Festival, scheduled for Sept. 28, takes place in Hollandale near Chatmon’s blues marker. The line-up includes Eddie Cusic, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, Grady Champion, Eden Brent and Libby Rae Watson.

THE

BISCUITIS STILL THE BEST

WITH Robert Cray, Gregg Allman and Marcia Ball THURSDAY

Battle of the Bands Winner • IBC Winner Selwyn Birchwood • Bobby Paltauf • Sterling Billingsley Band • Travis

Wammack • Hamilton Loomis • Walter “Wolfman” Washington • Sonny Landreth • Marcia Ball

FRIDAY

GuitarMac MacKnally

Veronika Jackson • CeDell Davis Spoonfed Blues featuring Mississippi Spoonman • CW Gatlin • Wampus Cats • Lil Biscuit Band Gwen White • Billy Branch & The Sons of Blues with Carl Weathersby • Jack Rowell, Jr. • Bart Walker Band • Sharrie Williams Reba Russell Band • Andy T & Nick Nixon • Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets • Paul Thorn • Robert Cray

SATURDAY

KIPP Delta

ELA Chorus • Marcus “Mookie” Cartwright • Dylan Doyle Band • Christone “Kingfish” Ingram • Peterson Brothers • Zakk Knight Big Momma’s Gang • Phillips County Quartet • Young & Ready • Dedications • Dixie Wonders • Majestic Wonders • Blessedfull 7 Wells Brothers • Andy Coats • Ben Wiley Peyton • Dr. Feelgood Potts • Charlotte Taylor & Gypsy Rain • Bill Perry • David Kimbrough, Jr. Band • Blind Mississippi Morris • Joe Louis Walker • Bobby Rush • Earnest Guitar Roy • Don McMinn • Kenny Smith Band with Bob Margolin • Larry McCray • Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band • James Cotton • Gregg Allman Band

October 10-12, 2013

h 8t

Anniversa

Helena, Arkansas KingBiscuitFestival.com

This ad was paid for with a combination of state funds and Arkansas Delta Byways regional association funds.

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TWO+ WEEKS OF LIVE Friday, September 27

Sunday, September 29

Vicksburg Blues Society Heritage Music Series

Delta Busking Festival

Ameristar Casino - Bottleneck Blues Bar Vicksburg, Mississippi ameristar.com • VicksburgHeritage.com Music 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. by 2010 International Blues Challenge Winner Grady Champion.

Delta Busking Festival

Clarksdale, Mississippi Sponsored by Cathead Delta Blues & Folk Art and the Rock & Blues Museum blues2rock.com Three days of blues and roots music in the Crossroads of American Music.

Saturday, September 28 Delta Busking Festival

Clarksdale, Mississippi Sponsored by Cathead Delta Blues & Folk Art and the Rock & Blues Museum blues2rock.com Three days of blues and roots music in the Crossroads of American Music.

Gateway to the Delta Festival

Clarksdale, Mississippi Sponsored by Cathead Delta Blues & Folk Art and the Rock & Blues Museum blues2rock.com Three days of blues and roots music in the Crossroads of American Music.

The Mississippi Delta: Cradle of American Culture

National Trust for Historic Preservation Tours 2nd Stop: Vicksburg preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/tours/ north-america/south/Mississippi_Delta Will be led by Luther Brown, preservationist and Mississippi Delta heritage expert.

Monday, September 30 The Mississippi Delta: Cradle of American Culture

National Trust for Historic Preservation Tours 3rd Stop: Vicksburg/Greenwood preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/tours/ north-america/south/Mississippi_Delta Will be led by Luther Brown, Delta heritage expert.

preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/tours/ north-america/south/Mississippi_Delta Will be led by Luther Brown, Delta heritage expert.

Thursday, October 3 Art Alfresco

Downtown Greenwood, Mississippi greenwoodms.com Local artists will display their work and musicians will be playing in the street. Retail shops open late.

Tours and Blues Jam at Dockery Plantation MS HWY 8 between Ruleville/Cleveland, Mississippi dockeryfarms.org Music 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

DMI Mobile Music Lab

MS HWY 8 between Ruleville/Cleveland, Mississippi

The Mississippi Delta: Cradle of American Culture

National Trust for Historic Preservation Tours 6th Stop: Memphis preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/tours/ north-america/south/Mississippi_Delta Will be led by Luther Brown, Delta heritage expert.

Po’ Monkey’s Juke

Charleston, Mississippi charlestongatewayfestival.org

Tuesday, October 1

Merigold, Mississippi

Friday, October 4

Indian Bayou Arts Festival

Tours and Blues Jam at Dockery Plantation

MS HWY 8 between Ruleville/Cleveland, Mississippi dockeryfarms.org Music by Cadillac John and Bill Abel 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Indianola, Mississippi (near B.B. King Museum) facebook.com/pages/Indian-Bayou-Arts-Festival Artists and live music from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on the banks of Indian Bayou.

Live Music at The Crown Restaurant Indianola, Mississippi thecrownrestaurant.com

The Mississippi Delta: Cradle of American Culture

National Trust for Historic Preservation Tours 1st Stop: Jackson/Vicksburg preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/tours/ north-america/south/Mississippi_Delta Will be led by Luther Brown, Delta heritage expert.

Sam Chatmon Blues and BBQ Festival

DMI Mobile Music Lab

MS HWY 8 between Ruleville/Cleveland, Mississippi

The Mississippi Delta: Cradle of American Culture

National Trust for Historic Preservation Tours 4th Stop: Greenwood and Environs preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/tours/ north-america/south/Mississippi_Delta Will be led by Luther Brown, Delta heritage expert.

Po’ Monkey’s Blues Bash with Terry “Harmonica” Bean and His Band Merigold, Mississippi

Abbay & Leatherman Plantation, Tunica, Mississippi deltacountryjam.com Music 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.; Headliners: Billy Currington, Thompson Square, Jerrod Niemann, Josh Thompson, Steel Magnolia.

“Healthy Dose of Blues” Fresenius Health Fair After Party at Club Ebony

bbkingmuseum.org Health Fair 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.; Live music 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. by Mickey Rogers and the Soul Blues Band and Russell Baxter and the 21st Century Band (more artists to be included); Club Ebony After Party 10:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

Mighty Mississippi Music Festival (formerly Highway 61 Blues Festival)

Live Blues at Airport Grocery Cleveland, Mississippi Music 8:00 p.m. - Midnight

Warﬁeld Point Park, Greenville, Mississippi mightymississippimusicfestival.com The new Mighty Mississippi Music Festival integrates the Highway 61 Blues Festival, which has been held in nearby Leland since 2000.

The Mississippi Delta: Cradle of American Culture

Blue Front, Hollandale, Mississippi facebook.com/SamChatmonBlues

Wednesday, October 2

Vicksburg Blues Society Heritage Music Series

Ameristar Casino - Bottleneck Blues Bar Vicksburg, Mississippi ameristar.com • VicksburgHeritage.com Music 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. by 2010 International Blues Challenge Winner Grady Champion.

Delta Country Jam

National Trust for Historic Preservation Tours 5th Stop: Greenwood/Memphis

National Trust for Historic Preservation Tours 7th Stop: Farewell Memphis - Independent transfers to the airport for return flights

34information JULY // AUGUST 2013music events throughout the year, see calendars maintained by Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art, Highway 61 Radio, and the Memphis Flyer. For about Delta

MUSIC...THREE STATES! preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/tours/ north-america/south/Mississippi_Delta Will be led by Luther Brown, Delta heritage expert.

Vicksburg Blues Society Heritage Music Series

Ameristar Casino - Bottleneck Blues Bar Vicksburg, Mississippi ameristar.com • VicksburgHeritage.com Music 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. by 2013 International Blues Challenge Finalist Mr. Sipp “The Mississippi Blues Child.”

Saturday, October 5 Delta Country Jam

Abbay & Leatherman Plantation, Tunica, Mississippi deltacountryjam.com Music 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.; Headliners: Tim McGraw, Brantley Gilbert.

Mighty Mississippi Music Festival (formerly Highway 61 Blues Festival)

Warﬁeld Point Park, Greenville, Mississippi mightymississippimusicfestival.com Featuring Drive by Truckers, Edwin McCain, North Mississippi Allstars, Steve Azar & Deana Carter and more!

Mississippi Blues Fest Leflore County Civic Center Greenwood, Mississippi Tickets: 662.453.4065 mississippibluesfest.com

Vicksburg Blues Society Heritage Music Series

Sunday, October 6 Mighty Mississippi Music Festival (formerly Highway 61 Blues Festival) Warﬁeld Point Park, Greenville, Mississippi mightymississippimusicfestival.com

Tuesday, October 8 All Night Long Blues Band at Po’ Monkeys Merigold, Mississippi

Wednesday, October 9 Michael Burks Memorial Jam

King Biscuit Main Stage, Helena, Arkansas

Blues #TweetUp!

Gateway to the Blues Visitor Center, Tunica, Mississippi tunicatravel.com Featuring Blind Mississippi Morris

International Blues Challenge Semifinals Memphis Blues Society

Otherfest

Thursday, October 10

Repatriation of Senatobia, Mississippi: Recordings and Photographs from the Alan Lomax Collection

Rum Boogie Cafe, Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee memphisbluessociety.com

International Blues Challenge Finals Memphis Blues Society

Rum Boogie Cafe, Beale Street, Memphis, Tennessee memphisbluessociety.com

King Biscuit Blues Festival

Helena, Arkansas kingbiscuitfestival.com Headliners: Marcia Ball, Sonny Landreth and more.

Friday, October 11 Book Signing: Mississippi Hill Country Blues 1967 Author George Mitchell Como Public Library Starts at 4:30 p.m.

King Biscuit Blues Festival

Helena, Arkansas kingbiscuitfestival.com Headliners: Robert Cray; Billy Branch with Carl Weathersby, Paul Thorn, Gwen White and more.

Vicksburg Blues Society Heritage Music Series

Ameristar Casino - Bottleneck Blues Bar Vicksburg, Mississippi ameristar.com • VicksburgHeritage.com Music 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. by 2013 International Blues Challenge Winner Selwyn Birchwood

Saturday, October 12 3rd Annual King Biscuit Call and Response: the Blues Forum 2013

The River Resort, Highway 1, Rosedale, Mississippi facebook.com/pages/Mississippis-OTHERfest

Senatobia Public Library Starts at 11:00 a.m.

Second Street Blues Party

Rock & Blues Museum 113 East Second Street, Clarksdale, Mississippi blues2rock.com Live Music 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Vicksburg Blues Society Heritage Music Series

Ameristar Casino - Bottleneck Blues Bar Vicksburg, Mississippi ameristar.com • VicksburgHeritage.com Music 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. by 2013 International Blues Challenge Winner Selwyn Birchwood

Sunday, October 13 13th Annual Pinetop Perkins Homecoming Hopson Plantation, Clarksdale, Mississippi pinetopperkinshomecoming.com Three venues: the Hopson Commissary, the Juke Joint Chapel, and an outdoor acoustic stage.

Cat Head Mini Blues Festival III Clarksdale, Mississippi cathead.biz Live Music 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Second Street Blues Party

Rock & Blues Museum 113 East Second Street, Clarksdale, Mississippi blues2rock.com Live Music 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Malco Theater, Cherry Street, Helena, Arkansas kingbiscuitfestival.com

“Bit-O-Blues” Children’s Area

King Biscuit Blues Festival, Helena, Arkansas kingbiscuitfestival.com Activities 11:00 a.m. - 7:15 p.m

Como Arts Council’s Fall Show Main Street Gallery, Como, Mississippi

King Biscuit Blues Festival

Helena, Arkansas kingbiscuitfestival.com Headliners: Gregg Allman, Bobby Rush, James Cotton, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band and more.

This ad was paid for by funds from the Mississippi Delta Tourism Association.

Plan your 2013 Music Pilgrimage /bridgingtheblues @BridgingBlues MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM 35 bridgingtheblues.com

indianola

JULY // AUGUST 2013

FEATURE

BY JOE LEE PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIANNE TODD

e’s a true music legend, a man the best-known guitarists in the world often cite as one of their heroes. But after nearly seven decades of singing and playing the blues and achieving a level of fame and fortune most performers only dream of, Sunflower County native Riley “B.B.” King is very much the same, down-to-earth, smalltown Mississippian he was at the beginning of his musical journey. For a man too humble to brag, the B.B. King Museum in King’s hometown of Indianola serves as a lasting legacy to the man’s greatness, and a visit there provides an education that can’t be found in a textbook. “In just talking to him, you would never know how famous he is,” said Dion Brown, the Executive Director of the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola. “He’s honored that people want to listen to his music. And the man will be 88 years old in September, and he’s still playing 175 shows a year.” The museum, which opened in 2008, is a modern structure encompassing 20,000 square feet of history, memories and artifacts. There’s an intimate little theater with church pew seating and a highdefinition movie screen that shows a 16-minute B.B. King film on a continuous loop—luminaries such as Eric Clapton and former

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour pay tributes to King that are interspersed among concert footage and King’s own commentary. Grand benefactors Jim and Donna Barksdale of Oxford, who have donated more than $2 million to the museum, helped finance not only the theater but the restoration of the oldest standing cotton gin in the world. Also part of the museum, the cotton gin—where King once worked—is now the site of weddings, plays and life skills classes for area students, some of whom have been hired to work there. Music lessons, including guitar, keyboard and drums, are taught at the museum. The foyer is packed with framed, full-color photos of King in recent years taken by Victor McTeer, a list of museum benefactors including the Barksdales, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, AT&T, the State of Mississippi and an eye-catching display of the feedback left by visitors in the museum guest book. The comments are uniformly excellent and come from visitors who’ve made the trek to Indianola from all over the country.

a small stage with a Yamaha keyboard, amplifiers and enough room for a small jam session. A regular Museum offering is Music on the Lawn, a free blues concert each Friday afternoon in the spring months and again in September and October. The event is on a carefully-maintained, flat expanse of land alongside the museum property. “We usually have 80 to 100 folks,” Brown said. “They bring their own beer, food and chairs, throw Frisbees and play catch.” But the King Museum’s most impressive feature might be the group of display rooms, which feature hardwood flooring, piped-in music, short films and memorabilia ranging from old phonograph albums and King’s World War II draft card to vintage guitars and newspaper stories dating to the era of segregation. King, a man known for his generosity, donated his tour bus, his El Camino, his Rolls Royce and Club Ebony—a vintage blues venue that opened decades ago—and they

There’s also Lucille’s Gift Shop, featuring t-shirts, coffee mugs, sheet music, blues CDs, car tags and refrigerator magnets. The corner of the gift shop has tables and chairs and

add exponentially to the mystique and overall museum experience. Club Ebony is two blocks away and has been painstakingly restored in an attempt to preserve elements of the original structure (such as the ceiling and some of the stools and furnishings) while state-of-the-art sound, air conditioning and seating have been installed. The club holds as many as 450 patrons, but seating will be limited to 340 for the annual

ABOVE: King’s Grammy awards. • The contents of B.B. King’s studio. “They even got the sticky notes and pencils on his desk,” said Grady Champion, a Canton musician mentored by King. CENTER: A display pays homage to King’s radio shows with clothing, a guitar and recording gear.

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B.B. King Homecoming Concert on July 3 for reasons of comfort. “The museum began as a $200,000 storefront project,” Brown said. “It became a $15 million facility, and six restaurants have opened up since the museum did.” One of them is the Blue Biscuit, which is across the street from the museum and owned and operated by Trish Berry of Indianola. She and her husband have owned property adjacent to the museum for years and rent a pair of guest houses to tourists. “I grew up listening to the blues at a place called Cleo’s Hilltop in Vicksburg,” Berry said. “We’d stop in for lunch and they had B.B. King on the jukebox: “Why I Sing the Blues,” “To Know You Is to Love You,” “Hummingbird,” “The Thrill is Gone.” I was hooked. Then, when my husband graduated from Ole Miss pharmacy school, we moved to Indianola. “A couple of years later, B.B. turned over his annual Homecoming Festival to the Chamber of Commerce and they asked for volunteers. Back then it was my job to get him from event after event, hold books and stretch out t-shirts for him to sign till we were both blue in the face. The B.B. King concert used to be just down the street, so the corporate sponsor party would be at our house—sometimes he’d chill out here till the dust settled.”

“King, a man known for his generosity, donated his tour bus, his El Camino, his Rolls Royce and Club Ebony—a vintage blues venue that opened decades ago—and they add exponentially to the mystique and overall museum experience.”

RIGHT: One of King’s prepared gospel song lists; the story of how King was raised by his grandmother, who died when he was in his teens. For a few months he was on his own until family members could take him in.

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Indianola Mayor Steve Rosenthal knows a thing or two about what the King Museum has already meant—and will mean—to economic progress in Sunflower County. His family owned a retail business that was located in downtown Indianola for 89 years. “I can tell you that if it were not for the museum, Indianola would have had some serious shortfalls,” Rosenthal said. “It opened during some of the worst economic times the nation had seen in decades, but Indianola’s sales tax revenues remained constant while most of our neighbors saw drastic declines. There’s never a time, when I tell people where I’m from— whether it’s Seattle, New York City or Los Angeles—that they don’t always say, ‘Isn’t that where the B.B. King Museum is?’” Canton native and popular blues recording artist Grady Champion met King for the first time last year at the Museum, and he’ll join his mentor at this year’s Homecoming Concert. “You feel the path he walked on,” Champion said of spending time at the Museum. “You see what he went through to get where he got.” “He is one of the most humble, kind and patient people I’ve ever met,” Berry said. “Even when they were asking him for his entire studio in Las Vegas, he said ‘okay’—they even got the sticky notes and pencils on his desk, for heaven’s sake— it’s all on display at the Museum. “The big, big names in the music business (Clapton and Bonnie Raitt) were happy to pay tribute on video for the exhibits, and so many guitarists and other musicians name him as a huge influence. B.B. still keeps a ridiculously busy schedule for somebody his age. It may seem like too much, but I really think the love and energy he gets from his fans all over the world keeps him going.” “The museum shows much more than just the life of B.B. King,” Rosenthal said. “I really like the parts that show the wonderful culture of the Delta. Even though there are parts of our past that are not very flattering, I know that those struggles are what have made us better.” L WANT TO KNOW MORE? Visit www.bbkingmuseum.org for information about volunteer opportunities, membership levels and group tours. The B.B. King Museum and Interpretive Center is located on Second Street in Indianola. It is open five days a week with free admission on Tuesday for residents of Sunflower County.  The Museum’s exhibits showcase memorabilia from the life of B.B. King, but more importantly, exhibits give visitors a glimpse into the struggles faced by King as a child and young man living in the Mississippi Delta before his rise to stardom.

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The Key to History Experience Vicksburg at some of our finest attractions: • Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum • Children’s Art Park at Catfish Row • Lower Mississippi River Museum • Old Courthouse Museum • Old Depot Museum • Tour Homes • USS Cairo Museum • Vicksburg National Cemetery • Vicksburg National Military Park • Vicksburg Riverfront Murals • Yesterday’s Children Antique Doll and Toy Museum

www.keytothesouth.com www.facebook.com/visitvicksburg @VisitVicksburg

Scan the QR code to visit Vicksburg’s mobile site and start planning your vacation today. MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

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cleveland

FEATURE

ALL ABOARD Railroad museum pays homage to Americana BY JAMES DUKE DENTON PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOE WORTHEM

urton Potts follows the model trains at the Martin and Sue King Heritage Museum in Cleveland as they snake and wind around an expansive set of tracks. At age four, his eyes are wide with amazement as the trains chug their way past the mid 20th Century Americana scenery. His mother, Chris Potts, says that he always wants to visit the museum each time her family travels to Cleveland from Kosciusko to see her parents. He spends hours upon hours just watching the trains go round the track.

And even though today’s youth may not have a great a connection to the train, there is still a need for them to know what came before them. “He probably came here to see this before he got a train set at home,” said his mother. Her husband and Burton’s father Sam Potts, said since there aren’t any trains back home, Burton gets his fill while there. The museum pays homage to a simpler time, one when trains were intertwined in the fabric of American life. “Our railroad track is a walking trail now, but for over 100 years the train ran right by here,” said museum curator Lisa Miller. “The

Opposite top: Burton Potts, 4, and his father, Sam Potts, make a stop at the Martin & Sue King Heritage Railroad Museum. The model trains with intricate scenes of Americana attract the youngster each time he visits his grandparents in Cleveland. The museum’s artifacts reflect the Delta town’s rich history of the railroad. For more than 100 years, the railroad had a strong influence on Cleveland as it was the halfway point between Memphis and Vicksburg.

JULY // AUGUST 2013

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

M Other notable museum stops in the Mississippi Delta…

The Delta Blues Museum

In the “land where blues began” the Delta Blues Museum offers 5,000-square-feet of permanent and traveling exhibits focused on the history and heritage of the blues. Exhibits range from

a celebration of 25 years of the Sunflower Festival to CD and

party releases of current artists. The “True Delta” offers visitors a cinematic snapshot of blues tradition in and around Clarksdale,

while the Ike Turner and Rockett 88 exhibits give a nod to the first

rock ‘n’ roll record. Other notable Mississippi artists such as Charlie Musselwhite, Sam Cooke and Son House are also represented.

A highlight is the actual cabin remains owned by Muddy Waters

from Stovall Farms, where Waters spent time as a sharecropper and tractor driver.

Summer hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5p.m. For more information, call (662) 627-7263 or visit www.deltabluesmuseum.org. Photographs by Joe Worthem

The Rock & Blues Museum

In the heart of downtown Clarksdale, this storefront museum

is packed with music memorabilia from the 1920s through the

1970s. Follow the evolution of America’s music from blues, R&B,

rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll and soul to see how it influenced people all around the world. Collections highlight the connection between

artists and eras. Artwork abounds on album covers, autographs,

photos, 45 and 78 rpm records, magazines, news articles, movie and

concert posters, vintage gramophones, radios and guitars owned by all the greats from B.B. King to the Righteous Brothers.

Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5p.m. And Sunday

and Monday by appointment. $5 donation. For more information, call (662) 605-8662or visit www.blues2rock.com.

Photographs by Joe Worthem

JULY // AUGUST 2013

M railroad is really what put Cleveland on the map. We were the halfway point between Memphis and Vicksburg and it was a good stopping off point.” A turntable was added to the line which made Cleveland even more important in its heyday of the railroad. Former Cleveland mayor Martin King had a vision for a museum to pay homage to railroads because of the importance they played in the development of the city. “We are owned by the City of Cleveland,” Miller said. “This was his (King’s) vision. He has since passed away. He knew we needed to pay tribute to our railroad heritage. A Department of Transportation grant helped us build this building. We are the only facility in the state to have this number of artifacts and this quality layout. The goal is to preserve and promote railroad heritage.” Patrons who remember the railroad as a dominant force in the American economy also appreciate what the museum has to offer. “We run this train every day, admission is free and we get all ages and all walks of life to come in,” Miller said. “It is a great history lesson. Once a year, retired railroad workers union members come for a reunion. They love it and they bring us things when they come. That is one way we have found to serve our community and grow.” Train engineer James Marquis Jr. is the head electrician for Delta State University by trade, but loves coming to work at the museum. “This is my part-time job,” he said. “I am 61 and I am the youngest of the bunch (of engineers who run the model train). Most of them are in their 70s.” He says there is rarely a dull moment for him while directing the model train within the museum. “You usually have something happen that you don’t plan for pretty much every time you run the train,” he

said. And the patrons come to the site for many different reasons. “Some are experiencing trains for the first time, and some are going back to memories that they had as a child. I come here on Saturdays to get my head out of the real world. People are amazed at the detail. They come here to get away from what you have to deal with on television.” The museum’s guest count heightens during Octoberfest, he said. The museum has found several ways to work its way into community events and complement the authenticity and nostalgia of downtown. “Doing things low-tech brings people back to the downtown area,” said Miller. The museum also uses themes for the layout during different times of the year. An occasional dinosaur and realistic motorcycle accident add to the uniqueness of the model train’s path. The scents of the cross ties waft from across the room, where tools that were once used on the railroad are displayed. There is also a miniature full-service gas station next to the tracks. The small-town feeling is what Miller says the museum hopes to build upon to continue to bring in visitors from all parts of the state and country. “I was born and raised here,” she said. “I taught U.S. history and art and this (the museum) blends both of those. It comes really natural to me to promote this area. I am just a Delta person.” L WANT TO GO? The Martin & Sue King Railroad Heritage Museum is open daily with free admission. Located in downtown Cleveland, the museum offers a premier O-guage model trail layout. For more information, call (662) 843-3377 or visit www.clevelandmschamber.com.

The Highway 61 Blues Museum

Housed in the old Montgomery Hotel building in Leland, the

Highway 61 Blues Museum pays homage to the musicians that

traveled the well-worn road on their way from the roots of the Delta

to the unforgettable recordings in Memphis. From guitars and photos to an impressive mural, the museum tells the stories of those who got their start along the great musical highway. A special treat: you never know who will stop by to play a tune. On this day, Legends caught guitarist Pat Thomas, son of legendary bluesman Son Thomas. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by

appointment. For more information, call (662) 686-7646 or visit www. Hgihway61blues.com. Photographs by Ken Flynt

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

clarksdale

FEATURE

ith a prime location in downtown Clarksdale, The Lofts at the Five and Dime offers convenient and spacious second-story condo units filled with comfortable amenities and carefully selected modern decor. Each of the six one-bedroom units present a full apartment space including kitchen, washer/dryer units and extensive closet space. The Lofts are the perfect place for either a long- or short-term visit. In addition to modern convenience, the Lofts at the Five and Dime offer up a dose of retro nostalgia. “This was an F.W. Woolworth’s Five and Dime built in 1955,” said property developer and manager Bubba O’Keefe. Listed on the historic register, the building has been converted into lodging that is enjoyed by domestic and foreign visitors. For foreign visitors, this retailer was often

THE BEST BETS FOR ECLECTIC DELTA LODGING ARE IN CLARKSDALE, where there are interesting visitor digs that match almost any personality. In Clarksdale, Southern hospitality and quirky originality rule; expect a slowpaced, down-home and relaxing visitor experience.

JULY // AUGUST 2013

referred to as “Woolies.” “When people from England or Australia come, the get in a tizzy because they remember their Woolie’s,” said O’Keefe. On weekends, blues may waft faintly through the windows. On the ground floor is the Yazoo Pass espresso bar, bistro and bakery, an active restaurant and friendly social hub of downtown. Walk just a few seconds down the stairs of the Lofts, and you will find yourself having French toast and espresso for breakfast or meeting some friends for dinner before a night out in the music clubs. The extensive menu of Yazoo Pass will keep you so well fed that you may not need to use your condo kitchen at all if you so choose. As with most condominium rentals, each unit is decorated a bit differently. All feature comfy beds, full kitchens and ample flatscreen TV’s and DVD players. The industrial feel of the exposed ceiling beams gives each unit a retro feel that hearkens to the building’s past. Those choosing the Lofts will appreciate O’Keefe’s advice. An ambassador for Clarksdale, the developer is engaged in many projects designed to further shape the town into a place of hope and vitality. Part of his personal vision involves showing visitors that the town isn’t touristy, but is a real place of community where the message is simple: relax. “The slower pace is not a negative, but is what visitors seek,” he said. “People come here for Southern hospitality, a leisurely pace. You can spend a week without scheduling.” Also in downtown Clarksdale, Delta Digs and The Squeeze Box are two highly original properties just waiting for visitors who believe they have “seen it all.” Even the most jaded traveler will appreciate the quirky character that defines the eclectic decor of the two apartment rentals, standing side-by-side. With doors that open onto the sidewalks of Clarksdale, the lodgings can boast of a location that is very much a part of the local street scene. Both properties are new, with the Squeeze Box being about a year-and-a-half old and Delta Digs having opened only months ago. The decor for both units is well thought out, entertaining and, well, funky. From the working stoplight that hangs on the wall in Delta Digs to a free-standing parking meter in the Squeeze

 The Lofts at the Five and Dime offer convenient and spacious onebedroom apartments complete with full kitchens and washer/dryer units, perfect for a weekend or a week-long stay.  The Detla Digs and the Squeeze Box are sister apartments that open onto the streets of Clarksdale. With music as the theme it’s hard not to love the nostalgic feel of these vibrant lodgings.

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

Box, the decor is all about things from a time past. “I’m personally a fan of old refurbished stuff,” said John Magnusson, who conceived, designed and manages both rentals. “I had my buddy Randall Andrews help me out. He’s a local artist who makes wall inspirations from re-purposed stuff.” Citing Clarksdale’s eclectic Shack-up Inn as an original inspiration for his properties, Magnusson strove to create something completely original for those who wished to stay downtown. From a back-lit headboard filled with photographs of blues performers to the musical instruments attached to the walls, The Squeeze Box is a tribute to music. It even has a fun retro “magic fingers” massaging bed from the roadside motels of the past. Delta Digs, on the the other hand, brings originality to an entirely new level. With a vibrant color scheme, the positive vibe of the smaller, but more colorful Delta Digs is difficult to resist. Both properties are filled with so many objects – so many interesting odds and ends – that touring the rentals is an event in its own right. “When a project comes up, we either have it or we find it that week,” Magnusson said, when asked how he goes about the extensive decorating. “A lot of the time we will take stuff

ECLECTIC LODGING OPTIONS IN CLARKSDALE: The Lofts at the Five and Dime, 211 Yazoo Ave., Clarksdale. (888) 510.9604. www.fiveanddimelofts.com. Delta Digs and The Squeeze Box, located at Second and Delta, Clarksdale. (732) 740.6155. Facebook Page: “The Squeeze Box” Facebook Page: “Delta Digs.” Delta Cotton Company Apartments over Ground Zero Blues Club, 387 Delta Avenue, or “0 Blues Alley,” Clarksdale. (662) 645.9366. www.groundzerobluesclub.com. The Delta Bohemian Guest House, Seminole Street, Clarksdale. (662) 624.8794 or (662) 392.9249. www.deltabohemianguesthouse.com.

JULY // AUGUST 2013

– like renovating Delta Digs – a lot of the framework around the windows on the upper walls are all scrap wood from when we demolished the place. We’ll re-purpose things on-site. It’s more interesting to say ‘that piece actually was here, it used to be in a wall over there, and now it’s in a mirror over here.’” Those who plan to kick back with few brews and chill to the sounds coming out of Ground Zero Blues Club may want to consider staying on property. The Delta Cotton Company Apartments, located directly over the well-known blues club partially owned by actor Morgan Freeman, will allow for just that. Forget about walking back to the room at night or picking a designated driver; guests need only head upstairs to be counting sheep in less than a minute. Don’t mind the great music seeping in from downstairs; it’s a package deal. “The special thing is that you are able to stay above the club. Even though you look at the club and you see it as a juke joint, the accommodations are as comforting as your own home. You don’t have to drive anywhere. You’re in the area where everything’s happening within walking distance,” said Toni Nassar, who manages the apartments. The units vary, depending on how much space is needed. There are small apartments for two and larger units that sleep four. With fun names like “Low Middling” or “Good Ordinary,” even the room descriptions are delivered in a spirit of fun and honesty. “It’s just an environment of home. I have people that come every year for festivals,” Nassar said. “They love to sit out on the front porch on our old couches. And they can still be right upstairs, so it’s like going to your front porch to sit down and enjoy the community. These people who come back year after year feel like they are a part of our family.” Those seeking more privacy may want to consider the Delta Bohemian Guest House. Set in a residential neighborhood close to downtown but not actually in it, the Delta Bohemian Guest House includes access to a private pond and garden, so it’s a good place of respite for those who want to relax outdoors. “Our guest house was built as a cook’s house for the home that we live in,” said Madge Howell, who resides in the larger home on the property, the Delta Bohemian. “It is a truly authentic two-story tenant shack, and it is resting exactly where it was built. It just has a spirit in it that is so incredible. The Bohemian garden and pond is totally private and they can go in and relax there.” L

 The Delta Cotton Company Apartments are located directly over the famous blues club owned by actor Morgan Freeman and Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett. The music wafting in from downstairs is part of the experience.  For guests wanting more peace and quiet, the Delta Bohemian Guest House is set in a residential area close to downtown and offers a Bohemian garden and pond. MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

clarksdale

L L

FEATURE

greenwood

FOLK ART, BLUES HISTORY AND VINTAGE GUITARS

Funky Delta Shopping

BY KARA MARTINEZ BACHMAN | PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARIANNE TODD After a night of digging into the live music scenes of Clarksdale, wake to a mid-morning cup of java and head out for the funky and eclectic shopping offered by Delta artisans. From simple Southern-themed gift shops, to outright funky outposts of local spirit, an afternoon spent in the shops of the Delta is time well spent. Clarksdale and Greenwood are not flashy shopping meccas, but you’re sure to find what you’re looking for in these small downtowns that offer something cooler than any busy tourist strip every could: realness.

Clarksdale

usicians – professional as well as amateur – will want to pop in for a visit at Bluestown Music. One of the coolest shops in Clarksdale,

the walls of this crowded little place are lined with vintage guitars and

music memorabilia. You can find a 1966 Fender Jazzmaster standing next to a 1963 Silvertone electric with an amp built right into its case. Bluestown Music goes the extra mile and displays old photos, documents and other materials related to some of the products. For the Silvertone guitar, a vintage Sears catalog is open to the page showing its description and original retail pricing of $77.95; the guitar now sells for up to $600. “Guitars are better than putting money into a CD or annuity,” said shop proprietor Ronnie Drew. “A lot of people who don’t know anything about guitars are buying them now, because it’s such a good investment.” Whether seeking an investment of the six-stringed variety or not, don’t pass up the chance to let Drew give you a tour of the types of instruments that are played Top, left: Vintage guitars line the walls of Bluestown Music, where owner Ronnie Drew says an investment in a guitar yields a better return than a CD or annuity. Top, right: Vinyl music and CDs from area artists are staples at Cathead Delta Blues and Folk Art.

JULY // AUGUST 2013

by greats.

ceiling planks butt up against folk-art adorned walls peeling from age and the

Drew once refused to sell an instrument to musician Tom Waits because it

ever-present humidity of the Delta. The paintings – as well as other found object

had been a gift from a friend. “It’s a guitar like McCartney and Lennon learned

art and sculpture – bring the Delta experience to life in technicolor bursts that

to play on. It’s made in Italy and is called a Rosetti Lucky 7,” Drew said. “But

are often untrained, but meaningful in relation to time, place and culture.

Tom Waits did buy a guitar from me.

In addition to wall art, the shop

Elvis Costello bought a guitar from me.

specializes in music, books about life in

Willie Nelson’s band came in here one

the Delta region, blues art posters and

day and bought a whole lot of stuff. I’ve

other appropriate souvenir curiosities.

had a lot of really cool musicians come

Take it all in at 252 Delta Ave.

here.”

Miss Del’s General Store is worth

In its nearly 13 years, no doubt many

a stop to pick up jams, jellies, gourmet

talented musicians have walked through

food items or just to kick back for a

Drew’s doors. Walking through the

cold drink for a moment while touring

doors is easy; just head to 317 Delta

downtown. Miss Del’s offers up a

Avenue.

quaint exterior

Entering the Hambone Art Gallery

a time gone by. Indoors, however, is a

isn’t like entering a shop – it’s more like

wide assortment of goods ranging from

being invited into a living room. And

jewelry to books to glassware. Miss Del’s

since the owner, artist and resident

is located at 145 Delta Ave.

like something from

Greenwood

musician Stan Street lives on site, it’s no wonder. Couches and benches are

arranged for conversation and a small stage is set up for Tuesday night musical

aybe

it’s

something

about

living

near

the

rich soil of the Delta,

performances.

but Mississippians love to get their

On the walls, the vibrant artwork of Street and a few other artists provide

hands dirty playing with mud. This is

the decorative backdrop. Although

fortunate for shoppers and collectors.

you’ll find many themes, including

The Mississippi Gift Company offers

rustic landscapes, the colorful folk style

utilitarian, yet beautiful work from a

paintings are the ones that seem to call

variety of potters from the Delta and

out their names from the walls.

beyond. Yes, there are other things to be

As a percussionist, most of Street’s

found in this shop, which only features

work depicts the music that he loves and

Mississippi artists and artisans. There

plays. “When I started seriously doing

are candles, jewelry, T-shirts. There is

my artwork, for years I kind of struggled

even cool bottle cap art. The special

with ‘Who am I?’ What it boiled down

treat available through Mississippi Gift

to is that I like the music that I am

Company, however, is the pottery.

playing. I’ve done well over 50 posters

The “main attraction” is the work of

for different festivals. This year I got the

Peter Woods. Peter’s Pottery of Mound

Keeping the Blues Alive Award during

Bayou is an in-demand item in the

the International Blues Challenge in

Greenwood shop. Fans of pottery figures

Memphis. I totally didn’t expect that.”

can find the nature-inspired sculpture

Find the unexpected and more at

of Wolfe Studio of Jackson. Awarded

Hambone, located at 111 East Second

the 2009 Governor’s Award for Artistic

St.

Excellence in the Visual Arts, Wolfe

Clarksdale’s most recognized shop

Studio is known for its nature-inspired

for those seeking blues music and memorabilia is Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art. Celadon green wooden

At Bluestown Music, visitors will find unique instruments, including this 1963 Silvertone Electric with an amp built into the case. Next to the find, a Sears catalog shows its original price of $77.95. Today it sells for up to $600.

“Wolfe Birds” crafted with colorful glazes. The shop also features work by The Good Earth Pottery and Etta B.

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

Pottery of Etta. Although most visitors to Greenwood are from neighboring states of Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama, Mississippi Gift Company owner Cindy Tyler says that people visit from many corners of the globe. “We had some Europeans in the other day. There is a fascination with the Delta,” Tyler said. Visitors can remember the Delta with a souvenir from the shop, located at 300 Howard St. Melisa Fincher calls Fincher’s a “one-stop shop.” It makes sense that she’d describe it that way; Fincher’s really covers a lot of territory. The shop offers 6,000 square-feet of merchandise, including women’s clothing and accessories, children’s clothing, artwork, candles, silver, glassware, China place settings and an assortment of other decor items. “We have pottery and artwork that is local,” said Fincher, so visitors seeking an original local souvenir will be able to find it. The shop’s doors open and close frequently throughout the day; perhaps they were attracted by the unique paintings in the front window, which were painted on windows themselves. Fincher’s is located at 301 Howard St. The Delta is not about box retail outlets; it is about places that relay local culture. This is true of Greenville’s indie bookseller, TurnRow Book Company. With sections devoted to Delta history and literature, Southern literature and Civil War history,

there’s no need for anyone learning about the Delta region to go away empty-handed. While many indie publishers are able to snag signed book copies, this appears to be a TurnRow Book Company speciality; there’s a section devoted specifically to signed books. This indie bookstore also carries titles on blues history and has a collection of blues music CDs as well. This bookstore and coffee shop is located at 304 Howard St.

TOP: The Hambone Art Gallery feels more like a living room. Visitors are surrounded by art and music as they relax on comfortable couches. Tuesday night musical performances are a mainstay. MIDDLE: Miss Del’s General Store offers a treat on the beaten path. Jams, jellies and gourmet items can be found, along with postcards, clothing, jewelry and books. BOTTOM: The Mississippi Gift Company specializes in Mississippimade pottery, but be sure to pick up a box of cheese straws and a Mississippi necklace by which to remember your journey. OPPOSITE: TOP - These paintings, created on repurposed vintage windows, beckon customers into Fincher’s in downtown Greenwood. There, visitors will find 6,000 square-feet of women and children’s clothing, accessories, artwork, candles, silver and glassware. MIDDLE - TurnRow Book Company offers readers a good selection of local history and culture, Southern literature and Civil War history.

JULY // AUGUST 2013

Good times... in Greenwood. Art Alfresco Downtown Thursday, October 3rd, 2013 greenwoodms.com Local artists will display their work and musicians will be playing in the street. Retail shops open late.

Mississippi Blues Fest Saturday, October 5th, 2013 Leflore County Civic Center Tickets: 662.453.4065 mississippibluesfest.com Scan here for our free self-guided Robert Johnson Life & Legacy Tour Map.

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

olive branch

FEATURE

BY JAMES DUKE DENTON PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOE WORTHEM

f you see a bonsai tree anywhere in the United States, it probably was grown in Olive Branch. Brussel’s Bonsai Nurseries is the largest supplier of bonsai trees in North America and the company, founded by Brussel Martin, grows thousands of the diminutive trees in a small corner of Northwest Mississippi near Memphis. Bonsai is an art that takes almost any type of tree or bush and keeps it in a miniature form, though it looks like

JULY // AUGUST 2013

a full-grown tree. Consistent care, trimming and shaping of the trees keep them alive and, well, small in stature. The smallish space available in Japan for growing trees and plants nurtured the proliferation of the art in the island nation before it was introduced to North America. How did a process begun in China and perfected in Japan find its way to the heart of blues country? “There were a lot of people who had them after the war (World War II) and my father brought some back from California,”

“

a bit of trimming. You might trim a tree 10-15 times in a year. We create the aged or interesting movement shapes that nature would do.” The trees seen in movies are only a sample of the huge variety of the bonsai that are available. “We have a broader selection than what you saw on Karate Kid,” said Martin. “The most interesting trees have the most natural, gnarled look. The graceful trees are the deciduous trees. The conifers tend to be the most distressed looking trees. It covers the whole gamut. We have azaleas that bloom. A Bonsai is not just a gnarled juniper. For every big tree we sell, we sell 1,000 little trees. Our real forte is to get a tree to somebody in good shape.” The beginning of a plant’s life and the subsequent care is not for the casual gardener, said Martin, who offers pines, maples, junipers and Chinese elms, among others. “Memphis has a good growing climate,” said Martin. “It happens to be about like central Japan. After people get them from us, most are kept out on people’s patios and decks, but this is not for everybody. “It is just as easy to take care of six or eight as it is to take care of one. Most folks that do bonsai have a small collection. You can’t, though, go off for two weeks in the summer and come back and expect your bonsai to still be alive. Your dog won’t be alive, either. It is kind of like having a pet.” L

TOP: The art of bonsai includes techniques to trim trees so that they’re small-scale replicas of full grown trees. BOTTOM: Brussel’s Bonsai Nurseries is the largest bonsai supplier in the United States. The Olive Branch nursery filled about 50,000 orders for the small trees on Mother’s Day. For the serious bonsai grower, they offer trees up to $20,000.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Visit Brussels Bonsai Nurseries at 8125 Center Hill Road, Olive Branch. For more information, phone (662) 895-4527 or visit them on the Web at www.brusselsbonsai.com.

“

Martin said. “He was a guy that did a little bit of everything. He was an architect.” His father’s dalliance had lasting effects for Martin. “It became a hobby of mine as a kid,” he said. “Back then no one knew what bonsai was. It has been climbing pretty steady for the past 10 years.” The nursery that Martin eventually started now grows thousands of trees that are shipped all over the country. If the plant is purchased in the United States, it “more than likely” came from here, said Martin. The company was established in 1980 and now sells their plants via Internet orders. The largest bonsai supplier in the United States sells thousands of their popular $20 trees each year. The company also has a $20,000 tree. “You can pull up here and buy a Chevrolet or a Lamborghini – whatever you want,” Martin said. “We sent out 50,000 of these over Mother’s Day. It is a niche business, and nobody does it but us. Our only real challenge is ourselves. We have to make sure we grow the right thing and grow enough of them.” The process of creating a bonsai plant is simple enough, but requires a great deal of nurturing and tender loving care. “You take plants or trees and you make bonsai from them, but it’s all about the techniques that you apply,” said Martin. “We have a cypress tree that is 150 years old. You select trees that have small leaves or short needles so they are in scale once you have done it. You keep the new growth trimmed off and they get denser and denser. There is a fair amount of trimming involved. In the spring they are most active and require quite

The most interesting trees have the most natural, gnarled look. The graceful trees are the deciduous trees. The conifers tend to be the most distressed looking trees.

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

the mississippi delta

CUISINE

FOLLOWING THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA

TRAIL TAMALE

BY JAMES DENTON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE WORTHEM

Hot tamales at Ground Zero Blues Club.

wo things are certain in the Mississippi Delta: No one really knows why tamales are served in the birthplace of the blues and no one selling them will reveal their

recipes. Those who savor the delicate corn layers and succulent sauces may speculate. In the end, like the ingredients to a good chili, only the cooks themselves are privy to such coveted information. A map created by the Southern Food Alliance identifies stops along the Mississippi Delta Hot Tamale Trail. There are similarities between chili and the innards of tamales. According to Eugene Hicks, proprietor of Hick’s World Famous Hot Tamales & More in Clarksdale, what

JULY // AUGUST 2013

goes inside a tamale is similar to a dish that otherwise might cover a hot dog. “You make it like a chili,” he said. “I guess it is just old school tamales. The key is putting all that stuff together. A lot of people don’t know how to do that. You have to put a little bread crumb to hold it together. It is really simple. Hick’s proudly displays the celebrities who have enjoyed his tamales - Jesse Jackson, Dale Earnhardt, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, to name a few. The Ground Zero Blue’s Club in Clarksdale also keeps its tamale ingredients a secret. “They used to call me Tamale, and I was born in Texas, so I practically grew up on them,” said

 Eugene Hicks of Hick’s World Famous Hot Tamales & More in Clarksdale has been making tamales for nearly 60 years.  Bill Luckett of Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale. There, hot tamales are a staple.

waitress Tameal Edwards. “They (Delta tamales) have a totally different taste to me though. Now, our town is split between Mr. Turner’s tamales and Hick’s tamales. Neither one is better than the other, but they are just different. Both of them are homemade and both are so good. We serve Turner’s tamales. He is usually hush-hush about his recipe, but he did share it with us. He rolls them out for us and we add the sauce.” Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville has guarded its recipe since 1940. “Daddy got a recipe and just started working on it and kind of got it like he wanted it and that is how we got our hot tamales going,” said Doe Signa Jr., co-owner. “My daddy told me not to tell my wife because she may divorce me and make hot tamales herself. They all basically have the same ingredients. I don’t know what makes ours special, but they are all-beef tamales, and we make them ourselves. Ours are made out of plain white cornmeal. I think everybody may put in a little extra of this or extra of that.” Also in Greenville is Hot Tamale Heaven, owned by Aaron Harmon. “I am

going to hold back on that one,” he said, when asked for his recipe. “All the tamale people know of each other, but I am the only one that counts. The trail begins and ends right here.” In Rosedale, at one of the legendary crossroads where Robert Johnson was said to have sold his soul to the devil, sits The Hot Tamale Place/The White Front Café run by Barbara Pope. When asked for her recipe, she simply said, “No.” There are several theories about why tamales proliferated in the Mississippi Delta. One theory is that U.S. soldiers brought recipes back from battles with the Mexican armies. Another supposition offers that migrant Mexican laborers brought the tamale recipes to the area when they came to work in the Delta. No one really knows for sure. “A lot of people ask me that and I don’t have the slightest idea,” said Hicks. “We make these things and ship them out of here.” He has special containers for his tamales that allow him to ship them anywhere in North America. “Mississippi has tamales everywhere,”

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

WANT TO FOLLOW THE TAMALE TRAIL? GROUND ZERO BLUES CLUB 0 Blues Alley, Clarksdale (owners Bill Luckett and Morgan Freeman). The tamales sold here are fried and steamed. They have a yellow corn based outer covering and a mild flavor. The fried are bite-sized and can be dipped in a sauce.

HOT TAMALE HEAVEN 1640 Highway 82 East, Greenville (owner Aaron Harmon). Wrapped in corn husks, these tamales are very spicy with a larger-sized grain made from yellow cornmeal.

HICK’S WORLD FAMOUS HOT TAMALES & MORE 305 South State St., Clarksdale (owner Eugene Hicks). Hick’s tamales have a darker, moderately spiced reddish meat with a finely ground yellow cornmeal outer covering.

DOE’S EAT PLACE 502 Nelson Street, Greenville (owner Doe Signa Jr.). With a beefy flavored inside, these tamales have a white cornmeal exterior that is firm with a strong tomato sauce flavor.

Signa said. “It is like barbeque in Tennessee. I don’t know why unless it was because of an influx of labor from Mexico. Another good question is why tamales with an Italian family? Back in those days, they were just trying to make money. There was not a lot of expense in it. A lot of labor, but not a lot of ingredients expense. It is a lot of work. It takes us about two days to do all that, but you can come in and pick up tamales all day.” Harmon was equally stumped. “I don’t know,” he said. “We have been in this location for about seven years now. We have been in the tamale business for about 30 years. My father, Willie Harmon, started this business and we are now the only place that is USDA inspected. He just started cooking tamales outside when other folks were grilling.” L

JOE’S HOT TAMALE PLACE/ THE WHITE FRONT CAFÉ 902 Main St., Rosedale (owner Barbara Pope). The tamales that Pope serves have a mild outside covering with a meat filling that gets spicier the longer it stays in your mouth. For more information, visit

www.tamaletrail.com.

COUNTER-CLOCKWISE, STARTING AT TOP. Barbara Pope at Joe’s Hot Tamale Place/The White Front Cafe, says only the best ingredients go into making her tamales. Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville has been serving hot tamales since 1940 with its recipe having been refined by the restaurant’s original owner. Aaron Harmon boasts of the best tamales in the Delta. He wouldn’t share his recipe, though. A Mississippi Blues Trail marker pays tribute to a Robert Johnson song that compared a hot tamale to a woman. The sign also offers two possible origins of tamales making an appearance in the Mississippi Delta - either they were brought by Mexican migrant workers or U.S. soldiers brought recipes back from their battles with Mexican armies.

JULY // AUGUST 2013

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

cleveland carrollton

Saving Cotesworth

natchez

Historic home receives culture and heritage designation

% It was where the Mississippi State Constitution was drafted, and now Cotesworth, more noted for its role as the home of Celia Foote in the movie “The Help,” is officially on the map as a center for culture and heritage in the quaint town of Carrollton. Mississippi legislators, state and local tourism representatives, Main Street directors and community leaders representing towns and cities along Heritage Highway 82 recently gathered for a reception in celebration of the historic home receiving the designation. With the recent designation of Highway 82 as the state’s first heritage highway, which runs through Carroll County, the addition of Cotesworth as another tourism destination adds to the multiple attractions along the route. State Sen. Lydia Chassaniol (R- Winona), who serves as the tourism chair in the Mississippi Senate, led the effort to include the acquisition of Cotesworth in the recent tourism bond bill that was passed by the legislature. Funds were included in the bill that will develop Cotesworth into a tourism destination. “Cotesworth brings a special opportunity for cultural and heritage tourism in Mississippi,” Chassaniol said. “Easily accessible from U.S. Hwy 82 and from Interstate 55, cultural and heritage tourists who long to see what a real Mississippi farm was like in the mid 19th Century need only take a scenic drive to the graceful entryway.” Chassaniol added the home will also provide lessons in law, architecture, politics and movie-making. “When the project is complete, there will be nothing else like it in Mississippi,” she said. “It began as a stagecoach stop in the mid 19th Century and became the home of J. Z. George, who served as United States Senator, Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, and drafter of the state constitution. He

was known as ‘The Great Commoner’,” said Sarah McCullough, Cultural Heritage Program Manager for Mississippi Development Authority. Aside from its connection to J. Z. George, Cotesworth is of architectural significance as it is an example of Greek Revival architecture and boasts an extraordinary hexagonal library. A working farm also surrounds the historic home. “The acreage adjacent to the house that comprises the Cotesworth Center for Culture and Heritage provides a wonderful space to develop an agri-tourism program that can also serve as an educational program for Mississippians on the value of producing our own food,” McCullough said. “Its location in Carroll County provides the ideal opportunity to link the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area and the Delta National Heritage Area, which are two of the most recently designated National Heritage areas in the country.” L

The

natchez festival of music % Natchez – the entire city – brought down the house with its musical lineup during this year’s Natchez Festival of Music. The city nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River hosted -

JULY // AUGUST 2013

among others - performances by Metropolitan Opera greats Lucas Meachem, Paul Groves, Emily Pulley and Robert Grayson with a special performance by Mississippi’s own Maryann Kyle, nominated for a Grammy this year. After a pre-party at The Merrill House, Trinity Episcopal Church was packed for this first-class performance of favorites from “West Side Story,” “Carousel” and “Les Miserables.” The performers brought acting and wit to the stage, enchanting the audience with contextual explanations for each piece. During a gala that followed at Gloucester, Mayor Larry “Butch” Brown presented the five performers with honorary Natchez citizenship and a key to the city. Another festival highlight was a tribute to the Music of Irving Berlin. The evening, hosted at the Van Court Town House in Natchez’s Garden District, included pieces from the Russian-born American composer’s 60-year career, during which he wrote an estimated 1,500 songs, including scores for 19 Broadway shows and 18 Hollywood films. The Festival produced its first season in 1991, and the tradition has continued each May, featuring operas, operettas, Broadway musicals, jazz, recitals and special concerts. Stay tuned for the 2014 schedule to be announced at www.natchezfestivalofmusic.com. L Maryann Kyle

The

mississippi grammy museum

breaks ground %

The sound of shovels digging into the Mississippi Delta soil in June was music to the ears of the diverse team of visionaries who are making Mississippi’s Grammy Museum a reality. The ceremony – held in Cleveland at Delta State University on the site of the only other sanctioned Grammy museum outside of Los Angeles – is the latest milestone in a five-year process that has raised $12.5 million of the $18 million project. The 20,000+ square-foot museum, which has a spring 2015 opening target, is planned to be the most technologically advanced music-themed museum in the world, according to the project design team supervised by Bob Santelli, executive director of the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live. “Mississippi’s influence can be heard everywhere,” Santelli said. “The music born in Mississippi has shaped the development of popular music in America and beyond. The Grammy Museum Mississippi will help the rest of the world recognize Mississippi’s contribution to American music culture.” The museum’s mission is to provide unique learning opportunities based on the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the entire creative and technological processes of recording and the history of the Grammy Awards, with a focus on the continuing achievements of Mississippians. Its vision is to educate and inspire the next generation of American music innovators. The museum’s permanent exhibition will utilize film, video, interactive kiosks and, of course, music. Temporary exhibits created by the Grammy Museum at L.A. Live will augment the permanent exhibition. Mississippians have received almost 8 percent of all Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards, yet Mississippi represents only .009% of the nation’s total population. L

From left, Emily Pulley, Maryann Kyle, Paul Groves and Lucas Meachem.

MISSISSIPPILEGENDS.COM

Our menu of art and artists is as varied and satisfying as the food that makes Mississippi famous. Using local ingredients, our artists create one-of-a-kind pieces that reflect our rich culture. Whatever your taste, we Our menu of artit and is as and satisfying can satisfy withartists prices tovaried fit any budget. asWe the also food that makes Mississippiindividual famous. Using offer art classes, exhibitions, special events and custom local ingredients, our artists create one-of-a-kind framing to satisfy all your artistic cravings. pieces that reflect our rich culture. Whatever your So come in today and savor the flavor of taste, canofsatisfy it withart. prices to fit any budget. the we best Mississippi So come in today and savor the flavor of the best of Mississippi art.

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What’s shakin’ around the state? bay st. louis July 20.........................Jo Dee Messina- Hollywood Casino - www.hollywoodbsl.com- (866) 758-2591 August 10.....................Second Saturday Artwalk - www.mswestcoast.org – (228) 463-2688 August 10.....................Band of Gold - 100 Men Hall - www.100menhall.org – (228) 342-5770

biloxi July 20.........................Blood, Sweat & Tears - IP- Casino-www.ipbiloxi.com-(888) 946-2847 July 20.........................The Bar-Kays, Martha Revees and the Vandallas - Island View Casino-www.islandviewcasino.com -(877) 774-8439 August 23.....................Ted Nugent - Hard Rock Casino - www.hardrockbiloxi.com – (228 )374-7625

clarksdale August 9.......................The House Rockers Ground Zero Blues Club - www.groundzerobluesclub.com – (662) 621-9009 August 9-11.................The Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival - www.sunflowerfest.org – (662) 627-7337 October 4-5.................Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival - www.visitclarksdale.com – (662) 627-7337

greenwood January 26-August 31...War Comes to the Mississippi Delta – www.museumofthemississippidelta.com-(662) 453-0925 August 3.......................Bikes, Blues & Bayous - www.bikesbluesbayous.com – (662) 453-4152

hattiesburg July 9-20......................Carey Dinner Theater “Route 66” - www.hattiesburg.org – (601) 318-6221 July 23-27....................Summer Camp at the Hattiesburg Zoo - www.hattiesburgzoo.com - (601) 545-4576 July 2-12......................Southern Miss’ Southern Arena Theatre – www.southernmisstickets.com - (601 ) 266-5418

indianola September 28...............Indian Bayou Arts Festival - www.facebook.com/pages/Indian-Bayou-Arts-Festival Evelyn@tasteofgourmet.com

jackson July 19.........................Buddy Guy - Jackson Rhythm & Blues Pre-Festival Concert - Mississippi Coliseum ....................................www.jacksonrhythmandbluesfestival.com - (800) 745-3000 August 16-17...............Jackson Rhythm & Blues Festival - Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum ....................................www.jacksonthythmandbluesfestival.com – (800) 745-3000 July 1-October 31........Medgar Evers “This is Home” Exhibit-William F. Winters Archives and History Building, Mississippi Department ....................................of Archives and History-www.mdah.state.ms.us – (601) 576-6850

meridian July 12.........................The Inspirations-The Temple Theater - www.meridiantempletheater.com – (601) 693-5353 July 16.........................“The Heart Behind the Music” - MSU Riley Center - www.msurileycenter.com - (601) 696-2200 August 2.......................The Hit Men – MSU Riley Center - www.msurileycenter.com - (601) 696-2200 August 2.......................The Sucarnochee Revue -“Little Big Stars”- www.meridiantempletheater.com – (601) 693-5353

natchez July 26-28....................Natchez Food & Wine Festival - www.natchezfoodandwinefestival.com – (601) 442-4895

oxford July 17-20....................Oxford Blues Festival - www.oxfordbluesfestival.com – (662) 259-7190

philadelphia July 26-August 2..........Neshoba County Fair - www.neshobacountyfair.org – (601) 656-1000

tunica August 16.....................Chicago - The Horseshoe Casino - www.horseshoetunica.com – (800) 745-3000 August 31.....................Merle Haggard - The Horseshoe Casino - www.horseshoetunica.com - (800) 745-3000

tupelo July 19.........................Anthony Hamilton - The Bancorp South Arena - www.bcsarena.com – (662) 841-6528 August 8.......................The Giving Tree & Roscoe Bandana Fairpark - www.tupelodownmain.com -(662) 842-6598

southaven July 26.........................Hank Williams Jr. - Snowden Grove Amiptheater – www.ticketmaster.com-(800) 745-3000 August 17.....................11th Annual Tri-States Blues Festival-Landers Center - www.ticketmaster.com – (800) 745-3000

vicksburg July 19-20....................Sounds Unlimited – Bottleneck Blues Bar – www.vicksburgheritage.com - (601) 634-0113 July 26-27....................King Edward – Bottleneck Blues Bar – www.vicksburgheritage.com - (601) 634-0113 September 13-14..........The House Rockers - Bottleneck Blues Bar – www.vicksburgheritage.com - (601) 634-0113

Home to blues legends like Kenny Brown, Joe Callicott, Memphis Minnie, Don McMinn and more, the blues have deep roots here in DeSoto County. Come catch a live show or travel back in time along our historic Blues Trail. For a free vacation guide, call 662-393-8770 or visit SoDeSoto.com.

Blues Trail

Museum

Great Venues

Shopping

In Northwest Mississippi, minutes from Memphis and Tunica. With 36 hotels, 7 B+B’s, 250+ restaurants and lots of fun activities, a great time is just a phone call away.

SOULFUL!

DeSoto County, Mississippi H e r n a n d o · H o r n L a k e · oLive BrancH · SoutHaven · WaLLS

JULY // AUGUST 2013