In the spring of 2000 (May 3-7) I took a 5 day trip through the Mississippi Delta. Accompanied by my 19 year old son Regan, we visited the real birth place of the that unique American art form called The Blues. Seeped in the musty bayous and fertilized in black Mississippi mud the blues sprang forth from the hearts and souls of the rural southern Negro. Scattered like seed across the delta the blues evolved from a mixture of Gospel, old time field hollering and raunchy Jook joint music. From this place and these people it began it's spread to Lousianna, Texas, Tennese and ever outward extending it's reach to Chicago and ultimatly the whole world. Rock-n-Roll and Jazz both owe their birthrights to the original bluesmen that once wandered these back woods and worked on it's plantations.  For me the most memorable moments were spent reflecting at the grave sides of the pioneers like Sonny Boy Williamson II, Mississippi John Hurt and of course Robert Johnson. If you ever make a visit to the real Home of the Blues be sure to stop by the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale MS. They have a beautiful display that takes the visitor from the beginnings of the music up through today's Mississippi born blues masters like BB King, John Lee Hooker & Buddy Guy. Regan and I both want to express our thanks to Billy Gibons & ZZ-TOP for their financial support in making this museum available to the public, you da' man Billy! Just in case you're wondering about where exactly are the "crossroads" all I can tell you I don't think it's in Clarksdale at the junction of Hiway 61 and 49, You want to go stand in the crossroads then find out   "where the Southern crosses the Dog" and you'll be real close. :)

HINT: Pick up a copy of the "Delta Blues Map Kit" at the museum in Clarksdale as soon as you get in town. It contains detailed maps and historical notes about the region, a must have item if you don't want to spend weeks digging for the exact location of grave sites, old jook joints and other landmarks.

Sonny Boy Williamson head stone	hand made historical marker in Tutwiler MS	Mississippi bayou
Mississippi bayou	JJ place, 107 year old road house	Payne Baptist Church Cemetery (where Honey Boy Edwards says Robert Johnson is buried)
Regan & RJ	Jack & RJ	RJ Head Stone
Old house near Quito MS	The Tutwiler Wall Murals	W.C. Handy listening to the blues
It's still Mississippi	The story of the W.C. & the train station where he 1st. heard the blues	The Tutwiler Wall Murals
Map to Sonny Boy Williamson II (AKA Rice Miller) grave.	The Quilters of Tutwiler	Tutwiler Quilt
Side trip to Memphis In May & the Beale St. Music Festival	Carl Weathersby	The Blues Babes of Texas