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Sound of the Delta The Mississippi Delta and its Talented Heritage The Mississippi Delta is the northwest section of the state of Mississippi lying between the Yazoo and Mississippi rivers. The Delta is said to be char- acteristically the epitome of the American South because of its racial, cultural, and economic history as told in its songs re- ferred to as The Blues. The Delta covers approximately 7,000 square miles. Originally covered in hardwood forests across the bottomlands, the area became rich in cotton growing fields prior to the Civil War. Due to profitable speculators, cotton plantations were developed along the riverfronts. Rich planters depended on slave and indentured labor. Long before 1861 there were twice as many blacks than whites in the Delta counties. After 1865 blacks and white migrants from the North used their own labor to cut timber and buy land. However, in 1890 the mostly white legisla- ture disenfranchised poor farmers and both black and white struggling farm- ers had to turn to sharecropping and tenant farming. But the 1920’s and 1930’s brought mechanization of the farming operation and reduced the need for manual labor. Displaced whites and blacks left the land and moved into southern cities. Others of this group migrated north. The mostly black sharecroppers and tenant farmers lived in adverse poverty and hardship, so they expressed these conditions in their music. Throughout the Mississippi Delta and even north into Chicago and St. Louis, the region is associated with the emergence of multiple genres of music. It became known particularly for originating Delta Blues. From the creative composing of life expressed through musical strains, the Mississippi Delta acquired the title “Birthplace of the Blues”. It also gave us such beloved and successful musicians as B.B. King, Jimmy Buffett, and Elvis Pressley. There’re also familiar star names as Tammy Wynette, Robert Johnson, Bo Didley, and Albert King, all from the Delta. Each cre- ated soulful melodies that opened listeners to the struggles and successful endurances of humankind. The music of the Mississippi Delta opened the door to the Southern Heart of America. One of Delta State University’s newest programs is Blues Studies minor. The curriculum, according to deltastate.org, offers certificates in “Advanced Study of Blues Music” with courses in Blues Culture, Literature, and Psy- chology. Blues Music rose in popularity in the early 20 th century and is the grand- father to Jazz, R&B, Gospel, Soul, Funk, Rock & Roll, and even today’s Rap Hip-hop. As stated by Dr. M. Inaba, Austin Peavy State University, “While Rap music is a unique African American art form from the 1970’s, some core musical, lyrical, and philosophical elements that constitute Rap, such as rapped verses, looping, and sampling are already observed in the Blues and other traditional African American musical performances.” Dr. David Whillock, Texas Christian University says, “There has been much debate over the authenticity and designation of The Blues as a genre and cultural artifact of society. However, John Lee Hooker, American Blues singer, song writer, and guitarist, migrated out of Mississippi as a Country Blues Artist and his ‘boogie’ never wavered.” The music had been bred into his artistry. Though the roots of The Blues are nestled in the poverty of the late 19 th century Mississippi, it’s relevance to American Southern History has en- dured and reaches out to all aspects of today’s interracial American public throughout the United States and indeed the world. As cited on NPR.org , “It’s powerful music that is also, by turns, stark, poetic, eerie, humorous, topical, and beautiful.” Lynne Adams Barze’, author-writer-poet.net 14 SOUTHERN SENIOR MAGAZINE | Summer 2021 S Lynne Adams Barze’ author-writer-poet.net