Mississippi Blues Trail

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Mississippi Blues Trail, created by the Mississippi Blues Commission, is a project to place blues interpretive markers at the most notable historical sites related to the growth of the blues throughout the state of Mississippi, United States. The list of markers and locations has been developed by distinguished blues scholars and historians. The trail is being implemented in stages as funds become available. The National Endowment for the Arts has provided a grant for partial funding^[1] The first marker was placed along the trail in 2005 dedicated to Charlie Patton as the "Father of the Mississippi Delta Blues, " The second marker is located on Nelson Street in Greenville, the historic strip in the 1940s and 1950s drawing crowds to the flourishing club scene to hear the raw Delta blues, big band jump blues and jazz. The last marker ceremony was at the WGRM radio station location in Greenwood where B.B. King first broadcasted.^[2] On January 18, 2007 a fourth marker was added at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, home to many bluesmen over the years and still open for business.^[3]

More blues singers have come from the state of Mississippi, especially the Mississippi Delta than all of the other Southern States combined. These have included Son House, Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Muddy Waters, Skip James, Bukka White, John Lee Hooker, and B.B. King. The Mississippi blues trail extends from the Louisiana border to Memphis, just across the border in Tennessee and includes markers for historic events such as the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale where Bessie Smith died and Sun Records in Memphis where Elvis Presley first recorded.^[4]

[edit] See also

• Delta Blues Museum
• Riverside Hotel
• Charlie Patton's grave at Holly Ridge

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Mississippi Blues Commission - Blues trail. Retrieved on February 9, 2007.
2. ^ Haley Barbour Unveils First Marker Of Mississippi Blues Trail. Jazz News. Retrieved on February 9, 2007.
3. ^ Historical marker placed on Mississippi Blues Trail. Associated Press. Retrieved on February 9, 2007.
4. ^ Blues trail. Retrieved on February 9, 2007.

[edit] External links

• Implementation Proposal submitted to The National Endowment for the Humanities
• Delta Blues in the Lower Mississippi Valley
• USAToday - Blue Front Cafe a sure stop along Mississippi Blues Trail
• Historical marker placed on Mississippi Blues Trail
• Mississippi Statute ammended designating markers