Yellow Dog Blues
Yellow Dog is Gone…
Bo Willie has lost his dog! With his Aunt Jessie’s help he begins a journey that sends him along the Mississippi Blues Trail where many Blues icons got their start. Hear their music, listen to their stories and… find that dog!
Check the Juke Joints!
L👀K
What Is “the Blues”
Blues music is a genre that comes from the southern plantations the United States as a part of African-American culture. Blues musicians use their music to tell stories, and to reflect on life's challenges and victories.
The Blues is another way of expressing, of just simply sitting down and talking. “This is what I had to go through.”
The Mississippi Blues Trail
Pictures of the locations Bo Willie visited in the book Yellow Dog Blues.
Highway 61
Dockery Farms
Dockery Farms Cotton Gin
Po’ Monkey’s Lounge AKA The Merigold Club
Po’ Monkey’s Historical Marker
Mr. Willie “Po Monkey” Seaberry
Po’ Monkey’s Lounge (wide view)
Crossroads at Highways 8 and 1
Crossroads at Highways 61 and 49
Hicks’ Tamales (original location)
Hicks’ Tamales Current Location
Eugene and Betty Hicks
Beale Street (Memphis, Tennessee)
Learn about more amazing historical blues sites.
Listen 👂
Hear music from musicians that got their start along the Mississippi Blues Trail.
What instruments do you hear in most of these songs?
What words would you use to describe the way they sound?
Learn ✍️
The Harmonica
Photo from Harmonica.com
The harmonica is also known as a mouth organ or harp. The main body, or comb, is typically made from wood, plastic, or metal. It has chambers called reed plates which are attached to both sides of the comb. The reeds are thin strips of metal, usually brass or steel. Each chamber in the harmonica contains two reeds: one for blowing air into the instrument and one for drawing air out. The blowing reed is set in motion when air is blown into the harmonica, while the drawing reed vibrates when the musician inhales or draws air in. The longer reeds create lower-pitched notes and shorter reeds produce higher-pitched notes
The Diddley Bow
Photo from Wikipedia.com
The Diddley bow is a simple instrument that was invented in West Africa. It consists of a single string stretched across a piece of wood or metal rod. To play it, you pluck or strike the string to create a twangy sound. Even though it is a simple instrument, the Diddley bow holds a special place in music history as a symbol of creativity and resourcefulness. Many children in the south made and played Diddley bows because guitars were too expensive.
Make a Diddley Bow
Materials: Wooden stick or plank with holes drilled through on each end, string
1. Loop one end of the string into one hole on the stick and tie tightly.
2. Pull the string through the hole on the other end of the stick until it begins to
bend (bow!). Tie tightly.3. Place the stick vertically on a hard surface.
4. Pluck like a guitar!
5. Experiment with different sounds by standing your Diddley bow on different surfaces while you play it!
Try your empty Music Library box, a bigger empty box, a table, the floor! How does the sound change?
Links to learning
🎶-The Harmonica: Duckster.com
🎶-Blues Facts for Kids: Kiddle.com
🎶-Blues: KidsBritannica.com