Lula

Jackson Clarion Ledger: "LULA — Blues legends like Charley Patton and Sam Carr trace their roots to the tiny town of Lula in the Mississippi Delta. Patton, who immortalized Lula in some of his lyrics, his wife Bertha Lee, and Carr are just three of the artists to be honored today when Lula gets a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker. Another marker will be unveiled in Tunica the same day in honor of another Blues giant, James Cotton. Besides Carr and Patton, the Lula area in Coahoma County claims legendary performers like Son House and Frank Frost. Singer-songwriter John Mohead is also from Lula. The marker will be located near city hall at the corner of Front and Second Street. Also today, Tunica will get a Blues Trail Marker honoring Cotton, who is scheduled to perform at the event. The marker for Cotton will be placed at the intersection of U.S. Highway 61 and Bonnie Blue Road, just west of his birthplace." (Read the Full Story Here)

RIP - David Lee Durham

Delta Democrat Times: "The Delta blues community has lost another of its favorite sons. David Lee Durham, 64, will be laid to rest Saturday during a service at Gentry High School in Indianola. The self-taught guitarist died on Jan. 24 at South Sunflower County Hospital. Durham, who played a trademark white guitar with patriotic stars and stripes, was longtime leader of the Ladies Choice Band. In 2004, the group won the Delta's Regional Blues Challenge. That same year, the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola named Durham 'Blues Musician of the Year.' While we Deltans love the blues, and we love to share the history behind it, we're reminded of the harsh reality of the life of a local blues musician when someone like Durham passes - without sufficient means to cover funeral and burial costs. One postive of this is that fellow blues musicians, including Mickey Rogers of Greenville, joined forces Wednesday night for a benefit at Indianola's Club Ebony, with proceeds to cover those costs."

RIP - Jessie White

Detroit Free Press: "Jessie White, a popular figure who brought his Mississippi-bred stylings to the Motor City half a century ago, died Tuesday from complications after a heart attack....He was 87. Musicians from the city's blues and rock scene were scheduled to gather at a Detroit bar Thursday night for an informal music memorial to White, and friends are hoping to have a proper tribute concert by the spring. In recent years, the pianist-vocalist known as Uncle Jessie had been a fixture at the Attic Bar in Hamtramck. There he played regular gigs with a group of younger musicians, performing sets of blues standards and his own gritty material. Born in Mississippi, White moved to Detroit in 1950, finding work in the junk business. His house on 29th Street became a popular gathering spot for hometown and touring blues musicians, home to whiskey-fueled jam sessions that became the stuff of local lore." (Read More Here)