Son House
Eddie James “Son” House (1902-1988) plumbs the emotional depth of the blues perhaps more than any other Delta blues artist. A preacher at times, a barrelhousing bluesman at others, House was fiercely torn between the sacred teachings of the church and the secular lure of the blues life. House, who lived in the Robinsonville-Lake Cormorant area in the 1930s and early ’40s, was a major influence on both Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters.
Son House is regarded as one of the preeminent blues artists, but during his early career in the Delta, his renown was largely confined to local jukehouse audiences. He later attained international prominence during the 1960s “blues revival” through passionate,trance-like performances that highlighted his aggressive guitar style. He would occasionally rise from his chair to sing spirited a cappella gospel songs.
House was born near Lyon in Coahoma County on March 21, 1902, or by some accounts years earlier. Through his association with Delta blues legend Charley Patton, House first recorded for the Paramount label in 1930, though sales were minimal in the Depression era. Like other Robinsonville-area blues artists, including Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, and Willie Brown, House performed mostly at weekend suppers and dances held at sharecroppers’ houses. Tunica County locals have recalled House living and working on the Harbert, Tate, and Cox plantations, though he preferred to sing or preach. When the spirit called, he would preach at various churches, only to resume his nightlife as a bluesman.
House was a tractor driver on the R. E. Neunlist plantation in 1941 when he was recorded for a Fisk University-Library of Congress study led by Alan Lomax and John Work III. On September 3, they recorded House, Willie Brown, Fiddlin’ Joe Martin, and Leroy Williams at Clack Store,a commissary and train station that stood at this site. (A chugging locomotive can be heard on the recordings.) Despite problems with local authorities, Lomax later recalled, “Of all my times with the blues, this was the best one.”A second Library of Congress session in Robinsonville in 1942 would be House’s last recording in Mississippi.
In 1964 a group of blues aficionados, including Dick Waterman, drove to Robinsonville to look for House, only to learn he had long retired from music and had moved in 1943 to Rochester, New York. His subsequent “rediscovery” was reported in Newsweek, and Waterman would manage House’s comeback career, often booking him as the closing act at festivals. The most notable of the albums House recorded was the 1965 Columbia LP Father of Folk Blues. House performed little after the early ‘70s, and from 1976 until his death on October 19, 1988, he lived in Detroit with his wife Evie, whom he had married in Robinsonville in 1934. He is buried in Detroit
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 name "Mississippi" comes from the Ojibwe word "misi-ziibi," which means "Great River."
In the 18th century, the French established a presence in the region, establishing fortified settlements along the Mississippi River, including Fort Prudhomme. However, in 1763, as a result of the Treaty of Paris, France ceded control of the region to Britain. In 1779, during the American Revolutionary War, Spanish forces captured the area from the British.
Throughout the 19th century, Tunica County experienced significant economic growth due to its fertile soil and location along the Mississippi River, which allowed for easy transportation of goods. The county thrived agriculturally, with the cultivation of cotton becoming a dominant force, leading to the rise of large plantations and an increase in slave labor.
During the Civil War, Tunica County, like much of the South, suffered greatly. It was the site of several skirmishes and Union Army raids, leading to the destruction of property and the decline of the cotton economy. In the years following the war, the county slowly rebuilt, and by the early 20th century, the introduction of mechanized farming equipment resulted in increased productivity and economic recovery.
Today, Tunica County is known for its casinos and tourism industry. The county has undergone significant development and has become a major destination for gaming and entertainment. It continues to preserve its historical roots, with several historic sites and museums that showcase the area's rich cultural heritage.
Tunica County Timeline
This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Tunica County, Mississippi.
- Tunica County was established in 1836.
- The county was named after the Tunican Native American tribe who once lived in the area.
- During the Civil War, Tunica County was mostly occupied by Union troops.
- In the late 19th century, the county experienced rapid growth with the introduction of railroads.
- Tunica became a major center for cotton production, with numerous cotton plantations dotting the landscape.
- In the early 20th century, the boll weevil infestation and the Great Flood of 1927 devastated the agricultural economy of Tunica County.
- In the mid-20th century, Tunica County struggled with poverty and lack of adequate infrastructure.
- Tunica County became known for its casino industry in the 1990s, which helped boost the local economy.
- Today, Tunica County continues to be a popular tourist destination and is home to several casinos and entertainment venues.