Monday, March 17, 2008

Three Small Museums

Stopped at three VERY small museums in small Mississippi towns.

The first was the Delta Blues Museum in Clarkesdale. It had the main part of the house the Muddy Waters grew up in--the one room log house. Some great information and art from Pat "Son" Thomas. He had a distinctive style with small clay sculptures. Their store doesn't have a CD of Thomas Highway 61 Blues LP. They are not sure if it was re-released on CD.

LeLand Ms.: Two museums.
Didn't know that Jim Henson was grew up in LeLand. Talked to the woman at the small museum (main room is probably about 20 feet square, two smaller rooms are about 10 feet square--one is the gift shop.) She is really enthusiastic. They have two displays of original Muppets. One of Kermit playing a banjo. Both are on loan from the Smithsonian. One of the smaller rooms is a collection of Muppet stuff--toys, books, clothes. Found out that Henson's friend in high school was named Kermit.

The Highway 61 blues museum is even smaller than the Delta Blues museum in Clarksdale. But the son of James "Son" Thomas walks in (Pat Thomas). I'm the only person in the museum except for the one staff person. He asks if I have a camera and he starts playing 61 Highway Blues. Wow. He says his dad's Highway 61 Blues is available on CD but they don't have it.

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