Everything And Nothing

Mississippi Gulf Coast gets its first blues marker

The Mississippi Gulf Coast got its first Blues Trail marker during a ceremony on Nov. 2.

The latest marker was placed in front of Gulfport radio station WJZD, which is headquarters for hte nationally syndicated American Blues Network.

The Blues Trail is the initiative of the Mississippi Blues Commission, an agency created by the Legislature to promote the state's blues heritage. Gulfport's is the 24th marker in the state.

The commission hopes to place about 100 markers. The program is funded in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Mississippi Department of Transportation.

At least one more Blues Trail marker is planned for the Coast, in honor of Jelly Roll Morton, in the Gulfport-Biloxi area.

For details, go to www.msbluestrail.org.

Minstrel troupe gets blues marker

The Rabbit Foot Minstrels were honored on Oct. 9 with the placing of a Mississippi Blues Trail marker in Port Gibson.

The marker is a tribute to the minstrels, among a number of black musicians and actors who toured by train and bus during the first half of the 20th century, bringing blues music to popular audiences.

Founded by Pat Chapelle in 1900, The Foots - as they were called - became the most famous touring company in the South, featuring musicians as varied as Ma and Pa Rainey, Ida Cox, Bessie Smith, Louis Jordan and Rufus Thomas.

Delta Blues & Heritage Festival set for Sept. 15

The O'Jays, the North Mississippi Allstars (one of my favorites) and Bobby Rush will headline the 30th annual Mississippi Delta Blues & Heritage Festival on Sept. 15 in Greenville.

Gates open at 10 a.m. The music starts at noon in Festival Park.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. To order, call 1-866-468-7630 or buy tickets online at www.ticketweb.com.

Magic Sam, Howlin' Wolf get blues markers

This week, "Magic Sam" (Sam Maghett) and "Howlin' Wolf" (Chester Burnett) were recognized posthumously with a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker. Magic Sam's was placed near his birthplace, in Grenada County, on Aug. 28. Howlin' Wolf's marker will unveiled today in downtown West Point - where he always called home (near the Growth Alliance office at 510 Broad St. next to his statue).

Two more markers will be added in September: Memphis Minnie's marker will be placed near her grave in Walls and a marker will be placed at Catfish Alley in Columbus, where many blues musicians played.

The Mississippi Blues Commission plans for more than 100 markers to be placed across the state.

[ via Billy Watkins, The Clarion-Ledger ]

Blue Front Cafe gets blues marker

On Aug. 25, the 15th marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail will be dedicated in Bentonia in honor of The Blue Front Cafe. Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, whose parents started the juke joint more than 50 years ago and who is the current owner, will be there for the dedication.

Holmes studied under Jack Owens, who performed often at The Blue Front (as did Skip James). Owens was still playing actively until 1997, when he died at the age of 92. Owens' and James' music is often dubbed "the Bentonia school of blues" and is marked by unique guitar tuning and falsetto.

Last year, Holmes paid tribute to his teacher's lesson on his debut CD, Back to Bentonia, which received two Living Blues Awards recently for Best Debut Recording and Best New Recording. Jeff Konkel, who produced the CD, also won a Living Blues Award for Best Producer. (Watch Jimmy play here.)

[ via Scott Barretta, Clarion-Ledger's Weekend magazine ]

Blues marker up for Tunica

Photo via Tunica Convention & Visitors Bureau

The site of the old Clack Store in Tunica Resorts was recognized June 18 with a Mississippi Blues Trail marker featuring Son House, known as the "father of folk blues. The marker begins the Mississippi Blues Trail along historic U.S. 61. The marker is the first of five that will eventually be housed in Tunica.

House was born near Lyon in Coahoma County circa 1902. On September 3, 1941, Alan Lomax and John Work III, working on a Fisk University-Library of Congress study, recorded House at Clack Store, a commissary and train station. House died in Detroit in 1988.

Subway first marker on Mississippi Blues Trail

The first Mississippi Blues Trail marker was recently unveiled at the former site of the Subway Lounge in the basement of the old Summers Hotel. The marker was erected on Pearl Street on the grounds where the famous venue used to stand.

The Summers Hotel opened in 1943 after its purchase by W. J. Summers, a prominent African American businessman, who ran the hotel with his wife. The hotel was popular among touring musicians, including James Brown, Hank Ballard, and Nat "King" Cole.

In 1966 Summers enlisted Jimmy King, vocalist, bandleader, and high school teacher, to run a newly constructed basement lounge, which King dubbed The Subway. In the '60s and '70s The Subway featured mostly jazz performers including King, brothers Kermit, Jr., Sherill and Bernard Holly and organist Levon Mitchell as well as various touring or area groups.

Alex Thomas, Heritage Trail director, said, "Even though this site no longer exists, the memories that so many have about this place still makes it a jewel for blues heritage in Central Mississippi."

[ via Mississippi Business Journal ]

Blues greats, experts to discuss life of B.B. King

Blues greats and experts will provide an intimate look at B.B. King and the blues during a Mississippi Public Broadcasting round-table discussion airing 8 p.m. Feb. 22.

Mississippi’s Native Sons Special: The B. B. King Treasures will feature Dick Waterman and his photo essay book of the same title, a visual history of the the career of the Mississippi-born bluesman. Blues artists Denise LaSalle and Bobby Rush also will join the discussion with host Gene Edwards.

For details on MPB programs, visit www.mpbonline.org.

[ via The Clarion-Ledger ]

Women and the blues topic of symposium

The women who belted out their heartaches and love poems in the form of the blues will be the subject of the 5th annual Living Blues magazine's Blues Today Symposium, slated for Feb. 15-17 at the University of Mississippi.

The symposium also will examine women playing, writing and engaging in scholarly blues discussions.

The blues program is in conjunction with the Southern American Studies Association meeting, which will focus on blues tunes and texts, and the Southern Anthropological Association, which will explore foods and customs.

Blues Today Symposium registration is $50. For more information, visit www.bluestodayonline.com.

Delta sites to be included on blues trail

The Mississippi Blues Commission recently unveiled three new historical markers on the Mississippi Blues Trail, which will eventually highlight more than 100 locations in the state that have played roles in the birth, development and fostering of blues music.

The Holly Ridge gravesite of Charlie Patton, considered one of the earliest blues singers, was one addition. Patton was born on May 1, 1891, in Hinds County. He took up the guitar in his early teens and hit the road playing in towns along the Mississippi River.

The second marker is in front of Southern Whispers Restaurant in Greenville. The marker is intended to honor the blue heritage of Nelson Street, where the restaurant is located. Nelson Street was one of the stops along the Chitlin Circuit, where African-American entertainers could perform safely during segregation, in the early days of the blues.

The last new marker will be in Greenwood at the former site of WGRM radio, where B.B. King made his live radio broadcast in 1940. In 1939, WGRM occupied the second floor of the building which originally was built in 1901.

For a map of the complete trail, click here.