he latest Mississippi Blues Trail markers were unveiled Wednesday, Feb. 21 in Holly Springs. The markers, located in Blues Alley near 125 N Center Street, memorialize the life and work of R.L. Burnside and David “Junior” Kimbrough, blues performers who were instrumental in the popularity of the “hill country” blues style.
Burnside was born in 1926 in Lafayette County. Much of his career was spent as a part time musician, working various jobs between recording sessions and live performances. In the early 1990s, Burnside began recording with Fat Possum Records in Oxford along with Kimbrough, who was born in 1930 just north of Holly Springs in Hudsonville. He made his first recordings in 1966 and was included in the 1992 documentary film Deep Blues. Their songs have since been recorded and remixed by other artists and featured in films and on television.
“Mississippi is blessed to have so many remarkable artists who have helped make Mississippi The Birthplace of America’s Music,” said Visit Mississippi Director and Acting Mississippi Blues Commission Chairman Rochelle Hicks. “Both R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, individually and as a part of the larger Mississippi story, have made their marks as musicians and helped to incorporate the hill country blues sound into the lexicon of artists across musical genres. Adding their markers to the Mississippi Blues Trail is another step in recognizing the countless voices who have made Mississippi instrumental to the history of music.”
The marker unveilings took place at 1p.m. and featured remarks from Hicks along with Holly Springs Mayor Sharon Gipson, Executive Director of Holly Spring Tourism & Recreation Bureau Tyrisha Battle, Mississippi 5th District House Representative John Faulkner, and Marshall County Historical Museum Director Jim Moore. Celebrated blues artists Robert Kimbrough and DuWayne Burnside, the sons of R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, also spoke at the event.
“The hill country blues style is such an important part of the cultural heritage of Holly Springs, and we’re excited to share that heritage along with the music of R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough with visitors here in our town,” said Holly Springs Tourism & Recreation Bureau Executive Director Tyrisha Battle. “Just as the music reflects these men’s lives and experience, their legacy is a part of our community. These markers are a great way to bring attention to the amazing contributions of these artists and to inspire fans to come and be a part of all that our town has to offer.”
