Dragging in the blues

With the dramatic flood conditions along the Mississippi River corridor, I’ve noticed that NPR news stories about the situation are all accompanied by snippets of Delta blues. I’ve found myself listening closely to the coverage of the flooding Delta. Yes, because I love the music of the region–blues, zydeco, Cajun, but also because our own flooding and highwater conditions along rivers and lakes and the sides of mountains, has heightened my attention to stories of experiences similar to ours in the North Country. But back to the music–those few bars of classic blues inserted around stories made me wonder how many people know anything about why the blues is rooted in the Delta.

Here’s part 1 of a documentary made at the Mississippi Delta Blues Museum. From this short video, you can link to additional segments.

Tags: Delta blues, floods