Blues Guitar News
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The oldest Underground Blues Network since 1988:  Read by 43,000 blues folks
.
By Mike Dollins - 30 Years Journalizing about Blues in the USA
Join us at: www.facebook.com/BluesGuitarNews
View our four years of
back issues above.  
Also check out; Blues
Hot Links, and Arkansas
Blues Legends.
August 2010
Dedicated to the blues.  Mother of
all blues links, and read by  blues
enthusiasts worldwide.  Since 1980,
reporting on blues and working
blues musicians.
 Check out the
tabs above to journey to more
blues than you can use.
The God Father of Los Angeles Blues, Bernie
Pearl
is gearing up for his October 2010 tour of
the South.  Check out his schedule on his links.  
Also, has some open dates to fill in for any blues
society, club, association or venue that would like
to book Mr. Pearl, a living authoritarian on
American Blues History, and a highly skilled blues
guitarist.  One of his first guitar lesson was from
Lightnin' Hopkins back in the fifties.
Email: berniepearl@hotmail.com
Phone Number:  562-426-0761
Bernie Pearl Contact Info:  www.berniepearl.com
Bernie will perform at the
Blues & Heritage
Festival in Helena,
Arkansas on Oct 8th
Blues Guitar News.  
Journalizing about Blues
and Guitars since 1985.  
Visit us on FaceBook,
and if you like what
you've seen, tell a friend
about us.  

Check out the Blues
Links, Arkansas Blues,
and network with all our
blues friends worldwide.  
www.joepitts.com
   I get lots of emails and messages
from folks all over the world.  Gigs is
a major concern these days for blues
cats.  Times has always been tough
for a blues act, in the commercial
media market place. Then add the
down-turned economy on top of
that, and pickings is slim on a good
day.  Many clubs have cut back in
favor of DJ's over bands, Many
sponsors are dropping out of festival
support, and if it wasn't for
dedicated blues groups and societies,
blues players would be a past
memory like an extinct animal from
the Paleo-Indian Period.    
  As venues dry up, and blow away,
just emphasizes the aspect of
keeping the general public educated
about the historical and artistic
aspect of blues.  A national treasure,
and American created music form
fusing European 1/2 tone scales,
with African Rhythms and
Harmonies which is actually a
music DNA building block for all
modern, and the ever evolving pop
American music.  
  For us senior citizens of the blues
in the United States, we've seen it all
evolve from the vibrant electric 40's
& 50's, to the modern Roadhouse
blues of today.   Many of the emails
I get, besides the ones soliciting for
attention of the own contribution to
the world of music, are inquiries into
blues in general.   Most often asking
who do I listen to if I am just
learning.  
  My easy reply is to listen to the
masters of the first era of electric
blues.  These are the same cats that
Eric Clapton, SRV, Bonamasa,
Derek, Beck, Peter Green etc.,
listened to.   Listen to the legends of
blues guitar, as they laid the
foundation whereas we are all
judged by today.  Grasp the
concept, and the embellish your
own slant on it.   A good place to
start is BB, Albert & Freddy King.  I
call them the three kings of blues,      
   
  Then discover Otis Rush, Wayne
Bennett, Mel Brown, Buddy Guy,
Jimmy Rogers, Lonnie Johnson,
Lowell Fulsom, Muddy Waters, Pee
Wee Crayton, T Bone Walker and
Robert Nighthawk.   Hard to find,
but try to listen to vintage Phil
Upchurch, Kenny Burrell, George
Benson, Ike Turner, Hollywood Fats,
Chris Cain and Billy Butler.   This
list will give you a lifetime of
googling for sure.  Don't take one
snap shot of any one of these
mentioned artists, as each has a
period and progression to their style
and voicings.  
  For contacts, links and
information right here at Blues
Guitar News is five years of
networking with over 43,000 visitors
this year.  Past issues, links and the
other tabs above will open doors to
thousands of blues links from all
over the world.   
  To close out this segment, I had an
extremely great month jammin'
with some outrageously great
players in July.  From California, to
the four corners of Arkansas I was
delighted in some super sessions that
will live on in memory for my
remainder voyage in life.  Got some
great photos too.  At my age, and
the amount of years I've put into
gigging for five decades, I don't live
for gigs, as much as I live for those
special moments that are sweet and
cherished where the whole group of
jammers are rockin' out in complete
bliss and harmony.  I know some of
y'all know what I'm talking about.  
  For now, God Bless, and keep on
jamming those blues.  All the best of
everything to you and yours.
Mike mike@mikedollins.biz
Hey Y'all,, I
hope this finds
everyone
happy, healthy
and  with plenty
of gigs on the
books for this
year.  
This is our annual "Sharing the Hog" feature,
where we list folks and blues entities that have
side-stepped the popular narcissistic music culture
mind-set, and don't mind shouting out about
others.  Just a wall of honor for such good folks
that generate, promote and pass the good word
along to each and all.  Keep the faith bro.
Mouse click their photos to visit
their web sites.  Take a tour.
Electric "Liz Lottmann" Video
The above photos we call:
Guitar Porn
You got to be a guitar player to understand it.
For all my existing readers, thanks for getting this far
down the line in this monthly edition of Blues Guitar
News. For you new readers, thanks for dropping by,
and come on back soon and often.  Blues is alive and
well here in the Arkansas Delta.  I know some of you
are really enthusiastic about blues, love to network,
share the hog and shout out about others.  The
number one Blues Shouter in the United States, and
elder statesman of blues harp is Chet Cannon.  For
those that know Chet, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout.
  Check out his link "Good Blues Update," and tell him
his old jammin' buddy Mike Dollins sent ya'.   - - - >
From the Arkansas Delta USA
In Arkansas, we have
Nightflying
Entertainment Guide,
wheres the music
journal of Peter Read is
periodically dispersed to
the four corners of the
blues delta land.  
Although, all music
venues and styles are
listed,
BLUES is not a
third rate citizen, but
flourishes with the best
of them all cause Peter
makes sure our
homeland blues heroes
are always included.
Thanks Peter!
Arkansas Delta Music
Welcome y'all, to Arkansas Delta Music Network.  Dedicated to music found on,
near and around the Arkansas and Mississippi River and Blues Highway 49.  
Mouse click any photo or graphic, to visit the corresponding music site.  
Contact email
:  arkansasdeltamusic@bluesguitarnews.com
Blues Guitar News on FaceBook:
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=
162051924572
www.bluesguitarnews.com
The Blues Jam
By Mike Dollins
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Welcome to the Cruize Brothers.   A legendary band that started back in the 70's in San Diego, California,
and has lasted over 40 years in one form or another.   I've been really blessed to have played with some
really talented, and great musicians over my half a century of playing blues guitar.   The Cruize Brothers are
now based out of Arkansas.    Please visit some of our many friends worldwide.  Most photos and graphics are
"hot shoe" mouse over ready to click, and visit their web sites or FaceBook pages.   We updated this on
August 14th, with photos and MP3's from the KABF 88.3 FM radio music fest at Parrot Beach Cafe, in North
Little Rock, Arkansas.   From along the banks of the Arkansas River, check out our renderings of Arkansas
Delta style of R&B.   Thank you
mike@mikedollins.biz                           (Photos and MP3's by Rhonda Pitts)
KABF 88.3 FM Music Fest, August 13th.  
Cruize Brothers:  Joe Pitts - Guitar & Vocal, Guido Ciardetti - Bass &
Vocal,
Charlie Whitney - Drums and Mike Dollins - Guitar & Vocal.   
Special Guests on Stormy Monday:  
Charlotte Taylor & Ed Bowman.

Thank you to the KABF Team for allowing us to close out the show, as we
had one great evening of jammin' some blues.  You can bring the Cruize
Brothers Blues Jam to your town, for booking info:  
cruizebrother@mikedollins.biz
Crosscut Saw
Born Under A Bad Sign
Been Down So Long
One Way Out
Woman Down In Texas
Messin' With The Kid
Stormy Monday Blues
Recorded "Live" at the
Parrot Beach Café,
North Little Rock, Arkansas
August 13th, 2010
Cruize Brothers Wall of Fame
Some of the Cruize Brothers' gigs and festivals over the decades.
You know I spend most of my time blues spamming on FaceBook now.   
I’ve met tens of thousands of folks from all over the world that love the
blues.  FaceBook is a lot better than MySpace in my humble opinion
now.  MySpace is basically so slow and sluggish, you could cook
breakfast before a page boots up.  Then when you get the MySpace
page up, it is full of commercial ads and narcissistic people begging you
to look at their video, to listen to their CD or visit their web site.   Hey,
we all like our mug in the spotlight from time to time, but due to the
graphic nature of MySpace everyone tries to look bigger than life, but
most of the time they are out running their coverage on whom they are,
or the gigs they got.  Hey it’s the music business, and everyday a new
music expert critic is born, and oh my gosh I’ve met my fair share of self-
appointed music authoritarians.    I try to keep focused on Blues, but
the rockers and pop-country folks always seem to infiltrate over here in
blues-land.   All you can do is patronize them, and move on.  I often feel
that because I am a senior picker lost in the blues, ignorant to what is
happening, the young ones are trying to enlighten me to higher
ground.   Most of the time, I try to be as friendly as I can, and drift back
into the blues I’ve been lost into for over five decades.      

This brings me to the fact that I’ve met so many great blues fans
worldwide on FaceBook.  The dialog exchange with other blues
musicians is just great.  I’ve blues spammed so much on FaceBook, I’ve
had warnings from them saying they were going to shut my site down.  
Ha.   99.9% of the blues minded folks I meet, are just great people that
love the blues.  We share and share a like our blues experience.   
Good stuff here.  I was spamming the current edition of Blues Guitar
News, and got a message from one of those self anointed blues
experts.  I was basically told that he erased my message, and
comment.  He didn’t believe I was “real genuine blues” and he would
have to further scrutinize my web site making judgment on my blues
worthiness.  I know, it was real anal stuff he was dishing out, and I tried
running my 50 years of blues credits down to him in vein.  He
countered, that he had a bigger, longer and better blues expertise.  I
could see I was going nowhere quick with this guy.  At the same time I
was dealing with this self appointed blues authoritarian, I had received a
message from Bruce Igluaer of Alligator Records, telling me hello on
FaceBook, and saying he saw I was still at it; meaning banging away
shouting to the world about blues.  Simultaneously I was recognized by
a genuine blues expert, but scrutinized by an amateur part timer.   Hey,
another day in the life of a blues journalist.   All you can do in those
situations is just pack your bags, and move on down the line.   At least
Bruce knew who I was, and my blues history.  

I started thinking about the comment, “Real, genuine blues.”  If you
were to ask a hundred folks to define blues, you would get A to Z
answers, and none two just alike.   I surely wouldn’t ask a highly
educated rich Anglo carpetbagger that has never been within a 500
mile radius of the Blues Epic Center of the earth, which is the stretch of
Highway 49, from the crossroads at Clarksdale, across the Mississippi
River, and over into the birth of blues radio in Helena, Arkansas.    I
also wouldn’t ask anyone that has never attended a Baptist church,
clapped to Gospel music, sat on the banks of the Mississippi River
catching catfish, or had a plate full of Black Eyed Peas, Turnip Greens
with Pepper Sauce, Fried Okra, Cornbread, A Big Green Onion, Ham
Hocks, Fried Catfish and BBQ Fat Back.  Doing a little farm work in
between wouldn’t hurt either.  Many folks don’t realize that half of the
Mississippi River belongs to Arkansas.  I had a dear friend that was
going to play a blues festival last year, and was criticized that his blues
was “too” rock oriented.  There were questions whether his blues was
authentic enough for their festival.  My friend and me talked about that
for a long time.   Most folks that make these types of absurd comments
from their personal observations, and furthermore castigate about
aspects of blues music most definitely are not blues musicians.  They
are called “Blues Snobs.” I’ve read the mission statements of too many
blues societies, and know the slant too many folk embrace.  A mission
statement is to keep you focused on what you are doing.  Fortunately, I
never needed a statement, as I was on a mission with my natural love
for the blues.  If Robert Johnson were alive today, he would be playing
a Fender Strat with Texas Specials, out of a Mesa Boogie Amp.  If Jimi
Hendrix lived in Robert Johnson’s time, he would have had to settle on
an acoustic Gibson.   Time and place, have a lot to do with the out
come.   

Muddy Waters started out in Mississippi on the same type of acoustic
guitars Robert Johnson wanged on.  In the late forties, Muddy went to
arch-top Kay and Silvertone electric guitars.  (See his Newport album
cover) Then in the late fifties he switched over to, and spent the rest of
his life on a red Fender Telecaster.  Mr. Morganfield (Muddy)
http://en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Muddy_Waters, brought the blues out of the fields,
into the city and electrified it.  He also coined the phrase, “The Blues
Had A Baby and They Named It Rock & Roll.”    One of the greatest
living blues historians, Bernie Pearl, The God Father of Los Angeles
Blues, and I have talked a few times on the history of “real” blues;
where it came from, and where it is going.  Also, where is the line
between Blues & Rock.    We don’t have the time or space to dive into
the complete history of blues, but most of what you find written was not
penned by working blues musicians, but rather by scholars of some
sorts giving their interpretation and history view of blues.
 http://en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues Listen to the immortal Mr. Fats Waller  http://en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Waller, and tell me he wasn’t playing blues.  
Listen to Fats Domino and tell me he wasn’t playing blues.   Listen to
Hank Williams, and tell me he wasn’t playing blues.  
http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Hank_Williams   As I was drafting this article, I saw Bill Wyman’s
Blues Odyssey on television.  Many of the points and aspects of this
article were mentioned in the program.  They also talked about the
“Line in the sand,” pointing out, the line keeps moving out.   The show
was basically tracing Bill’s blues history from around 1952, up to the
present.  Most of all that I saw and heard on the history of the blues, I
was aware of due to my Delta family roots, and own blues history as a
musician.  A very enlightening show, so try to catch it if you can.  The
BB King interview is worth the time.

I just discovered my good friend Greg Martin of the Kentucky
Headhunter’s CD “Big Boss Man.”  
www.kentuckyheadhunters.com  It is
80% blues tunes, but “get down” the Kentucky Headhunter way.  It is
their interpretation. Valid, cool and right on. Just like Ray Charles
interpreting Country & Western songs, and making them as blue as
blue can be.  Ray could hear the blues in Country Swing. (Cow Jazz)  If
you can’t feel the music, and it has drifted too far away from a I, V, IV
format of some sort, then it may not necessarily be blues.   For a stark
contrast listen to some Lead Belly
http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Lead_Belly sing and play his 12 string guitar blues like “Take
This Hammer,” then put on Miles Davis' “All Blues.”   Interpretation is for
the genius of the artist.  You may like your Chicago shuffles, with a
Mississippi Sax honking away, or SRV jamming his socks off, but those
aren’t the only pockets that blues reside in.   I do not like pigeon holing
the blues. I speak for musicians, as I am one.   We all have taken bits
and pieces from our elders, and all those that preceded us – those
innovators, and creators of the American phenomenon known as
Blues.   It is not for a commercial market, nor a hyper hip media venue
to determine what musicians are playing is real blues or not.  We are
musicians first, and bluesmen second.  Blues is our palette like other
media artists work in charcoal, clays and oils.    Nuf said on that.   

It is difficult for me to relate to anyone in music, except blues musicians.  
I skim the surface, and babble blah-blah in general, as others talk about
music and guitars.   I am so lost in guitar blues la-la land, I don’t even
own or listen to non-blues music.  I’ve been hung up on Albert King and
Otis Rush, with a dash of Chris Cain most of the times these days.  I’ve
got a lot of blues loaded in my MP3 player, and on the road that’s all I
hear.   The brotherhood of lugging PA speakers, amps and gear into a
club setting up, trying to keep a crowd into the blues and then packing
everything back in the van at 1:00 AM is like moving your living room
furniture four times every night.   All that, not to mention the long road
back home.   You are putting your best shot out every night, and then
you get the cold shot from someone in the crowd yelling, “Play Mustang
Sally.”   

Being self taught sitting on the back porch picking away trying to
emulate what I heard as a kid, I eventually bought some Mel Bay books,
studied and learned to read music.  When in college, my minor was
music, and did receive classical training.  I taught guitar for many years,
and even wrote a couple of guitar instruction books.  I am not a snob
toward other musical styles.  I just figured out early in life what I liked to
hear, and play.  I’ve dabbled with every aspect of music you could
possibly imagine, played in church and gospel groups too.  I did the pop
music as a kid in high school, then cover bands as a young adult, the
California coffee houses, and the beach clubs all up and down the West
Coast.  The toughest aspect of trying to play blues as a white kid on the
West Coast back in the 60’s, was everyone else wanted to play top pop
rock.   Trying to get guys to play blues back then was like asking them
to get deep gum cleaning without anesthetic.   Then telling club owners
you were a rock cover band, to get gigs.  We always picked up a few
pop cover tunes to keep the club owner happy, and then played the top
ten club songs like “Mustang Sally” “Sunshine of Your Love” “Sweet
Home Alabama” “Proud Mary,” etc., you know.   It was all just a cover, to
play the blues.   Most club owners didn’t mind, as long as you could
keep a crowd.  That was your job.

I know many of the musicians that may drift on down this article, and
grasp what I’m talking about, know exactly what I am trying to express.   
Too many blues snobs are taking a snap shot in time, where we are
now, and don’t have a clue to the road less traveled by working street
level blues musicians.   It isn’t the blues societies, record companies,
producers, agents and publicists that have perpetuated the blues to the
degree we have in the world today.  Oh sure, they have helped spread
the word, and work their hearts out in a labor of love currently, but there
was no one there in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s when blues guitar player
was a dirty word, and we were discriminated against for being such.   
Although more widely accepted today in our times, blues is not, nor will
it ever be a mainstream music.   A bubble that drifts along, and difficult
to find in most cities around the world.   Just go to Wal Mart, and see
how much “blues” is stocked in the CD section.   You can find more
foreign artists than you can blues or jazz.   If you want to “Make It,” in
music, then play country-rock or pop rock.  The massive distribution is
there to support top pop music, not the blues.

If you disagree with me, then you need to buy a guitar, learn to play it.  
Then practice to where you can host a four-hour blues jam session.  
After that put a band together, book gigs and do it for at least ten
years.  Once you’ve done this, come back and let’s talk about it.   Not to
be a real anal jerk here, but I’ve had this conversation only with long
term working blues guitar players, as no others understand, know what
we are talking about, or care about what we’ve gone through over a
long period of time - decades.    I can talk to another picker for thirty
seconds, and just know if he is in the brotherhood or not.   The modern
blues guitar playing is an attitude, more than a style.  The current
status of blues guitar is defined by generations of pickers on Gibson
and Fender guitars, out of Fender Tube Amps, and playing in every
conceivable joint you can imagine.  We have heard everything that BB,
Albert and Freddy King ever recorded, and know most of their songs by
heart.   This is not learned from books, record liner notes or out of
magazines.  This road has to be traveled, and learned first hand.   You
got to play the game, to understand full contact of the sport.

Love y’all lots, and God bless.  
From the Arkansas Delta,
Mike Dollins  
mike@mikedollins.biz  Main Site www.mikedollins.biz
Arkansas Blues
By Mike Dollins mike@mikedollins.biz

The Mississippi River is the state line between Arkansas and
Mississippi.   The infamous Blues Highway 49 crosses the Mississippi
River, and winds up in the historic blues city of Helena, Arkansas
home to King Biscuit Floor Power Blues KFFA Radio, and the King
Biscuit Blues Festival.  They can’t call it the King Biscuit Blues
Festival anymore, as some New Jersey carpetbaggers legally stole
the name wanting thousands of dollars for usage.  The kind folks in
Helena, AR had to start calling the festival the Blues & Heritage
Festival.  I know, sounds like real Nazi crap, but that is the way the
laws are written apparently.   The reason Arkansas didn’t get on the
blues map back in the turn of the 20th century, is the Smithsonian
Institute in their quest to record American Folk Music starting in 1902,
headed down the Application trail, wound up in Tennessee and then
on down Mississippi to New Orleans.  They never crossed the
Mississippi River, heading westward, and thus Kansas City Blues, St.
Louis Blues, Los Angeles Blues, Oakland Bay Blues, San Francisco
Blues, Seattle Blues and Arkansas Blues didn’t make the grade.  
From there anyone trying to make a buck on blues starts at
Clarksdale, stops in Memphis, and winds up in Chicago.  You can get
that info on any album liner notes, or blues mag.  Don’t get me
started, and enough said for the moment.  Today, I am focusing on
Arkansas Blues – You know, the west side of the Mississippi River
Valley and Delta.  The Arkansas River joins the Mississippi River, just
South of Helena, Arkansas and Blues Highway 49, a little ways
Southwest from Clarksdale, Mississippi.  Welcome to Arkansas Delta
Blues:  Keep on jammin’ them blues, it’s music to my ears.  

Arkansas Blues Legends:
www.bluesguitarnews.com/ArkansasLegends

Blues Guitar News: www.bluesguitarnews.com
Blues Guitar News Ning:  http://bluesguitarnews.ning.com (Interactive)
Blues Guitar News FaceBook:
www.facebook.com/home.php?#!
/pages/Blues-Guitar-News/130791946935789?ref=mf


Arkansas River Blues Society www.facebook.com/home.php?#!
/profile.php?id=100001082993923&ref=ts
Become a Member of the ARBS: a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization.
Arkansas River Blues Society Membership: $10 for single or $15 for
family. Send check to Arkansas River Blues Society to P.O. Box 128,
Alexander, AR 72002 Barbara "Babs" Bearden - President, Deb
Moser - Vice President, Therese Free - Treasurer, Bonnie Parker -
Secretary, Leadra Orr, Jeff Weeden, David Bogard, Mike Dollins –
Board.  Contact Babs:  
Bearden599@aol.com

Ozark Blues Society www.ozarkbluessociety.org

Ft. Smith Arkansas Blues:  www.riverfrontbluesfest.org

Arkansas Blues & Heritage:  www.bluesandheritagefest.com/sbbs
Arkansas Delta Cultural Center:  www.deltaculturalcenter.
com/education_programs

Spa City Blues Society: www.spacityblues.org

Arkansas Blues History:  www.encyclopediaofarkansas.
net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=599

Arkansas Blues on WikipediA:  http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Arkansas_Delta

Arkansas Musicians in the Blues Hall of Fame:  
www.blueshalloffame.
com/Local_Blues_Talent/Local_Blues_Talent_of_Arkansas.html

Arkansas Blues Radio:  www.kabf.org - www.kffa.com - www.kasu.
org - www.kuaf.org

Arkansas Delta Boogie: www.deltaboogie.com

Arkansas Blues DJ’s:  Queen of Arkansas Blues DJ’s Deb’s,
Blues House Party
:  http://www.facebook.com/search/?
post_form_id=bdfb03ea4bf896719df7c38fe714f8e1&q=kabf&init=quic
k&ref=search_loaded#!/profile.php?
id=100000656863994&v=info&ref=search

Paul Kelso on KAUF:  
http://www.facebook.com/search/?
post_form_id=bdfb03ea4bf896719df7c38fe714f8e1&q=kabf&init=quic
k&ref=search_loaded#!/profile.php?
id=560134626&v=info&ref=search


                                       
Arkansas Blues Highway 49

Blues Highway 49 begins at Gulfport, Mississippi, which is 20 miles
W/O Alabama, 20 miles E/O of Louisiana, and about 50 miles from
New Orleans.  Gulfport, Mississippi is a true delta city, which is on the
Gulf of Mexico, in the most southern part of the United States.   For
those of you that have never had a plate full of Turnip Greens, Black
Eyed Peas and Cornbread, here we go:  Traveling north, the first big
town is Hattiesburg, MS, but north of that is Mississippi’s main major
city; Jackson, Mississippi home to some of the worlds best, and most
famous Gospel groups, and Gospel and blues radio programming
too.   North of Jackson, is Yazoo City, a much worn out blues word.  
Highway 49 splits at Yazoo with 49w heading northwest, and 49
northward.   

They join again at the crossroads of Hwy 49 and Hwy 3 in the middle
of nothing but cotton fields as far as you can see.  The
closet small towns are Rome and Dublin miles away.   After passing
the crossroads, you will enter Clarksdale, Mississippi, which lays
claim to be the epic-center for blues worldwide.  So be it.   Leaving
Clarksdale you are on joint Highway 49 and 61, and they split in ten
miles with the closest little berg being Rich, Mississippi.   Highway 61
continues north, crosses the Mississippi State line into, Memphis,
Tennessee.  I was in one of the worst thunderstorms of my life on this
stretch of highway back in 1996.    Highway 49 turns west and
crosses the Mississippi River, into Helena, Arkansas.   This is home
to the King Biscuit; KFFA historic Sonny Boy Williamson blues radio
show.   We are still in fertile cotton, and farming country.  We didn’t
really call it delta when I was a kid, but referred to it as bottomland or
river bottom.    Traveling north, you pass West Memphis, Arkansas
by about 20 miles, and head into Jonesboro, Arkansas.   My daddy
was born in house along side Highway 49 back in 1913, and he was
raised on a cotton farm between Jonesboro, and Paragould,
Arkansas.   

From here if you stay north on 49, you will cross Arkansas into
Missouri around Moark, Arkansas.  49 and 67 are joint highways in
Missouri for a few miles.  49 will branch off around Williamsville,
Missouri, and Highway 49 will continue to the north, and finally end at
the historic Route 66 in Cuba, Missouri, which is now Interstate 44.    
Highway 67 continues northeast and eventually joins Interstate 55,
just south of St. Louis, Missouri, which is some odd 200 plus miles
southwest, away from Chicago.  For those of you that got some
interest out of America’s Blues Highways, there is a MapQuest
Reference below for you.   America’s music Highways are Route 66,
Highway 49 & 61.  Although the Interstate system has fragmented the
old Highway system, many parts of these old blues roads are still
there, where Southern and Union Pacific Railroads crisscross them
continuously.  I’ll talk about blues trains in a future article.  Now you
know the rest of the story about blues highways in America.

MAPQUEST: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?
formtype=address&country=US&city=West+Helena&state=AR

Wikipedia, encyclopedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.
_Highway_49
Blues Radio
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