Southern Belle Magazine Digital #02 August 2013 | Page 6

T he M i s s i s s i ppi Bl ues Trai l
The South, and certainly the State of Mississippi, has a deep and rich heritage with “The Blues.” Some say that the Genesis of The Blues was in Mississippi. Who can argue with the state that is home to W.C. Handy, B.B. King, Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Elmore James, Albert King, and even Elvis Presley? But dig deeper and you start to uncover gems such as Pinetop Perkins, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, Sonny Boy Williamson, and J.B. Lenoir, and so many more! The trail reads like a who's-who in "The Blues" musical genre.

to Finally Call Home

For the true blues aficionado, as well as just the curious back roads traveler, Mississippi has provided a fun way for exploring these musical roots. Blending respect for history and a spirit of exploration with the technological treats of our age, The Mississippi Blues Trail is the center of your adventure. The origins of the Trail started in the early 2000’s and gained momentum when the US Congress declared 2003 as “The Year of The Blues.” Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove followed suit and funding for the project was gained via the Governor’s Blues Commission in 2004. The Mississippi Blues Trail is not a marked-off route to travel strictly, but rather it is a compilation of significant sites in the State of Mississippi, as well as a few outside of the state lines, that are part of the birth and growth of the Blues genre of music. To date there are over 170 markers defining the trail stretching from the southern coastal regions to the northern hills and from the Delta region in the West to the pines of eastern Mississippi. There are quaint shops, restaurants and old homesteads that add a certain feeling of nostalgia and romance to the Mississippi trails. One can’t help but to think about the lives lived and music played along these routes. Music seems to be dancing in the air, spanning the gap between modern day and days gone-by. There are many ways to explore the Trail, from a quick day trip to an extended vacation possibly in conjunction with one of the many music festivals throughout the year. The easiest way to get your road trip started is to visit The Mississippi Blues Trail web site (http://msbluestrail.org/) and explore your options. You can always request a map of the trail that you can use to study the many opportunities to explore. Or while on the site look for the smart phone app available for both the Android and iOS. The app not only includes a complete and vetted history of the Mississippi blues, but is also a great tool for building your trip itinerary via the location-aware map of all of the Blues Trail sites.

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