Mississippi Blues Trail


The Mississippi Blues Trail was created by the Mississippi Blues Commission in 2006 to place interpretive markers at the most notable historical sites related to the birth, growth, and influence of the blues throughout the state of Mississippi. Within the state the trail extends from the Gulf Coast north along several highways to Natchez, Vicksburg, Jackson, Leland, Greenwood, Clarksdale, Tunica, Grenada, Oxford, Columbus, and Meridian. The largest concentration of markers is in the Mississippi Delta, but other regions of the state are also commemorated. Several out-of-state markers have also been erected where blues with Mississippi roots has had significance, including Waterloo, Ontario, Memphis, Tennessee, and Chicago, Illinois.

Implementation

The list of markers and locations was developed by a panel of blues scholars and historians. The trail has been implemented in stages as funds have become available. The National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Mississippi Department of Transportation have provided grants for funding of various markers, which are co-sponsored with funds from local communities. The marker texts are researched and written by Jim O'Neal and Scott Barretta, former editors of Living Blues magazine, together with an editorial and design team that has included Wanda Clark; Chrissy Wilson; Allan Hammons; and Sylvester Oliver.
Prior to the founding of the Mississippi Blues Trail, two preliminary markers were placed in Indianola, Mississippi, at a corner where B.B. King played as a young man, and at the Club Ebony.
The first three Mississippi Blues Trail markers were dedicated on December 11, 2006. The first, at Holly Ridge, is dedicated to Delta blues pioneer Charley Patton.
The second marker is located by the Southern Whispers Restaurant on Nelson Street in Greenville. Nelson Street, the home of many nightclubs, cafes, and juke joints over the years, was once the primary center of African-American business, entertainment, and social life in the Delta. For many decades this historic strip drew crowds to the flourishing club scene to hear Delta blues; big band; jump blues; rhythm & blues; and jazz.
The third marker was unveiled at the original location of WGRM radio station in Greenwood, where B.B. King first broadcast as a gospel singer.
By the end of 2016, the Mississippi Blues Trail had placed nearly 200 markers. They honored individual artists, clubs, record companies, radio stations, and historic events, but also the plantations, streets, cities, and counties that developed as centers of blues activity. Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman was also commemorated, as folklorists such as Alan Lomax recorded blues there by inmates on several occasions, dating to the 1930s.

Current markers

Locations are in Mississippi unless otherwise stated.
Marker nameMarker locationPhotographNotes-
100 Men D.B.A. HallBay St. Louis
-
61 HighwayVicksburg-
Abbay & LeathermanRobinsonville
Robinsonville is now known as Tunica Resorts, Mississippi-
Aberdeen Mississippi BluesAberdeen
-
Ace RecordsJackson-
Albert KingIndianola-
Alligator BluesAlligator-
Amory: Blues From A Railroad TownAmory
-
Arthur CrudupForest
-
B.B. King BirthplaceBerclair-
B.B. King's RootsKilmichael
-
Baptist TownGreenwood-
Beale Town BoundHernando-
Big Jack JohnsonClarksdale-
Big Joe WilliamsCrawford
-
Big Walter HortonHorn Lake-
Biloxi BluesBiloxi
-
Birthplace Of The Blues?Dockery Plantation-
Black Prairie BluesMacon
-
Blue Front CafeBentonia-
Blue RoomVicksburg-
Blues and Jazz in the PassPass Christian
-
Blues DeejaysGreenwood
-
Blues Legends of DuncanDuncan
-
Bo DiddleyMcComb
-
Bobby RushJackson
-
Broadcasting the BluesGulfport
-
Brookhaven BluesBrookhaven
-
Bud ScottNatchez-
Buddy GuyLettsworth, Louisiana
-
Bukka WhiteHouston
-
Cahors, FranceCahors, France-
Calhoun County BluesBruce
-
Casey JonesWater Valley
-
Cassandra WilsonJackson
-
Castro "Mr. Sipp" ColemanMcComb
-
Charles EversFayette-
Charley Patton BirthplaceBolton-
Charley Patton gravesiteHolly RidgeBlues singers Asie Payton and Willie James Foster are also buried at this cemetery with Charley Patton.-
Charlie MusselwhiteKosciusko
-
Choctaw County BluesWeir-
Chrisman StreetCleveland-
Church StreetIndianola-
Clinton's Blues LegacyClinton-
Club DesireCanton-
Club EbonyIndianola-
Columbus - Catfish AlleyColumbus
-
Corner of 10 and 61Leland-
Cotton Pickin BluesHopson-
Delta Blues MuseumClarksdale-
Denise LaSalleBelzoni-
Documenting The BluesOxford-
Dorothy MooreJackson-
Ealey BrothersNatchez-
Eddie ShawBenoit-
Eddie TaylorBenoit-
Edwards HotelJackson-
Elks Hart Lodge No. 640Greenwood-
Elmore JamesEbenezer-
Elvis Presley and the BluesTupelo-
Fred McDowellComo
Two other Blues Trail markers are in the same area with this marker that honors Othar Turner and Napolian Strickland.-
Freedom VillageGreenville-
Furry LewisGreenwood-
Gatemouth MooreYazoo City-
Gold CoastFlowood-
Gospel Music and the BluesClevelandReverend C.L. Franklin, father of R&B singer Aretha Franklin, preached his first trial sermon at St. Peter's Rock M.B. Church, where this Blues Trail marker is located.-
Grammy AwardsLos Angeles, California-
Grammy Museum MississippiCleveland-
Greasy StreetRuleville-
Grenada BluesGrenada-
Guitar SlimShellmound-
Gulfport BoogieGulfport-
H. C. SpeirJackson-
Hal & Mal'sJackson-
Harlem InnWinstonville-
Harold "Hardface" ClantonTunica-
Henry TownsendShelby-
Hi-Hat ClubHattiesburg-
Hickory Street Canton-
Highway 61 BluesRobinsonville-
Hill Country BluesHolly Springs-
Holmes County Blues Lexington-
Holmes County Blues Tchula-
HoneyBoy EdwardsShaw-
Hot Tamales And The BluesRosedale-
Houston StackhouseWesson-
Howlin' WolfWest Point-
Hubert SumlinGreenwood-
Ike TurnerClarksdale-
Ishmon BraceyJacksonIshmon Bracey is buried at Willow Park Cemetery, which is located across the street from the Blues Trail marker.
-
J.B. LenoirMonticello-
Jack OwensBentonia-
James CottonClayton-
Jesse RobinsonJackson-
Jessie Mae HemphillSenatobiaJessie Mae Hemphill is buried at Senatobia Memorial Cemetery.
Jimmie LuncefordFulton-
James "Son" ThomasLeland-
Jimmie RodgersMeridian
-
Jimmy ReedDunleith-
Jimmy RogersRuleville-
Joe CallicottNesbit-
John Lee HookerVance-
Johnny WinterLeland-
Jones County BluesLaurel-
Junior KimbroughHolly Springs
This is Blues Trail Marker #215, unveiled on February 21, 2024, along with Blues Trail Marker #214 honoring R. L. Burnside.-
Lil GreenPort Gibson-
Little Brother MontgomeryBrookhaven-
Little Junior ParkerBobo-
Little MiltonInverness-
LiverpoolLiverpool, England-
Livin' at LulaLula-
Magic SamGrenada-
Magic SlimGrenada-
Malaco RecordsJackson-
Marcus BottomVicksburg-
McCoy Brothers
Kansas Joe McCoy and Papa Charlie McCoy		Raymond-
Mel BrownWaterloo, Ontario--
Memphis MinnieWalls-
[Historic districts in Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian, Mississippi|Meridian Blues and Jazz]Corner of 5th Street & 25th Avenue
Meridian		More than 30 musicians are acknowledged at this marker including Alvin Fielder and Eddie Houston. It is located on the former site of the Fielder & Brooks Pharmacy, which Fielder's father started in 1934.-
Meridian R&B and SoulMeridian-
Mississippi Gulf Coast Blues FestivalPascagoula
-
Mississippi John HurtAvalon
-
Mississippi River Blues: The 1927 FloodScott-
Mississippi to AlabamaMuscle Shoals, Alabama
-
Mississippi To ChicagoChicago, Illinois
-
Blues Trail: Mississippi to FloridaTallahassee, Florida-
Mississippi to HelenaHelena, Arkansas]-
Mississippi to LouisianaFerriday, Louisiana
-
Mississippi to MaineRockland, Maine
-
Mississippi To MemphisMemphis, Tennessee
-
Mose AllisonTippo-
Mosley & JohnsonNew Albany-
Moss Point BluesMoss Point-
Mound Bayou BluesMound Bayou-
Muddy WatersRolling Fork-
Muddy Waters' cabin siteClarksdale-
Napolian StricklandComoTwo other Blues Trail markers are in the same area with this marker that honors Othar Turner and Fred McDowell.-
Natchez Burning Natchez-
Nelson StreetGreenville-
Newton County BluesNewtonThis Blues Trail Marker is located near the historic Alabama & Vicksburg Railroad Depot.-
NorwayNotodden, Telemark, Norway-
Ocean Springs BluesOcean Springs-
Oktibbeha County BluesStarkville-
Otha TurnerComoTwo other Blues Trail markers are in the same area with this marker that honors Napolian Strickland and Fred McDowell.-
Otis ClayWaxhaw-
Otis RushPhiladelphia
-
Otis Spann & Little Johnny JonesJackson-
Overton Park ShellMemphis, Tennessee
This is the 213th Mississippi Blues Trail marker, dedicated on September 23, 2023-
Oxford & Lafayette County BluesOxford-
Papa LightfootNatchez-
Paramount RecordsGrafton, Wisconsin
-
Paramount Records & F.W. Boerner CompanyPort Washington, Wisconsin-
Parchman BluesParchman-
Peavey ElectronicsMeridian-
PeavineBoyle-
Pensacola BluesPensacola, Florida-
Pinetop PerkinsBelzoni-
Piney Woods SchoolPiney Woods-
Po' Monkey'sMerigold-
Pontotoc County BluesPontotoc-
Pops StaplesWinona-
Prince McCoyGreenville-
Queen City Hotel & 7th AvenueColumbus-
Queen of HeartsJackson-
Rabbit Foot MinstrelsPort Gibson-
Ralph LemboItta Bena-
Rediscovery of Son HouseRochester, New York-
Red TopsVicksburg
-
Riverside HotelClarksdale-
Riley B. KingIndianola-
R. L. BurnsideHolly Springs
This is Blues Trail Marker #214, unveiled on February 21, 2024, along with Blues Trail Marker #215 honoring Junior Kimbrough.-
Robert Johnson birthplaceHazlehurst
-
Robert Johnson gravesiteGreenwood-
Robert NighthawkFriars Point-
Rocket "88"Lyon-
Roma Wilson & Leon PinsonNew Albany-
Roots of Rock And RollHattiesburg-
RosedaleRosedale-
Rubin LacyPelahatchie-
Ruby's Nite SpotLeland-
Rufus ThomasCayce-
Sam ChatmonHollandale-
Sam CookeClarksdale-
Scott Radio Service CompanyJackson-
Shake RagTupelo-
Sid HemphillSenatobia-
Skip JamesBentonia-
Son HouseClack-
Sonny Boy WilliamsonGlendora-
Sonny Boy Williamson In HelenaHelena-
Subway LoungeJackson
-
Summit StreetMcComb-
Sunflower River Blues & Gospel FestivalClarksdale-
Sunnyland Slim: Quitman County BluesLambert-
Tate County BluesColdwater-
The Alamo Theatre/Dorothy MooreJackson
-
The B.B. King MuseumIndianola
-
The Blues FoundationMemphis, Tennessee
-
The Chatmon Family/Mississippi SheiksBolton-
The Dickinson FamilyHernando-
The Enlightenment of W.C. HandyCleveland-
The Hollywood CafeRobinsonville-
The New WorldClarksdale-
The Staple SingersDrew-
Tommy JohnsonCrystal Springs-
Tommy McClennanYazoo City-
Trumpet RecordsJackson
-
Turner's Drug StoreBelzoni-
Two Steps From The BluesAckermanTexas Johnny Brown, a native of Ackerman, Mississippi, wrote the blues song "Two Steps from the Blues".-
Tyrone DavisLeland-
W.C. Handy BirthplaceFlorence, Alabama-
Wade WaltonClarksdale-
W.C. Handy Encounters The BluesTutwiler-
WGRM Radio StudioGreenwood-
"Where The Southern Cross The Dog"Moorhead-
William R. FerrisVicksburg-
Willie DixonVicksburg
-
Willie MitchellAshland-
Woodville BluesWoodville-
WROXClarksdale-

Source: