101 ► Mississippi, Jackson County, Pascagoula — 191 — Mississippi Gulf Coast Blues & Heritage Festival — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On Shortcut Road, 0.1 miles east of Hospital Road when traveling east.

Front The Mississippi Gulf Coast Blues & Heritage Festival, one of the longest running blues festivals in the Deep South, was founded in 1991 by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Blues Commission, Inc. At the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in . . . — — Map (db m102158) HM

102 ► Mississippi, Jefferson County, Fayette — 85 — Charles Evers & The Blues —

On Main Street at Medgar Evers Boulevard, on the right when traveling north on Main Street.

Side 1 In 1973 Mayor Charles Evers of Fayette and B. B. King began to cosponsor concerts at the Medgar Evers Homecoming in honor of the slain civil rights activist. Dozens of blues, soul, and gospel acts performed at the annual festival . . . — — Map (db m162116) HM

103 ► Mississippi, Jones County, Laurel — 127 — Jones County Blues —

On North Maple Street north of Central Avenue, on the left when traveling north.

Front The Laurel area, a hub of musical activity in southeast Mississippi, has been home to a number of noted blues performers including harmonica player Sam Myers, singer Albennie Jones, and guitarist Blind Roosevelt Graves. R&B, blues, . . . — — Map (db m110992) HM

104 ► Mississippi, Lafayette County, Oxford — 143 — Oxford & Lafayette County Blues —

On East Jackson Street at Courthouse Square, on the left when traveling west on East Jackson Street.

Lafayette County’s blues history has encompassed a wide range of activity by scholars, promoters, record companies, and musicians. The nightlife of Oxford has welcomed both local performers and national touring acts. The most famous musician . . . — — Map (db m102876) HM

105 ► Mississippi, Lafayette County, University — 62 — Documenting the Blues —

On Sorority Row north of Student Union Drive, on the right when traveling south.

Front The University of Mississippi is internationally famous for its work in documenting and preserving African American blues culture. In 1983 the Center for the Study of Southern Culture acquired Living Blues magazine, which . . . — — Map (db m102770) HM

106 ► Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian — 10 — Jimmie Rodgers & The Blues —

On Front Street near 17th Avenue, on the right when traveling east.

Jimmie Rodgers (1897 – 1933) is widely known as the "father of country music," but blues was a prominent element of his music. The influence of his famous "blue yodels" can be heard in the music of Mississippi blues artists including . . . — — Map (db m59656) HM

107 ► Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian — 198 — Meridian Blues & Jazz — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On 25th Avenue at 5th Street, on the left when traveling north on 25th Avenue.

Front Meridian blues and jazz performers have played important roles in musical history, both locally and nationally, not only supplying a foundation for other genres but also propelling music in new directions. Notables with Meridian . . . — — Map (db m111037) HM

108 ► Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian — 178 — Meridian Rhythm & Blues and Soul Music —

On 23rd Avenue (State Highway 493) at 6th Street, on the right when traveling south on 23rd Avenue.

Front Rhythm & blues and soul singers have been major contributors to Meridian’s deep African American musical heritage, extending the legacy molded by gospel, jazz and traditional blues artists. David Ruffin of the Temptations and his . . . — — Map (db m77426) HM

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109 ► Mississippi, Lauderdale County, Meridian — 169 — Peavey Electronics —

On State Highway 493, 0.1 miles north of North Hills Street, on the right when traveling north.

Front The electronic amplification of vocals and musical instruments resulted in dramatic changes in the blues in the post-World War II era, notably the rise to prominence of the electric guitar. Peavey Electronics, founded in 1965 by . . . — — Map (db m77192) HM

110 ► Mississippi, Lawrence County, Monticello — 145 — J. B. Lenoir —

Monticello area native J. B. Lenoir (1929-1967) was best known during his lifetime for his 1955 hit “Mama, Talk to Your Daughter,” but he also played an important role in blues history because of his political engagement. In the 1960s . . . — — Map (db m79029) HM

111 ► Mississippi, Lee County, Tupelo — 28 — Elvis Presley and the Blues —

Near Elvis Presley Drive near Berry Street.

Marker Front: Elvis Presley revolutionized popular music by blending the blues he first heard as a youth in Tupelo with country, pop, and gospel. Many of the first songs Elvis recorded for the Sun label in Memphis were covers of earlier . . . — — Map (db m29823) HM

112 ► Mississippi, Lee County, Tupelo — 60 — Shake Rag — (Shakerag) —

On West Main Street at Franklin Street on West Main Street.

Marker Front: Shake Rag, located east of the old M & O (later GM & O) railway tracks and extending northward from Main Street, was one of several historic African American communities in Tupelo. By the 1920s blues and jazz flowed freely . . . — — Map (db m29629) HM

113 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Berclair — 48 — B.B. King Birthplace —

On County Road 305 at County Road 513, on the right when traveling south on County Road 305.

The long and remarkable life of B.B. King began near this site, where he was born Riley B. King on September 16, 1925. His parents, Albert and Nora Ella King, were sharecroppers who lived in a simple home southeast of here along Bear Creek. After . . . — — Map (db m173997) HM

114 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 80 — Baptist Town —

On Short Street at Short Court, on the left when traveling south on Short Street.

Front Baptist Town, established in the 1800s in tandem with the growth of the local cotton industry, is one of Greenwood’s oldest African American neighborhoods. Known for its strong sense of community, it is anchored by the McKinney . . . — — Map (db m77198) HM

115 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 153 — Blues Deejays —

On Ione Street, 0.1 miles north of Highland Avenue, on the left when traveling north.

Front Radio disc jockeys played a major role in the spread of the blues, boosting the careers of local artists, introducing listeners to performers from across the country, and more generally serving as a voice for the community. Early . . . — — Map (db m77191) HM

116 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 34 — Elks Hart Lodge No. 640 —

On East Scott Street at Avenue F, on the left when traveling west on East Scott Street.

Front During the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, the Elks Hart Lodge No. 640 at this site was one of the most important venues for rhythm and blues in the Delta. Particularly during the segregation era, fraternal organizations such as the . . . — — Map (db m77193) HM

117 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 150 — Furry Lewis —

On East Johnson Street at Lamar Street, on the left when traveling east on East Johnson Street.

Front Greenwood native Walter “Furry” Lewis (c. 1899-1981) was a favorite figure on the Memphis blues revival scene of the 1960s and '70s, decades after he made his historic first recordings in the 1920s. Lewis, who had . . . — — Map (db m77196) HM

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118 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 114 — Guitar Slim —

On County Road 101, 1.5 miles east of U.S. 49E, on the left when traveling north.

Front Eddie Lee “Guitar Slim” Jones brought new levels of energy and intensity to electric guitar playing with his raw, incendiary approach in the 1950s. An impassioned singer and a flamboyant showman, Jones was best known . . . — — Map (db m77211) HM

119 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 39 — Hubert Sumlin —

On 12th Street at River Road Extended, on the right when traveling north on 12th Street.

Front Hubert Sumlin’s sizzling guitar playing energized many of the classic Chicago blues records of Howlin’ Wolf in the 1950s and ‘60s. His reputation in blues and rock circles propelled him to a celebrated career on his own after . . . — — Map (db m77209) HM

120 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 11 — Robert Johnson —

On Money Road (County Road 518) 0.2 miles north of County Road 151, on the left when traveling north.

Front A seminal figure in the history of the Delta blues, Robert Johnson (1911-1938) synthesized the music of Delta blues pioneers such as Son House with outside traditions. He in turn influenced artists such as Muddy Waters and Elmore . . . — — Map (db m77203) HM

121 ► Mississippi, Leflore County, Greenwood — 3 — WGRM Radio Studio —

On Howard Street at West Washington Street, on the left when traveling north on Howard Street.

Front Before the 1950s, relatively few African American voices were heard on the radio in the South. A major exception was live broadcasts of performances by gospel groups. During the 1940s this building housed station WGRM, which . . . — — Map (db m77200) HM

122 ► Mississippi, Lincoln County, Brookhaven — 210 — Brookhaven Blues: A Tribute — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On South Whitworth Avenue, on the right when traveling south.

Front Virgil Brawley, Blind Jim Brewer, Moses “Whispering” Smith and other Brookhaven musicians have spread the blues far and wide, across the country or overseas. Brawley (1948-2018) remained the most locally connected, often returning here to . . . — — Map (db m202883) HM

123 ► Mississippi, Lincoln County, Brookhaven — 142 — Little Brother Montgomery —

On North Railroad Avenue west of First Street, on the right when traveling west.

Side ALittle Brother Montgomery (1906-1985), a major presence on south Mississippi's blues and jazz scene during much of the pre-World War II era, was famed for his trembling vocals and masterful piano playing. The Montgomery family, . . . — — Map (db m117480) HM

124 ► Mississippi, Lowndes County, Columbus — 20 — Columbus Mississippi Blues —

On College Street at South 4th Street, on the right when traveling east on College Street.

The Black Prairies of eastern Mississippi have produced a number of notable blues musicians, including Howlin’ Wolf, Bukka White, and Big Joe Williams. Activity in Columbus, the largest city in the region, centered around areas such as this block of . . . — — Map (db m27607) HM

125 ► Mississippi, Lowndes County, Columbus — 115 — Queen City Hotel and 7th Avenue —

On 7th Avenue at 15th Street North, on the left when traveling east on 7th Avenue.

Front For several decades beginning in the early 1900s, the Queen City Hotel, which stood across the street from this site, was at the center of a vibrant African American community along 7th Avenue North. Clubs and cafes in the area . . . — — Map (db m140699) HM

126 ► Mississippi, Lowndes County, Crawford — 56 — Big Joe Williams —

On Main Street, 0 miles east of Seitz Road, on the left when traveling west.

Side A Big Joe Williams (c. 1903-1982) epitomized the life and times of the rambunctious, roving bluesman, traveling from coast to coast and around the world playing rugged, rhythmic blues on his nine-string guitar at juke joints, house . . . — — Map (db m27750) HM

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127 ► Mississippi, Madison County, Canton — 65 — Club Desire —

On Cross Street at South Union Street, on the left on Cross Street.

The Club Desire, which stood across the street from this site, was one of Mississippi's premier blues and rhythm & blues nightclubs from the late 1940s through the early 1960s. Owner Clarence Chinn presented the top national acts, including B. B. . . . — — Map (db m80035) HM

128 ► Mississippi, Madison County, Canton — 15 — Hickory Street — (The Hollow) —

On North Hickory Street at West Center Street, on the right when traveling north on North Hickory Street.

Side 1: Hickory Street, known locally as "The Hollow," was a hub of social life, commerce, and entertainment for the African American community of central Mississippi for several decades, up through the 1970s. Canton's most famous blues . . . — — Map (db m97089) HM

129 ► Mississippi, Marshall County, Cayce — 163 — Rufus Thomas —

On Lee Creek Road east of Cayce Road, on the right when traveling east.

Front A recording artist, disc jockey, comedian, and ambassador for Memphis music, Rufus Thomas (1917 – 2001) was born here in Cayce. As a young man Thomas toured with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels, and later worked in Memphis as an . . . — — Map (db m96779) HM

130 ► Mississippi, Marshall County, Holly Springs — 45 — Hill Country Blues —

On East College Avenue at North Center Street, on the right when traveling west on East College Avenue.

(side 1) Although Delta blues often claims the spotlight, other styles of the blues were produced in other regions of Mississippi. In the greater Holly Springs area, musicians developed a "hill county" blues style characterized by few chord . . . — — Map (db m84875) HM

131 ► Mississippi, Monroe County, Aberdeen — 90 — Aberdeen Mississippi Blues —

On North Meridian Street at East Commerce Street, on the right when traveling north on North Meridian Street.

Front In 1940 singer-guitarist Booker “Bukka” White, who lived in Aberdeen during the 1920s and ‘30s, recorded the blues classic “Aberdeen Mississippi Blues.” Twenty-three years later the song’s title enabled . . . — — Map (db m102609) HM

132 ► Mississippi, Monroe County, Amory — 208 — Amory, Mississippi: Blues from a Railroad Town — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On North Main Street (Mississippi Route 25) north of 3rd Avenue North, on the right when traveling north.

Just as Amory’s history is tied to the railroad, so is much of its musical legacy. Several generations of blues, soul and gospel performers came from the families of African-American workers employed here by the Frisco line. Others worked as . . . — — Map (db m174015) HM

133 ► Mississippi, Montgomery County, Kilmichael — 159 — Kilmichael: B.B. King's Roots —

On South Depot Avenue at West Main Street, on the right when traveling south on South Depot Avenue.

Front Riley B. King, who was born in the Delta fifty miles west of here in 1925, spent many of his formative years in Kilmichael in the 1930s and ‘40s before achieving stardom as “B. B.” King. His first mentor on the guitar . . . — — Map (db m90016) HM

134 ► Mississippi, Montgomery County, Winona — 120 — Roebuck "Pops" Staples — Mississippi Blues Trail —

Near Summit Street, 0.1 miles west of U.S. 51.

Front Roebuck “Pops” Staples, one of the foremost figures in American gospel music as a singer, guitarist, and patriarch of the Staple Singers family group, was born on a farm near Winona on December 28, 1914. Staples began playing . . . — — Map (db m90019) HM

135 ► Mississippi, Neshoba County, Philadelphia — 26 — Otis Rush —

Near West Beacon Street (Mississippi Route 21) west of Front Ave, on the left when traveling west.

The blues form reached both artistic and emotional peaks in the works of Otis Rush, who was born south of Philadelphia in Neshoba County in 1935. His music, shaped by the hardships and troubles of his early life in Mississippi, came to fruition in . . . — — Map (db m140850) HM

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136 ► Mississippi, Newton County, Newton — 202 — Newton County Blues — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On South Main Street at Cedar Street, on the right when traveling north on South Main Street.

Newton County has a dual claim to blues fame, first as the birthplace of several historical figures and later as the site of an important blues event, the Chunky Rhythm & Blues Festival. Newton County natives include record businessman H.C. Speir . . . — — Map (db m141357) HM

137 ► Mississippi, Noxubee County, Macon — 46 — Black Prairie Blues —

On Jefferson Street (State Highway 145) at East Green Street, on the right when traveling north on Jefferson Street.

Front The roots of blues and gospel music run deep in the African American culture of the Black Prairie region. Among the performers born near Macon here in Noxubee County, Eddy Clearwater, Carey Bell, and Jesse Fortune went on to . . . — — Map (db m92636) HM

138 ► Mississippi, Oktibbeha County, Starkville — 146 — Oktibbeha County Blues —

On Fellowship Street at Russell Street, on the right when traveling south on Fellowship Street.

Front Oktibbeha County has produced several blues artists who achieved fame for their recordings and live performances in Chicago, California, or other areas. Blues Hall of Famer Big Joe Williams (c. 1903-1982), who waxed the classic . . . — — Map (db m102869) HM

139 ► Mississippi, Panola County, Como — 71 — Mississippi Fred McDowell —

On Main Street at Sledge Street, in the median on Main Street.

Front Fred McDowell, a seminal figure in Mississippi hill country blues, was one of the most vibrant performers of the 1960s blues revival. McDowell (c. 1906-1972) was a sharecropper and local entertainer in 1959 when he made his first . . . — — Map (db m102873) HM

140 ► Mississippi, Panola County, Como — 172 — Napolian Strickland —

On Main Street, 0.1 miles north of East Oak Street (State Route 310), in the median.

Front Napolian Strickland (1924-2001) was one of Mississippi's most gifted musicians in the fife and drum and country blues traditions. A lifelong resident of the Como-Senatobia area, Strickland excelled on the homemade cane fife and . . . — — Map (db m102874) HM

141 ► Mississippi, Panola County, Como — 82 — Otha Turner —

On Main Street at Sledge Street, in the median on Main Street.

Front The African American fife and drum tradition in north Mississippi stretches back to the 1800s and is often noted for its similarities to African music. Its best known exponent, Otha (or Othar) Turner (c. 1908-2003), presided over . . . — — Map (db m102872) HM

142 ► Mississippi, Pike County, McComb — 23 — Bo Diddley —

On South Railroad Blvd..

Front Acclaimed as the father of rock and roll, Bo Diddley (Ellas Bates McDaniel) was born near Magnolia, south of McComb, on December 30, 1928. Diddley wrote and recorded such hits as "I'm A Man", "Bo Diddley', "Say Man" and "I'm a . . . — — Map (db m104326) HM

143 ► Mississippi, Pike County, McComb — 93 — Summit Street —

On Summit Street, on the right when traveling south.

Side A Summit Street was a thriving African American business district during the era of segregation, as well as a hotbed of musical activity. Blues, jazz, and rhythm & blues bands entertained at various nightclubs, cafes, and hotels, and . . . — — Map (db m51528) HM

144 ► Mississippi, Pontotoc County, Pontotoc — 155 — Pontotoc County Blues —

On East Marion Street east of South Main Street, on the right when traveling east.

Front Pontotoc County's wide-ranging musical legacy encompasses African American blues from Baby Face Leroy Foster, Lee Gates, R. C. Weatherall, and Terry "Harmonica" Bean as well as music by white artists who combined blues or R&B . . . — — Map (db m102867) HM

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145 ► Mississippi, Quitman County, Lambert — 133 — Sunnyland Slim — Quitman County Blues —

On Darby Avene east of 8th Street, on the right when traveling east.

Albert Luandrew, better known as Sunnyland Slim, who was born in Vance (c. 1906), was a central figure on the Chicago blues scene from the 1940s until his death in 1995. Other noted Chicago bluesmen with Quitman County roots included Snooky Pryor, . . . — — Map (db m174068) HM

146 ► Mississippi, Quitman County, Vance — 122 — John Lee Hooker —

On Charlie Pride Highway (Mississippi Route 3) south of King Road, on the right when traveling south.

John Lee Hooker (c. 1917-2001), one of the most famous and successful of all blues singers, had his musical roots here in the Delta, where he learned to play guitar in the style of his stepfather, Will Moore. Hooker spent many of his early years . . . — — Map (db m174054) HM

147 ► Mississippi, Rankin County, Flowood — 92 — The Gold Coast: Cross the River —

Near Access Road, 0.5 miles north of Flowood Drive (County Route 468).

This area of Rankin County, formerly called East Jackson and later the Gold Coast, was a hotbed for gambling, bootleg liquor, and live music for several decades up through the 1960s. Blues, jazz, and soul performers, including touring national . . . — — Map (db m81859) HM

148 ► Mississippi, Rankin County, Pelahatchie — 61 — Rubin Lacy —

On Second Street (U.S. 80) east of Goforth Street, on the right when traveling east.

Front Rubin Lacy was one of the most talented and influential artists in Mississippi blues during his short career as a secular performer. The grandson of a minister, Lacy was born in Pelahatchie on January 2, 1901. He was a well-known . . . — — Map (db m111013) HM

149 ► Mississippi, Rankin County, Piney Woods — 47 — Piney Woods School —

On Piney Woods Drive, on the right when traveling north.

The musical programs of the Piney Woods School have produced many fine artists over the decades, including bluesman Sam Myers, who sang in vocal groups while attending a school for the blind located here. The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, a . . . — — Map (db m50905) HM

150 ► Mississippi, Scott County, Forest — 52 — Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup —

On West 3rd Street (Highway 80) at Antley Street, on the right when traveling east on West 3rd Street.

Front Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, one of the most prominent blues recording artists of the 1940s, was born on his grandparents' land in Forest on August 24, 1905. After Elvis Presley recorded three Crudup songs in the 1950s, . . . — — Map (db m77153) HM

151 ► Mississippi, Sharkey County, Rolling Fork — 58 — Muddy Waters —

On Delta Street south of Walnut Street, on the left when traveling south.

McKinley Morganfield, better known as Muddy Waters, was one of the foremost artists in blues history. In the late 1940s and 1950s he led the way in transforming traditional Delta blues into the electric Chicago blues style that paved the road to . . . — — Map (db m80120) HM

152 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Dockery — 37 — Birthplace of the Blues? —

On Lusk Road north of State Route 8, on the right when traveling north.

The precise origins of the blues are lost to time, but one of the primal centers for the music in Mississippi was Dockery Farms. For nearly three decades the plantation was intermittently the home of Charley Patton (c. 1891–1934), the most important . . . — — Map (db m174017) HM

153 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Holly Ridge — 1 — Charley Patton —

On Holly Ridge Road, 0.2 miles west of Holly Ridge Holmes Road, on the left when traveling west.

The most important figure in the pioneering era of Delta blues, Charley Patton (1891-1934), helped define not only the musical genre but also the image and lifestyle of the rambling Mississippi bluesman. He roamed the Delta using Dockery as his most . . . — — Map (db m170525) HM

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154 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Indianola — 147 — Albert King —

On Front Avenue at Second Street, on the left when traveling south on Front Avenue.

Albert King (1923-1992), who was billed as "King of the Blues Guitar," was famed for his powerful string-bending style as well as for his soulful, smoky vocals. King often said he was born in Indianola and was a half-brother of B. B. King, . . . — — Map (db m77319) HM

155 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Indianola — 49 — Church Street —

On Church Street at Mill Street, on the right when traveling north on Church Street.

Front Church Street catered to every need of the African American community during the segregation era, when most area residents worked in the cotton fields during the week and came to town on weekends. Church Street (also designated . . . — — Map (db m77308) HM

156 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Indianola — 84 — Club Ebony —

On Hannah Avenue at Clay Street, on the right when traveling south on Hannah Avenue.

Front Club Ebony, one of the South’s most important African American nightclubs, was built just after the end of World War II by Indianola entrepreneur Johnny Jones (1907-1950). Under Jones and successive owners, the club showcased Ray . . . — — Map (db m77307) HM

157 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Inverness — 68 — Little Milton Campbell —

On East Grand Avenue, 0.1 miles north of 2nd Street.

Front Little Milton Campbell, one of the world’s leading performers of blues and soul music for several decades, was born on the George Bowles plantation about two miles southwest of this site on September 7, 1933. Acclaimed as both a . . . — — Map (db m77276) HM

158 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Moorhead — 182 — "Where the Southern Cross the Dog" —

On Washington Street west of East Delta Avenue, on the right when traveling west.

W. C. Handy, "The Father of the Blues," immortalized the crossing of the Southern Railway and the Yazoo Delta ("Yellow Dog") Railroad at Moorhead in his 1914 song "Yellow Dog Rag," better known under its later title, "Yellow Dog Blues." Handy wrote . . . — — Map (db m170520) HM

159 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Parchman — 113 — Parchman Farm Blues —

On U.S. 49W at State Route 32, on the right when traveling north on U.S. 49W.

The Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman has inspired many songs, including “Parchman Farm Blues” by singer-guitarist Booker “Bukka” White, who was once an inmate here, and “Parchman Farm” by jazz singer-pianist Mose Allison. Folklorists from . . . — — Map (db m174051) HM

160 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Ruleville — 171 — "Greasy Street" —

On West Floyce Street at North Front Street, on the left when traveling west on West Floyce Street.

Front For many decades this block of Front Street, known locally as “Greasy Street," was the center of commercial activity for African Americans in the Ruleville area. On Saturday nights Greasy Street was packed with . . . — — Map (db m160403) HM

161 ► Mississippi, Sunflower County, Ruleville — 144 — Jimmy Rogers —

On North Front Street north of West Floyce Street, on the right when traveling north.

Front Born James A. Lane at Dougherty Bayou just west of Ruleville, guitarist and vocalist Jimmy Rogers (1924-1997) played a pioneering role in the post-World War II Chicago blues scene. A member of Muddy Waters first band in . . . — — Map (db m160405) HM

162 ► Mississippi, Tallahatchie County, Glendora — 63 — Sonny Boy Williamson — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On Bridges Avenue at Gipson Avenue, on the left when traveling east on Bridges Avenue.

Front Sonny Boy Williamson (c. 1912-1965), one of the premier artists in blues history, was born on a Glendora plantation under the name Alex Miller. A colorful character and charismatic performer, he was widely known as “Rice” Miller . . . — — Map (db m90025) HM

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163 ► Mississippi, Tallahatchie County, Tippo — 149 — Mose Allison —

On Tippo Road south of Sharkey Road, on the right when traveling north.

Pianist, vocalist and songwriter Mose Allison was born in 1927 in Tippo, where he often listened to blues records on the jukebox at his father’s service station. In 1956 Allison moved to New York City, where he soon achieved acclaim as a jazz . . . — — Map (db m174101) HM

164 ► Mississippi, Tallahatchie County, Tutwiler — 95 — W.C. Handy Encounters the Blues —

On 2nd Street at Front Street, on the right when traveling north on 2nd Street.

Front Bandleader W. C. Handy was waiting for a train here at the Tutwiler railway station circa 1903 when he heard a man playing slide guitar with a knife and singing “Goin’ where the Southern cross’ the Dog.” Handy later . . . — — Map (db m90027) HM

165 ► Mississippi, Tate County, Coldwater — 165 — Tate County Blues: Coldwater —

On Central Avenue west of 2nd Street, on the right when traveling west.

The Coldwater area has been home to a wide array of African American singers and musicians, including Chicago-based singer Big Time Sarah (Streeter), R. L. Burnside’s son Duwayne Burnside, soul vocalist Bill Coday, and Stonewall Mays, who often . . . — — Map (db m174094) HM

166 ► Mississippi, Tate County, Senatobia — 125 — Jessie Mae Hemphill —

On U.S. 51, 0.3 miles north of State Route 740, on the right when traveling north.

Front One of the few female performers of country blues, Jessie Mae Hemphill (c. 1923 – 2006) was a multi-instrumentalist who performed in local fife and drum bands before gaining international recognition in the 1980s as a . . . — — Map (db m102871) HM

167 ► Mississippi, Tate County, Senatobia — 199 — Sid Hemphill — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On Center Street south of West Tate Street, on the right when traveling north.

Sid Hemphill (1878-1961) was the most storied African-American musician in the Mississippi hills in the early decades of the 20th century, a multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, bandleader and instrument maker whose music largely predated the . . . — — Map (db m174073) HM

168 ► Mississippi, Tunica County, Commerce — 75 — Abbay & Leatherman —

On Casino Strip Resort Boulevard, 2.3 miles west of Fitzgeralds Boulevard, on the right when traveling west.

Abbay & Leatherman, one of the oldest and largest cotton plantations in the Delta, is known to music enthusiasts worldwide as the boyhood home of blues icon Robert Johnson (c. 1912-1938). Johnson lived here with his family in a tenant shack by the . . . — — Map (db m174079) HM

169 ► Mississippi, Tunica County, Tunica — 54 — Harold "Hardface" Clanton —

On Magnolia Street.

Long before casinos brought legalized gambling and big-name entertainment to Tunica, African American entrepreneur Harold "Hardface" Clanton (1916~1982) ran a flourishing operation here that offered games of chance, bootleg liquor, and the best in . . . — — Map (db m51763) HM

170 ► Mississippi, Tunica County, Tunica — 30 — James Cotton —

On Bonnie Blue Road at U.S. 61 on Bonnie Blue Road.

James Cotton, one of the world’s most popular and dynamic blues harmonica players, was born just east of this site on the Bonnie Blue plantation on July 1, 1935. Cotton apprenticed with harmonica master Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2 (Rice Miller) in . . . — — Map (db m51770) HM

171 ► Mississippi, Tunica County, Tunica Resorts — 40 — Highway 61 Blues —

On Kirby Road at U.S. 61, on the left when traveling north on Kirby Road.

U.S. Highway 61, known as the "blues highway," rivals Route 66 as the most famous road in American music lore. Dozens of blues artists have recorded songs about Highway 61, including Mississippians Sunnyland Slim, James “Son” . . . — — Map (db m68076) HM

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172 ► Mississippi, Tunica County, Tunica Resorts — 13 — Son House — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On Old Highway 61 N south of Clack Road, on the right when traveling south.

Eddie James "Son" House (1902-1988) plumbed the emotional depth of the blues perhaps more than any other Delta blues artist. A preacher at times, a barrelhousing bluesman at others, House was fiercely torn between the sacred teachings of the . . . — — Map (db m235156) HM

173 ► Mississippi, Tunica County, Tunica Resorts — 177 — The Hollywood Cafe —

On Old Commerce Road east of Old Highway 61, on the left when traveling east.

The Hollywood Café, both at this site and its original location in Hollywood, Mississippi, earned fame as a Delta dining institution but has also shared in the area's musical history. Pianist Muriel Wilkins performed here for years, and she and the . . . — — Map (db m174082) HM

174 ► Mississippi, Union County, New Albany — 91 — Elder Roma Wilson & Rev. Leon Pinson —

On East Bankhead Street (U.S. 178) at Watson Avenue, on the right when traveling east on East Bankhead Street.

Front The down-home gospel sounds of renowned Union County musicians Elder Roma Wilson (b. 1910) and Rev. Leon Pinson (1919-1998) won them many admirers among blues and folk music audiences, although they were evangelists rather than . . . — — Map (db m96789) HM

175 ► Mississippi, Union County, New Albany — 59 — Mosley and Johnson —

On Cleveland Street at Washington Street, on the right when traveling east on Cleveland Street.

Front Although the African American community of New Albany has been small in number, it has produced many citizens of distinction. In the fields of blues, rhythm & blues, and gospel music, the names of Sam Mosley, Bob Johnson, Billy . . . — — Map (db m96783) HM

176 ► Mississippi, Warren County, Vicksburg — 64 — 61 Highway —

On Washington Street (Business U.S. 61) at Jackson Street, on the right when traveling north on Washington Street.

Side 1: The rise of the automobile and the development of a national highway system in the 1920's and '30s coincided with the initial boom of blues, jazz, and spiritual recordings by African American artists. Songs in the African American . . . — — Map (db m97080) HM

177 ► Mississippi, Warren County, Vicksburg — 98 — Marcus Bottom —

On Halls Ferry Road south of Lane Street, on the right when traveling south.

Front The historic African American community of Marcus Bottom was an important center of early blues, jazz, and gospel music activity. Pianist Eurreal “Little Brother” Montgomery, one of the premier blues artists of the . . . — — Map (db m103895) HM

178 ► Mississippi, Warren County, Vicksburg — 140 — The Blue Room —

On Clay Street at Mulberry Street, on the right when traveling west on Clay Street.

Front One of the most storied night spots in the South, the Blue Room, which stood across the street at 602 Clay Street, was operated for more than thirty years by flamboyant owner Tom Wince. Ray Charles, Fats Domino, B. B. King, Dinah . . . — — Map (db m103897) HM

179 ► Mississippi, Warren County, Vicksburg — 33 — The Red Tops —

On Clay Street west of Walnut Street, on the right when traveling west.

Front Between 1953 and 1974 the Vicksburg-based Red Tops entertained legions of dancers with their distinctive mix of blues, jazz, and pop. Under the strict direction of drummer and manager Walter Osborne, the group developed a devoted . . . — — Map (db m103896) HM

180 ► Mississippi, Warren County, Vicksburg — 205 — William R. Ferris — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On Washington Street (Business U.S. 61) at Grove Street, on the right when traveling north on Washington Street.

(side 1) The long and distinguished career of William “Bill” Ferris, one of America’s leading folklorists, was inspired by the blues, religious music, and stories he heard while growing up on his family’s farm in rural Warren County. . . . — — Map (db m148589) HM

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181 ► Mississippi, Warren County, Vicksburg — 14 — Willie Dixon —

On South Street at Willie Dixon Way, on the right when traveling east on South Street.

(front) Willie Dixon, often called “the poet laureate of the blues,” was born in Vicksburg on July 1, 1915. As a songwriter, producer, arranger, and bass player, Dixon shaped the sound of Chicago blues in the 1950s and '60s with . . . — — Map (db m69778) HM

182 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Dunleith — 43 — Jimmy Reed —

On Collier Road, 0.8 miles north of Long Switch Road, on the left when traveling north.

Mathis James “Jimmy” Reed, one of the most influential blues artists of the 1950s and ‘60s, was born here on the Shady Dell plantation on September 6, 1925. Reed was one the first bluesmen to achieve “crossover” success, . . . — — Map (db m170523) HM

183 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Greenville — 50 — Freedom Village —

On Sligo Diary Road at Freedom Village Road, on the right when traveling east on Sligo Diary Road.

(Front) The first Mississippi Delta Blues Festival was held on October 21, 1978, here at Freedom Village, a rural community founded as a refuge for displaced agricultural workers. In 1987 the festival, organized by Greenville-based M.A.C.E. . . . — — Map (db m154769) HM

184 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Greenville — 2 — Nelson Street —

On Nelson Street west of Delesseps Street, on the right when traveling west.

Front Nelson Street was once the epicenter of African American business and entertainment in the Delta. Nightclubs, cafes, churches, groceries, fish markets, barbershops, laundries, record shops, and other enterprises did a bustling . . . — — Map (db m107636) HM

185 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Greenville — 196 — Prince McCoy — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On Main Street south of South Shelby Street, on the right when traveling west.

Side A Prince McCoy (1882-1968), a prominent early 20th century Greenville musician, played a pivotal yet long unacknowledged role in blues history. At a dance in Cleveland, Mississippi, an astonished W.C. Handy watched a crowd throw money at . . . — — Map (db m157534) HM

186 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Hollandale — 86 — Sam Chatmon —

On West Washington Street (Mississippi Route 12) at South Simmons Street, on the left when traveling west on West Washington Street.

Front Sam Chatmon (c. 1899-1983), a celebrated singer and guitarist who spent most of his life in Hollandale, sometimes performed with his brothers in a renowned family string band billed as the Mississippi Sheiks. He embarked on a new . . . — — Map (db m121115) HM

187 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Leland — 7 — Corner of 10 and 61 —

On North Main Street at 3rd Street, on the right when traveling north on North Main Street.

Front A major source of income for blues artists in the first half of the 20th century was tips. This corner, formerly the intersection of highways 10 and 61, was a profitable spot, particularly on Saturdays when people from the . . . — — Map (db m90131) HM

188 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Leland — 76 — James “Son” Thomas —

On North Broad Street (Old U.S. 61) 0.1 miles north of East 3rd Street, on the left when traveling north.

Front James Henry “Son” Thomas, internationally famed blues musician and folk sculptor, worked as a porter at the Montgomery Hotel, which once occupied this site, after he moved to Leland in 1961. Born in the Yazoo County . . . — — Map (db m90136) HM

189 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Leland — 109 — Johnny Winter —

On North Broad Street at East 3rd Street, on the right when traveling north on North Broad Street.

Guitar icon Johnny Winter’s emergence on the national music scene in 1969 created a sensation among rock and blues audiences. The first of his many hit albums for Columbia Records featured the song “Leland, Mississippi Blues,” which paid tribute . . . — — Map (db m90143) HM

190 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Leland — 136 — Ruby's Nite Spot —

On McGee Street at Dean Street, on the right when traveling north on McGee Street.

Ruby’s Nite Spot, operated at this site by Ruby Edwards, was one of the most prominent blues clubs in the Delta during the 1940s and ‘50s. Edwards booked nationally known acts such as T-Bone Walker, Little Walter, and Little Richard, newcomers Ike . . . — — Map (db m90129) HM

191 ► Mississippi, Washington County, Leland — 152 — Tyrone Davis —

On North Main Street, 0.1 miles north of 4th Street, on the right when traveling north.

Front Tyrone Davis, one of America's most popular soul singers, was born on a plantation near Leland on May 4, 1938. Davis lived in Leland before moving to Chicago, where he began his career billed as "Tyrone the Wonder Boy." From 1969 . . . — — Map (db m90130) HM

192 ► Mississippi, Wilkinson County, Woodville — 94 — Woodville Blues —

On Bank Street, on the right when traveling east.

Musicians from Woodville demonstrate the breadth of the blues’s influence on American music. Composer William Grant Still incorporated the blues into his “Afro-American Symphony,” while the innovative saxophonist Lester . . . — — Map (db m50907) HM

193 ► Mississippi, Yalobusha County, Water Valley — 151 — Casey Jones —

On Blackmur Street (State Highway 315) 0.1 miles Main Street (State Highway 315), on the right when traveling east.

(Front) On April 30, 1900, railroad engineer John Luther "Casey" Jones died when his Illinois Central train, the "Cannonball," collided with a stalled freight train in Vaughan, Mississippi. Jones, who once lived and worked in the railroad town . . . — — Map (db m55641) HM

194 ► Mississippi, Yazoo County, Bentonia — 67 — Jack Owens —

On State Highway 433 at Rosehill Road, on the left when traveling east on State Highway 433.

Front Jack Owens became one of Mississippi's most venerated blues artists in the 1980s and ‘90s after spending most of his life as a farmer in Yazoo County. Born November 17, 1904, or 1906 according to some sources, Owens did not . . . — — Map (db m77275) HM

195 ► Mississippi, Yazoo County, Bentonia — 51 — Nehemiah “Skip” James —

On Wilson Street (State Highway 433) at U.S. 49, on the right when traveling east on Wilson Street.

Front The haunting quality of Nehemiah “Skip” James’s music earned him a reputation as one of the great early Mississippi bluesmen. James (1902-1969) grew up at the Woodbine Plantation and as a youth learned to play both . . . — — Map (db m77272) HM

196 ► Mississippi, Yazoo County, Bentonia — 16 — The Blue Front Café —

On East Railroad Avenue at Cannon Avenue (Mississippi Highway 433), on the left when traveling south on East Railroad Avenue.

Front The Blue Front Café opened in 1948 under the ownership of Carey and Mary Holmes, an African American couple from Bentonia. In its heyday the Blue Front was famed for its buffalo fish, blues, and moonshine whiskey. One of the . . . — — Map (db m77274) HM

197 ► Mississippi, Yazoo County, Yazoo City — 118 — Gatemouth Moore —

On Debbie Street, 0.1 miles south of East 10th Street, on the right when traveling south.

Front Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore was one of America’s most popular blues singers in the 1940s before becoming a renowned religious leader, radio announcer, and gospel singer. He served as pastor of several churches in . . . — — Map (db m77260) HM

198 ► Mississippi, Yazoo County, Yazoo City — 148 — Tommy McClennan —

On West Broadway Street (State Highway 149) at North Water Street, on the right when traveling west on West Broadway Street.

Front Tommy McClennan (c. 1905-1961) was one of America's most successful down-home blues recording artists during the period when he recorded 20 singles for the Bluebird label (1939-1942). Among McClennan's most notable numbers were . . . — — Map (db m77258) HM

199 ► New York, Monroe County, Rochester, Corn Hill — 187 — Son House — Delta Blues Comes to Rochester — Mississippi Blues Trail —

On Clarissa Street at Greig Street, on the left when traveling west on Clarissa Street.

Mississippi Delta blues icon Eddie James "Son" House became one of the most heralded figures în the blues revival of the 1960s, when he and his wife Evie lived in an apartment building here on Greig Street. House moved from Mississippi to . . . — — Map (db m170963) HM

200 ► Tennessee, Shelby County, Memphis, Downtown Memphis — 154 — The Blues Foundation —

On South Main Street at East Nettleton Avenue, on the right when traveling south on South Main Street.

Front The Blues Foundation, the world’s premier organization dedicated to honoring, preserving, and promoting the blues, was founded in Memphis in 1980. Mississippi-born performers and business professionals in the Foundation’s Blues Hall . . . — — Map (db m63288) HM

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