As the story goes, blues icon Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil at the crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in the early 1930s. The deal was simple: Johnson’s soul in exchange for being the best blues guitar player alive. Johnson’s musical prowess is undeniable, as is his death, possibly by poison, at the age of 27 in 1938.
Despite his early demise and the unlikelihood of his story, Johnson’s fame continues to inform this sleepy Delta blues town, a place built on cotton fields picked by enslaved Africans and, later, sharecroppers. Although it has modern conveniences, Clarksdale feels very much lost in time. The town is a throwback to the days when everybody wasn’t in such a hurry, another aspect of its charm.
The town’s dining and hotel scenes have ramped up in recent years, making it even tastier and more comfortable to come for a long weekend. There’s a thriving arts scene with multiple local galleries. And the food is good—really good.
Thanks to a committed group of residents, blues is still very much alive in this small town of about 14,000 people. It is a mecca for lovers of the genre and fans of new stars like 27-year-old Grammy winner Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, whom locals remember the as a guitar prodigy since childhood.
There is music every day of the week here, a draw for both American and international lovers of the blues, who often road-trip between Memphis, Tennessee; Clarksdale; and New Orleans to connect the dots between three music cities. Ground Zero, co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman, is the largest club in town, but each venue is worth a stop.
CAN’T-MISS BITES
Abe’s Bar-B-Q
Bar-B-Q pork sandwich
@abesbbqclarksdale
The Matchbox
birria cheese fries
@wyomant
Yazoo Pass
red snapper amandine with lemon beurre blanc
@yazoo_pass
Levon’s Bar & Grill
blackened catfish with tomato gravy
@levonsclarksdale
Hooker Grocer & Eatery
jerk rack of lamb
@hookergrocer
Our Grandma’s House of Pancakes
RISE & SHINE
You’ll find some of the best coffee in town at Meraki Roasting Co., but what sets it apart is its community-oriented mindset. Part of its mission is to help train and develop local youth, ranging from barista service to roasting fresh coffee beans. It’s also part of Griot Arts, a nonprofit focused on providing arts education to youth in Clarksdale. @merakiroastingcompany
Lil Sistas
The biscuits are worth mentioning at this casual spot, but truthfully, everything is great.
Our Grandma’s House of Pancakes
This diner-style spot specializes in pancakes, but its waffles are worth the stop, too.
The Matchbox
Red’s Lounge
JUKIN’ IT
Listening to the moan of the blues in dive bars and juke joints is a big reason, but not the only one, to come to Clarksdale.
The Matchbox
@wyomant
SHUT-EYE
Travelers Hotel
@welcometotravelers
Opened in 2019 by Ann Williams, a Louisiana native, and her husband, Clarksdale native Chuck Rutledge, this modern, airy 20-room stay has tons of noteworthy design elements, comfy beds, and an honor system lobby bar with taps from the couple’s newish Red Panther Brewing Company. There’s a shared kitchen, a large fridge for snacks, and a community table. No TV, but superfast Wi-Fi. You’d never know this used to be a flophouse for railroad workers back in the day. Ann is a huge fan of Clarksdale. “It’s weird in all the right ways. Clarksdale vibrates on a kooky level I really like.”
BACKSTORY: Travelers was completed under the Coahoma Collective umbrella, a nonprofit that drives arts and community-inclusive development in downtown Clarksdale. Its current project is finishing a two-mile walking loop around the Sunflower River, with phase two populating the loop with local art.
SEE & DO
Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art
Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art
@rogerstolle
Make this funky gallery and music shop your first stop. Owner Roger Stolle has led the tourism charge since moving to town more than 20 years ago. As an author and blues lover, he has a wealth of Clarksdalian knowledge, acquired in the decades since he moved to town. Cat Head is the place to learn about local music, festivals, Black history, and art. Roger loves this town, and it shows.
Collective Seed & Supply Co.
@collective.seed
This small, independent general store and garden center is yet another sign of the town’s revitalization.
Delta Blues Museum
@deltabluesmuseum
Overlooking the Sunflower River, this museum (which is also a music venue) pays homage to seminal blues artists such as Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters.
Tennessee Williams Rectory Museum
tennesseewilliamsrectory
Playwright Tennessee Williams lived with and visited his grandparents in Clarksdale between 1917 and 1932. Williams was inspired by the people and places of Clarksdale, influences that informed plays like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Glass Menagerie. Fans will love the collection of memorabilia housed upstairs in the family home, giving the artifacts a personal sense of place.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
MAY 9
Pinetop Boogie & Crawfish Boil
Legendary bluesman Pinetop Perkins grew up working in the cotton fields outside of town. The annual Pinetop Boogie & Crawfish Boil at Ground Zero benefits The Pinetop Perkins Foundation, which supports young musicians and elderly blues musicians in need of assistance. pinetopperkinsfoundation.org
MAY 16
Women in Blues
Check out the Women in Blues event, a free afternoon of blues queens located in the park across from Cat Head. womeninblues.org
