Marathon Pundit: Highway 61 Blues Highway marker unveiled on Thursday

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Highway 61 Blues Highway marker unveiled on Thursday

Oh God said to Abraham 'kill me a son'
Abe said 'man you must be puttin me on'
God said 'no', Abe said 'what'
God say 'you can do what you wanna but
the next time you see me comin you better run'
Well Abe said 'where d'you want this killin done'
God said 'out on Highway 61'
Bob Dylan, "Highway 61 Revisited," 1965.

The debut of Mississippi's second Blues Highway marker will make its debut in Vicksburg on Thursday. The first one was unveiled last year near Tunica, just south of Memphis. The James Cotton marker pictured is located near that casino town.

Last spring while taking part in My Mississippi Manifest Destiny blog-o-vacation. Highway 61 ventures through the heart of the Magnolia State's Delta Region, which is also the home of Delta Blues music.

Near Tunica is Clarksdale, where legend says blues pioneer Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49.

Here's AP's take on Highway 61:

"Among the blues artists who recorded songs about the highway were James Son Thomas, David Honeyboy Edwards, Big Joe Williams, Charlie Musslewhite and Blind Mississippi Morris."