The Delta Blues Museum has a large
collection of artifacts, including musical instruments,
recordings, sheet music, posters, photographs, costumes,
folk art, paintings, and other memorabilia. Among the
highlights:
 This display features
the core of the former Morganfield home, once located
on Stovall Farms, just outside Clarksdale. The original
home had several additional rooms but the dwelling
had fallen into disrepair until this central part
was saved by the House of Blues foundation and donated
to the museum in 2001.
Inside, a life-size (and eerily lifelike) statue of Waters,
dressed in his trademark sharp suit and holding a ‘50s
vintage electric guitar, sits, exuding its own brand of “mojo”.
Plaques with information about Water’s life and music are
fixed to the cabin’s walls; excerpts from the A&E biography
of Waters play on a monitor inside. A “Muddywood” guitar,
made from salvaged wood from the cabin, courtesy of Billy Gibbons
of ZZ Top.
Another Clarksdale native and blues legend, the “Boogie
Man” created his singular sound on these guitars.
The current “King of the Blues” has had
many “Lucilles”, his name for his trademark
guitar – this is one of them.
A classic example of the traveling country bluesman,
Williams played this customized, nine-string version
of the instrument.
A display case is devoted to the life and career of
the pioneering blues singer, the vocalist on the original
versions of “Hound Dog” and “Ball
and Chain”.
The piano, shoes, harmonica (signed) and other memorabilia
of the harp master, longtime compadre of John Lee
Hooker and Chicago blues scene veteran, are on display.
This contemporary Delta musician, one of the many
who settled in Chicago, is represented by one of his
earliest guitars.
His much-used electric guitar and several ghoulish
folk art sculptures (“Woman in Coffin”,
a skull) display this artist’s dual interests.
Early Stella guitars (made in New Jersey by the Oscar
Schmidt Company) were favored by classic Delta blues
musicians like Charley Patton, Willie Brown, Skip
James and a host of others.
The original sign from one of the reputed stores/juke
joints where Robert Johnson was allegedly poisoned
at his last gig.
This sign is from the store and train stop on old
Highway 61 in Tunica County where Alan Lomax recorded
Son House for the Library of Congress in 1941.
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