We are so excited the Delta Blues Museum is 40 years old!
Not only does the Museum reflect Blues History through exhibits, events and education - we also have a full history of our own.
So, throughout the year when you happen to be in town, whether it be just a quick visit, or for local events, be sure to add
the Museum as a stop during your travels. In January, we installed a number of new exhibits - we can't wait for you to indulge your Blues!
Be sure to check our events
page for more details
and other upcoming festivals and events.
If you missed the 2018 Charitable
Contributions cut-off time, you can start planning now for
2019! The Delta Blues Museum offers numerous programs and
events, not to mention the work we do within the community.
Your support of the Museum is always greatly appreciated and
helps to keep the blues alive!
Contributions and
Memberships 
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The Delta Blues Museum will again be a proud
participant of the Blue Star Museum Program benefiting active
duty military families. This years program begins Saturday,
May 18, 2019 and continues through Monday, September 02,
2019.
Learn
More |
Check out the latest Blues souvenirs in the Museum Gift Shop or through our online
store.
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The Museum and Malaco Records have unveiled a special
summer exhibit in celebration of Malaco Music Group's
50th anniversary.
Be sure to stop by the Museum and check out this latest exhibit!
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Congratulations to T. Jones!
And a Special Thanks! to all who entered the raffle.
Delta Blues Museum is a recipient of a Public Humanities Implementation grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), awarding $460,000 in outright funds to the Museum for implementation of its
forthcoming exhibit expansion, as the Museum approaches its 40th anniversary year. The NEH award also includes funding for a two-year staff position in Public Humanities.
Museum Press Release
Don Wilcock interview young Blues
sensation Christone "Kingfish" Ingram for Blues Blast Magazine.
Read
More
A rare evening of extraordinary
music took place over the weekend at Red’s Blues Club in
Clarksdale when young guitar phenom Christon "Kingfish"
Ingram and his band were joined by...Read
More
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The Museum is hosting a new photography exhibit
"In That Land of Perfect Day" by Justin
Thibodeaux
The exhibit can be viewed in the Museum's Gallery with the book available for purchase in the Gift Shop
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On behalf of the Delta Blues Museum
Board of Directors, staff, students and volunteers, I want to
thank each of you who generously donated to help us meet our urgent
fundraising goal. Advisory
Interview between Shelley Ritter, Director of the Delta Blues Museum and Josephine Reed of the National Endowment for the Arts.
Read the Transcript
By adding your pictures and comments
to our Sunflower Chronology page you can help us celebrate 30
years of great music and fun. Learn
More
Sunflower
Chronology
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Since our
founding in 1979, the Delta Blues Museum has generously
been given donations of thousands of 78s in every conceivable
genre.
Now, with
a Preservation Grant from the Grammy Foundation, the Museum
has been able to catalog and archive the 78s that belong
in our Collection.
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We hope you enjoy our
78s Record Collection
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The Delta Blues Museum will observe
its Spring/Summer Hours and be open Monday through Saturday
9:00am to 5:00pm. Spring/Summer Hours will be in effect
through October 31, 2019.
Museum
Holiday Observances
The Delta Blues Museum will be closed
in observance of the following holidays: New Years Day, Martin
Luther King Jr Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Delta Blues Museum has been awarded
a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) for general
operating support. This grant represents the first year of a
two-year Operating Grant, made possible by continued funding
from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment
for the Arts.
Press Release
Delta Blues Museum has been awarded
a mini grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) for
continuing education to allow Museum Director Shelley Ritter to attend the Southeastern Museums Conference annual meeting in September.
Press Release
Delta Regional Authority, State, and Local Partners Invest
More Than $7.2 Million into Strengthening Mississippi Workforce,
Infrastructure, and Economy.
Delta
Regional Authority Press Release
The Delta Blues Museum Band is featured
in the documentary, From the Crossroads to the White
House on Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB)
television network.
The documentary aired July 14, 2015.
Press
Release
The City of Clarksdale
recognized the DBM Band
for their success and win of the 2014 NAHYP Award on December 8, 2014 at the city meeting.
The Museum has been recognized on MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell show during
his broadcast of the 2014 NAHYP Award Ceremony.
Watch Video
The
Delta Blues Museum is proud to announce we have been awarded
the 2014 NAHYP Award for our youth educational programs.
The DBM Band performed at the White House and accepted the award
presented by the First Lady during a ceremony on November 10, 2014.
Read More |
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We hope you were able to join us at the museum for the unveiling of our Mississippi
River Interpretive Center Marker. A reception with music by the
DBM Band to followed the marker unveiling ceremony. Read
More
The DBM family and friends are proud
to announce that The Blues Foundation has chosen Museum Director
Shelley Ritter as the recipient of the 2013 KBA award for her
work in the Historical preservation and documentation of the
Blues. We are also proud of fellow ...Read
More
In time for his May 1st birthday and
continuing our celebration of what would have been John Lee Hooker's
centennial year, the Delta Blues Museum pays tribute to Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame harmonica legend Little Walter. Read
More
Born in Mississippi but raised in
Beaumont, Texas, Johnny Winter gained much of his fame as a
guitarist with a style inspired by... Read
More
Updated
- In honor of his January 31st birthday and the Delta Blues
Museum's own 38th birthday, the Delta Blues Museum is proud
to shine a light on the Mississippi bluesman and longtime DBM
supporter known to some as "Memphis Charlie" - Kosciusko, Mississippi,
native Charlie Musselwhite.
Read
More
To celebrate his August 22nd birthday
and a month of events dedicated to his legacy, the Delta Blues
Museum proudly hails "The King of the Boogie" - the one, the only
and Clarksdale's own, John Lee Hooker. Read
More
To celebrate his April 4th birthday and a month of events
dedicated to his legacy, the Delta Blues Museum proudly pays
tribute to McKinley Morganfield - better known as the...
Read
More
Born in 1931 in Clarksdale to Annie Mae and
Rev. Charles Cook, Sam was one of eight children raised in
his father’s church. The family moved to Chicago in 1933,
and later Sam and his singing siblings formed their first
musical group, called The Singing Children, when he was...
Read
More
Our Artist Spotlights are informative articles that specifically target various Blues Artists and their careers.
To see our additional Artist Spotlights Click
Here
The 9th Annual Clarksdale Film
Festival was held
Friday, January 25th and Saturday, January 26th.
For tickets and more information please visit:
www.clarksdalefilmfestival.com
The 16th Annual Juke Joint Festival
weekend, was held in Clarksdale April 11th through April 14th.
The main Festival itself was Saturday, April 13th. We hope you
were able to join us for this great weekend in Clarksdale! For
more information about the festival, please visit www.JukeJointFestival.com
This years Sunflower Festival will be held in Clarksdale Friday,
August 9th through Sunday, August 11th. We hope you are able
to join us for this great weekend in Clarksdale!
For more information
please visit SunflowerFest.org
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To compliment
this exhibit,our website has a Sunflower Chronology dedicated
to the festival. This section will link you over 25 years
of the festival, since its beginning in 1988.
To visit the Sunflower Festival Chronology click
here .
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The 41st Annual festival was held
in Greenville, MS on Saturday, September 15, 2018.
For more information, please visit: www.deltabluesms.org
The 33rd Annual King Biscuit Festival
was held in Helena, AR beginning October 3rd through October
6th, 2018. For more information about the festival, please visit
www.kingbiscuitfestival.com
The 11th Annual Deep Blues Festival
was held in Clarksdale October 11th through October 14th. For
more information about the festival and to purchase tickets,
please visit: www.deepbluesfest.com
The 26th Annual festival was held
in and around Clarksdale on October 11th through October 13th.
For more information, please visit: www.coahomacc.edu
or
www.mshumanities.org
Was back at the Crossroads in Clarksdale October 12th through
October 13th. We hope you stopped by the Museum and checked
out our very own classics!
www.facebook.com/cruznthecrossroads
This years Hambone Festival was held October 25th through October
28th. For more info please visit: www.hambonefestival.com
The Delta Blues Museum expresses
their condolences to the family and friends of Denise LaSalle.
The blues and soul music legend has died at age 78. Read
More
We’ll take a look at the Mississippi
John Lee Hooker, his roots and influences, the music that impacted
him when he was young. John Lee Hooker’s music has an undeniable
urban grit that came from his detroit surroundings, but Mississippi
was at his core and you could hear it in every song he ever
recorded. Listen
Here
Clarksdale's Sunflower River Blues Festival members welcome
delegation from from the Notodden International Blues Festival.
Read
More
The 36th Annual Blues Music Awards was held Thursday, May 07,
2015 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, TN. Charlie Musselwhite
won the award for Harmonica Instrumentalist, and Bobby Rush
won the awards for B.B. King Entertainer and Soul Blues Male
Artist.
The music called the blues that emerged from Mississippi
has shaped the development of popular music in this country
and around the world. Turn on the radio. You might pick up some
rock with some tough guitar riffs – or some rap. But put on
Robert Johnson’s recording of...
Read More
of the capitivating article by Christine Wilson.
Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite have been garnered a lot of
press with their CD "Get Up". Read
More
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The remains of the cabin from
Stovall Farms where Muddy Waters lived during his days as
a sharecropper and tractor driver are displayed in the gallery.
Read
More
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"Keeping the Beat" the
Delta Blues Museum's Newsletter Receive news about the museum
and Clarksdale, plus be among the first to receive e-vites for special
events.
or catch-up on our previous newsletters
Click Here
Made from a plank of wood from Muddy
Waters' Cabin and used on tour
by ZZ Top.
On view at the Delta Blues Museum
Show your support of the Delta Blues
Museum by purchasing a custom engraved blues brick which will
be used to complete the new Muddy Waters Addition.
Learn
More
Download
Flyer
The Delta Blues Museum Board of
Trustees will hold its next egularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday,
May 14, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. in the Delta Blues Museum
classroom.
The Sunflower River Blues Association's
regularly scheduled meetings in the Delta Blues Museum classroom
will be held in summer of 2019 leading up to the next festival.
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Click
here
to see the life and times of the legendary bluesman John
Lee Hooker. |
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Click
here
to learn how the blues grew and changed during a time
of migration from the South to throughout the U.S. |
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Click
here
to see the life and times of the legendary bluesman Robert
Johnson. |
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Click
here
to learn about Clarksdale's way of life and much more since its founding in 1839. |
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Click
here
to see the life and times of the legendary bluesman Muddy
Waters. |
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Click
here
to see the life and times of the legendary bluesman Son
House. |
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Click
here
to see the life and times of the legendary bluesman Charlie
Musselwhite. |
The Museum is continuously working
to make new Explore & Learn programs available to blues enthusiasts
to better understand and learn more about Blues Music genre.
To view our additional Explore & Learn Programs Click
Here
Delta Blues Museum exhibit
opened July, 2014
Read
More
Delta Blues Museum exhibit
opened August, 2012
Read
More
Delta
Blues Museum exhibit opened
June, 2011
Read
More
Delta Blues
Museum exhibit opened November, 2010
Read
More
Delta
Blues Museum exhibit opened
August, 2010
Read
More
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There's always
something new to see, do, and even to buy at the Museum!
So be sure to come on in while you're visiting Clarksdale!
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(March - October )
Monday - Saturday
9 AM - 5 PM
(November - February)
Monday - Saturday
10 AM - 5 PM
1 Blues Alley
PO Box 459
Clarksdale, MS 38614
662-627-6820
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| For more information
on the Delta Blues Museum, including exhibits, collections
and driving directions, Click
Here
to download our brochure. |
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Visit the Delta Blues Museum, now on
Facebook |
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Visit the Delta Blues Museum, now on
Twitter |
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Jim
Herring, President
Tom Jones
Paul Wilson |
Lera Kinnard,
Secretary
Ralph Simpson
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Regular
meetings of the Delta Blues Museum Board of Trustees are
held the second Tuesday of every month at
6:00 p.m. in the
Delta Blues Museum classroom. |
Don't forget to check out the Museum's
on-line store for gifts that can be given in celebration of any occassion!
We have something for everyone that loves Blues Music, the Delta,
and the Museum. So stop by our Gift
Shop
for CD's, Posters, DVD's, Clothing and more.
Probably
the most widely known myth about the blues is
the place where bluesmen supposedly sold their sold to the
Devil. Get your Hwys 61/49 souvenirs today!
Visit
Gift Shop
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The Great River Road Mississippi River
Parkway Commission
www.experiencemississippiriver.com
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| The Delta Blues Museum is a partnered place
with the National Trust for Historic Preservation headquartered
in Washington DC. National Trust members to receive discounts
when visiting the Museum. www.savingplaces.org
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The Delta Blues Museum will again be a proud
participant of the Blue Star Museum Program benefiting active
duty military families. This years program begins Saturday,
May 18, 2019 and continues through Monday, September 02,
2019.
Learn
More |
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The Delta Blues Museum is proud to announce
their recognition as an official partner in the Year
of the Creative Economy: Mississippi Homecoming.
Read
More
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The Delta Blues
Museum
is proud to announce
we have been awarded the
2015 Certificate of Excellence
by TripAdvisor.com.
Reviews of the Museum can
be read at TripAdvisor.com
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WROX RADIO
Listen to the local radio station and hear about local concerts
during your stay in Clarksdale.
www.wroxradio.com
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NorthStar News & Analysis -
The Voice
of Today's Black Man
www.northstarnews.com
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Released in
October, 2013:
"From Clarksdale to Kansas City, Vol. 2"
The second CD featuring the museum's own student band.
Read
More
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The unveiling of the Museum's Blues
Trail Marker took place April 11, 2013. A reception with music
by the DBM Band followed the unveiling.
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Museum Director
Shelley Ritter and community member Travis Calvin accepted
the National Medal in a ceremony at the White House on Wednesday,
May 8, 2013.
Read
More |
The Delta Blues Museum was awarded
the "Delta Best" award for outstanding contributions
to Tourism in the Delta in 2012
Read
More
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You can find the Delta Blues Museum in the "Blues Highway,
Clarksdale, MS" chapter of the publication "1,000 Places
to See Before You Die", by the author Patricia Schultz.
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By Linda Zavoral, mercurynews.com
If your vacation plans include a U.S. trip, check out this list
of stellar museums. This month, first lady Michelle Obama honored
these five with the 2013 National Medal for Museum and Library
Services for their innovation and outreach...Read
More
The
Delta Blues Museum is proud to announce we have been awarded
the 2014 NAHYP Award for our youth educational programs.
The DBM Band performed at the White House and accepted the award
presented by the First Lady during a ceremony on November 10, 2014.
Read More |
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www.deltabluesmuseum.org,was awarded
a "gold" certification in the Corporate Design, small
budget, multimedia category, by the Southeastern Museums Conference
at their annual meeting, held in Charleston, West Virginia.
Read
More
Mark your calendars for the upcoming ceremony dates along
both the Mississippi Blues Trail and Mississippi Country
Music Trail.
More Info
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We have a section
dedicated to the festival on our web site. Your comments
and/or photographs can be added to this section for the
festival year(s) of your choice.
To visit the Sunflower Festival Chronology click
here .
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Video of Charlie Musselwhite with Lightnin' Malcolm and Doyle Bramhall having a spontaneous jam in The Juke Joint Chapel.
Watch
Video
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This years Sunflower Festival was held in Clarksdale Friday,
August 10th through Sunday, August 12th. We hope you were able
to join us for this great weekend in Clarksdale!
For more information
please visit SunflowerFest.org
To visit the Sunflower Festival Chronology click
here .
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The Museum
is hosting an exhibit by Panny Mayfield, award-winning
journalist and photographer through February, 2018. LIVE FROM THE MISSISSIPPI
DELTA, features rare images and rich stories
spanning decades of the blues scene in the Delta.
Exhibit Opening E-Vite
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