Art of the Blues & history at Clarksdale MS.
Clarksdale, Mississippi is the home of the blues. While you can hear music almost any time of day, any day of the week, you can also see art almost everywhere! Art even finds its way to the street overheads.
Visit Clarksdale hosted me during a visit. I learned about the blues musicians connected with this musical town at the Delta Blues Museum. Robert Johnson, Son House, John Lee Hooker, Junior Parker, Ike Turner, Eddie Boyd, Sam Cooke, Muddy Waters, Pinetop Perkins, Earl Hooker, Lil Green, Big Jack Johnson are some of the famous musicians.
The story of Robert Johnson lives on in Clarksdale a variety of ways. Johnson reportedly sold his soul to the devil at the famous crossroads in trade for his amazing guitar talent. You can see crossroads and stop at Abe’s BBQ and try their famous tamales.
Music history is shared through art.
Through murals you can see history of the musicians that called Clarksdale home. Their story is shared through art like this mural of Sam Cooke.
Sam Cooke was the son of a Baptist minister. He was the 5th of 8 children born in Clarksdale in 1931. He is famous for hits like “You Send Me,” “Wonderful World,” “Chain Gang” and “Twistin’ the Night Away.”
While there I had the honor to meet a few living legends like William Homans, known as Watermelon Slim. I heard music by Sean “Bad” Apple, and Howard Stovall of the Stone Gas Band. All of this is surrounded by art and more art, some depicting the music style like the harmonica player.
There is a mural tour you can follow. We missed this list on our trip, but saw several of the murals, and found many not on the list.
I love his mural with the saying that says so much about this city, “The Blues is the roots and the rest is the fruits.”
Sometimes the art is free standing. Just like this piano we found in the historic downtown. It is fun to imagine playing. I can see me pounding the keys and bringing a crowd to their feet. Imagine is all I can do with my musical talent, but I could picture it!
Some art is outside on the street. Other art is in the fun shops like Cat Head Delta Blues Folk Art, Inc. Here we saw one of Logan Elliott’s cigar box guitars on display.
Art and Agriculture
The blues connection to agriculture is clear in the art, the history and the music. The blues began in the cotton fields and field hollers. During our stay, we lodged at the Shack Up Inn, located on the former Hopson Plantation. Music is live most nights in the former Cotton Gin. But the location is famous for an agricultural first. At the Hopson Plantation on October 2, 1944, an International Harvester mechanical harvester harvested the first cotton crop. the crop was harvested for the first time, totally without the use of hand labor.
Today the plantation is a musical and lodging destination. We stayed in a former sharecropper “shack”. One shack you can rent was lived in by blues pianist Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins. The area is decorated with ag art here and there like the windmill below.
Art in sculpture
Chilly Billy Howell of Delta Bohemian Tours lead our tour of this Mississippi Delta. He pointed out the bottle trees. Billy said his mother taught him that the bottle trees caught evil spirits. The spirits become trapped in the bottles. Interesting cultural history.
Art in literature
During our tour, Billy shared information about Tennesse Williams. Between 1917 and 1932, he lived with, and visited his grandparents. His grandfather was Walter E. Dakin. He was rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church. We saw the rectory museum. Williams is said to have featured Clarksdale people, places, and stories in some of his most famous plays.
This mural shares the link between this famous writer and this Mississippi Delta town.
Art in nature
Billy took us to see the Sunflower River. The river runs right through town. On the riverbank we saw these beautiful bald knob cypress trees. Men were fishing nearby this beautiful sculpture of nature.
Art in history
At the Clarksdale Public Library, is an amazing archeological display. Native American artifacts are on exhibit. We saw early pottery and more. The collection is of Mississippi pottery, artifacts and archaeological research materials.
Clarksdale is a city full of art. Art in the blues, history, nature and more. Where have you seen art and been enthralled? Read more about Clarksdale in an upcoming article in Senior News & Times!
