Rockin' and Rollin' Down the Blues Highway
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On The Scene * NEAR & FAR GATEWAY MUSEUM Rockin’ Photos: Mary Ann DeSantis he fl at, fertile land of the Mississippi Delta seems to roll on as far as the eye and rollin’ Tcan see. The views are austere in places, but you can feel the magic that happened here when blues musicians gathered and gave birth down to American music in the early 20th century. Life wasn’t easy for the likes of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and many other iconic blues artists. Music was the Blues something they played to escape their harsh lives, overwhelming poverty, and racism. The lucky ones—or the ones with the tenacity to survive—went north to Memphis Highway and Chicago via Highway 61, known as the Blues Highway. “The blues had a baby and they named I grew up listening to rock ’n’ roll in south it rock ’n’ roll.” —Muddy Waters, Mississippi, a world away from the Delta American blues musician, 1913-1983 cotton fi elds. Little did I know at the time that my Elvis Presley, Beatles, ZZ Top, Rolling STORY: MARY ANN DESANTIS Stones, and Eric Clapton albums had their roots in the blues. Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison said it best, “Muddy Waters is a prime infl uence for anybody who’s ever done anything rock ’n’ roll.” Recognition for these musical pioneers’ contributions was a long time coming. More than 10 years ago, Blues Trail markers began popping up throughout the state. Today, world-class museums honoring Mississippi’s musical legends dot the landscape and are attracting visitors from around the world. If it’s the blues you want, a journey along Highway 61 is the place to start for history, music, food, and fun. GATEWAY TO THE BLUES From Memphis, visitors pick up Highway 61 in Tunica, known for its casinos on the Mississippi River. The Gateway to the Blues Photo: Mary Ann DeSantis Tunica, MS June 2018 97 On The Scene * NEAR & FAR Visitor Center and Museum is a must-see DELTA BLUES MUSEUM B.B. KING AND THE DELTA INTERPRETIVE CENTER landmark as well as the place to get a blues The thrill was not gone by the time I arrived at the B.B. King primer. Housed in an 1895 train depot, the Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. I saw the legendary museum opened in 2015 and has interactive King perform before his death, so I had looked forward to exhibits and interesting artifacts, including visiting this beautiful facility in his hometown of Indianola. a 1952 Les Paul guitar—the fi rst made to Riley B. King was a sharecropper and truck driver before be amplifi ed. The museum offers a great his transformation into the “Beale Street Boy.” The museum overview along with the lowdown on events chronicles King’s development from a musician touring the and restaurants along Highway 61. Chitlin’ Circuit in the South to his international acclaim. And if you’ve ever wondered how his guitar “Lucille” got its GROUND ZERO name, this is the place to hear the true story. Finally, you can Indianola, MS Clarksdale, once a transportation hub, is pay your respects to the icon himself, who was buried in the where Highways 61 and 49 connect. Those courtyard in 2015 following a procession down Highway 61. B.B. KING MUSEUM AND DELTA INTERPRETIVE CENTER highways, in fact, are more famously known as “The Crossroads,” where Robert Johnson supposedly sold his soul to the devil for WHERE DREAMS BEGAN granddaughter of Muddy and indeed it felt like that on Clarksdale, MS the ability to play the guitar like no other. The fi rst Grammy Museum Waters, she knows about the a rainy Delta morning when I outside Los Angeles is located power of a dream. walked through the cotton gin in this hip college community “The best gift my great- where blues pioneers Charley GROUND ZERO that is also home to Delta State grandfather gave me was a Patton, Robert Johnson, Son University. Open since 2016, dream,” says NaCherrie, who House, and others worked Grammy Museum Mississippi remembers Muddy driving during the early 20th century. The Crossroads marker is a hard photo to deserves a full day to see her to elementary school. During their breaks, they take, because it is a busy intersection after everything and experience the “I share that—the power of created the music and culture all; however, it’s worth a stop because the many interactive displays. having a dream—with the that became known as the best parking is at Abe’s BBQ, where not only The “On the Red Carpet” students who visit.” blues. And it’s where their Cleveland, MS will you fi nd awesome barbecue but also hot gallery is fi lled with legendary With so many world-class dreams for a better life began. tamales, a Delta delicacy that ranks just below performers’ original costumes, museums along Highway msbluestrail.org/museums fried catfi sh. including Beyoncé’s 2014 61, skipping nearby Dockery The Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale sheer white lace gown. The Farms—considered the birth- showcases just how blues music inspired Roland Room lets visitors place of the blues—would be rock ’n’ roll. With so much to see, I almost channel their inner rock star easy but a mistake. B.B. King missed the “piece de resistance”: the “Muddy with an elaborate set-up with once said, “It all started here.” Wood” guitar created by Billy Gibbons of instruments and fl ashing Singer Rosanne Cash, daugh- ZZ Top fame. Gibbons picked up some loose strobe lights. ter of country legend Johnny boards from Muddy Waters’ shack at the While the Grammy Museum Cash, described Dockery Stovall Plantation and had the guitar made, is the most fun with so Farms in her 2015 concert which he played in concerts before donating it many hands-on exhibits, its there as “hallowed ground,” DOCKERY FARMS GROUND ZERO to the museum. mission is all about education, Clarksdale has been ground zero for especially the history and GRAMMY MUSEUM blues culture since the 1920s. In fact, cultural signifi cance of you’ve probably heard of actor Morgan American music. Another Freeman’s blues joint, called Ground intent is to inspire the next Zero. Clarksville is defi nitely worth an generation to explore and Mary Ann DeSantis overnight stay just to experience live blues create new forms of music. Mary Ann DeSantis performances every night of the week by “We want them to dream,” has written for Style up-and-coming performers and established explains NaCherrie Cooper, publications since 2006. She was recognized stars at not only Ground Zero but also other marketing director for the with first-place Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards for nearby venues. museum. As the great- Travel Writing in 2017, 2016, and 2012. Ground Zero photos courtesy Ground Zero Blues Club; Crossroads,The B.B. Delta King Blues Museum Museum and Dockery photo courtesy Farms photos of Delta by Mary Blues Ann DeSantis; Museum; Grammy Museum photo courtesy of GrammyMuseumMS 98 lakeandsumter .com June 2018 99.