Mississippi Hill Country Blues 1967 by George Mitchell

fife and drum picnic in Como, MS. Napolean Strickland on fife. I would totally wear that gal's get up. These are the moments of feeling that I'm nostalgic about, even though they are not from my own personal history.

a young Jessie Mae Hemphill

 If you have any interest in Mississippi hill country blues, I highly recommend George Mitchell's historic photo documentary book about his time spent recording then unknown hill country artists in 1967.  His book also includes interviews with several of the musicians, who give an intimate and honest account of their personal histories. There are so many amazing photos that I would have loved to show you, but I want you to buy the book, which you can buy right here.

Jessie Mae Hemphill (1923-2006)

photo by Steve Gardner

Let’s hear it for Ms. Jessie Mae Hemphill – a self proclaimed cowgirl, a pistol packing mama, a raw, gritty, talented northern Mississippi hill country blues singer and multi-instrumentalist. We hold her in high esteem over here at nakedcowgirl vintage. Though her commercial heyday was in the 1980s, Jessie Mae has played music most all of her life – she started her musical career when she was a young gal playing drums in a fife & drum band at local parties and picnics throughout the Mississippi hills. At around 8 years old, she learned guitar from her grandfather, Sid Hemphill, a blind band leader & multi-instrumentalist, who was renowned throughout the region, and was first recorded by Alan Lomax in the 1940s. He is certainly worth checking out as well; his rendition of John Henry is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Jessie Mae definitely inherited her grandfather’s raucous, happy, primal style of playing. The rhythm she establishes with her electric guitar (played in traditional Delta fashion) and a tambourine attached to her ankle, not to mention her distinct voice, is impossible to resist. Have a listen and see if you can keep from getting down.