Music and the Mississippi Delta

Exploring the region's extraordinary influence on American music

The power of music is as vast and dynamic as the Mighty Mississippi River, fed from streams that flow from our past and rushing into a future whose course is being shaped even as we speak (or sing, or play). Nowhere is this more apparent than the Mississippi Delta, whose musical tradition is as rich and fertile as the soil itself. The blues that grew from this area has had a hand in shaping almost every aspect of American music as we know it today, from rock 'n' roll to country-western to R&B. The Mississippi Blues Trail, snaking mostly along the famous Highway 61, is a great way to explore those deep Delta roots and the ways they spring up today.

Cleveland, Mississippi, may seem like just another small town on the Trail, but it's definitely a stop to add to your itinerary, whether you're a hardcore blues fan or just interested in history, culture, and a real nice time. Cleveland is one of the many hidden treasures the land of the blues has to offer. The nearby Dockery Plantation was home to Charley Patton, often hailed as the “father of the blues.” Cleveland's historic downtown is a warm mix of quaint and quirky, with local live music and food from the heart that will make you feel right at home. And of course, there's the GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi, which pays tribute to the power of music with dozens of displays, many of them highly interactive, featuring everything from B.B. King's guitar to DIY blues songwriting opportunities.

Executive director of the GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi Emily Havens says one of her favorite parts of sharing the museum with visitors is taking them through the Mississippi Gallery, which focuses on the state's contribution to American music and spotlights artists and songwriters from the area.

“A lot of people don't realize how many GRAMMY winners and musicians in general come from here,” says Havens. “Music is all about making connections, and touring this part of the museum especially lets anybody feel a connection to Mississippi, no matter where they're from.”