The Mississippi Blues trail is a brilliant way to discover Mississippi. It takes you into the back of beyond and to strange parts of town. You pass the fields the slaves used to work in, the dives they used to play in and the street corners they used to busk on. By the time you’ve finished you’ve got a real feel for the place.
I saw Big Joe Williams perform in the late sixties on one of those Blues packages they brought across. He was on the same bill as Son House, Skip James, Bukka White, James Cotton and a few others. He went down so well that they couldn’t get him off stage.
You found the markers out in the middle of nowhere.
Back in the early days the people like Jimmie Rodgers and Woody Guthrie would mix quite freely with the black singers. Musicians seemed free of the evils of apartheid. Jimmie did a lot of blues numbers.
Trumpet records recorded my hero Elmore James (as well as people like Sonny Boy Williamson). I found it quite thrilling to stand where he had recorded a lot of those searing slide guitar riffs that I love so much.
Both Elmore James and Sonny Boy Williamson performed at the Alamo Theatre. A lot of those places were run down and neglected. But then they ripped the cavern in Liverpool down too. These politicians are fools. We should respect our heritage.
This was close to the place where BB King used to busk and record.
This was the site in Natchez where the Night Club burnt down killing so many people. Howlin’ Wolf sang about it in the song Natchez Burning.
Sent to Jonathan.
He’d love doing the Blues Trail. It was fascinating. Took you to all different types of places. I was toying with setting up a tour from England to do the Blues trail from New Orleans through Louisiana and Mississippi to Memphis but decided it was far too much hassle to set up. It would have been fun though.
No, no, brilliant idea think it through again.
Yes – but think of the logistics of organising it all. It’s too much effort. I might just get a bunch of friends together and go and do it. That would be less hassle.
Well there is no harm in just checking it out is there.
A lot of work.
Well, it is entirely up to you.
It would be good though.
Then look into it.
no time. maybe in the future.
You may regret it.
No – it’s OK. Maybe sometime. Too much to do right now.
Your choice. Wales done very well, don’t think there was anyone left in Wales. Get ready for England.
Yes Wales were great. I thought England played really well and were so unlucky. Never mind.
Afternoon Opher. I have no voice this morning, I was shouting and screaming so much watching England last night. Thought they were great, did so well, very unfair that Russia scored so late. England deserved that. Find that lad is it “Harry” Kane a great player, lovely footwork. Not sure if I can look at England when they play Wales.
By the way you did not say if you enjoyed listening to Rod, and what you thought of the other LPs you purchased.
Yes it was a great game – I watched it in a London Pub with my son. There was a guy in tears when the Russians scored – so u8nlucky. We deserved to win! I thought we played really well.
I’ll be cheering for England but I hope Wales go through too!
life has been so hectic I haven’t played all the Rod yet. I played the London one. It was good but not really my usual thing. I’ll play it through a few times before giving you a breakdown. I think sometimes you have to hear things a few times to get your ears in tune! I can already see why you like him though.
Reblogged this on Opher's World and commented:
That was a great trail round!!