When I got invited on a golf trip to Mississippi, I knew from childhood how to spell it, but I never dreamed it would result in being educated in the middle of the Delta Blues and southern hospitality.
After landing in Memphis, our group took a short 15-minute ride to Cherokee Valley Golf Club in Olive Branch, MS. The par 72, 18-hole course with a winding layout situated on a prominent hill in DeSoto County. DeSoto County is one of the fastest-growing counties in MS. Designed with wide fairways, four sets of tees for golfers of all skill levels, CVGC also featured 11 lakes.
After golf, the group heard about famous author John Grisham’s history in DeSoto Co. Hearing about the essence and charm of where John’s former law office was nearby as well as Elvis’ ranch and the home of Jerry Lee Lewis. This area is also home to a Brussel’s Bonsai Nursery, the largest grower and exporter of Bonsai trees in the nation. Who knew?
Memphis BBQ Company was our next stop in Horn Lake, MS. Now, this is not just another place to eat. It is home of Melissa Cookston, award-winning BBQ Pitmaster Champion, who believes in fresh BBQ, cooked over hardwood for hours. Confession, it only took a few minutes to eat the incredible tasting BBQ. Yum!
Our next stop was in Southhaven, MS at the North Creek Golf Club, a Jason Diggins design. The links-style course provided many scenic views that, at times, distracted from the task at hand to play each hole. North Creek provided challenges for all golfers especially the 4th hole, a par five playing 534-yards from the white tees. The second shot is critical to your chance of making a birdie or par. Some of us walked away with more than we would have wanted on this deceiving hole.
We then departed for Oxford, MS, and Ole Miss. Our Blues history lesson was inside the Blues Archive and Living Blues Publication Office right on campus. B.B. King’s entire collection is housed here, and we were able to see some of his early works and records. Being able to hear the history of the Blues was the beginning of our journey inside the music and words that many still revere.
Then it was onto our next dinner at the City Grocery located on the square near Ole Miss campus. The City Grocery is a landmark in the Oxford dining scene. Housed in a 19th-century livery stable on the Oxford square, Chef John Currence’s Dine-asty began serving innovative faire around the theme of casual elegance. The specialty is John’s creation of shrimp and grits that was out of this world.
Next day, we were not far from the Ole Miss campus to play the school’s 18-hole, Nathan Grace of Watermark Golf design course. The course challenges you no matter your skill level to hit fairways, avoid water hazards and sand traps. The front nine was flat while the back nine was hillier with some elevated greens. Great layout that was an exceptional experience and uniquely Ole Miss.
After a terrific lunch at Proud Larry’s, a local favorite, it was on to the history of William Faulkner and touring his home, Rowan Oak. This was an incredible experience of walking thru the same paths Mr. Faulkner stepped every day. The house was Faulkner’s private world that inspired his writings of the area. He won the Nobel Prize and the Pulitzer Prize for A Fable.
The Cotton House, located on the historic row in downtown Cleveland, MS., was our next overnight stay. After checking in, we were welcomed into the Delta Meat Market within the Cotton House. Chef Cole Ellis offered an award-winning concept of upscale Southern European specialties, including deviled eggs served on top of popcorn. With a butcher shop next door, DMM has mouth-watering steaks, ribs, pork chops, and much more. Southern Living, Bon Appetit, and Garden & Gun have recognized Delta Meat Market for its butchery program and food service.
The next day was our historic trip to the Dockery Plantation, the birthplace of the Blues. The plantation was started in 1895 by Will Dockery, who originally bought the land for its timber but soon found the richness of the soil. The land was cleared for cotton cultivation, which led to offering some of the land to sharecroppers. Dockery earned a reputation for treating his workers and sharecroppers, enabling him to attract workers from throughout the South.
Around 1900, Dockery built a rail terminal on the plantation to connect his land with the central rail system. Eventually, Dockery supported over 2,000 workers, who were paid in the plantation’s currency. Also, he built a general store, post office, school, doctor, and a church. The workers had boardinghouses, where they lived, socialized, and play music, mostly guitars. Dockery had no interest in music, but he made it easy for workers to travel and spend their leisure time as they wanted.
In 1900, Charley Patton moved to the Dockery Plantation. He met Henry Sloan, who, in turn, introduced him to Willie Brown, Eddie “Son” House, who played around the local area. Due to their location, the plantation became known as the centre for informal musical entertainment. In the mid-1920s, the group grew to include younger musicians.
In 1936, Joe Rice Dockery inherited the plantation. The settlements gradually disappeared, and some of the historic buildings remain. Later, members of the Dockery family established a foundation to fund research into the Delta Blues. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. Today, the site hosts tours, lectures, and events and is now marked as part of the Mississippi Blues Trail due to Mr. Patton’s significant role in the development of the Delta Blues.
Just down the road is the Grammy Museum Mississippi, located on the campus of Delta State University. As we walked through the more than two dozen exhibits of great music including rock, hip-hop, country, R&B, and jazz. There is a 130-seat state-of-the-art soundstage. Here is where we saw Celo’s brightly colored feather costume to Elvis’ suit, Michael Jackson’s hat and leather jacket, and so much more. Our trip was inspiring with never to forget photos of the guitars, outfits, and lives of the people who have made music we all remember.
After a bite to eat, we ventured to our walking tour of Clarksdale and The Crossroads. The Crossroads is where Highway 61 and 49 meet and where Blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil for the ability to plan a mean guitar. A photo stop for all of us.
The walking tour of Clarksdale, near the Delta Blues Museum, included Ground Zero, an old warehouse that now provides blues entertainment and is co-owned by Morgan Freeman. Clarksdale is Blues City, USA, and part of the Americana Music Triangle, where history made music, then music made history from Memphis, Clarksdale to Nashville to New Orleans and all the many cities, juke joints, honky-tonks in between. We also made a late-night stop back at Ground Zero and then to Red’s Blues Club. Red was in the corner with his dark glasses, while blues were being played a few steps away with all the energy that the trio could bring.
The Gold Strike Casino was our next place to stay. Dinner that night was another historic site, The Hollywood Café. This particular café is on the Mississippi Blues Trail. The Café offers tastes of the Delta, such as catfish, hush puppies, and one of the best hamburgers around and their special fried pickles. Many of the artists that played at the Dockery Plantation played here in the early years. Marc Cohn mentions The Hollywood in his song, Walking in Memphis.
We went to the Blue & White Restaurant for breakfast. The Blue & White was established in 1924 on Route 61 along the railroad in downtown Tunica, MS. Serving coffee in big cups was a great way to start the day along with a seventy-year-old tradition of authentic southern style cooking.
River Bend Links features lakes, sand, grass bunkers and strategically placed mounds in this Scottish link-style course. Golf course architect Clyde Johnson describes the course as “a field of dunes.” The transformed cotton field is built next to the Mississippi River, where many animals including deer, fox, and wild turkeys roam. The par 72, 18-hole course with five sets of tees ranging from 4975 yards to 6923 yards.
After an enjoyable round of golf, we made a stop at the Gateway to the Blues Museum in Tunica, MS. What a treat. Walking around the music from blues to rock to pop invaded my senses and memories. From the Blues of Muddy Waters and B.B. King to the fringed vest of Jimi Hendrix’ to a signed guitar from Chuck Berry.
Dinner at the Money Line Book, Bar & Grill at the Gold Strike Casino resort was an array of tastes from seafood to steaks to mouth-watering appetizers. Then it was on to the challenges of the golf simulator to see who could rack up the most points.
Tunica National was our final 18-holes. A par 72, 7,210 from the back tees. We did not play those. Mark McCumber designed the course with six sets of tees ranging from 7,210 to 4,004 yards. A great layout that is very welcoming to golfers of all skill levels. Cotton fields provided scenery, and the greens were true, as we played a delightful round.
All in all, this historic trip to the Delta provided me and the others with great memories and new-found knowledge of the blues and what it meant and still means to music today. From B.B. King, Elvis, the Grammy Museum, and Queens of the Blues, it is a destination that I will return to the middle of the Delta Blues.