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In keeping
with our mission statement, to honor the mid-delta blues musicians and
educate the public as to their contributions to music, the Leland Blues
Project has comissioned a number of murals to be painted on the walls of
several downtown buildings. Four of these murals are completed at the
present time and two more are being planned. Come to Leland and see the
artwork that has the Blues scene buzzing! We're located on the crossroads
of US Hwy 61 and US Hwy 82. Just find Main Street and cruise to the
murals!
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This is the first of
the murals completed here in Leland, located on the south wall of the
building at the corner of 4th and Main Streets. Local artists contributed
their talents to honor musicians who have origins in the immediate area.
Depicted starting from the top left corner of the mural are: Caleb
Emphrey, Sam Chatmon, Eugene Powell, Lil' Dave Thompson, Alex "Little
Bill" Wallace, Eddie Cusic, Willie Foster, Johnny Horton, Joe Frank
Carollo, Harry "Bub" Branton, Pat Thomas, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter,
Jimmie Reed, Boogaloo Ames, Little Milton and James "Son" Thomas
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The
second of Leland's murals to be completed honors a local dance band called "Doc's Bees". Led by "Doc" Booth on sax with Boogaloo Ames on
keyboards, they can be heard every Thursday night at Lillo's Italian
Restaurant located on the east edge of town right off Highway 82. This
mural is located on the west wall of the building at 3rd and Main
Streets.
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This mural features none other than
"The King of the Blues", B.B. King from nearby Indianola, MS. This
mural was designed by Cristen Craven Barnard and Billy
Johnson with Jay Kirgis contrubuting his talents with a brush
along with Christen Barnard. The mural spans six decades of B.B.'s career
and is the first mural painted with the approval of Mr. King. You can find
this mural on the south wall of the building located on the corner of 3rd
and Main Streets.
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Our latest mural honors the
great Jimmy Reed who was born in Dunleith, just east of Leland. Cristen Craven Barnard and Jay Kirgis shared the painting
chores on this artwork. This mural is located on the wall of Stovall's
on the Creek at the corner of Broad Street and South Deer Creek Drive
East. Stovall's kindly framed the pictures in the Highway 61 Blues
Museum. Many thanks to our friends at Stovall's.
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Johnny Winter came
through town and signed the mural that depicts himself as well as his
brother, Edgar. Johnny was also kind enough to donate some personal items
to the Highway 61 Blues Museum located in the old Temple Theatre downtown Leland on the
corner of Broad Street and 4th Streets.
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