Must-see places on the Mississippi Blues Trail

The best things to see along the Blues Trail are proof that Mississippi is the heart and home of blues music. Music lovers from across the world come to visit the places where many of the genre’s most iconic musicians were born, and where they created the songs and music the world still loves to this day. Following in the footsteps of Mississippian greats such as Muddy Waters and B.B. King doesn’t just reveal where they got their inspiration, but also provides a historical context for where the blues came from—and its involvement with the civil rights movement and African American social history in the USA. 

Music is woven into Mississippian history and culture, and the iconic blue signs—each offering insights into important landmarks in the blues universe—are evidence of that. Read on to discover the must-visit markers on any blues-lover’s wish-list.

01

Robert Johnson Blues Foundation

Where the legend was born

Known as “the King of the Delta Blues” after his meteoric rise to fame, Robert Johnson is enshrined in history as a blues legend. His music is beloved by people all over the world, and his story starts in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, where he was born, and the nearby town of Crystal Springs. The Blues Trail takes you through both.

Johnson was quite the traveler in his lifetime, but Hazlehurst is where it all began. The blue plaque commemorating his birth stands by the railway station which itself houses a small, free museum about the musical history of Mississippi. From Hazlehurst, journey up the U.S. 51 to find the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation. Fittingly, the Foundation is located at a crossroads, summoning up the title of Johnson’s classic song, Crossroad, and the mystery surrounding his talent.

Robert Johnson’s life was cut short at just 27 years of age, but his impact on the Delta blues and the musical genres that developed from it cannot be undersold. World-famous musical acts credit him as an icon and inspiration. Much like his tragically short career, the Robert Jordan Blues Foundation is small but excellent. The Wall of Fame is hung with guitars and photos of famous blues artists, telling a story of their music evolution, and how their upbringing in Mississippi shaped it.

You can also read the messages left on the tributes wall to see the legacy that Robert Johnson left behind. The heartfelt words connect blues fans from across the world.

02

Hal & Mal’s 

Great music, great food and thriving blues in Jackson

Up the scenic, tree-lined Highway 51, the blues scene of Mississippi is well and truly evident in Jackson, and Hal & Mal’s restaurant is testament to that. In 2020 this local institution with its classic red-brick façade received a “Keeping the Blues Alive” award from the nationally renowned Blues Foundation. Hal & Mal’s boasts a packed schedule of events including live music, trivia, karaoke, and more—often at the same time.

Hal & Mal’s burst onto the scene in the mid-1980s and their inaugural event was a live performance by Albert King, one of the greats of the Delta blues scene. With the Velvet Bulldozer as their opening act, it’s no surprise that the venue made a name for itself. These days, they continue to host blues artists and other musicians celebrating the evolution of the genre they love and its continued relevance and vibrancy in the modern world.

As for the food, Hal & Mal’s has that in abundance. As well as lunch and dinner menus packed with Mississippi staples like catfish, gumbo, BBQ, and grits, they also have a weekend brunch menu that locals rave about. The biscuits are incredibly popular, and you’ll want to leave space for a slice of locally made pie.

While in Jackson, visitors have the option to visit several excellent museums right by Hal & Mal’s. Given the deep connection between the history of the blues and that of African Americans in Mississippi and the wider U.S., the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum is a stop that ties in well with a lot of the stories and events that occurred across the Blues Trail.

03

Muddy Waters Birthplace, Rolling Fork

The humble beginnings of a musical genius

Head west out of Jackson, then north up Highway 61,through Valley Park and Onward, to reach the birthplace of one of the most famous blues guitarists of all time. McKinley Morganfield was born in Rolling Fork and would eventually become known worldwide as Muddy Waters, the blues singer and guitarist who brought the world iconic songs such as I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, and Rollin’ Stone, the latter of which is understood to be the inspiration behind the famous band and magazine of the same name.

Muddy Waters’ music is undoubtedly a cornerstone of the genre, and it’s clear his influence expands well beyond the blues. Making a stop at the Trail’s blue marker sign in Rolling Fork, displayed adjacent to the country courthouse, isa great way to remember, and pay tribute to this powerful force in musical history.

04

B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center

A journey to discover why B. B. King sang the blues

It would be impossible to talk about the blues, let alone the blues in Mississippi, without talking about the phenomenon that was B.B. King. Blues fans come in pilgrimage to Indianola to visit the B.B. King Museum and his grave and memorial that lies within. The story of Riley B. King, who would later become B.B. King, nicknamed “the King of the Blues”, is showcased in this museum, with artifacts ranging from his early life as a sharecropper in the delta to his final decades where, despite health challenges, he continued to perform until his death aged 89.

The exhibits take visitors back in time with exhibits that show not just B.B. King’s life, but also the social and historical context of those periods, and how they’re intrinsically tied to his music. From the poverty of the Mississippi Delta in the ’30s to the civil rights era of the ’60s, it’s a fascinating look at how music and society are connected, revealing the hidden layers in familiar songs.

05

GRAMMY Museum Mississippi & the Delta Blues Museum

Glimpses into the world of the blues and the music and artists it inspired

Following the course of the great Mississippi River northwards, the Blues Trail leads on to Clarksdale, home to the Delta Blues Museum. Established in 1979, this is the oldest music museum in Mississippi and hosts temporary and permanent exhibits including rare photographs of famous musicians.

The “Blues Portraits in Steel” exhibit features the big names in blues immortalized in metal busts, bringing familiar faces from the photographs into 3D.Among other permanent exhibits is a collection of instruments that once belonged to musical icons such as John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, and Big Mama Thornton. There’s also an entire exhibit dedicated to Muddy Waters, featuring part of the cabin in which he lived.

Further north, in Cleveland, another of B.B. King’s guitars found a home in the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. While this music-themed institution doesn’t focus solely on the blues, the legacy of the genre is such that many modern genres owe their existence to it, from classic rock and roll to the modern phenomenon of Taylor Swift.

06

Hollywood Café on Highway 61

A small café with a huge musical legacy on the Blues Highway

Any blues road trip would be incomplete without traveling on Highway 61, also known as the Blues Highway. This road has featured in so many blues songs that it even has its own plaque in Tunica, a small town located along the route, and home to the Hollywood Café. 

With the charm of an old-school American diner, this is a great stop during a road trip. Its location on the highway meant that not only did many of the traveling blues players of history pass through on their journeys, but many also played here. If you’re familiar with the lyrics to Marc Cohn’s Walking in Memphis, you might be surprised to hear that the “Muriel” he referred to is Muriel Wilkins, an influential blues pianist who regularly performed on the piano in the Hollywood Café. 

The original building burnt down in the ’80s, but the café was revived and lives on to this day, serving up barbecue ribs, catfish platters, and pecan pie. From the Hollywood Café, Highway 61 takes you north to the Gateway to the Blues Museum, which is small but packed with information and artifacts about the state’s renowned musicians.

07

Elvis Presley’s Birthplace, Tupelo

The birthplace of The King, where he first heard the blues

It’s difficult to talk about the blues without talking about rock and roll, and it’s difficult to talk about rock and roll without mentioning another king: Elvis Presley himself. The Mississippi town of Tupelo claims “The King of Rock and Roll” as one of their own. You can visit the display house which sits on the property where Elvis was born on the aptly named Elvis Presley Drive. Over the years, furniture has been sourced to set up the little house similarly to how it might have appeared during Elvis’s childhood, so stepping through the door feels like stepping back in time.

The museum does not just encompass the house itself, but a large park and several other buildings including exhibits about Elvis’s life. In the park, you’ll find statues depicting him as a child and the star he would become. Within the museum, anecdotes and artifacts illustrate the story of his life. 

Tupelo could be the beginning or end point of the Blues Trail, depending on where you choose to begin. If you’re planning to take this iconic road trip, get started by renting a Mississippi car—one preferably with a great sound system to blast some blues along the way.