Gateway to Ground Zero

Ground Zero Blues Club

Steering clear of the delightfully-named Hooker Hotel across from the Hambone Gallery, we were staying nearby in the Hampton Inn, and after a quick dinner downtown in the highly-regarded Yazoo Pass restaurant, we went to the Ground Zero Blues Club. With the name inspired as the place where the Blues were born, and now in its 16th year, this is renowned as one of the greatest Blues clubs in the world. Sadly joint owner, Academy Award-winning Morgan Freeman, wasn’t in town, but we were greeted by his partner Bill Luckett, who just happens to be Mayor of Clarksdale.

The atmosphere is electric, the bands first-class, the food exceptional and the décor … well, bring a Sharpie and add to it! Every surface in the entire club seems to carry graffiti, which sounds sketchy but in fact adds to the gritty vibe of the live performances. We were lucky enough to catch Little Boys Blue blasting it out on the night we were there, and with Mayor Luckett joining us for the evening, we had a blast. The club says their address is No. 0 Blues Alley, but the pesky USPS insists it’s at 387 Delta Avenue! No need for the address, everyone knows where the club is and most hotels offer a shuttle to get there.

Po’ Monkey’s

Another early start the next morning, and we were off to see the last of the original “Juke Joints” in Mississippi. These were ramshackle buildings, well off the beaten track, where local sharecroppers, banned from white bars and restaurants, could eat, drink and be merry while listening to local musicians. The term “Juke Box” came from these one-room shacks and they played a critical role in the development of the Blues.

This iconic bar was opened in 1961 by Willie Seaberry, whose nickname was Poor (Po') Monkey, and has cypress plank walls, a tin roof and no windows. These days Willie only opens on Thursday nights, so plan ahead!