with their blend of country,

bluegrass and improvisational

rock and roll, and Blue

Mountain, an alternative

country/roots rock band. In

Natchez, Blue Haired Mafia

plays classic rock, country

and blues on Wednesday

and Thursday nights at

Under-the-Hill Saloon, which

offers live music most days,

including Sunday afternoons.

In Jackson, the Central

Mississippi Blues Society band

appears every Monday night

at Hal & Mal’s. Performers on

other nights might include

Soul Track Mind and blues

and nu jazz artist Rhonda

Richmond. In a 1920s filling

station on Farish Street, F.

Jones Corner offers food and

live music from local blues

favorites such as Norman Clark

& Smokestack Lightning, Virgil

Brawley and The Bailey Bros.

In Gulfport, Hattiesburg and

Ocean Springs (its original

location), The Shed Barbecue

& Blues Joint is the place to go

for live music by performers

such as Kenny Brown, Wes

Lee and Rooster Blues.

For traditional blues, head to

the Delta, to Club Ebony in

Indianola and Red’s Lounge in

Clarksdale. A couple of blocks

from Red’s, you’ll find live blues

and other music at Ground

Zero Blues Club. On Thursday

nights, a DJ spins the blues

at Po’ Monkey’s, a juke joint

near Merigold. On Saturday

nights, the Commissary at

Hopson Plantation, off U.S.

49 south of Clarksdale, offers

live country and rock.

Symphony orchestras and headline entertainers appear at state-of-the-art venues,

including the beautifully restored Grand Opera House at Meridian’s MSU Riley Center.

Recent performers include Little Big Town, the Blind Boys of Alabama and The Charlie

Daniels Band.

For plenty of world-class talent (such as Clint Black, Montgomery Gentry and Willie

Nelson), check the casino theaters, including The Arena in Pearl River Resort near

Philadelphia; Beau Rivage Theatre at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi; and, in

Tunica, Bluesville at Horseshoe Casino and the Event Center at Harrah’s.

Don’t Miss …

D April: Juke Joint Festival, Clarksdale; Crosstie Arts & Jazz Festival, Cleveland;

Cat Head Mini Blues Fest (also August

and October), Clarksdale

D May: Natchez Festival of Music; Elvis Festival, Tupelo

D June: B.B. King Homecoming, Indianola

D July: Gospel Fest Homecoming, Canton

D August: Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival, Clarksdale

D September: Mississippi Jazz & Heritage Festival, Greenville; Mississippi Delta

Blues & Heritage Festival, Greenville;

Mississippi Gulf Coast Blues & Heritage

Festival, Pascagoula

D October: Mississippi Delta Regional Blues Challenge at Club Ebony, Indianola

D November: Belhaven Singing Christmas Tree, Jackson

MSU Riley Center, Meridian 1)

Ground Zero Blues Club, Clarksdale 2 & 3)

Sparta Opry – Buddy Eaton, Sparta 4)

Hopson Plantation, Clarksdale 5)

Elvis Festival, Tupelo 6)

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