Partly because I have the world’s worst sense of direction (cruel irony for a natural-born traveler) and partly because it’s just how I love to travel, I have no clue where I am. My daily routine while on this 90-day journey following a raindrop, is to have no routine, nor schedule, nor agenda. I follow any road that seems to beckon in any direction for any reason and often for no reason at all, trusting the GPS to find the way home at the end of the day. So, I don’t realize that I am heading into the small town of Leland, Mississippi, until I find myself on its main street – and I don’t remember having read about a small blues museum here until I see the sign, “Highway 61 Blues Museum,” which brings me to a stop.
Southern Hospitality and Hoodoo Magic
To continue…interesting people that I meet in crazy, interesting ways…
Tommy Polk, the singer/songwriter who owns the Big Pink where I stayed in Clarksdale, told me I must try to meet Eden Brent when I get to Greenville. Eden is a talented jazz and blues singer. (I’m listening to her music right now and she’s great!) I left a message for Eden and although she was on tour in Chicago, she called me back right away. After we had talked about five minutes and laughed most of that time (she’s a hoot), she said, “You have got to meet my Daddy. I’m going to call him right now.” Less than ten minutes later, I had a call from the hotel desk that there was a visitor waiting for me in the lobby. Mr. Howard Brent, Eden’s Daddy, had come to meet me and tell me I was invited to a party at Doe’s Eat Place and that he would be back to pick me up in 45 minutes! Welcome to Greenville!