The Mississippi Delta

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a scenic route that stretches from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN. This parkway was originally a footpath that was created by people who would take the Mississippi River south to New Orleans to peddle their wares, but rather than fight the current back they would sell their boats and travel home on foot via this path. Natchez the town is a beautifully quiet place perched on the Mississippi River with several plantations and antebellum homes scattered about. We explored the town and toured some of the homes before continuing on the Parkway, checking out Emerald Mound, the second largest Indian ceremonial/burial ground in the US. Some local kids gave me enough encouragement to roll down the hill…less painful than I imagined, but more cow paddies than I anticipated. We also stopped at Rocky Springs, a ghost town turned campground where we hiked, cooked, and then jumped back on the parkway, picking up the Blues Highway around Vicksburg, MS.

We arrived in Clarksdale, MS late that night and began to explore the “Birth Place of The Blues” early the next morning, as one can only sleep so late in the parking lot of the local WalMart. Legend has it that at “The Crossroads” in Clarksdale, Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in return for mastery of the guitar allowing him to “create” the Blues.                                     

Only the Greyhound Station (which doubles as the visitors’ center) was open at this hour, and with some advice from the helpful folk we found inside, we drove the streets of “downtown” scoping out some of the places we wanted to check out later. In his pre-trip research, Jared found The Shack Up Inn just a few miles outside of town, so we headed there to bide our time. The inn is a series of sharecropper shacks turned hotel of sorts…kitsch heaven, for sure. In our walking about the grounds and snapping pictures, we chatted with a gentleman who told us that one of the other guests was a traveling blues man who had come on a pilgrimage to Clarksdale and was about to jam on the front porch of his shack.  What an amazing and authentic experience...thank you, Juke Joint Johnny!!

             

After visiting a few shops back in town and purchasing a blues compilation for the rest of our drive to Memphis, we were back on the road. 

      

The first stop in Memphis was to visit the home I remember as a child.  That was really neat to see.  Look much different, Mom and Dad?

After checking into a hotel, we headed to Beale Street for some fried catfish, ribs and more blues.

The facial expressions of the bass player in this band cracked me up!  Also, who would have expected a cover of "In Your Eyes" from this bunch!?!

This dude could play the guitar behind his back while smoking a butt and slamming jager.  I'm just sayin'. 

Jared LOVED the neon!

The following day, we walked up a sun-lit Beale Street but spent most of our time at the National Civil Rights Museum which is built in and on to the site of Dr. King's assasination.  The history of African Americans' struggle for equality is chronicled in this moving and comprehensive series of exhibits.  If you find yourself in the area, this museum is an absolute must.

   

And with that, we crossed the Mississippi River, bidding farewell to The Home of Rock and Roll.