Visit The South

My Travels Researching The Blues

Eugene Powell of Greenville MS was just one of many old
blues musicians who were generous enough to teach me their music and share their stories. I hope you enjoy these adventures as much as I have.

		Jack Owens of Bentonia MS claims he was the one who taught his one time neighbor - Skip James - how to play the guitar. He also finagled me into giving him a little scotch, claiming "It's the only thing that will take away the cramps in my fingers. If I don't have some, I won't be able to play the guitar for you all."
		James 'Son' Thomas of Leland MS was a man who dug graves during the day and played blues guitar in the jooks at night.
		Bud Spires, of Flora, MS the harmonica player who accompanies Jack Owens. Hear about how the 'devil' got into his horse one day.
		Eugene Powell was one of the original recording bluesmen from the 30's. Read how this man still played one of the meanest fingerpicking blues guitar around, well into his 80's
		At age 16 RL Burnside was learning licks from his neighbor, the famous Mississippi Fred McDowell. I picked up a few pointers myself from this bluesman.
		Etta Baker of Morgantown NC has a real smooth way of fingerpicking the guitar. Known as the Piedmont style, she inspired a whole generation of blues and folk musicians. Find out why.
		When he isn't playing concerts and festivals, you can find Turner Foddrell tending to his customers at his Virginia general store; that is when he's not too busy playing his guitar for them from behind the counter.
		Parchman Farm, otherwise known as Mississippi State Penitentary is the place where many a bluesman did some time. Here's how we did our time there.
		Where else can you get a shave, haircut and listen to your barber play the blues? Or play him a game of pool in his back room? At Wade Walton's Barber Shop, that's where.
		Want to see a bluesman play a hot electric guitar in a Mississippi Juke Joint? Check out Booba Barnes in the Playboy Club
		You haven't lived until you heard Othar Turner play his cane fife at one of his famous country picnics. Heck, he even will tell you how you can make a cane fife for yourself, if you happen to live next to a riverbank.
		Dundee MS, home to the great blues drummer Sam Carr.
		Meet Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf's guitarist for over 20 years.
		Sitting in with JJ Cale, the writer of 'After Midnight' was an experience I'll never forget.
		Pictures from the recording session with Bob Margolin I recorded 3 songs with Bob Margolin at his home in North Carolina. Together with his engineer Mark Williams we wound up with some pretty hot tunes.