27
The Emmett Till Murder
Emmett Till Funeral Picture
Poor Emmett Till. A lot of people are familiar with this case, and the reactions that came from it. For those of you not familiar, I decided to do a post about it.
It is a terrible tragedy, but hopefully in the end, some good came out of the whole incident. Although this is not strictly blues related, it a part of the culture that surrounding the blues at the time, and living as a black man in the deep south.
Read the post to discover more about what happened to this poor young man, and all of the reactions that came out of this violent and horrific act.
25
And Today's Lyrics Are Offensive?
7 Blues Songs That Can Make Grandma Blush
Enough to Make Grandma Blush!
I’m sure you’ve heard it before – it’s a consistent anthem of childhood. Your parents and grand parents comment on the lyrics of today’s music. It just doesn’t have the same emotions of the old school, or the lyrics of today are downright offensive.
Well, truth be told, there are some songs from back in the day that put today’s lyrics to shame. These 7 choices, originally posted at cracked.com, are surely enough to get you thinking about those old times.
You think Puff Daddy (or whatever he calls himself) is bad? Is Jay Z offensive to you? How about Kanye West?
They don’t hold a candle to the likes of Skip James and King Solomon Hill.
22
Artist Profile: Ben Payton
Ben Payton
Artist Profile – Benefit Concert
Read below to learn about Ben Payton, one of the hardest working musicians in blues. Diagnosed with cancer, he battles on, and his friends look to raise money to support him with a benefit concert.
From his laid back style, to his well rehearsed music, Payton is loved by fans and fellow musicians alike. He has traveled the world, played with some of the best musicians, all the while keeping his roots in the Delta blues.
Ben Wiley Payton, originally from Coila, MS, tuned 62 this year. He grew up with the Mississippi blues, listening to his grandmother Mabel Johnson who played gospel on the piano, as well as his guitar picking uncle, Joe Birch.
21
The Delta Blues Now on Twitter!
The Delta Blues is now on Twitter – check for updates!
We are now on Twitter!
The Delta Blues Community is now on Twitter!
The 2009 trip to Clarksdale and memphis will now be tweeted – thanks go out to those who insisted we tweet our adventure. For the record, updates to the Twitter account can also be seen in the right hand column of this site – it will show our last three updates.
Feel free to follow, or do whatever it is Twitter does – and if you request it, we will follow you too.
Enjoy!
21
The 2009 Blues Trip Was a Success!
The 2009 Trip was a success. We saw a lot on the trip this year, and only managed to not find 1 or 2 intended places.
A summary will be posted here soon. To read the tweets associated with the trip, follow the link below.
Look for the summary and pictures – coming soon!
17
2009 Blues Trip Sponsors – Thank you!
Thank you Sponsors!
Our donation center for the 2009 Blues Trip is now closed. All said and done, we raised roughly $700 for this year’s trip!
You can view the names and links of those who donated by clicking on the 2009 Trip Sponsors button to the right.
The winner of the Fender Telecaster was Sandy R. Congratulations!
The trip, scheduled to get underway on September 3rd of this year, will cover Clarksdale and Memphis. After we return home, we will post a write-up of the trip as well as photos. Check back soon! And don’t forget, the trip can be followed on Twitter!
Thank you for your support!
13
Walcott, The Library of Congress, and the Delta
Tenant Farmer Home
The Library of Congress Shares its Photos from the 30′s and 40′s on Flickr
It all started in 1935 when the New Deal in the United States created the RA, or Resettlement Administration. Shortly after, this was renamed the FSA, or Farm Security Administration, and was aimed at combatting rural poverty after the great depression.
Many things, both good and bad, emerged from this effort. But one of the most interesting tales to come of out of the whole situation is its famous and highly influential photography program. Taking place from 1935 to 1944, some of the most interesting photos were taken of poor, rural America. This if course includes the Mississippi Delta.
There were many famous photographers involved, but I feel the works of Marion Post Walcott, and her vision of the Delta, to be some of the most impressive. Additional links are also provided in this post.
10
2009 Living Blues Awards
The 16th Annual Living Blues Awards Announced
Living BLues announced its 2009 Living Blues Award Winners in issue number 202, recently released.
The awards are given by critics to artists, as well as from readers to artists. Below we have listed some of the winners.
You can always subscribe to Living Blues Magazine, one of the best blues magazines currently in print, by going to their web site.
3
Dockery Farms – a Profile
Everyone has heard of it – but how much is known?
Dockery Plantation
Everyone who knows the blues has heard of Dockery. The home of such greats as Son House and Charley Patton. The place where the blues was allegedly born. We know WIllie Brown, Robert Johnson, Son House, Patton, Sloan, and others all played here to the people of Dockery.
A stop on the 2008 Blues Trip, we thought we would share a bit of the Dockery history with you, and allow you a glimpse inside life on the farm.
It is also important to know that the blues marker on this property is easy to get to, as are some public buildings, etc. But the good stuff is on private property, and requires a private tour….
