Juke Joint Heaven - R.L. Burnside's Poor Black Mattie

R.L. Burnside's Poor Black Mattie (a derivative of Tommy Johnson & Charlie Patton compositions) set to road footage across the Mississippi delta on a search for the remaining Juke Joints of the area. Disappearing at an alarming rate, these "informal establishments featuring blues music, dancing and alcohol" (Wikipedia) are where R.L. Burnside and most other bluesmen of that era spent the majority of their lives performing for weary sharecroppers after a hard week's work. Originally located along roadsides on plantations, they are now for the mostpart in the poor neighbourhoods of most towns throughout the Mississippi Delta.

Photos by Barbara Lavoie, Montréal, Québec
Footage by Paul Mérineau, Montréal, Québec

Category:

Music

Tags:

• north
• mississippi
• hill
• country
• highway
• 61
• rl
• burnside
• juke
• joint
• delta
• blues
• tommy
• johnson
• charlie
• patton

[shanna9650]

RL is Hill Country -- not delta

[Chrysistome]

Yes he is Shanna... a very different & distinct sound from the delta blues... He played the juk's in his area & the delta on occasion... We all miss him... God Bless & take care

Paul

[SVATTIMO]

Great Video, I would love to make the pilgrimage.

[Chrysistome]

Thanks... You should go if you have the chance. You won't regret. It's a must trip!

Paul

[jefevadc]

That's music from the heart & soul right there, from a bad, bad man. Rest in peace Mr. Burnside. Thanks.

[BigCM06]

bad ass.

blues forever.

[ccaammiiittoo1]

@Diatton Agreed.

[873trouble]

I was born and raised in the Delta. We had our own Juke Joint on Fish Lake Farms called "The Cobra's Den." Delta City was the closest 4 miles, Anguilla 8, Rolling Fork 14. Going North Hollandale was 12 miles and Greenville 38. I remember the Blue Front well in Rolling Fork it would be jumping every Friday and Saturday night! Love this video, the Blues and the Great Memories!!

[yvesofzo]

Drinking with my friend Jack, straight.... and absolutely hypnotised! I have got to go over to the states and drive around this part of that counrty

[TheWeslittle]

It's cool u got the blue front in there. My mom grew up in that town (bentonia) and as a kid I remember going to visit my grand mother and hearing music spill out of there. I gotta go back for a visit

[Mojostation]

Great! But without Alabama?

[Diatton]

R. L. Burnside is another Mississippi Boogie man like the great John Lee Hooker!

[Krmaca]

ihaaaa

[Guitarist80]

You are so right about that.

[jenkins80]

So glad you were able to make this trip. Wish more people were like you and realized how great of a state Mississippi is. So much history and so many great people hail from my home state. Really am proud of being a Mississippian and can't nobody take it away from me.