November 5, 2023

Greenville, Mississippi is somewhat typical of the story of towns along the river in this region, once prosperous, now in decline as the price of cotton fell and slavery was abolished. Once a center for supplying the plantations and shipping cotton to market it has dwindled in proportion to the profitability of farming cotton.

As is the case in Clarksdale, one legacy that draws tourists today is the music that was born of slavery, the blues. Each year, in September, Greenville hosts the Blues Festival and people come from all over the country to enjoy this form of music performed by the many artists in the area. Our excursion in Greenville is a celebration of southern food and the Blues. We were bused to the local auditorium for a southern lunch and a concert headlined by a Greenville native, former touring performer and song writer Steve Azar. Steve was joined by his band and a number of local performers.

It was a great way to spend a day in the heart of Blues country soaking up great music and enjoying the character of the deep south.