Natchez in Adams County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Music on St. Catherine Street

Natchez Trails

July 8, 2017

1. Music on St. Catherine Street Marker

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Music on St. Catherine Street. Natchez Trails. Alexander Lightfoot "Papa George". Papa George Lightfoot [1924-1971], he lived down the street from the alley I came up in, down on St. Catherine Street....He was a hustler, he had a snowball wagon, he sold peanuts. He would blow his harp while selling, and he would make some change from that as well.

That papa George was something, he was full of fun. He would clown, he'd blow his harp and put two sticks between his fingers and that's how he kept time. You'd hear that "clack, clack" in rhythm with his playing. He had wooden slats, they looked like rulers. Elmore Williams, Blues Musician, Guitarist

Jimmy Anderson "Soul Man Lee". Jimmy Anderson was born in 1934 and known in Natchez as "Soul Man Lee," his deejay nickname. A harmonica player and vocalist, Anderson also played guitar. Anderson's first exposure to the blues was hearing Papa George Lightfoot on St. Catherine Street., Elmore Williams. The businesses were mostly on St. Catherine Street, you had cafes and juke joints all the way up the street. You could come up St. Catherine and just about every joint you'd find somebody with a guitar. They'd be in there playing, at least on Fridays and Saturdays, and on Sundays they'd have a few joints open, but the rest of the people would be going to churches up and down St. Catherine Street... You could see that sometimes on St. Catherine, some of them cats would get together and them fife and drums get to boogying down., Elmore Williams, Blues Musician, Guitarist , born 1933, Hezekiah Early. Hezekiah Early was born in 1934. His early influences were local fife and drum groups with a fife player, two snare drums, and a bass player. Early took up the harmonica when he was about 13 after hearing Papa George Lightfoot playing along St. Catherine Street. Y.Z. Ealey. Y.Z. Ealey was born in 1937 and began playing guitar as a child. He recalls hearing local street musicians like Papa George Lightfoot and William "Cat Iron" Caradine. He also heard R&B on jukeboxes in businesses along St. Catherine Street. Robert Lee Watson "Lil Poochie". "Lil Poochie" Watson, born in 1951, is a vocalist and guitarist who built his first guitar out of a board and fishing wire with nails as tuning pegs. Influenced bu St. Catherine Street musicians, he played at local clubs with different groups and toured with Hezekiah Early. James Rowan. James Rowan (1926-2010) became interested in making music when he was a seventh-grade student at Brumfield School on St. Catherine Street. He tried 5 instruments before deciding to play the trumpet. Rowan served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II and became a band director after graduation from Alcorn State University. Interspersed with his teaching career was his career as a jazz musician in various bands and a steady gig at the Under-the-Hill Saloon. Rowan portrayed the role of Joe King Oliver in more than 100 performances on the musical Satchmo: America's Musical Legend.

Alexander Lightfoot
"Papa George"
Papa George Lightfoot [1924-1971], he lived down the street from the alley I came up in, down on St. Catherine Street....He was a hustler, he had a snowball wagon, he sold peanuts. He would blow his harp while selling, and he would make some change from that as well.

Jimmy Anderson
"Soul Man Lee"
Jimmy Anderson was born in 1934 and known in Natchez as "Soul Man Lee," his deejay nickname. A harmonica player and vocalist, Anderson also played guitar. Anderson's first exposure to the blues was hearing Papa George Lightfoot on St. Catherine Street.

Elmore Williams
The businesses were mostly on St. Catherine Street, you had cafes and juke joints all the way up the street. You could come up St. Catherine and just about every joint you'd find somebody with a guitar. They'd be in there playing, at least on Fridays and Saturdays, and on Sundays they'd have a few joints open, but the rest of the
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people would be going to churches up and down St. Catherine Street... You could see that sometimes on St. Catherine, some of them cats would get together and them fife and drums get to boogying down.

Elmore Williams, Blues
Musician, Guitarist , born 1933

Hezekiah Early
Hezekiah Early was born in 1934. His early influences were local fife and drum groups with a fife player, two snare drums, and a bass player. Early took up the harmonica when he was about 13 after hearing Papa George Lightfoot playing along St. Catherine Street.
Y.Z. Ealey
Y.Z. Ealey was born in 1937 and began playing guitar as a child. He recalls hearing local street musicians like Papa George Lightfoot and William "Cat Iron" Caradine. He also heard R&B on jukeboxes in businesses along St. Catherine Street.
Robert Lee Watson
"Lil Poochie"
"Lil Poochie" Watson, born in 1951, is a vocalist and guitarist who built his first guitar out of a board and fishing wire with nails as tuning pegs. Influenced bu St. Catherine Street musicians, he played at local clubs with different groups and toured with Hezekiah Early.
James Rowan
James Rowan (1926-2010) became interested in making music when he was a seventh-grade student at Brumfield School on St. Catherine Street. He tried 5 instruments

July 8, 2017

2. Music on St. Catherine Street Marker

before deciding to play the trumpet. Rowan served in the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II and became a band director after graduation from Alcorn State University. Interspersed with his teaching career was his career as a jazz musician in various bands and a steady gig at the Under-the-Hill Saloon.
Rowan portrayed the role of Joe King Oliver in more than 100 performances on the musical Satchmo: America's Musical Legend.

Erected by City Of Natchez.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the Mississippi - Natchez Trails series lists.

Location. 31° 33.399′ N, 91° 23.288′ W. Marker is in Natchez, Mississippi, in Adams County. Marker is on St. Catherine Street east of McCabe Street, on the left when traveling west. St. Catherine is ONE WAY westbound at this location. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Natchez MS 39120, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Smart-Griffin-Angelety House - 180 St. Catherine Street (a few steps from this marker); Wheaton-McGuire House - 125 St. Catherine Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Papa Lightfoot & The Natchez Blues

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(within shouting distance of this marker); 156-166 St. Catherine Street (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Natchez Civil Rights Movement - 1965 - Pivotal Year (about 500 feet away); St. Catherine Street - John Nosser and Nosser City (approx. 0.2 miles away); America's Domestic "Slave" Trading Routes To The Deep South (approx. 0.2 miles away); History of St. Catherine Street (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Natchez.

More about this marker. Part of the Natchez Trails "St. Catherine Street" walking tour.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 22, 2017. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2017, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 319 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 10, 2017.