Little Junior Parker

Marker provided by: Mississippi Blues Commission.

Little Junior Parker, one of the most outstanding blues singers of the 1950s and ‘60s, was born on a plantation near Bobo on March 27, 1932. As a youngster Parker moved with his mother to West Memphis, and he recorded his first hit, “Feelin’ Good,” for Sun Records in Memphis in 1953. His many later hits included “Driving Wheel,” “Next Time You See Me,” “In the Dark,” and “Sweet Home Chicago.” Parker died in Blue Island, Illinois, on November 18, 1971.

Junior Parker once ranked with B. B. King, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and Little Milton as top blues stars of the African American “chitlin circuit.” He also had many white admirers, including Elvis Presley, who recorded Parker’s “Mystery Train” for Sun Records. Parker’s singing resonated with warmth and elegance, and he played harmonica in a similarly mellow style. He began singing at the Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Bobo and spent much of his childhood at his grandfather’s twelve-room house here. His main influence on harmonica was Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2 (Rice Miller), whose “King Biscuit Time” radio broadcasts from Helena, Arkansas, could be heard in Bobo. After Parker moved to West Memphis at age twelve, he worked with Williamson and Howlin’ Wolf, as well as with a circle of young performers including Bobby Bland, Johnny Ace, brothers Matt and Floyd Murphy, Pat Hare, and Earl Forest.

Parker made his first records for the Modern and Sun labels but enjoyed his greatest success during his 1953-1966 stint with Duke Records and its associated Buffalo Booking Agency in Houston, Texas. Parker toured the country with Bland serving as his valet at first and later assuming a co-starring role in a “Blues Consolidated” package show. With the profits from his records and tours Parker was able to buy homes in Houston and later in Chicago. During his final years he continued to produce hits, the last of which, “Drowning on Dry Land” on the Capitol label, made the charts in 1971, the same year he died of a brain tumor at the age of 39. He always used Herman Parker, Jr., as his legal name, but on his Mississippi birth certificate his name is entered as Herbert Parker. He was elected to the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001.

Bobo has also been home to blues artists Joe Willie Wilkins, Joe Cole, and C. V. Veal. Many performers, most notably Robert “Bilbo” Walker, have also played at various country stores once located in Bobo. Wilkins (1923-1979) was born in nearby Davenport but raised here. One of the most highly regarded of the early electric guitarists in the Delta, with admirers including B. B. King, Muddy Waters, and Little Milton, Wilkins spent most of his career as a sideman and was best known for his work with Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2. As a teenager living in Bobo, he played with a group of older bluesmen including guitarists Frank Wilkins (his father) and Bob Williams, fiddler Sam Harris, and accordionist Walter “Pat” Rhodes, who was one of the first Delta blues artists to record (for Columbia in 1927). Alabama-born guitarist Joe Cole (1921-2005) moved to Bobo in 1953 and worked here as a tractor mechanic. He often played country jukes in the area and was renowned for one song in particular, “Feather Bed.” C. V. Veal, a longtime fixture on the Clarksdale music scene as a drummer, emcee, and blues and gospel singer, was born in Bobo on October 4, 1926. He recalled that Junior Parker would entertain locals as a youngster here

The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it’s just down the Mississippi Blues Trail.

The Mississippi Blues Trail is an ongoing project of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Funding for this project has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, AT&T, and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University plus additional support from the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division.

For more information visit msbluestrail.org.

The Natchez Trace Parkway, which stretches from Natchez to Nashville, is a popular scenic drive that follows the historic Natchez Trace trail used by Native Americans and European settlers.
Coahoma County, located in the northwest corner of Mississippi, has a rich history that spans centuries. The area was originally inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Chickasaw and Choctaw. European explorers, such as Hernando de Soto, ventured through the region in the 16th century, but it was not until the early 19th century that permanent settlement began.

The county was officially established in 1836 and was named after a Native American word meaning "red panther." In the decades that followed, Coahoma County saw a significant influx of settlers, mainly from the southern states, who were drawn to the fertile agricultural lands along the Mississippi Delta.

The economy of the county was heavily dependent on agriculture, with cotton being the primary cash crop. Plantations dominated the landscape, and the county's population grew rapidly due to the demand for labor. However, this growth came at the expense of the enslaved African Americans, who were forcibly brought to the region to work on the plantations.

Coahoma County played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century. It was the birthplace of influential figures like Aaron Henry, who fought for racial equality and was a prominent leader in the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP. The county also witnessed the efforts of civil rights activists like Medgar Evers and Fannie Lou Hamer, who organized voter registration drives and challenged segregation.

Today, Coahoma County continues to reflect its rich history through its cultural heritage and music. The city of Clarksdale, located in the county, is known as the birthplace of the blues. It has been home to influential musicians such as Muddy Waters, Sam Cooke, and Ike Turner. The county also houses the Delta Blues Museum, providing visitors with a glimpse into the region's musical heritage and its impact on American culture.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Coahoma County, Mississippi.

  • 1836 - Coahoma County is established as a county in the state of Mississippi.
  • 1839 - The city of Friars Point is incorporated.
  • 1841 - The town of Clarksdale is founded.
  • 1882 - The Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee District is formed to control flooding.
  • 1888 - The Yazoo-Mississippi Delta Levee Board is established to oversee levee construction.
  • 1903 - The first railroad arrives in Clarksdale, boosting economic development.
  • 1920s - Coahoma County becomes a major center for blues music.
  • 1930s - The Great Depression and the boll weevil infestation severely impact Coahoma County's economy.
  • 1942 - The Coahoma County Fair is first held.
  • 1954 - The "Coahoma County Project" is initiated to promote economic development.
  • 1980s - Coahoma County experiences a decline in population and economic activity.
  • 2002 - The Delta Blues Museum is designated as a Mississippi Landmark.
  • 2011 - The Mississippi Development Authority designates Coahoma County as a "Gulf Opportunity Zone," aimed at stimulating recovery after Hurricane Katrina.