I didn’t know what to expect when we were headed to Clarksdale. Yes, it’s the birthplace of the blues, yes, it’s the location of the legendary crossroads, where bluesman Robert Johnson was reported to have sold his soul to the Devil, but other than that I had no idea. When you drive into town and get out of the car, it hits you. This is the gritty reality, the real deal, you can almost feel the blues oozing out of this place!
view from our window above Ground Zero Blues Club
Clarksdale claims Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke, Howlin’ Wolf, and Ike Turner among many other bluesmen and women, as native progeny. It attracts such superstars as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and ZZ Top, who come to learn, and to honor the blues traditions. Actor Morgan Freeman, a local himself, co-owns a blues club here called Ground Zero, which is as gritty and real as they come. We stayed in the Ground Zero Blues Club Apartments but there seems to be a LOT of choice as to lodgings. (I was particularly intrigued by the Shack Up Inn, about three miles out of town, which is an eclectic collection of cabins renovated from old sharecroppers cabins and grain silos, and has their own juke joint and bar.) The Ground Zero Apartments are located perfectly in the center of the action. Besides sitting right on top of one of the premier juke joints in town, most places that you’re going to want to visit are just a short walk away.
THE crossroads 
fabulous shoes can be bought on the street! 
Carnegie Library
The Blues Museum is definitely a must-see. Wow! What an education. You can follow the evolution of the blues from it’s African origins to present day, and learn about all the musicians who have taken a part. Their highlight is the cabin where Muddy Waters was born, reconstructed inside the museum, and the guitar that Billy Gibbons (from ZZ Top) had made from a board of the cabin.
the first juke box? 
Jessie Mae Hemphill’s boots 
Charlie Musselwhite’s shoes
So yeah, the town looks like it’s at least 50% abandoned, but there are a lot of new businesses moving in, ready for the revival! Walking around, we stumbled upon Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art, a music store with it’s finger on the pulse of the local scene, and Hambone Art and Music Gallery, where Stan Street hosts music and events, besides offering local delta inspired art. The proprietors were all SUPER friendly and took time to talk to us about their town, what it has to offer, and to tell a few stories. And there are plenty of places to sample local style food, too. Notably Our Grandma’s House of Pancakes served up a breakfast feast of pancakes, eggs, grits, and all the trimmings, and Hooker Grocer and Eatery served up a slightly elevated, but still down-home dining experience, with lovely outdoor dining.
inside the Bad Apple 
is that a freezer?
Live music abounds in this small town, with most evenings offering at least a few choices of venues. Sean Apple, of the Bad Apple Blues Club, performs most days at 3pm, giving an intimate and entertaining lesson on on blues culture and the different styles of blues, and later we saw Lucious Spiller play at Ground Zero for a thoroughly danceable evening of bluesy rock. (We also marveled at the decor. Almost every inch of that place has been signed by guests with sharpies!) There are many music festivals in Clarksdale throughout the year, besides the internationally acclaimed three day Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival in August and the Juke Joint Festival in April. This is definitely THE place to go to immerse yourself in an authentic blues experience! And I have to say, as gritty as Clarksdale was, the streets were tidy and the people were warm and welcoming.
Red’s Blues Club 
this place has HISTORY 
signing the bar at Ground Zero
Check out the website www.clarksdale.com for a really good list of places to stay, eat, and hear music.
You will find:
Music, dancing, food, history, and culture.
