Mississippi Blues Trail

The Mississippi Blues Trail marker commemorating James “Son” Thomas is in front of the Highway 61 Blues Museum on North Broad Street in downtown Leland, Mississippi.

The GPS location of this marker is: N32° 24.343′ W 90° 53.850′

Mississippi Blues Trail marker for James "Son" Thomas, North Broad Street, Leland, Mississippi. There is also a Mississippi Blues Trail marker for Johnny Winter on the opposite side of the street.
Mississippi Blues Trail marker for James “Son” Thomas, North Broad Street, Leland, Mississippi. There is also a Mississippi Blues Trail marker for Johnny Winter on the opposite side of the street.

This marker reads:

“JAMES ‘SON’ THOMAS – James ‘Son’ Thomas, internationally famed blues musician and sculptor, worked as a porter at the Montgomery Hotel, which once occupied this site. Born in the Yazoo County community of Eden October 14, 1926, Thomas moved to Leland in 1961. He made his first recordings for folklorist Bill Ferris in 1968 and later traveled the United States and Europe to perform at blues concerts and exhibit his art. He died in Greenville on June 26, 1993.”

Mississippi Blues Trail marker for James "Son" Thomas, North Broad Street, Leland, Mississippi. There is also a Mississippi Blues Trail marker for Johnny Winter on the opposite side of the street.
Mississippi Blues Trail marker for James “Son” Thomas, North Broad Street, Leland, Mississippi. There is also a Mississippi Blues Trail marker for Johnny Winter on the opposite side of the street.

The photo above shows North Broad Street in downtown Leland, Mississippi, as seen from the James “Son” Thomas marker. There is another Mississippi Blues Trail marker, commemorating Johnny Winter, on the other side of North Broad Street outside the building in the center of this photo.

Mississippi Blues Trail marker for James "Son" Thomas near the Highway 61 Blues Museum, Leland, Mississippi
Mississippi Blues Trail marker for James “Son” Thomas near the Highway 61 Blues Museum, Leland, Mississippi

The Mississippi Blues Trail marker for James “Son” Thomas says that the Montgomery Hotel, where James “Son” Thomas worked, once occupied this site. The former Montgomery Hotel building is now occupied by the Highway 61 Blues Museum.

Here is a video of James “Son” Thomas performing Dust My Broom, from a Brazilian documentary in 1990.

Recommended Recordings

Among Our Recommendations and Recommended Recordings are the following James “Son” Thomas albums:

Hard Times

CD cover, James "Son" Thomas, Hard Times, recorded in 1986
CD cover, James “Son” Thomas, Hard Times, recorded in 1986

Beefsteak Blues

CD Cover, Beefsteak Blues by James "Son" Thomas, released in 1998.
CD Cover, Beefsteak Blues by James “Son” Thomas, released in 1998.

 

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