Historical Marker

Queen of Hearts

Marker provided by: Mississippi Blues Commission.

The Queen of Hearts, a primary venue for down-home blues in Jackson, opened at this location in the 1970s. During the following decades, owner-operator Chellie B. Lewis presented the blues bands of King Edward, Sam Myers, Big Bad Smitty, and manyothers. The house behind the club at 905 Ann Banks Street was owned and occupied in the 1960s by blues singer-guitarist Johnnie Temple, who had been a popular recording artist in Chicago in the 1930s and ‘40s.

Jackson became an important center for the blues in the early 1900s, when musicians from rural communities came here to play for crowds on the capital city’s streets and in its many venues. Live blues continued to thrive in Jackson into the twenty-first century, thanks to clubs such as the Queen of Hearts, where owner Chellie B. Lewis booked musicians and cooked soul food every weekend for decades. A native of Bolton, Mississippi, Lewis opened the club as “Nina’s Lounge” after taking over the lease from Mose Chinn, whose brother Clarence ran the popular New Club Desire in Canton. Lewis had previously operated a “whiskey house” with a jukebox in the nearby Maple Street Apartments and worked as a waiter at Percy Simpson’s nightclub on Moonbeam Street, where he would sometimes play piano with Elmore James’s band.

John “Big Bad Smitty” Smith, a native of Vicksburg, was the first featured musician at the Queen of Hearts and was followed by bands led by King Edward (Antoine), Cadillac George Harris, Tommy “T. C.” Carter, Norman Clark, and Roosevelt Robinson, Jr. Others who performed or sat in at the Queen of Hearts included Sam Myers, McKinley Mitchell, King Edward’s brother Nolan Struck, Prentiss Lewis, Charlie Jenkins, Johnny Littlejohn, Levon Lindsey, brothers “Lightnin’” and Little Charles Russell, Elmore James, Jr., Robert Robinson, Andrew “Bobo” Thomas, Tommy Lee Thompson, Bobby Rush, Z. Z. Hill, Little Milton, Dorothy Moore, Lee “Shot” Williams, Abdul Rasheed, Eddie Rasberry, Walter Lee “Big Daddy” Hood, J. T. Watkins, Roosevelt Robinson, Sr., George Jackson, Eddie Cotton, Jr., Sam Baker, Jr., Jesse Robinson, Bill Simpson, Louis “Gearshifter” Youngblood, Robert “Bull” Jackson, Greg “Fingers” Taylor, Willie (Dee) Dixon, Robert “The Duke” Tillman, Sweet Miss Coffy, Willie James Hatten, Billy “Soul” Bonds, Frank-O (Johnson), Tina Diamond, Dennis Fountain, Marvin Bradley, James Williams, Sugar Lou, and Debra K.

Lewis also rented out rooms above the Queen of Hearts to musicians including Sam Myers and Big Bad Smitty, and recalled that the home of bluesman Johnnie Temple (1905-1968), located behind the club, was a popular hangout for Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson No. 2, and other musicians. The house was previously occupied by Temple’s stepfather, guitarist Lucine “Slim” Duckett, who recorded in Jackson for the OKeh label in 1930. Tommy Johnson and Skip James were among other noted blues performers who stayed with the Duckett/Temple family at various houses in Jackson. After moving to Chicago in the 1930s Temple recorded extensively, scoring his biggest hit with the often-covered “Louise Louise Blues.” He returned to Jackson in the late 1950s

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.

Blues Trail
Mississippi played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the most important events of the movement, including the Freedom Rides and the March Against Fear, took place in Mississippi.
Mississippi random facts
Hinds County, Mississippi, has a rich history that spans centuries. The area was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Choctaw and Chickasaw, who relied on the fertile land for hunting and farming. European explorers arrived in the region in the 16th century, with the Spanish establishing a presence in the area. However, it was not until the early 19th century that Hinds County began to take shape as a permanent settlement.

In 1821, Hinds County was created as one of the original counties in the newly formed state of Mississippi. The county was named after Thomas Hinds, a prominent Mississippi pioneer and early political figure. The county seat, Jackson, was established shortly thereafter and quickly became a center of government, commerce, and industry. The presence of the Pearl River provided opportunities for transportation, further contributing to the growth and development of Hinds County.

During the antebellum period, Hinds County played a significant role in the cotton industry of the Deep South. The county's vast plantations relied heavily on enslaved labor, with African Americans making up a substantial portion of the population. This history of slavery and the agricultural economy would leave a lasting impact on the culture and demographics of the county for generations to come.

Following the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, Hinds County experienced periods of social and political turbulence. The county became a center of Civil Rights activism during the 20th century, with notable figures like Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader, making significant contributions to the movement. Today, Hinds County continues to be a vibrant and diverse community, with a blend of historical landmarks and modern developments that reflect its varied past.

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

  • 1821 - Hinds County is established as one of the original counties in Mississippi.
  • 1832 - The city of Jackson becomes the county seat of Hinds County.
  • 1863 - During the American Civil War, Hinds County is occupied by Union forces.
  • 1875 - The Mississippi State Penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, is established in Hinds County.
  • 1960s - Hinds County becomes a major center for the civil rights movement in Mississippi.
  • 2010 - Hinds County celebrates its bicentennial anniversary.