Blues in the Alley in Holly Springs
Each summer, the town of Holly Springs, Mississippi in Marshall County usually has a series of blues concerts on or near the town square. The …
Black History
“I Got The Dog In Me”: Celebrating the Legacy of the Late David Kimbrough III
The late Junior Kimbrough on occasions called his music Cotton Patch Soul Blues, and after his passing, his legacy was carried on by three of …
The Mason Family Reunion: Great Weather, Good Food, Fun and Fellowship, But No Musicians
Predominantly-African-American towns in Mississippi have a tradition of annual “days,” named for the towns, in which there are live performances, and in which people from …
Australia Jones “Honeybee” Neal: A Powerful New Female Voice in the Mississippi Blues
I am not sure how my friend Sherena Boyce became aware of Australia Jones “Honeybee” Neal, but at some point a couple of years ago, …
Folk Art and History In Holly Springs, Mississippi
On and off over the last few years, I have been playing with Duwayne Burnside, the extraordinary blues guitarist and son of Hill Country blues …
Fisherville and Cordova, Tennessee on a Summer Afternoon
The Fisherville and Cordova communities in eastern Shelby County, Tennessee are among the few places in the Memphis area that have retained something of their …
A Rapidly Vanishing Rural Past in Fayette County, Tennessee
Fayette County, in the part of West Tennessee that we might call the state’s Delta region, was for most of its history a highly rural …
Friday Night Dinner at The Biscuitry in Bolivar
Periodically, I receive sponsored messages in my Facebook timeline, and on one afternoon, a message from a restaurant called The Biscuitry caught my attention. The …
Some Like It Black: Get Your Mug On At Memphis’ New Black-Owned Coffee Bar
Many years ago, Memphis arguably had one of the country’s best Black coffee bars. Precious Cargo, in the Pinch District, was both a coffee bar …
Quarantine Images
The sudden closure of everything in mid-March due to Covid-19 had a devastating effect on all live music, including the blues. Nearly everything was closed …