Delta Bohemian

Man kayaking on a lake with trees in the background.

It’s “Chilly Outside”: Reflections on Tha Moon relative to God’s Immanence, Imminence & Eminence in the Mississippi Delta: Commonality of Faith!

It's "Chilly Outside": Reflections on Tha Moon relative to God's Immanence, Imminence & Eminence in the Mississippi Delta: Commonality of Faith. God is Immanent, Imminent & Eminent in the Mississippi Delta: Immanent = InherentImminent = ImpendingEminent = Distinguished Yet, God is also transcendent here: Beyond us, outside us, above us. … [Read More...]

A Delta Sigh Blessing

A Delta Sigh Blessing Sunsets in the Mississippi Delta often impart a Delta Sigh Blessing. A RADIOLAND nugget from Magical Madge and Poor William while driving in the Mississippi Delta. Read along while you listen to the Radioland audio in the VIDEO. … [Read More...]

Black and white photo of a church building.

Mt. Zion Church Goodness – by Guest Bohemian Jaby Denton

On Sunday I attended Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Mt. Zion is just around the bend of the bayou and literally down the turn row from my house. In my 60 years I have driven by this iconic country church thousands of times. Often I have pulled on to the grounds and parked under its grand oak tree to eat lunch or simply take a quick break. In all of these years this Church has been a common … [Read More...]

Sunflower River Flood in Clarksdale and Coahoma County

SUNFLOWER RIVER FLOOD VIDEO IN POST By Poor William And the rains came tumblin’ down…March saw epic flooding in our celebrated corner of the universe—The Mississippi Delta. Tragically, during the Sunflower River Flood of 2016 many Clarksdale area homes were lost, many likely never to be replaced or refurbished. Our thoughts and prayers are still with those who suffered damages and … [Read More...]

Man in red shirt with yellow lightning bolt.

What I Learned from White Lightnin Malcolm

“Always be thankful and have a thankful heart; it makes the sun shine better!” - Steve Lightnin Malcolm Anyone who has taken a precursory look at deltabohemian.com over the last five-plus years will easily ascertain Lightnin Malcolm as being Poor William’s favorite musician. His lyrics, music, work ethic and joie de vivre are as infectious as a mosquito bite in the swamplands—just a heck of a … [Read More...]

Levon's grand re-opening with Lightning Malcolm.

GRAND REOPENING LEVON’S BAR & GRILL

Grand Reopening Levon's Bar and Grill on the Sunflower Strip Official GRAND REOPENING LEVON'S BAR & GRILL is Thursday, May 26, 2016, featuring one of The Delta Bohemian’s favorite musicians, Lightnin' Malcolm, whose brand of Hill Country Blues will begin around 8:30 p.m. … [Read More...]

Delta Bohemian Tours Love Jeep

Introducing Delta Bohemian Tours Love Jeep CLARKSDALE, Mississippi VIDEO and PHOTOS Hey Man, and Babes everywhere, this is Poor William back at the ‘puter, ready to write mostly inane chatter about this deliciously cool place we get to call home: The Mississippi Delta. I know some folks who knew me when I left for over 20 years, saying, “I ain’ comin’ back!" Well, I was wrong and damn glad … [Read More...]

Sunset Over Moon Lake

A sunset over Moon Lake never fails to remind us how thankful we are for simple beauty unparalleled. Today was no exception. The light was mystical, drawing the Magical one to water's edge...add "Shakin' in the Cradle" by the intuitive Eric Tingstad, and what ya got here folks is Delta Delight, and for this we give God thanks, and we appreciate the hell out of y'all too. … [Read More...]

Three men standing in a field at sunset.

CASTAWAYS – Our Only True And Faithful Companions?

“Are our only true and faithful companions castaways?” John Ruskey, on the river, Oct. 2014 Castaway: A shipwrecked person, an outcast, or anything cast adrift or thrown away. Last year at the conclusion of a three-day Mississippi River camping, canoeing and river-literature expedition, Ruskey posed the above-mentioned question regarding the faithfulness of castaways. I wrote the question … [Read More...]

THE TOUR – My Mississippi Delta Excursion with Poor William

Tuesday, October 13, 2015 was a big day for me, the day my whole trip to Clarksdale revolved about with The Tour! Delta Bohemian Chilly Billy picked me up at 10am and we headed off to the Crossroads-sign in Clarksdale. Robert Johnson's 'Crossroads' has always been symbolic to me, so the sign didn't raise goosebumps, but you simply can't leave Clarksdale without having been there. The first … [Read More...]

Four people sitting on a porch with drinks.

European Reflects on the Birthplace of the Blues

Initially, it was the history of Clarksdale, Birthplace of the Blues, that made me want to visit. Nearly all of the great old blues musicians lived in/around Clarksdale, or frequented the place at a certain point. We're talking big names here: Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson ll, Son House, Robert Johnson, Charley Patton and so on. There must have been something about the Delta … [Read More...]

Soybean field with ripe pods in harvest.

A Thanksgiving Cogitation

A Thanksgiving Cogitation Poor William reflects on thankfulness. ⬇️ WATCH THE VIDEO ⬇️ … [Read More...]

Broadcaster Bill Bowker Fired Up About Clarksdale

By Magical Madge Watch the Video Daedalus Howell interviews the legendary Bill Bowker about his long-lasting radio broadcasting career and his love of blues music and its roots. In their exchange, beginning around minute 13:13, Howell mentions the radio host's new venture/venue by mentioning "Clarksdale....this is huge!" And they are off! … [Read More...]

Why folks come to the Mississippi Delta and Clarksdale

By Magical Madge WATCH DOCUMENTARY BELOW Our good friends Charlie and Henrietta Musselwhite love coming to Clarksdale. We are thankful to spend quality time with them during their visits. Serendipitously, Billy and I were getting some footage for a commissioned promotional Clarksdale blues music video for some clients in Australia and the Musselwhites were happy to let us capture them as … [Read More...]

The Sharecropper Family – by Guest Bohemian Jaby Denton

By Guest Bohemian Jaby Denton In 2011, while digging through a box full of vintage photographs found on the dusty shelves in the primitive office of the Quitman County Democrat, I came across a photograph that cut me to my core. The expressions of grief and pain of a rural family surrounding a little girl's lifeless body could not have been more compelling. With much reservation I posted the … [Read More...]

Richard Grant – Hooked on the Mississippi Delta

By Magical Madge More and more and more semi-fixtures, those who visit the Mississippi Delta over and over and over from far away places, leaving a piece of themselves each time, which nags and perplexes, drawing them back to find whatever it was they left, are taking a blind leap of faith and following that inner voice that beckons them to move here. Permanently. … [Read More...]

Woman holding flowers in mountain meadow.

Aspen Wedding – by Mims Graeber

Publisher notes Holy Matrimony is very personal and intimate. Wedding videos help document but seldom capture the essence of the moment in time. However, I have never seen one like the Aspen : Wedding film Mims Graeber made. The emotion it evokes is authentic and that is rare. The young Mississippi filmmaker gives us a taste of what it was like to be at his mother's wedding without … [Read More...]

Tall pine tree in a forest with green foliage.

Who Defines Crazy

By Poor William "Me thinks the whole world is crazy except me and thee; and sometimes I wonder about thee." -- Old Quaker saying Irv: “Do you think there ought to be background checks before someone can purchase a weapon?” Me: “Yes.” Irv: “Do you think crazy people should be able to buy weapons?” Me: “It depends. Who defines crazy?” The above conversation with my friend … [Read More...]

Man playing electric guitar in red light.

Classic ROBERT BILBO WALKER at Reds Blues Club

By Magical Madge CLASSIC VIDEO If you have never seen this unique performer, then you need to go to Red's Blues Club and hear Robert "Bilbo" Walker live, Saturday, September 19, 2015 in downtown Clarksdale. In the words of Roger Stolle, "Don't miss the wig, suit, duckwalk and one-handed guitar playing." … [Read More...]

Mississippi Delta Sunset with Delta Dog Gunny

By Poor William VIDEO and PHOTO GALLERY “Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace.” -- Mila Kundera, Czech writer I doubt Kundera ever visited or even heard about the Mississippi Delta, but he sure understood what makes many … [Read More...]

Man standing in a restaurant called Southbound.

Kathryn’s Restaurant Owner Opens Southbound in Helena

By Poor William VIDEO INTERVIEW and PHOTOS John Mohead, Numba One Cooka, fine musician, and owner/chef of Kathryn’s Restaurant on Moon Lake is opening a new version of his Southbound Pizza, formerly located in Tunica, MS. Magical Madge and I were in Helena yesterday, visiting several iconic spots, before swinging by the King Biscuit Blues Festival office … [Read More...]